Respond Communally

There are many organizations that can use your help.
(Note that not all these organizations are tax deductible, because they may directly support citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts.)

Some broad-focus environmental groups are:

Sierra Club

Works to inspire all Americans to explore, enjoy, and protect the Earth’s wild places, to practice and promote responsible use of the Earth’s ecosystems and resources, and to work to restore the quality of the natural environment that sustains us.

Greenpeace USA

Uses non-violent direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

Friends of the Earth (FOE)

A global network, representing 74 different countries, that defends the environment and champions a healthy and just world.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Uses law, science, and the support of its members to protect the planet’s wildlife and wild places and ensure a safe and healthy environment for all people.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

Works to stop environmental pollution by encouraging business, labor, government, and citizen groups to cooperate and identify practical policies to protect the environment.

Some climate-focused organizations are:

350.org

Works to build a bold and diverse global grassroots movement to stop climate change with an emphasis on direct action.

Sunrise Movement

Works to build an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people.

US Climate Action Network

An affiliate network of the Climate Action Network (CAN), a worldwide network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working to promote government, private sector, and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.

Climate Crisis Coalition

Generates local and national climate actions and events that draw attention to the climate crisis and the strong measures needed to address it. Organizes forums to broaden climate action constituency beyond the traditional environmental movement.

The Climate Reality Project

Launched by former Vice President Al Gore, presents the facts about climate change and its solutions to the general public in an accurate, clear and compelling manner.

Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF)

Protects the scientific endeavor by putting legal expertise to work for scientists who are threatened or silenced for doing their jobs.

Mothers Out Front

The organization says, “We will do what it takes to protect our children from the climate crisis. We show up. Everywhere. State Houses. Town halls. On the steps. At the tables. We serve as a constant reminder that decisions made today have consequences for tomorrow. We know any mother can accomplish these goals. No one is alone. We coach. We teach. We lead. We win.”

Go local!

Find a Land Trust

Invest in preserving lands in YOUR area. Land trusts permanently conserve the lands we need and love, ensuring they will be there for today and tomorrow.

There are so many more! Follow this link to the types of organizations you may have special interest in:

https://www.startguide.org/orgs/orgs08.html

There are a number of organizations that encourage people like you to gather with like-minded people to actively participate in campaigns and events that will affect climate change:

▶ Get involved in virtual town halls, meetings, and events with Defend our Future. See the organizational values and sign up now.

▶ Mothers Out Front The coast-to-coast organization says, “We will do what it takes to protect our children from the climate crisis. We show up. Everywhere. State Houses. Town halls. On the steps. At the tables. We serve as a constant reminder that decisions made today have consequences for tomorrow. We know any mother can accomplish these goals. No one is alone. We coach. We teach. We lead. We win.”

▶ Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a grassroots advocacy climate change organization focused on national policies to address the climate movement. They use a respectful, nonpartisan approach to climate education and build upon shared values rather than partisan divides. They particularly advocate for Carbon Fee and Dividend proposals. By empowering their supporters to work in keeping with the concerns of their local communities, they work toward the adoption of fair, effective, and sustainable climate change solutions.

▶ Climate Crisis Coalition Generates local and national climate actions and events that draw attention to the climate crisis and the strong measures needed to address it. They organize forums to broaden climate action constituency beyond the traditional environmental movement.

▶ Speak up and shout out with the Sierra Club. They practice and promote responsible use of the Earth’s ecosystems and resources and work to restore the quality of the natural environment that sustains us all. The organization directly supports citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts

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(Note that contributions to some of these organizations may not be tax deductible because these organizations may directly support citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts, thereby enhancing the value of your donations. )

If you feel ready to really start making an impact, it’s time to tackle the systems and political stagnation that contribute to climate change at all governmental levels. Here, we need to advocate for forward-thinking climate policies and institutional reform.

▶ Write letter to the editor. It’s more productive than a Facebook rant. Here is a template for a letter to the editor, with some guidelines. Following are a few more guidelines for writing a letter to the editor from Audubon Climate Action Guide:

• • Pick Your Newspaper if you want to influence a specific decision maker, choose a paper they read. A local or regional print publication is a good bet.
  • Get to the Point Make one point in your letter, and make it well. Keep it between 150 and 200 words.
  • Make It Personal Tell your climate story to emphasize why you Include no more than the one fact needed to support your main point.
  • Don’t Hold Back Tell readers what you want to get done or them to do. Be precise and aggressive.
  • But Don’t Be Too Aggressive Do not attack individuals or groups of people. Stick to your point.
  • Find a Proofreader before submitting your letter, have a friend or trusted colleague read it for clarity

▶ Contact your legislators: At www.usa.gov/elected-officials and use the points above.

▶ Get others to join your cause: See www.audubon.org/news/how-strategically-organize-cause.