Our planet, our home, is under stress like never before. If the 1960’s brought us the beginning of the environmental movement and the importance of reducing pollution, this millennium has taught us that our explosive population growth and it’s by-products are impacting our world in ways that compromise life on earth as we know it. And it has all happened since the dawn of the industrial age when mass production in agricultural farming began. The research is undeniable and we ignore it at our peril.
The scientific community is overwhelmingly convinced that human population growth and the burning of fossil fuels is causing of global warming. Photosynthesis in our plant life converts CO2 to oxygen and H2O or water. Yet rainforests and wilderness areas continue to be devastated reducing the very natural resources needed to convert the CO2 we produce. Likewise our ocean’s algaes that absorb and convert enormous amounts of CO2 are under assault as ocean’s temperatures rise and waters become more acidic. Some scientists believe we have already past a tipping point.
OUR POSITION
The New American Party’s position is that our congress and government agencies should work aggressively to reduce carbon emissions, incentivize the development of alternative energy sources, reduce the production of plastic waste and microplastic particles that are entering our oceans and food chain, increase protected wilderness areas, and take further action to reduce overall pollution entering our environment and, in fact, clean-up more of what is already there.
Below is a list of organizations dedicated to protecting the world in which we live. Our world is only as good as we chose to make it. We encourage you to support these organizations that work to preserve and protect the environment, and put pressure on your elected representatives to aggressively reduce pollution and greenhouse gases, and do more to clean up the environment.
OCEAN CONSERVATION
Global fisheries are on the verge of collapse, global warming is raising ocean temperatures, coral reefs are dying at an alarming rate and runoff from farms and neighborhoods is fouling the seas with fertilizers and other pollutants. So go the oceans, so goes the human race. We need serious action to protect them from these threats and many more, and we need it now. Below are inspiring ocean conservation groups that are influencing public policy, generating support, educating, researching solutions, working to stop illegal activities that harm wildlife.
Cousteau Society – Premier Marine research and documentary production to educate people on the undersea world and promote its protection.
One World One Ocean – Raising awareness of ocean degradation, showing how amazing our oceans are in their healthy state, and sparking a global movement to Save Our Seas!
Oceana – It is the largest international advocacy organization focused solely on ocean conservation with offices around the world engaging in campaigns with measurable outcomes. They work together to will help make our oceans more bio diverse and abundant by winning strategic policy victories in the countries that govern much of the world’s marine life.
The Safina Center – (Formerly the Blue Ocean Institute) – The Safina Center doesn’t just work to preserve the world’s oceans and all of its biodiversity, it also aims to inspire a love for the ocean in all of us.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society –
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) though highly controversial takes bold action in its fight to protect oceans and marine life. Starring on Animal Planet’s reality TV series “Whale Wars,” Sea Shepherd often uses direct action to stop whaling vessels from engaging in species-endangering whaling and fishing practices.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is among the most successful organizations working in the area of oceans, whales and seafood. Greenpeace has set three goals for the next three years: continuing to change seafood choices made at a wholesale level by supermarket retailers, convincing governments and the United Nations that marine reserves are critical to our oceans’ future, and ensuring that the U.S. Government uses its diplomatic leverage to close the loopholes that enable commercial whaling.
Ocean Conservancy
Educating the public and advocating for policy changes are the core of Ocean Conservancy’s work to prevent activities that threaten oceanic and, by extension, human life. In addition to organizing an annual international ocean clean-up, Ocean Conservancy has partnered with a popular multi-platform campaign called One World, One Ocean that aims to inspire millions of people worldwide to join the movement to restore and protect the world’s oceans.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
This non-profit research and higher education facility is dedicated to marine science with five departments focusing on ocean life, coastal oceans, climate change and deep ocean exploration. Because it’s training and employing of some of the world’s top marine researchers and scientists, Woods Hole is considered one of the oldest, most respected and most influential ocean conservation organizations in the world.
Blue Frontier Campaign – The Blue Frontier Campaign is all about grassroots actions from a local level up to an international level to develop strategies for protecting oceans. It organizes international, national and regional meetings, produces public education campaigns and has published books including 50 Ways to Save the Ocean and The Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide.
Scripps Institute of Oceanography –
UC San Diego’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography is one of the oldest, largest and most influential centers for oceanic research, education and public services in the world.
Marine Fish Conservation Network –
The largest national organization dedicated to promoting the long-term sustainability of marine fish, this conservation network is a coalition of hundreds of individual local and national conservation, fishing and scientific organizations.
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition –
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition is not just one organization but dozens. This alliance of over 70 smaller international organizations bands together to influence legislation that can protect and preserve the ocean and our “high seas”.
LAND, AIR & WATER
By 2050, the human population our planet is expected to exceed roughly nine billion people. In order to meet the demand for food and water, we need to create programs that increase the resilience of the natural systems that sustain us all. Below are a few working on efforts to do that.
Environmental Defense Fund –
Clean air and water. Abundant fish and wildlife. A stable climate. The EDF works to protect nature and help people thrive. What sets them apart is how they work to make this happen: By creating solutions that also carry economic benefits.
Wilderness Society –
Since 1935, they have been one of the leading American conservation organization working to protect our nation’s shared wildlands.
The WILD Foundation –
Their aim is to ensure that wild land and seascapes are protected and interconnected to maintain nature’s life-supporting systems and the diversity of life on Earth. The vision supports human health and prosperity, and secures a bountiful, beautiful legacy of resilient, wild nature.
World Wildlife Fund –
WWF works to protect wildlife for many reasons: It is a source of inspiration. It nurtures a sense of wonder. It is integral to the balance of nature. In their work, WWF focuses on saving populations of the most ecologically, economically and culturally important species in the wild. Ultimately, by protecting species, we save this beautiful, vulnerable and utterly irreplaceable planet we call home.
The is just a partial list of the many organizations devoted to preserving our environment and wildlife and ultimately working to protect us all. We are a species very much a part of the environment and as affected as the wildlife so many are working to protect. Visit these site often and discover the opportunities available to you to preserve and protect our beautiful planet and our home.