Conservation definitions range from individual to individual. It depends on what you are looking to accomplish. Some individuals are conserving energy to save the earth, others to save few bucks. Some are conserving wildlife and landscape for karma to the earth, others to save the outdoors for their families.
River Network is an organization clean waters. They are interested in the quality of all fresh waters and the ecosystems dependent upon them. American Rivers is a conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers and life they sustain.
Wetlands International is dedicated to the conservation of wetlands. Government support comes from all continents of the world in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and Americas.
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The Wildlife Conservation Society works to preserve wildlife through science, conservation, education, and the management urban wildlife parks, led by the Bronx Zoo. The Wildlife Society (TWS), is a scientific and educational association. They try to enhance wildlife through conservation of diversity, sustainability, and responsible use of wildlife resources.
Friends of Animals is a animal advocacy organization in New York. They work for respectful view of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world. The Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park is a museum and research complex of museums, galleries, and National Zoo. It includes a diverse multifaceted mission of leadership in animal care, science, education, and sustainability.
The Rutgers University Animal Rights and the Law website provides legal insight to animal rights issues. Great insight to how animals can have a voice. The Animal Planet's site has a section that chronicles New York City law enforcement group solely devoted to investigating crimes against animals.
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ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM
Or activism at ClearWater. Clearwater's is an environmental action group in the Hudson Valley. They offer strategies in the public interest spectrum with research, support of grassroots groups, and citizen advocacy groups designed to restore and protect the quality of the Hudson River watershed. Another group would be RiverKeepers. They safeguard the ecological integrity of the river, tributaries and watershed of New York City (protecting the city's drinking water supply). They track down polluters and investigate environmental lawbreakers. An international group called Conservation International also provides options. They discuss things that range from a Brazilian state forest to the cessation of destructive fishing practices to sustainable farming.
The Center for Applied Bio diversity Science coordinates experts in science and technology to decipher data about bio diversity, develop and forge partnerships that promote conservation goals. CABS promotes public awareness and involvement in saving the planet.
The Conservation Fund is an environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting America's landscapes and waterways. The Fund works to preserve unique natural resources, cultural heritage and historic places. Climate change is complicated. But the Conservation Fund has launched a new program called Go Carbon Zero. They have devised a carbon calculator that measures your carbon dioxide emissions. It it a great tool that shows how we can all make a difference - simply and in quantitative terms.
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is dedicated to restoring wildlife habitat by helping groups manage their unused lands in an ecologically sensitive manner for the benefit of wildlife.
Of course some of the most well known organizations are the World Wildlife Fund. They work to stop the degradation of the environment and build world which humans live in harmony with nature, by conservation, ensure renewable resources and promote reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. GreenPeace committed to ban commercial whaling, stop nuclear testing, protect Antarctica, and to save the planet from global warming, destruction of forests, deterioration of oceans, and the threat of a nuclear disaster.
The Nature Conservancy works to preserve plants, animals and the natural communities that represent the diversity of life by protecting the air, land and waters critical to their survival. The Wilderness Society protect wild places, bio diversity, clean air and water, forests, water ways, and deserts. With scientific expertise and advocacy they look to save, protect and restore America's wilderness areas such as the Arctic Wildlife Refuge from oil and gas drilling, preventing logging and road building in forested areas.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is dedicated to the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and the habitat on which they depend. They promote healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants by conservation and by creating partnerships between the public and private sectors to strategically invests in conservation.
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) enables conservation in bio diversity hotspots which harbor half the diversity of life. Millions of impoverished and highly dependent people rely on a healthy ecosystems for their survival. CEPF goal is to help ensure that society is engaged in conserving the hotspots.
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EU launched the Sustainable Development Strategy to decline bio diversity decline by 2010. Leaders committed themselves to significantly reducing global bio diversity loss by 2010. The aim of EU this policy is to integrate nature protection requirements into farming, fishing and industry.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources The World Conservation Union is the world's largest conservation network bringing together to influence and encourage societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature. Also to use natural resources equitably and ecologically sustainable. The World Conservation Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization.
Sierra Club is inspired by nature, protecting the planet. It is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. They have many partnerships and have grown to have influence in political campaigns.
Sometimes joint project lead to a new organization. One example is the Save the Tiger Fund. A partnership between Exxon Mobil, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Disney Foundation, help form the Save The Tiger Fund. It is dedicated to the conservation of Asia's remaining wild tigers.
Another is Salmon-Safe. They certify fish friendly farms in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Salmon-Safe works with a couple of hundred supermarkets and natural food stores to help restore agricultural and urban watersheds so that salmon can spawn and thrive.
PREFERRED PURCHASING PROGRAMS
Or you may think of conservation as purchasing and practicing recycling programs. Sustainable Conservation advances the stewardship of resources by using innovative and practical strategies to engage businesses and private landowners in conservation of their lands and supply.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program encourages and assists federal agencies in purchasing environmentally preferable products and services. The site explains EPA's guiding principles for including environmental performance in purchasing decision making and posts case studies of successful pilot projects in both the public and private sectors.
Waste Wise
Waste Wise is a free, voluntary EPA program through which organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste, benefiting their bottom line and the environment. The program provides hands-on assistance to members to help them purchase or manufacture recycled-content products, prevent waste, and recycle solid waste materials.
The EPA's Vendor Information (VendInfo) search page, a repository of more than 1200 listings of pollution prevention equipment, products, or services. This page allows you to find listings using a free text method, or by selecting from the various equipment categories.
US Federal Government Guy Green Program The Buying Green Program Area includes many links to green product information, federal regulatory policy mandating its use, guides to successful purchasing programs, and conferences and workshops dedicated to environmentally preferable purchasing.
US Government General Services Administration - An Environmental Aisle has been added to GSAAdvantage!® online shopping experience. The Environmental Aisle allows federal buyers with direct access to our variety of products offerings that contain environmental attributes. This is the latest effort to assist federal customers in making "green" purchases.
