Crunchy Chicken , goddess of environmentalism and yours truly have something really, really cool to announce. Actually, no, it is really, really hot - sizzling in fact. Unfortunately, we can't tell you what it is until next week, except that it involves seriously awesome science and extreme hotness.
What we can tell you is that we are planning to donate the profits from our next enterprise to an enviromental charity, but we're having some trouble picking our favorite. So I thought I'd ask you - what environmental charity do you like best? We're taking suggestions!
Cheers,
Sharon
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Also, extra e at the end of link making for broken link.
I really like the Nature Conservancy - they seem to do great stuff wherever you happen to live.
Does Project Heifer count?
Nature Conservancy
http://www.wateraidamerica.org
I like Kiva a lot.
http://www.kiva.org
Sharon, you sure you don't want a career change - maybe go into advertising? How can we possibly resist something that sounds so damn sexy?!
Even though I'm Canadian, and this most likely won't count:
The David Suzuki Foundation
I like The Food Project.
Not strictly environmental - but I admire the Salvation Army.
Sustainable Harvest International is a good one - they specialize in appropriate technology to improve living standards and reduce environmental damage.
http://www.sustainableharvest.org/
I think the Green Belt Movement is wonderful.
Heifer is one of our favorites. They're working with us in our neighborhood, now (Portland, Oregon) with the Village Gardens Livestock Project.
I vote for Heifer International (of Heifer Project, however you want to call it).
Please consider Sustainable Harvest International, my favorite non-profit by a long shot, working with rural families and farmers in central America using real grassroots methods and technologies.
When you donsider the damage people in poverty can do to their own environment, through having no choices, then I suggest Wateraid, to bring water and sanitation to people so that they have time and health to focus on their next steps.
My vote is for a Portland-based group called Green Empowerment (www.greenempowerment.org) whose watchwords are: social justice, sustainability, and local leadership. Their projects include helping small communities develop clean water, renewable energy, and watershed protection.
Not to say anything bad about the Nature Conservancy (I'm a member), but of all the environmental charities, they are about the best funded by the large number of very rich supporters they have. I think Sharon's and Crunchy Chicken's funds will go further at a more grass-roots organization.
http://www.sunoven.com/international/haiti.php
How about global sun ovens? Sun oven international has already sent some ovens to Haiti - in addition to being used for cooking, they can be used to sterilize water - both reducing the need for cutting down trees for fuel. With the millions you & Crunchy will be garnering with this exciting! new! mystery! project, you could help build a stronger, more sustainable future for Haitians.
Although I'd be happy to see them distributed through an organization that wasn't evangelical...
I really like Practical Action which grew out of Schumacher's Intermediate Technology. It can be found at http://practicalaction.org/home
This is one of my favourite charities as it empowers people to improve their lives using technology they can make locally.
Another great charity is Womankind which can be found at http://www.womankind.org.uk/
I've been donating to this organisation since I became aware of it some years ago. They work with communities empowering women as this is usually the best way of improving the wellbeing of the whole community.
Re Charities: Charity starts at home. Adapt in Place. Rather than try to accomodate one humungous charity I prefer to keep my charitable donations local. We donate to our church, the multi-service organization that also includes a food pantry. We are downsizing and making considerable donations to local thrift shops; Goodwill, Salvation Army and a Prison Ministry. We also shop at these local thrift shops.
The Land Institute, www.landinstitute.org. They are in the process of perennializing the major grain crops, particularly wheat, and putting together farming systems that will use the perennialized grains and companion crops to provide their own fertility and water management and insect control. And they do it by conventional plant breeding processes.
Macarthur-award winner Will Allen's urban farming project:
http://www.growingpower.org/