Organizations around the world are fighting climate change, but who are the best, and how can you support them?
Climate change is an issue which simply cannot be ignored. While there are many ways individuals can fight climate change, change must come from the highest levels of industry and government to fully remedy the issue. While people can voice their opinions on climate change to their representatives, the assistance of large organizations and nonprofits helps expedite and intensify change from within.
We’ve compiled a list of 5 amazing organizations that are actively working to reduce and reverse the effects of climate change.
1: Environmental Voter Project
According to a study by Pew Research Center, only 42% of registered voters listed climate change as a “very important” determining factor in who they were voting for in the 2020 presidential election. While this is better than data from previous years, it displays a lack of urgency in voters’ concerns about climate change. This is where the Environmental Voter Project (EVP) has set its sites.
EVP is a nonpartisan climate organization focused on getting voters to come out to the polls and cast their ballots with the environment in mind. Through grassroots activism, EVP gets potential voters to think of voting as a means of voicing concerns for the climate, and use the power of their vote to pressure elected officials to enact sweeping reform.
While EVP has already made a large impact, they are always looking for volunteers and donations. EVP is doing everything they can to illustrate to voters and elected officials the importance of combating climate change.
2: 350.org
350.org is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 which aggressively fights for environmental reform. Unlike many other climate organizations, 350.org will not be satisfied until the world has rid itself of fossil fuel consumption completely. 350.org is extremely goal oriented, staging numerous events and campaigns to motivate the public to take climate change seriously. Even their name is a goal, referring to 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is considered the threshold for safe levels of air pollution.
Because so many governing bodies answer to fossil fuel companies, 350.org acts as a counterbalance, demanding governments to stop taking dirty money and focus on the future of our planet. Just recently, 350.org noticed major fossil fuel companies are trying to sponsor the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), and have already staged a campaign to bar these companies from giving money to a conference focused on green solutions.
If you believe the fight for a green future must be fought aggressively and relentlessly, then 350.org represents your interests. Being a 501(c) organization, you can fully trust that the only goals 350.org holds are for the future of our planet.
3: Turning Green
It is no secret that young people, on average, care more about climate change than older generations do. However, how can passion be translated into direct action? The answer is to give young people avenues to make substantial change within the system. President Biden has already announced plans for a Civilian Climate Corps, which would employ young Americans to look for and enforce solutions to climate change. While this would be momentous in its own right, still more must be done.
Founded in 2005, Turning Green is a student led organization which is influencing the youth of America to take a stand against climate change. Their three-pronged approach is to inform, inspire and motivate climate action, showing how students can make a difference in their world. Young people the world over want to combat climate change now, and Turning Green gives them the tools they need to turn their concerns into sustainable solutions for the future.
The youth are the most energized to fix our climate, which is why they deserve the power to do so. Turning Green gives students the resources they need to understand the environment and formulate sustainable solutions. Climate change must be addressed now, and educating and motivating the current generation is the best means of doing so.
4: Citizens’ Climate Lobby
During the 2018 midterm elections, the fossil fuel industry spent $359 million in federal campaign donations and lobbying. That is thirteen times more than the renewable energy industry, which only spent $26 million. Numbers like this display the stronghold which the fossil fuel industry has over American politics, directly influencing apprehensions and even denial of the importance of shifting to clean energy. In spite of this, Citizens’ Climate Lobby is fighting against the tide of denial and telling U.S. representatives to vote for a green future.
Fiercely nonpartisan and nonprofit, Citizens’ Climate Lobby advocates for eco-friendly solutions by presenting representatives a clear and ethical path toward progress. They firmly support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act among many other solutions, and have made it their goal to convince all levels of government of the importance of taking climate action seriously.
Most importantly, Citizens’ Climate Lobby wants to reflect the wishes of the people. Not only do they stand up to the fossil fuel industry in Congress, but educate and empower people to do the same. Citizens’ Climate Lobby is fighting for everyone, not just a party agenda, and needs everyone’s help to achieve a green future for us all.
5: Ecosia
On an average day there are about 3.5 billion searches performed on Google. That breaks down to more than 40,000 individual searches every single second. Now, imagine if every one of those searches removed a kilogram of CO2 from the atmosphere. Ecosia has turned that concept from far fetched dream to reality.
Choosing to harness the power of the internet for good, Ecosia is a search engine with a very simple premise: for every 45 searches, they will plant a tree somewhere in the world that needs it most. Ecosia has already planted over 115 million trees worldwide, with that number constantly ticking up. To ensure their own servers are not negating their green efforts, Ecosia invested in clean energy alternatives, making their search engine carbon neutral. Wanting to further outdo themselves, Ecosia has become the first company ever to produce twice the amount of solar energy needed to power itself, adding large amounts of clean power back into the grid.
Although Ecosia’s main goals were always to protect and nurture the environment, they also set out to design an ethical, secure search engine. All of their financial statements are completely transparent, clearly showing how their income is generated and where it goes. In tandem with this, they are committed to user privacy. They vow to never sell data to advertisers or use external tracking services, and keep all of their search data encrypted for optimal security.
When it comes to simple ways to help the planet, none are as effortless or powerful as using Ecosia as your main search engine. Click here to add the Ecosia extension to Chrome.
Support Those Who Support The Planet
Many organizations are working to save the environment, but they all need your help. Donating, volunteering, even sharing them on social media are all essential means of supporting planet-saving organizations. The more people who voice their interest in climate reform, and the more power which environmentally focused organizations hold, the sooner a green future will become a reality.
If you are looking for more ways to support organizations like the ones listed above, along with ways to reduce your own carbon footprint, check out Impactree’s climate change action hub for more information and actions!
