Environmental Organizations Are Necessary

The World Health Organization reports that in new estimates released, in 2012 around 7 million people died -one in eight of total global deaths- as a result of air pollution (“7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution”). This estimates confirmed that contamination is now the world largest single environmental health risk. Reducing this could save millions of lives. One of the largest independent direct-action environmental organization in the world is Greenpeace, which “defend the natural world and promote peace by investigating, exposing, and confronting environmental abuse, championing environmentally responsible solutions, and advocating for the rights and well-being of all people” (“What We Do”). There are a bunch of organizations looking for the well being of the environment and the people.

These environmental organizations are necessary to create awareness, enact legislation and to assure a better future not only for us but for future generations as well. Greenpeace says that their “focus is on big political and corporate changes, just as much as it is on empowering people in our network to act in their homes and communities” (“What We Do”). Green Cross have a change program, which promotes education about environmental sustainability, the values of the Earth and organizing Earth Dialogues (“Our Mission”). As these organizations, there are much more that have the same goals and missions, not only to act and help but also to create awareness about every environmental risk. Almost every environmental organization have Web pages and social media to spread the information, education and consciousness. Another reason to say that environmental organizations are necessary is

because they enact legislation. These organizations help to create laws to conserve and reduce the environmental health. Earth-justice is an organization that fights for a healthy environment they say that the Earth needs a lawyer. “Earth-justice was created by a small group of attorneys with a passionate belief that the power of the law could be used to preserve the environment. They helped establish the right of citizens to go to court to enforce environmental laws when the government couldn’t or wouldn’t.” (qt.. “Our Story.”). On August 6, 2013, Earth-justice, Earthrise Law Center, and attorney Hank Bates filed a lawsuit against the USDA and SBA on behalf of the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, Arkansas Canoe Club, National Parks Conservation Association, and The Ozark Society in Arkansas (“Victory for the Buffalo River, Environmental Impacts Must Be Reviewed.”).

Even-though every organization is looking to solve problems now, the goal is to have a healthy environment to live in a future not only for us but for future generations as well. Green cross mission is to respond to the combined challenges of security, poverty and environmental degradation to ensure a sustainable and secure future (“Our Mission”).The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contributes to making our communities and ecosystems diverse, sustainable and economically productive; and the United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to protect the global environment (“EPA”). Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) says that “We know how important it is for your loved ones to breathe clean air, to preserve diverse wildlife and to secure a stable climate for your children and grandchildren. Thats why we here at EDF come to work every day.

Although it exist people that don’t believe or support this organizations, such as Naomi Klein, who rejects the strategy of building coalitions with business — and is opposed to all market-based environmental solutions — because she sees climate action as a way to reform or replace capitalism itself (“VIEWPOINT”). These organizations really do make change and have real results. EDF works with big companies such as Fedex, Coca Cola, McDonalds to have energy efficiency today and train them as business leaders of tomorrow. People who disagree with this approach say, basically, how can you work with corporations when they are the very entities that pollute our air, land and water? To which we say: We work with them because they are the very entities that pollute our air, land and water. In other words, that’s one of the places where there’s progress to be made(“VIEWPOINT” ).

There will be always criticism and people with difference points of view but these organizations really do help and make a change. These organizations make significant improvements in our environment. They help us not only to live in a better world but also to fight for it and to be activist in our own communities. They promote, educate and prevent for the well being of people.They create and make sure the laws are being followed and the ultimate gold is to have a healthy word not only for us but for the future generations. We should support them and be more participative with these organizations. After all we only have one world to live and if we don take care of it we may not have it in a future.

Citation

“7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution”. [http://www.who.int/ mediacentre/news/releases/2014/air-pollution/en/]. (Access, 02/05/2015).

“What We Do”. Greenpeace. Greenpeace, n.d. Web. 02 May 2015

“Our Mission.” www.gcint.org. Green Cross, n.d. Web. 2 May 2015

“Our Story.” Earth-justice. Earth-justice, 06 Apr. 2010. Web. 02 May 2015

“Victory for the Buffalo River, Environmental Impacts Must Be Reviewed.” Earth-justice. N.p., 02 Dec. 2014. Web. 02 May 2015.

“EPA”. Our Mission and What We Do. N.p., 6 Oct 2014. Web. 02 May 2015.

“VIEWPOINT: Naomi Klein’s Criticism Of Environmental Groups Missed The Mark.” ThinkProgress RSS. Eric Pooley, 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 May 2015.