 |
Green Corps Organizer Noelle Janka petitions Frances Strickland, the First Lady of Ohio, who agrees to be on-call for global warming. |
Stopping Global Warming
Global warming is one of the greatest environmental challenges we face today. From dangerous heat waves and melting glaciers to extreme drought and increased wildfires, the dangers of global warming are galvanizing Americans to call for immediate action.
This fall Green Corps trainees are working on behalf of the National Environmental Trust in Florida, Montana, Ohio, Oregon and Virginia on global warming. They are working with citizens to call on Congress to enact legislation that requires an 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2050.
In order to build the political will to implement this policy, Green Corps organizers will be recruiting and training citizen activists to call their senators, write letters to the editors of local newspapers, and host events. In addition to recruiting and activating community volunteers, Green Corps organizers will be increasing public awareness through a series of community presentations, and by utilizing the power of the media.
Ocean Preservation
Since 1972, researchers have documented the global extinction of at least 16 species of marine fish. Much of the decline in the number of fish can be traced back to overfishing and a lack of annual catch limits.
In 1996, after more than 20 years of rapidly declining fish populations, Congress took action by amending the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act (MSFA), which regulates the fishing industry. Every 10 years the act must be renewed.
A series of public hearings is scheduled for this fall to determine the future of the act. These hearings will be held in locations with heavy fishing industry influence. In order to protect the MSFA, Green Corps is working with U.S. PIRG to mobilize grassroots support in these areas to help protect these natural habitats.
Green Corps organizers will work with local community groups to increase public awareness about the hearings and the risks that overfishing poses to ocean ecosystems. Organizers will work to build a broad base of citizen activists, including constituencies that depend on ocean ecosystems, to support the new standards at the public hearings.
My team and I thank you for your continued support, which has allowed us to connect another team of future environmental leaders with the skills and experience that will make a difference for all of us. The impact of your support will be felt for years to come. I look forward to reporting to you with news of more concrete victories for the environment.
Sincerely,
Naomi Roth
Executive Director |
