10 Organizations Working to Protect The Environment - Part 2

Image via nyrp.org

Many forests around the globe are on fire, numerous species continue to disappear, and last year the global sea level was 3.4 inches above the 1993 average. The last United Nations' Global Biodiversity Outlook report stated that of the 20 biodiversity goals laid out by the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in 2010, only 6 were "partially achieved" by the deadline of 2020. The report warned that biodiversity will continue to decline. 

But there is hope and a lot we can do to reverse this ongoing problem. The status quo needs to change, in particular, the currently unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, population growth, and technological developments. By spreading awareness, volunteering, writing letters to politicians, using your civic right and participating in every election, marching, consuming wisely, and inspiring others with your own actions, you can help transform this world. 

In the first part of this guide, we focused on international environmental organizations: Amazon Watch, Greenpeace, Earth Day Network, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and Wildlife Conservation Society (WLS). 

In this second part, we are focusing on environmental organizations that work locally: Animal Outlook, Green Bronx Machine, New York Botanical Garden, New York Restoration Project, and Prospect Park Alliance. 

And remember that making a difference starts with you!

Working with various international corporations, Animal Outlook pushes for change to reduce suffering, eliminate animal ingredients, and mainstream the availability of plant-based options. 

During the last decade, the organization has been successful at convincing corporations such as Starbucks, Nestle, and Subway to include plant-based vegan options to their menu and products. 

Some of their investigations include:

• Dairy: Dead On Arrival
• Aquaculture: A Sea of Suffering
• Behind Big Dairy's Closed Doors
• Learn more about their work here.

Green Bronx Machine

Green Bronx Machine is dedicated to cultivating minds and harnessing hope through a school-based model using urban agriculture, which has demonstrated positive results on students’ health. The GBM initiative helps transform communities that are fragmented and marginalized into neighborhoods that are inclusive and thriving. 

Some of their projects include:

• Food For Others Garden
• Partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital
• School Garden to School Cafeteria
• Discover more Green Bronx Machine projects here. 

New York Botanical Garden

NYBG preserves and protects Earth’s biodiversity and natural resources and enhances human well-being through environmental, social, and financial best practices in plant research and conservation, public horticulture and education, and business operations.

Some of their sustainability projects include:

• Saving the Plants of the World
• Creating a More Energy-Efficient Garden
• Developing Alternatives to Chemical Pesticides and Fertilizers
• Discover more here.

New York Restoration Project

Since 1995 the New York Restoration Project has planted trees, renovated gardens, restored parks, and transformed open space for communities throughout New York City's five boroughs. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to transforming open space in under-resourced communities to create a greener, more sustainable New York City.

Through your own neighborhood, you can find the best way to connect and participate in the NYRP’s work. Explore their map of green spaces and learn about the parks in your area. 

Prospect Park Alliance

Anyone who lives in New York knows that Prospect Park is the heart of Brooklyn. It’s where friends meet to hang out, organize picnics, exercise, enjoy live music, and celebrate anniversaries. The Alliance was founded in 1987 to help restore the Park after a long period of deterioration and decline. Today, the Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keep the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home.

The organization has invested heavily to reconstruct the park's watercourse, which flows through the woodlands and includes waterfalls, pools and a 60-acre lake (Brooklyn's only lake); and to rebuild its core woodlands, the "lungs of Brooklyn," with native species of trees, shrubs, and plants. The park is an amazing habitat for all sorts of wildlife and an Important Bird Area. More than 250 species of birds have been spotted in Prospect Park, and the park is also home to bats, fish, turtles, bees, butterflies, and many more species of wildlife.

Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance’s initiatives here.