Descriptions of organizations come largely from their own websites. Any group's views and actions in their entirety do not necessarily represent the opinions of Blue Planet Links Foundation. BPL's mission is to promote sustainably healthy ocean and fresh water, and to the best of our knowledge, the listed organizations share this objective.
© 2012 Blue Planet Links
North America
Links to organizations promoting healthy
oceans and fresh waters
Look around: we are deliberately (or thoughtlessly) turning our water sources, shorelines and fish habitats TOXIC. We're ignoring climate change, using water like crazy, thinking short-term.
But some people are fighting back, thinking ahead, spreading the word, and winning battles that can make our children's world will better. Find out more below:
American Rivers
http://www.americanrivers.org
Environmental activists push to protect endangered U.S. rivers and their natural fish populations.
American Whitewater
http://www.americanwhitewater.org
Pushes to preserve recreational access to rivers; some campaigns focus on decommissioning of specific dams.
BCIT Watershed Pledge Program
http://www.watershed.bcit.ca
"Every home is waterfront property." A program designed to ecourage community involvement in the sustainability of our water resources. Designed for the Vancouver, Canada area, but ideas could be useful for any community.
Canadian Nature Federation
http://www.cnf.ca
More than 40,000 members and 100 affiliates, many of them naturalist organizations. Mission is to protect nature, its diversity and the processes that sustain it. Publishes colorful Nature Canada magazine, "the national magazine on nature and the environment". Spring 2003 issue features articles and facts about water.
Canadian Water Resources Association
http://www.cwra.org/
CWRA is a national organization of individuals and organizations interested in the management of Canada's water resources. Membership is composed of private and public sector water resource professionals, including managers, administrators, scientists, academics, students and users.
Clean Water Action
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/
U.S.-wide citizens' organization working for clean, safe and affordable water, prevention of health-threatening pollution, creation of environmentally-safe jobs and businesses, and empowerment of people to make democracy work. Organizes grassroots groups, coalitions and campaigns to protect environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life.
Clean Water Fund
http://www.cleanwaterfund.org/
Based in Washington, DC, CWF is a national nonprofit research and educational organization, with locally staffed environmental and health protection programs serving communities in over 20 states. CWF’s mission is to develop strong grassroots environmental leadership and to bring together diverse constituencies to work cooperatively for changes that improve their lives, focused on health, consumer, environmental and community problems.
Clean Water Network
http://www.cwn.org/
The Clean Water Network includes a variety of organizations representing environmentalists, commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, surfers, boaters, farmers, faith communities, environmental justice advocates, labor unions, urban communities, consumers, recreationalists and others working to affect public policy.
Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform
http://www.farmedanddangerous.org
A collaboration of the Pacific coast conservation community, First Nations, and commercial fishers works towards developing a salmon farming industry that is safe for humans and the environment in British Columbia, the world's 4th largest producer of farmed salmon. Aims to protect against destructive fish farming practices and to encourage the fish farming industry to adopt new technology, change to environment-friendly practices and to respect local communities. January 2011 saw the installation of a first marine-based (floating) closed containment tank at Middle Bay, BC by Canada's biggest fish farmer. CAAR lobbied for federal support for this project and celebrates it "a significant milestone in the transition towards more sustainable salmon farming practices".
Columbia & Snake Rivers Campaign
http://www.wildsalmon.org
The objective is to recover America's Pacific Northwest wild salmon stocks and the healthy rivers and habitats upon which they depend, including the removal of 4 Lower Snake River dams.
Council of Canadians
http://www.canadians.org
"Water is a public trust. No one should have the right to appropriate it or profit from it at someone else's expense." Large citizens watchdog group works to keep Canada's most pressing issues in the spotlight. Look under WATER and BLUE PLANET PROJECT (no association with this web site or Blue Planet Links) for the COC-initiated international campaign against privatization of water. Director Maude Barlow is co-author of the book, "Blue Gold" (See InfoLinks.)."
Ducks Unlimited
http://www.ducks.org
Conservation, restoration and management of North American wetlands for the benefit of waterfowl and about 900 other species. Members, mostly outdoors people who hunt, have restored more than 10 million acres of marshland. Ducks Unlimited Canada: http://www.ducks.ca
Ducks Unlimited (Canada)
http://www.ducks.ca
Conservation, restoration and management of North American wetlands for the benefit of waterfowl and about 900 other species. Members, mostly outdoors people who hunt, have restored more than 10 million acres of marshland.
Earth Share
http://www.earthshare.org
Umbrella organization for leading American environmental and conservation groups. Organizes or assists with workplace fund-raising campaigns: donations or pledges can go to Earthwatch (to be distributed among its member groups) or designated to one or more specific environmental organizations.
Ecojustice
Ecojustice ues the law to protect and restore the environment, issuing reports such as Drinking Water Report Cards and Sewage Report Cards (Waterproof 3, 2011, looks at sewage going into the Great Lakes Basin from surrounding US and Canadain municipalities), and generally holding government's feet to the fire. Formerly Sierra Defense Fund Canada.
Environmental Defense
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm
Founded as the Environmental Defense Fund in 1967, at which time it worked successfully - through the court system - to bring about the banning of DDT. Less court-focussed today, but still a powerful advocate for solutions to "environmental issues that affect our oceans, our air, our natural resources, the livability of our man-made environment, and the species with whom we share our world.” See OCEANS ALIVE.
Food & Water Watch
Food and Water Watch "advocates for common sense policies that will result in healthy, safe food and access to safe and affordable drinking water". Current campaigns include those against bottled water (Take Back the Tap), water privatization, triclosan (in antibacterial soap) and arsenic. Provides links to information on the impact to water of the 2011 Japanese nuclear accident.
Georgia Strait Alliance
http://www.georgiastrait.org
Aim of the organization is to protect and restore the marine environment and promote sustainability in the Georgia Strait, along the south coast of British Columbia, and its adjoining waters and communities. Web site includes a new list of Vancouver-area restaurants serving only wild (no farmed) salmon.
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
http://www.vanaqua.org/
Each September, some 10,000 volunteers work removing man-made debris from shorelines in every province and the Yukon. Now that's a beach party!
Keepers of the Water
http://www.keepersofthewater.ca/
The Keepers of the Water is comprised of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples; environmental groups; concerned citizens; and communities working together for the protection of air, water, and land - and thus, for all living things today and tomorrow in the Arctic Drainage Basin.
Pages
"My own contribution is
just a drop in the bucket
–but together our drops
make a flood"
A single person can make a difference, but sometimes it takes a group.
More voices, more money, more workers can influence a government to change its policies... can produce materials that will make people think... can galvanize public opinion to stop habitat devastation or prevent water quality degradation.
Some groups have a particular focus: surfers want clean beaches; marine biologists and fishers alike want thriving ocean habitats; canoeists want clear, clean lakes; broad-based environmental groups may concentrate on a specific location.