“Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul.” ~Edward Abbey
Having a hard time with the current administration’s full-on assault on the environment? I know I am. It is hard not to feel overwhelmed at times, but there are many organizations out there fighting the good fight each and every day and I’ve decided to step it up and start putting more time and money where my heart is. There is no better time to start than on Giving Tuesday!
What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday began in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation as a response to the burst in consumerism the days following Thanksgiving. What better way to kick off the holiday season than donating money to an organization that supports what you care most deeply about rather than stocking up on a bunch of junk you most likely don’t need.
3 Environmental Causes I Am Supporting This Giving Tuesday
1) The Friends of Cedar Mesa
At this point we don’t know if the new Bears Ears National Monument will keep its newly designate status, but we do know that visitation to this incredibly unique cultural area has increased and probably will continue to increase regardless of its monument status. The best way to protect these incredibly fragile sites is by educating visitors about how to best visit these precious and irreplaceable archeological sites.
The Friends of Cedar Mesa are working hard to get a fully functional Bears Ears Education Center open in 2018. Their first step is purchasing a historic bar in Bluff, Utah to house the education center, which funny enough was frequented by uranium miners back in the day. The Friends of Cedar Mesa currently have the building under contract and need more funds to help secure this deal. They have already raised a whopping 230K and have a goal of raising another 100K by the end of the year.
I know it is hard to donate if you’re low on cash, but as cliche as it sounds every little bit really does matter. I know I’ve been shy at donating in the past when all I had to offer was a few dollars, but honestly if everyone who is stoked on the new Bears Ears National Monument gave a couple bucks the Friends of Cedar Mesa would be well on their way to establishing the new Bears Ears Education Center in Bluff. Donate now.
2) The Seven Canyons Trust
I recently learned of the Seven Canyons Trust at a Giving Utah event last Spring and have been obsessed with learning more about their mission to “daylight” over 21 miles of underground creeks and restore 143 miles of impaired waterways in the Salt Lake Valley.
When the first settlers arrived in Salt Lake City, they saw seven creeks flowing from the mountains and through the valley before connecting into the great saltwater lake. Nowadays much of this water has been piped and channeled and forced under ground.
The Seven Canyons Trust believes that, “The water flowing throughout the Salt Lake valley should be showcased, rather than hidden, to contribute to the overall health of all residents, flora and fauna alike. The journey the water takes from the Wasatch Mountains to the Jordan River should unify all the communities and ecosystems. The water should be allowed to prosper.” Help them on their journey!
3) The Glen Canyon Institute
What better way to honor the life and legacy of Katie Lee, Glen Canyon defender extraordinaire who passed away the beginning of this month, than by a donation to the Glen Canyon Institute this Giving Tuesday. Plus all donations on Giving Tuesday will be matched by a generous longtime donor.
The Glen Canyon Institute’s overarching mission is to return the Colorado River to its free-flowing state through Glen Canyon. “In 1963, the diversion tunnels of Glen Canyon Dam closed causing the waters of the Colorado River to back up 186 miles through Glen Canyon to form Lake Powell. Built for political purposes, the dam was originally meant to provide a sustainable water supply to the arid Southwest, but has since undermined that very objective and has caused massive collateral damage across the Colorado River Basin. Before the dam, Glen Canyon was a wonderland of gorges, spires, cliffs, and grottoes; the biological heart of the Colorado River, with more than 79 species of plants, 189 species of birds, and 34 species of mammals; and a cultural treasure, with more than 3,000 ancient ruins.”
Where will you be giving this Giving Tuesday?