Featured Change Agent: Seacology Aims to Save Islands Around the World
September 20, 2008 · Print This Article
Each week, EarthFirst.com will be featuring a new ‘Change Agent’ from Changents.com, a social media site that connects people who are doing good in the world with a support system of advocates, donors, publicity generators and fans.
This week’s featured Change Agent is ‘Seacology’. Seacology is an international environmental non-profit organization that is focusing their efforts on saving endangered species, habitats and cultures of islands around the world, from the Caribbean to Indonesia. In the last 400 years, the majority of the world’s plant and animal extinctions have taken place on islands in what leading biologist Dr. Peter J. Bryant has called “one of the swiftest and most profound biological catastrophes in the history of the earth.”
The knowledge that island habitats are so fragile, and that indigenous people are so often forced to choose between economic development and protecting their natural resources, led to the formation of Seacology. Seacology is headed up by executive director Duane Silverstein along with a small staff including Susan Racanelli, Ellen Kamoe, Emily Klokkevold, Karen Peterson and Lisa Rosenthal. Seacology also has field representatives around the world who scout out projects.
With the help of volunteers, Seacology has saved 163,811 acres of island terrestrial habitat and 1,808,443 acres of coral reef and other marine habitat. They’ve also built or funded 76 schools, community centers, water delivery systems and other critically needed island facilities and 26 scholarship programs, vital medical services and supplies and other critical support for island communities.
Check out this video of Seacology’s southern Madagascar project:
Seacology has received many honors for their work, including the Islands Magazine Blue Award, the Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award, the Yahoo Pick for Good and the California Association of Nonprofits Achievement in Innovation Award.
Seacology is currently seeking educators, parents and students interested in joining their free Adopt-an-Island program, which educates students about the threats facing islands on both an environmental and humanitarian level. Teachers will be sent pictures and background information on the project of your choice, and can then discuss the project with students and develop fundraising strategies to support the project. Join Changents.com as a backer to reply to this action request and get involved!
Link [Changents] + [Seacology]
- Small Islands to World: S.O.S.
- Return the Chagos Islands to the Chagos People
- Team Long Island's Fundraising Page
Related Posts:
Featured Change Agent: The Canary Project is Helping the World Visualize Global WarmingFeatured Change Agent: Agent 350 is Building a Global Climate Movement
Featured Change Agent: Brad Corrigan Fighting Poverty in Nicaraguan Trash Dump
Featured Change Agent: Scott Harrison is Bringing Clean Water to Africa
Featured Change Agent: Mike Davis is Recycling Pollution into Solutions
It’s good to know that organizations like this are taking action to prevent the destruction of natural wildlife habitats. So many beautiful lands were torn apart during the colonization period, which is still going on today. It’s really unfortunate that so many species have to suffer just because of our excessive waste and consumption. Seacology really has the potential to transform the green movement and inspire more people to get involved.