Smart Tools

Environmental Directory: Where to go

Looking up environmental data and statistics in one’s locality is important when initiating an environmental campaign. It makes your students’ efforts relevant and credible. Plus, more insights can be gathered when the class gets the whole picture.

Where can you direct them when it comes to moments like these? The following websites can come in handy for the research your students will undoubtedly need to make:

  1. Philippine Environment Zone Authority - with the Environmental Safety Group, they develop and implement environmental management policies to make sure businesses in economic zones protect and conserve the environment.
  2. DENR-EMB Website - the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau’s official website
  3. One Environment - the business and environmental portal of the Philippines
  4. Environmental Education on the Internet - has some ideas containing environmental school projects, activities, facts, resource materials, and even some heads-up on environmental grants
  5. Envirolink Network - contains a comprehensive and constantly updated environmental news and information
  6. World Business Council for Sustainable Development - a global association of 200 companies focus on sustainable development
  7. Designers Accord - a group of people passionate about their ideas for environmental innovation
  8. NAEM - discusses how professionals can incorporate environmental management into their businesses
  9. GreenBiz.com - contains articles on how to reduce environmental impact
  10. 20/20 Vision
  11. Center for Marine Conservation                            
  12. Earth Action Network
  13. Environmental Defense Fund
  14. National Wildlife Federation
  15. Natural Resources Defense Council
  16. Rainforest Action Network
  17. Save Our Environment Action Center
  18. Greenpeace  

The Ocean Conservancy website has some links as well on how to take action. This might spur and encourage your students to do something, or take an idea from action networks such as this and transform it into a localized environmental awareness campaign.

In the said website, viewers can Ask Congress for Bold Leadership on Fish Farming or
Take Action to Protect Endangered Turtles, Whales, and Manatees. With just a click of a mouse, they can Tell Congress the Ocean is on the Front Line of Climate Change, or even make their own online petition and send it to the Philippine Congress.

Publications such as Emagazine regularly features environmental issues such as Do Biodegradable Items Really Break Down in Landfills? and Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming.

Hopefully, information gathered online can go a long way in opening up a whole new avenue for your students’ environmental pursuits.

Sources:

“Consultants, organizations & information sources.” Retrieved March 8, 2009 from
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagid=31186
“Current Action Alerts.” Retrieved March 8, 2009 from
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ta_actionalerts
“Earth Hope.” Retrieved March 8, 2009 from
http://www.earthhopenetwork.net/EAS(earthhope).htm
“The PEZA Environmental Safety Group.” Retrieved March 8, 2009 from
http://environment.peza.gov.ph/index.php

(Published 23 March 2009, Smart Communications, Inc.)