Fur-Free and Fabulous

Don’t buy fur, ivory, or other products derived from endangered animals. By purchasing these things, you are personally contributing to the extinction of an entire species without realizing it. And we know you don’t want to do that. Fake fur is lots more fun. If you want to know specifics about poaching or endangered species, go to worldwildlifefund.org.

Eat for the Environment

    Cutting back on meat consumption is good for the environment, your health, and your wallet. Producing one pound of beef puts as much carbon dioxide into the environment as driving a typical car 70 miles! Read “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” the 2006 UN paper about the effects of the meat industry on the environment and human populations, at fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e00.HTM

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

    You know you want to adopt a  wild animal, don’t you? Oceana’s Adopt an Animal program allows you to befriend (from a distance) a whale, manatee, puffin, sea turtle, or any number of beautiful sea creatures. Swim on over to oceana.org and bask in the richness dwelling within Earth’s oceans.

You Don’t Have to Adopt to Make an Impact

    Adopting an animal is a serious commitment. For those who aren’t able to adopt, but still want to make a difference in the life of an abandoned animal, fostering is an excellent alternative. There are many foster programs that give at-and-dog-lovers the chance to provide interim housing for displaced pets who have yet to find their forever home. Many of these foster programs cover food and medical expenses, meaning all you have to worry about is giving your furry guest a safe and loving place to stay. And who knows? You might just fall in love.

Your Friends from the Farm

    Gene and Lorri Bauston found a living sheep abandoned on a stockyard “dead pile” in 1986. Once they recovered from the shock, they rescued the sheep, named her Hilda, and went to work creating the Farm Sanctuary. Within ten years, Farm Sanctuary became the nation’s largest farm animal rescue and protection organization. They now have a New York shelter and one in California, 100 miles north of Sacramento. Their website is farmsanctuary.org. Not only does their organization rescue thousands of farm animals each year, but they are also involved in groundbreaking campaigns to help animals. Another way you can support this effort is to visit a sanctuary with your kids, as they often include quaint petting zoos with fuzzy critters!

Animals Have Rights, Too

    Even with progressive legislation, our wildlife still faces a variety of threats. If it weren’t for organizations like Defenders of Wildlife, I doubt almost any animals would be safe. Alaska’s Arctic Refuge, the manatee, lynx, wolves, otters, and now the Endangered Species Act all are in harm’s way.

    On defenders.org, you can sign up for free wildlife updates, called Den Lines. Keep informed of any shenanigans going on and of how you can help, simply by using your mouse to make yourself heard. You can adopt an animal or two (adoption also makes a great gift!) or you can become a member and receive their excellent magazine. Defenders continue to need our support to carry on their fantastic work on our behalf… and on behalf of our wildlife and our wild places.

National Endangered Species Day

    Did you know monarch butterflies are at risk of becoming extinct? Protect wildlife and endangered animals. Join a preservation group or animal sanctuary to help keep our habitats and animals safe. More than 800 animals have gone extinct over the last 500 or so years, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' Red List- generally considered to be the most comprehensive of its kind. Our diversity is what makes Earth so special and we must do all we can to preserve it.

Fur-Free and Fabulous

     Don't buy fur, ivory, or other products derived from endangered animals. By purchasing these things, you are personally contributing to the extinction of an entire species without realizing it. And we know you don't want to do that. Fake fur is lots more fun. If you want to know specifics about poaching or endangering species, go to worldwildlifefund.org.