Frequently Asked Questions:

What is The Earth Organization's?

The Earth Organization is an international, non-profit, conservation and environmental organization, founded by veteran South African conservationist and explorer Lawrence Anthony, who recognized that new solutions were necessary to reverse the dwindling spiral of life on planet Earth.

Recycling: does it really help?

Recycling is a practical way of doing something positive about the refuse that is polluting the Earth. Everybody should recycle.

What is The Earth Organization's standpoint on zoos?

The Earth Organization members do not approve of the conditions under which many zoos keep animals; we only support modern, habitat orientated, educational facilities, and require the closure of improperly managed facilities, that have little or no educational benefit, where caged animals are trapped and abused, or simply "gawked" at.

What is an ocean dead zone?

A dead zone is an area in the ocean which does not support life. There have been a total of 149 dead zones around the world. 49 of them are now considered permanent because it could take 100's of years for them to recover. Some dead ones are small, and some are huge - as large as 40,000 sq. miles. Dead zones are caused by excess nitrogen from fertilizer and sewage washing down rivers into the sea, triggering an explosive growth of plankton which uses up all the oxygen in the water. Because there is no oxygen, everything that cannot swim away dies.

Does The Earth Organization support circuses?

Our members do not support wild animals performing in a traveling circus, and believe all such facilities should be entirely banned. Our view is that circuses entertain people at the expense and to the detriment of wild animals and that animals are not on this planet to be abused and to amuse others.

What is The Earth Organization's standpoint on hunting?

We do not support pleasure or trophy hunting, and believe that the killing of animals for recreation or pleasure is unjustifiable.

What is The Earth Organization's standpoint on whaling?

We do not support whaling for “research purposes” or otherwise.

Is global warming man made?

There is much evidence to support main stream scientific thinking that global warming is man made, caused by fossil fuel based atmospheric hydrocarbons trapping the sun's heat. Last year alone over 25 billion tons of carbon dioxide was pumped into the atmosphere by vehicles and industry.

Last month, an assessment of Arctic climate change by 300 scientists from the eight countries with Arctic territory, including the United States, concluded that "human influences" are now the dominant factor.

We recognize, too, that there are many scientists who are in disagreement with this viewpoint.

What is clear, however, is that both sides agree that excess hydrocarbons in the atmosphere do trap the sun's heat. The issue in question is how much heat they trap.

The debate appears to be whether or not it is principally these hydrocarbons causing global warming, or whether the heating of the Earth is a natural or cyclical phenomenon.

The Earth Organization is continually monitoring and assessing this situation.

Irrespective of this debate, our atmosphere is not a refuse dump and we believe that all man-made sources of atmospheric hydrocarbons must urgently be diminished, and that alternative fuel sources must be introduced and utilized. Furthermore, we believe that the rehabilitation of our natural forests and the planting of millions of trees to absorb this excess carbon dioxide has become Mankind’s
new duty.

What is the effect of global warming on the polar ice caps?

Ice shelves respond more quickly to warming temperatures than do ice sheets or glaciers. Examination of meteorological records has revealed atmospheric warming on the Antarctic Peninsula over the past several decades, and the northernmost ice shelves on the peninsula have retreated dramatically (Vaughan and Doake 1996). In fact, since 1974, seven ice shelves have retreated by a total of approximately 13,500 square kilometers.

In 2002 satellites recorded an even larger disintegration. Between January 31 and March 5, 2002, approximately 3,250 square kilometers of the Larsen B shattered, releasing 720 billion tons of ice into the Weddell Sea. It was the largest single disintegration event in 30 years of ice shelf monitoring. Preliminary studies of sediment cores suggest that it may have been this ice shelf's largest collapse in 12,000 years.

What is species depletion?

All life on Earth is placed into groupings based on similarities and differences in characteristics. Individuals with the same characteristics are called species.

Many species are interdependent, meaning that life forms depend on other life forms for their own survival. Over billions of years, a delicate symbiotic relationship between species has evolved. It is this natural balance which allows life to survive in the way it does.

With toxic chemicals, pollution, and natural habitat destruction, a severe man-made disturbance to the natural balance of life on Earth is occurring. If Mankind's operating basis does not change, it will continue to have a direct and ever-increasing negative impact on all life, including Man.

This interdependency of life forms is so important we have built it into our logo:

THE EARTH ORGANIZATION
Because None Survive Alone

Why Destroy?

There are a small percentage of people with antisocial tendencies who work to harm life. Such people will be destructive or irresponsibly uncaring in their attitude and actions to other life forms and to the Earth.

However, the great percentage of people who are not actively involved in taking some measure of responsibility for caring for other life forms and the Earth are primarily operating from a lack of knowledge about the symbiotic relationship of all of life and how what they do or don't do does make a difference. They simply are not aware that their actions can have far-reaching destructive, or constructive, ramifications. It is these people to whom The Earth Organization is working to reach out, to help raise their awareness and knowledge of, and involvement in more sustainable living practices.

How do I join?

You can join online by clicking the "Join Us" icon, or by contacting The Earth Organization's nearest office to you. Locate your nearest office by writing to us through the "Contact Us" page.

What is expected of me as a member?

Members take creative actions alone, or as part of a club or chapter, to enhance the survival of the plant and animal kingdoms and Earth itself. We are a doing organization that believes that actions can always be taken to improve any situation, no matter how bad it is - and we are doing it.

As a fun part of your membership of your membership you are expected to plant sufficient trees to provide you and your family with your own oxygen needs, as well as additional trees to absorb the CO2 produced by your car exhaust. For details see Tree Project.

Is The Earth Organization a political or religious organization?

The Earth Organization's members come from all walks of life, from all cultures, races and religious backgrounds, all motivated by a common cause: to reverse the dwindling spiral of life on Earth and create a healthy habitable Planet on which all life flourishes and prospers.

It is a non-profit, non-partisan, issue oriented organization.

Donations to The Earth Organization

One-time donations can be made online. You will find a picture of an elephant's eye on the right hand side of the website page where it says "Donate to The Earth Organization Now". Click on that and it will take you to our donation page.

Are my donations or membership fees tax deductible?

The Earth Organization US is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and donations made to it are tax-deductible. Please check with your own financial advisor regarding any questions you may have about your own financial status as it relates to tax deductible donations.

Is Mankind an endangered species?

Look at the evidence for yourself. There are billions of us and we are fouling the air we breathe, polluting the Earth, using our rivers and oceans as rubbish dumps and abusing other life forms as if there is no tomorrow. And then ask yourself the question - are these survival actions?

Can we turn this around? Can we cut with the past and create a healthy, livable Planet that we are proud of?

Of course we can, but we need to do it, and the only way we are going to do it, is by doing it. Being concerned about it, or thinking about it, is just not good enough any more. There is a lot
at stake.

The Earth Organization is an honest effort, by a lot of good people all over the world, to really do something about it.

Will you help? Will you give your valuable support?

Make a decision! Go to the 'Join Us' icon and become a member, get active, join a club, start a chapter. Just get started! There is a lot of work to do, and your help is needed and valuable.

If you have a question which you can't find the answer to in our website, go to our Contact Us page and we will be happy to hear from you.

If you do not find an answer to your question, please just Contact Us and we will be happy to answer you.

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