The holidays are coming up, and no matter what you celebrate, most of us are giving and recieving presents sometime over the next month and a half, and these are just a couple of great ideas for a gift that is truly eco friendly, and it's something anyone would love to have, young or old. Animal adoptions, giving a donation to help protect a certain species of animal from the dangers threatening it, and the best sites this examiner has found to do that through are the World Wildlife Fund and Defenders of Wildlife.
The World Wildlife Fund and Defenders of Wildlife are both international organizations and their mission is the same, to protect endangered species from harm caused by humans. Becoming a member is an amazing green living tip, even if you don't want to donate any money. There are many petitions they send out, asking members to sign them and send them to their congressperson and senator, and in todays world the only way to make any real change to environmental policy, and thus how our nation as a whole is to deal with environmental change, is to make our representatives know that that is what their consituants want...and more importantly to them, will vote for. But, if you are willing or able to donate, your gifts don't go unrewarded. For the World Wildlife Fund, adoption amounts of differing value will get you different awards. For a $25 donation, you get a certificate stating you have adopted a species, with information on the species and what your money is doing to help them, and a beautiful photo showcasing the animal in it's natural beauty. For a $50 donation, you get both of those, as well as a 14" plushie of the animal you've adopted, a handbag, which can be used to help you out in your everyday green life by cutting down on plastic and paper bag usage, and an optional gift bag to hold it all in, which can double as a bookbag. For larger donations there are even more wonderful rewards, but you'll have to check the site out for that (links to both sites will be posted at the end of this article).
For Defenders of Wildlife there are three different options for adoption, adoption of an individual, a family, or a group within an area. For an individual, adoption is $25 and you recieve a small plushie of the animal, a certificate proving your adoption, a photo of the animal, and a fact sheet about the animal and what your money is doing for that animal. Adoption is $40 for a family, and you recieve a large plushie, the certificate, fact sheet and photo, and an activity booklet that is perfect for kids. For a $60 adoption of an entire grouping of animals, you recieve everything before mentioned, and a framed, personalized certificate of adoption, for your kids to show off proudly for their friends, and so you can tell all yours how your helping your planet.
Joining these and other groups like them is a good way to do the most with your money, if you're going to spend any of your hard earned money helping the environment, it is always best to do it in the most effective of ways, and organizations like this are in the forefront of changing environmental policy and making drastic, lasting changes. For your holidays this year, why not give a loved one a gift they will cherish, and one you can both feel even better about because you know you're protecting this world we all share as brothers and sisters.
The link to the World Wildlife Fund is www.worldwildlife.org and Defenders of Wildlife is www.defenders.org
Comments