Everyday Activism
You've recently learned about animal issues. Or you're concerned about endangered species. Or you've been concerned about the environment for many years and have decided it's time to educate society about the issues. You may be timid or think you do not speak well in public. Perhaps you've never been involved in an activist group and you do not know the first thing about them. You may feel that you are all alone. But as an individual you can educate hundreds of people in your community and affect their often unwittingly exploitative attitudes and lifestyles.
Earth and animal activists are people who see the need for change and devote their time to doing something about it. They are driven by passion and a vision for a better future for animals and the environment. Whatever your reason for wanting to become an earth and animal activist, you have the ability to do so no matter your age, your means or your background. It's people like you, people who believe they have the power to make a difference, who end up bringing remarkable change for the planet and its animals.
Perhaps there are no animal or environmental groups in your area. But there is one animal advocate/environmentalist person—you. Anyone can be an earth and animal activist. It does not take any special skills or superhuman abilities. You just need to care enough about animals to want to help them.
Earth and animal activists are passionate enough to believe they can make change happen if they work hard enough to find a solution. While many people might become stalled when faced with the question, "How much good can one individual do?", activists believe that one dedicated and persistent person can make a difference for the earth and its animals.
EVERYDAY ACTIVISM
Practice earth and animal activism at home, at work and in your community. Making a difference for the earth and animals can be as easy as posting messages on Facebook and blogs and participating in conversations relevant to your passion. Use your particular talents to bring positive changes for the planet and its animals.
AT HOME
- Write to producers and networks of television programs in which animals are abused or ridiculed.
- Write to thank producers and publishers for animal-friendly messages in print and on television.
- Write letters to companies that conduct animal experiments.
- Write letters to companies that use real wild and exotic animals in their commercials.
- Write letters to the editor on earth and animal issues.
- Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper that allows ads for fur, circuses or rodeos.
- Write and call legislators to ask them to support animal-friendly legislation and thank them for past support.
- Call the sponsors of upcoming entertainment events that use animals and ask them not to sponsor animal entertainment.
- Encourage radio and television talk shows to discuss animal issues.
- Record a pro animal/environment message on your voice mail.
- Include a flyer or fact sheet with every bill you pay.
- Ask your child’s teacher to stop keeping animals in the classroom.
- Ask your child's school to stop requiring students to dissect animals.
- Offer to walk a tethered neighbor dog and provide the dog with food, fresh water and toys.
- Turn your backyard into a wildlife sanctuary.
- Deal with wildlife problems humanely.
- I.D. your companion animals and encourage others to do the same.
- Prepare disaster kits for your companion animals.
AT WORK
- Post flyers and fact sheets on work bulletin boards.
- Donate to organizations that legitimately help animals and the environment. Expose greenwash organizations to coworkers so they can make more informed decisions regarding their donations.
- Encourage coworkers to donate to organizations that do not test on animals.
- Make cruelty-free and environmentally responsible investments.
- Buy cruelty-free and green supplies for your office.
- Use a coffee mug with a pro animal or pro earth message at work.
- Take vegan dishes to office parties.
- Encourage your workplace to implement dog-friendly policies.
- Hold a volunteer work party to write letters, help out at an animal shelter, or make banners or signs for a demonstration.
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
- Donate pro earth and animal books to your local library.
- Setup a library display with a poster, flyers and appropriate books.
- Donate pro earth and animal DVDs to your local video rental store.
- Wear clothes and buttons with earth and animal statements.
- Post and distribute WAF flyers and fact sheets around your town.
- Setup an information table in a busy area of town to distribute flyers and fact sheets.
- Offer to show videos and host seminars.
- Take vegan meals to community functions and share the recipes.
- Show your hairdresser products that aren’t tested on animals.
- Encourage local pet stores to stop selling animals and to work with local animal groups to offer adoptions instead.
- Organize a low cost spay and neuter event in your community.
- Work to get local universities and schools to stop requiring dissection and to add vegan options to their menu.
- Help feral cats in your neighborhood with Trap-Neuter-Return.
- Ask for vegan options at local restaurants and grocery stores.
- Suggest an earth or animal themed book for your next book club meeting.
- Work to engage your place of worship with animal and environmental issues.
- Register to vote.
- Determine which elected officials represent you at local, state and federal levels.
- Encourage local officials to find long-lasting, nonlethal solutions to conflicts with wildlife.
- Attend town meetings to urge officials to support animal and environmental issues.
- Work for the passage of local ordinances in your community.
- Engage kids and teens with humane education activities and lesson plans.
- Learn what animal and environmental legislation is now pending in Congress, and contact your federal and state legislators.
- Organize a demonstration to help the earth and animals - holding posters and passing out flyers.
- Promote earth and animal issues on cable-access television.
- Speak at your club or church about earth and animal issues.
- Host an earth and animal dinner party.
- Teach a college or community education course on earth and animal issues.
- Speak, or sponsor a speaker, at local schools, universities and civic clubs.
- Find a local wildlife rescuer to help stop cruel trapping and killing of animals in your community.
- Find free advertising space in your town for earth and animal issues.
- Organize a litter cleanup in your town.
ONLINE
- Follow World Animal Foundation on social media. Help spread the word about animal issues by sharing our posts, links and photos.
- Include a link to WorldAnimalFoundation.org in your e-mail signature.
- Add a link to WorldAnimalFoundation.org to your website, blog or social networking page.
- Sign online earth and animal petitions.
- Place earth and animal banners on your blog or website.
RAISE FUNDS
- Host a fundraising party at home to raise donations for WAF.
- Host a fundraising event in your community to raise donations for WAF.
- Make a personal annual or monthly donation to WAF.
- Donate a percentage of your online sales to WAF.
- Donate a percentage of your business profits to WAF.
- Make a memorial gift in honor of a friend or companion animal.
- Include WAF as a beneficiary in your will.
DAILY CHOICES
- Adopt an animal from a local animal shelter or rescue group.
- Purchase eco-friendly and cruelty-free cosmetics, clothing and household products.
- Provide for your animals’ future in case you can’t care for them.
- Wear pro earth and pro animal t-shirts.
- Display a bumper sticker on your car.
- Display earth and animal stickers and magnets on yourself and your stuff.
- Reduce or eliminate animal products from your diet.
- Boycott animal entertainment.
- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
- Shop and dine locally.