Earth Island Institute

Get your Brower Youth Awards Tickets

Join Earth Island Institute for the 18th Annual Brower Youth Awards on October 17. Come celebrate the next generation of environmental leaders at San Francisco's beautiful Herbst Theater. This year's theme is "Radical Hope," an expression of the optimism and inspiration we take away from celebrating the BYA winners every year. Tickets to the awards ceremony are free. The public is also invited to meet the BYA winners at a special opening reception preceding the awards ceremony. Learn more and get your tickets today.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Don’t Miss the Journal’s Autumn Issue

The Autumn 2017 issue of Earth Island Journal is out on newsstands and online. The issue leads with a report from Cuba on the country's low-carbon ways, and whether they will endure as the long-isolated nation opens up to global markets. Other articles include a dispatch from Venezuela about the country's decision to open up a vast swath of wilderness to multinational mining companies; a compelling story about how Ecuador's Indigenous Sápara people are fending off the dual threats of oil development and climate change; and a deeply reported piece on lead poisoning in wildlife and why the debate over toxic ammunition is heating up in Oregon.  Subscribe to the Journal or buy a copy at the newsstands. Help us produce more deeply reported stories like these by making a donation to our Green Journalism Fund today!

Thursday September 14, 2017

A Time To Swim Bay Area Premier

In the suburbs of Montreal, Mutang Urud is a stay-at-home dad. But in Malaysia, he was a voice of resistance for the Indigenous peoples of Sarawak. The new film A Time to Swim follows Urud as he returns home for the first time since his exile in 1992, and uses his personal story to explore the effects of environmental destruction on the fabric of a community. Join EII's The Borneo Project for a screening of the film on October 4 at 7 p.m. at the Brower Center in downtown Berkeley. The screening will be followed by a Q&A discussion with Urud. Tickets and additional information.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Taking on Commercial Fur Trapping in CA

This week, Earth Island's Project Coyote and the Center for Biological Diversity sued the California Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife for improperly managing and illegally subsidizing commercial trapping in the state. Plaintiffs argue that current license fees cover only a tiny fraction of the program's costs, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for the shortfall, and leading the agencies to illegally divert nearly half a million dollars since 2013 to subsidize fur trapping. To learn more, read the complaint and an LA Times article about the lawsuit.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Join RFRS for a Benefit StorySlam

The Real Food Real Stories (RFRS) StorySlam is only two weeks away! Join RFRS for a story-filled night to raise funds for the Earth Island project's pro-bono storytelling coaching program. This year RFRS is proud to welcome storytellers Dilsa Lugo of Los Cilantros, Nik Sharma of A Brown Table and A Brown Kitchen, Pim Techamuanvivit of Kin Khao Thai Eatery, and many, many more! A limited number of tickets are left, so get yours today.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Coastal Cleanup Goes #FoamFree

EII's Plastic Pollution Coalition is joining forces with several environmental groups to advocate for legislation on plastic pollution during Coastal Cleanup Day on September 16 in Venice Beach, CA. The organizations will offer envelopes to beach clean up participants, so they can send found pieces of plastic trash to congressional representatives in Sacramento — where earlier this year legislators voted against SB-705, a statewide polystyrene ban. Learn how you can get involved.

Thursday September 14, 2017

The Best of Earth Island Journal

Get the latest environmental news from Earth Island Journal. Here are our favorite web-only stories from the last two weeks:

Most Popular: Tap Water Across the Globe Contains Plastic, Study Shows. Plastic Pollution Coalition's Emily DiFrisco discusses new research finding that tap water in cities on five continents is contaminated with microscopic plastic fibers.

Editors' Pick: How to Teach Your Kids About Zoos. Earth Island board member Kenneth Brower writes about the morality of animal captivity, and the importance of giving our children honest answers about zoos.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Raise Your Voice for a Healthy Planet

Viva Sierra Gorda will be attending the Social Good Summit during Climate Week NYC this month. The Earth Island project, which works in Mexico to preserve old forests and reduce carbon emissions, invites you to participate in their side event, Raise Your Voice, on September 21 at INSA Restaurant in Brooklyn. INSA Restaurant will donate 10 percent of profits from the event to support Viva Sierra Gorda's work. The fundraiser begins at 6 p.m. Songs have moved mountains and changed minds, so raise your voice and sing for a healthy planet! Additional details.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Connecting Conservation and Health

Linking environmental and health issues could be a game-changer for people and the planet. Join Transition Earth's Suzanne York and filmmaker and conservationist Chris Austria on September 27 to explore this subject. They will discuss their recent trip to Uganda and the on-the-ground strategies that are working to empower people there, including family planning and protection of the world's last remaining mountain gorillas. The event, sponsored by the Sierra Club's San Francisco Bay Chapter's Population, Health & Environment Committee, will be held in Berkeley and begins at 7 p.m. Learn more.

Thursday September 14, 2017

Triathlon Supports Alaska’s Chilkat River

Athletes from Canada and Alaska competed in the first annual Chilkat Challenge Triathlon in Haines, Alaska last month, hosted by EII's Alaska Clean Water Advocacy (ACWA). The entire triathlon was on or along the Chilkat River, which provides food, jobs, and recreation for residents of the Chilkat Valley and is the site of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, the largest gathering place for eagles on Earth. Every year, thousands of eagles and hundreds of grizzly bears come to the Chilkat to feed on the five species of wild salmon that return each summer. ACWA is working to protect the Chilkat River from a proposed copper mine in the upper watershed. Learn more about the proposal.

Thursday August 31, 2017

Live Plastic-Free

Plastic Pollution Coalition is hosting an evening of discussion, action, and solutions to plastic pollution, complete with cocktails, drinks, tacos, and more! Join the Earth Island project for the "Live Plastic Free" fundraiser event on September 14 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in San Francisco. Learn more and get your tickets today.

Thursday August 31, 2017

Inspiring Active Participation in Democracy

Ultimate Civics is helping teachers show kids the difference between democracy in principle and democracy in practice by using hands on activities that encourage real-life civic engagement. The Earth Island project has created Activating My Democracy, a six-lesson set for middle school students that explores our constitutional democracy and aims to fill a critical gap in our education system. Learn more and download the lessons.

Thursday August 31, 2017

Nonprofit Fundraising Conference

Earth Island Institute is proud to partner with Nonprofit Fundraising Masters for its September 19 conference in San Francisco. The conference is designed for senior development professionals interested in connection, inspiration, and learning. If your nonprofit wants to raise more money, or you're looking to network with other fundraisers and get re-energized about your cause, register today. Learn more and sign up.

Thursday August 31, 2017

Learning about the Anthropocene

Have you heard of the Anthropocene? Many scientists consider it a new geological age, during which humanity's impact on Earth has been so transformational in changing the planet that it has pushed the world out of the stable Holocene period. Check out a new fact sheet created by EII's Transition Earth for more information about the Anthropocene and strategies for securing a sustainable future.

Thursday August 31, 2017

Habitat and Humanity at the Albany Bulb

On September 3, naturalist Patty Donald will share her knowledge of local plants and animals, and appreciation for the creative forces of both humans and nature, during a 2-mile walk at the Albany Bulb in the SF East Bay. During the walk, participants will consider the stunning variety of ecosystems at the Bulb and imagine possibilities for future citizen science projects and artist-scientist collaborations at this former landfill. They'll also reflect on the ways that humans and nature have interacted at the Bulb, where artists have built kinetic sculptures out of found materials in the midst of dynamic ecosystems. Please register on Eventbrite. The event is sponsored by Love the Bulb, part of Earth Island's California Institute for Community, Art and Nature.

Thursday August 31, 2017

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