New York Times
December 17, 2011
Environmentalists Get Down to Earth
Leslie Kaufman
This recent article in the New York Times discusses the need for environmental groups to change their strategy in response to setbacks in the past few years. And the biggest conservation groups are also faced with declining and graying memberships, and changes in leadership. The last 15 months have included executive changes at the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Audubon Society, among others. The head of the Wilderness Society will step down next year.
According to Leslie Kaufman’s article, some of these groups are employing a strategy of being more circumspect in campaigning against global warming, mindful of mixed public sentiment. A three-prong approach is emerging: fight global warming by focusing on immediate, local concerns; reinvigorate the grass roots through social media and street protests; and renew an emphasis on influencing elections.