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Environmental Special Interests

Many Americans place a high degree of trust in environmental special interest groups. A 2002 poll commissioned by the Sierra Club found that 57 percent of Americans trust environmental groups for information on environmental issues. But do environmental groups deserve so much trust? Are they truly benign do-gooders only out to protect the public's health and the environment?

Like any movement, there are some good seeds and some bad seeds, but most environmental groups share some general characteristics. First, environmental groups tend to exaggerate and even fabricate environmental crises in order to justify their existence and to maintain financial support. Second, unbeknownst to their contributors, environmental groups often use their resources to support other liberal causes and politicians that have little to do with the environment. Third, environmental groups frame the debate as good versus evil, which justifies nasty attacks on those with different opinions.

As environmental groups continue to flex their muscles and influence policy, it's important to look behind the curtain to see what is really driving many organizations.

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This article, one part in a series on The Nature Conservancy, uncovers the accounting gimmicks and obfuscations that veiled the real salary of the executive officer, $420,000 a year.

"School children, businesses, clergy, politicians and even the United States military soon will honor the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union.

Of course, they will call it Earth Day.

Brian Sussman points out in his explosive new book, 'Eco-Tyranny: How the Left's Green Agenda will Dismantle America,' that the first nationwide Earth Day was held April 22, 1970...

Tom Knudson of the Sacramento Bee reports on the annual efficiency ratings of some of the most prominent environmental groups, reported by the non-profit watchdog American Institute of Philanthropy. The full report is hardcopy only, but can be ordered...

This article looks at a land deal gone wrong. When The Nature Conservancy was granted land by Mobil in order to preserve an endangered species of prairie chicken, the Conservancy sunk its own wells, compromising the mission. It even went so far as to drill laterally and tap...

This article is the first in a series covering the evolution of The Nature Conservancy from a grassroots environmental group to a $3 billion dollar corporate juggernaut. Big Oil companies like Exxon Mobil and BP hold council seats for the group, and have donated millions. The Nature Conservancy is also the recipient of unspecified amounts of Federal money.

Foley discusses another well-funded environmental litigation group, the Climate Law Institute, and some of its goals.

Here's an excerpt:
"Just a few days ago, on February 12, 2009, the Center for Biological Diversity announced its new Climate Law Institute...

Chart or Graph

The chart above shows which environmental groups spend the most (worst) on fundraising and which groups spend the least (best) on fundraising. Groups include: The Conservation Fund, Trust for Public Land, Save the Redwoods League, Conservation International, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, Defenders of Wildlife, Greenpeace, and National Park...

"Giving to environmental organizations hit $3.5 billion in 1999, nearly double the 1992 total of $1.81 billion."

Analysis Report White Paper

This report documents the rapid growth of environmental groups in the 1990s.

Summary: "This article is the second in a two-part Foundation Watch series. It summarizes a path-breaking 250 page CRC research study by Robert S. Lerner and Althea Nagai, Explorations in Nonprofits:Preliminary Findings, published in April. Part one, published in the June Foundation Watch...

Abstract:
"We map the distribution of environmental grants provided by selected California foundations in 2000 and the degree of dependency of the grantees on foundation support to test theoretical claims about foundations' role in contemporary environmentalism. Contrary to assertions by critics of elitism, there is no consistent favoritism of the so-called 'mainstream', 'flagship',...

This five part series issued by Tom Knudson in the Sacramento Bee examines the nature of some of the largest and most noteworthy environmental groups, like the Sierra Club or Greenpeace. Many of these groups which had meager, grass roots beginnings, have grown into multi-million and even billion dollar...

Neil Hrab looks at three groups that use calculated acts of disruption for political ends. Radicals are using these "direct action" tactics to win more and more influence, and bypass normal political processes.

This report documents the diverse financial involvements of the Foundation for Deep Ecology. It also briefly traces the origins of the Deep Ecology movement, initiated by Arnne Naess in the 1960s. If you are interested in learning more about Deep Ecology, see our section on Environmentalism as a Religion.

Many environmental groups tug at the heart-strings to generate public support for saving the whales or protecting forests and rivers. But the Natural Resources Defense Council plays hardball. It relies on attack ads, lawsuits and blacklists to get its way.

This article is an in-depth analysis of the Environmental Working Group's targeting of large industrial organizations, often based on shoddy science and the exploitation of the press.

Summary: The Environmental Working Group claims to "expose threats to your health and the environment." However, its shoddy research and shady tactics serve another purpose—helping trial lawyers get...

This article takes an in-depth look at The Environmental Working Group, and an instance of its use of bad science to create a public health scare over farmed salmon.

Summary: The Environmental Working Group specializes in using unsound science to foment health scares about various foods, pesticides and other products.

Primary Document

"Canada is on the edge of an historic choice: to diversify our energy markets away from our traditional trading partner in the United States or to continue with the status quo.

Virtually all our energy exports go to the US. As a country, we must seek new markets for our products and services and the booming Asia-Pacific economies have shown great interest in our oil, gas, metals and...

This report details the lack of effective oversight in EPA grant-making, which has resulted in little or no competition amongst grant recipients, lack of accountability for funds issued, and in some cases taxpayer funds being diverted to lobbyist groups attached to non-profits.  The report contains detailed information about the following ten organizations:

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