Synopses & Reviews
A powerful and practical guide to environmental activism featuring proven strategies and lessons learned from the winners of Earth Island Institute’s Brower Youth Awards—America’s top honor for young green leaders.
Some of the world’s most inspiring and effective leaders aren’t even old enough to vote. In The Young Activist’s Guide, the director of Earth Island Institute’s Brower Youth Awards distills the hard-won lessons of its youth leaders into clear and effective strategies for getting organized, taking action, and making environmental changes that matter. This easy-to-follow, definitive resource explains how to plan a campaign, recruit supporters, hold a rally, raise money, attract media attention, pass legislation, lobby politicians, and more to make a significant and sustainable impact on the health of our planet.
Synopsis
"A practical, step-by-step guide for young activists to planning and executing successful environmental campaigns, featuring strategies and lessons learned from Earth Island Institute's Brower Youth Award winners"--Provided by publisher.
Synopsis
If you want to make a significant and sustainable impact on the health of our planet, this powerful and practical guide can help. Author and activist Sharon J. Smith shares proven strategies and lessons learned from the winners of Earth Island Institute’s Brower Youth Awards—America’s top honor for young green leaders. Here are all the tools you need—from planning a campaign and recruiting supporters to raising money and attracting media attention—to turn your ideas into actions and make changes that matter.
All author proceeds from the sale of this book go to Earth Island Institute’s Brower Youth Awards to support the next generation of young activists.
About the Author
SHARON J. SMITH is the director of Earth Island Institute’s Brower Youth Awards, a program that honors the best and brightest environmental leaders in the United States under 23 years of age. She has worked extensively with youth and student networks in the global justice, peace, and environmental movements. Smith graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with degrees in conservation and resource studies and anthropology.
Table of Contents
vii Foreword by julia butterfly hill
ix Acknowledgments
x Contributors
1 Introduction: If You Want to Go Far, Go Together
5 01 FIND YOUR PASSION How to Join the Environmental Movement
15 02 CREATE AN ACTION PLAN Set Your Goals and Choose Your Tactics
33 03 BUILD A GREEN MOVEMENT Recruit People to Your Cause
51 04 SPREAD YOUR MESSAGE Communicate Your Passion
71 05 POLITICS How to Lobby Politicians, Pass Legislation, and Run for Office
94 06 CORPORATE CAMPAIGNS Use Your Consumer Power to Green Businesses
109 07 PROTEST WITH POWER How and When to Hold a Demonstration
125 08 MAKE MEDIA HEADLINES Use Traditional and New Media for Publicity
143 09 GROW THE GREEN How to Ask for (and Get!) Financial Support
167 10 GREEN YOUR CAMPUS Ideas to Create a More Sustainable School
194 11 CHANGE THE WORLD Define Your Future in the Green Movement
210 Index