Dear Friend of the Northcoast Environmental Center,
As we near the close of another year, we want to thank you for your ongoing support of the work we are doing at the NEC and for helping to fund our efforts to protect the North Coast and all of the beings that depend on this biosphere.
Your donations make it possible for us to do this work. 60 percent of our operating budget is from individuals like yourself. Please help us continue to fight for natural resource protection and environmental justice in 2022 with a donation to the NEC today. A positive way to contribute is by becoming an NEC Sustaining Member and making monthly donations. Set up your Sustaining Membership at www.yournec.org/donations. For $20, $10, or even $5 dollars a month (less than the cost of a gallon of gas), you can provide sustainable support for our programs, including:
Educating and Empowering the Public Through EcoNews: Since its earliest days as a mimeographed newsletter, EcoNews has been a source that people turn to for the latest environmental news from around the region and the world. We are pleased to have built up our EcoNews staff over the last year to a mighty team of three (plus an intern!), and your financial support can help us sustain our efforts to watchdog government and corporate actions, as well as provide the background information necessary to help you make informed decisions. We also recognize the importance of maintaining hope and envisioning the future we want to live in, so we strive to include inspiring stories of people who are fighting the good fight. With your help, we are able to ensure that factual, science-based, solution-oriented news is available for free throughout Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino and Trinity Counties, as well as online.
Expanding Citizen Science Through Coastal Programs: Since 2018, our Coastal Cleanup volunteers have been collecting data on the types of trash they are finding and where they are finding it. This data has been used by the City of Arcata in drafting its Disposable Foodware Regulations, and more recently has been used by our friends at Surfrider Foundation to make the case that local waterways should be listed as impaired under the Clean Water Act due to plastic pollution. This effort is still underway and we will keep you updated on the progress. In response to the housing crisis and the environmental issues that result from houselessness, we are working with allied advocates and people who are experiencing houselessness to coordinate compassionate cleanups and advocate for services to lessen the impact on our environment while respecting the humanity and insight of the people involved. Your donation will help us to reach more volunteers, remove more trash and debris from our waterways, and collect more data to help influence policy and stop the problem at its source.
Continuing to Advocate for Wilderness, Clean Air and Clean Water: We continue to keep an eye on salvage logging projects on our public lands, the cannabis industry, and the development of offshore wind projects off the coast of Humboldt; advocate for alternative transportation; and work to promote the development of people-friendly, climate-friendly housing. Your support makes it possible for us to keep an eye on local development and government agencies and push for the best possible environmental standards to protect all of the beings that call this place home. In all of our work we are committed to following the leadership of and working collaboratively with Indigenous activists and the tribes that have protected and stewarded this land since time immemorial.
Moving towards the next 50 years: For the last 50 years, the NEC has been built and carried by environmental activists and scientists throughout the county. The need for climate activism continues to prove necessary as we fight the key players causing climate change. During 2022, we hosted multiple workshops through our Activate series that shared tools on how to organize, as well as how to sustain activism to avoid burnout so we can keep people engaged and involved in this fight. Additionally, we began hosting listening sessions with community members and key groups to learn how we can continue to do meaningful work in our rapidly changing climate. With your support, the NEC can continue to build solidarity with local Indigenous Peoples and BIPOC neighbors toward environmental justice in our region.
Another way to financially support our work is by making a tax-free contribution through your IRA. If you are 70.5 or older, you can make a gift to the Northcoast Environmental Center directly from your IRA without paying income tax on the withdrawal. For more information talk to your financial advisor or email admin@yournec.org.
Regardless of how you give, or how much you give, your support is vital to our ongoing work. On behalf of the entire NEC family, Board, member groups, volunteers, interns, and staff, we thank you for your continued assistance in protecting this special place and all of its beings.
Sincerely,
Caroline Griffith
NEC Executive Director
The NEC is a 501 (c)(3) public charity. Our tax ID number is 23-7122386. No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution. Please keep this written acknowledgment of your donation for your tax records.