Action by sending FAX to Officials |
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That's why last year Environmental Defense's online activism effort, Action Network, not only described the horrifying practice but also provided visitors the means to fax a prewritten letter of protest to officials. With the help of KAHEA, the Hawaiian Environmental Alliance, hundreds of messages were sent to Hawaiian authorities, which subsequently barred shark finning in state waters.
Buoyed by that victory, Environmental Defense spearheaded a broader campaign for a nationwide ban. Nearly 10,000 faxes were sent to Congress, and in December 2000, a bill outlawing shark finning was signed into law by President Clinton. "It's hard to say definitively what tipped the balance, but [the site] had an impact," says Freedman. The Action Network also made a difference for the Texas sea turtles, which were perishing in shrimp nets.
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Web-based Activism enables it to Reach More People |
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"The Internet is the ultimate expression of 'think global, act local,'" says Environmental Defense's executive director, Fred Krupp. In fact, Environmental Defense's use of the Web is a model strategy for any organization looking to build an effective online community. With 300,000-plus dues-paying members, the organization lobbies legislators the old-fashioned way?with lobbyists?and publishes reports and op-ed pieces. But the sheer and instant breadth of the possible network with Web-based activism enables it to reach more people and be more effective in a shorter time period than ever before.
In four years, the Action Network has signed up 133,000 members and tackled dozens of issues. Though the e-activists haven't been quick to open their wallets (Freedman will not divulge figures but concedes that only a small percentage have converted to dues-paying members), they've been quick to express their opinions.
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Getting into E-Business |
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Attracting traffic is a particularly tough challenge for a nonprofit organization on a shoestring budget. Total 2000 support amounted to just over $39 million. Yet the site has an abundance of interactive features, such as Scorecard, which tells visitors (based on ZIP codes) which factories are releasing which pollutants into their air and lets them send faxes to plant managers.
Now the group is looking to bankroll its own work. Adhering to the Internet maxim of "no good code should go unfunded," Environmental Defense took its software and spun off a for-profit company, GetActive Software, in June 2000. As part of its equity stake, Environmental Defense receives services from GetActive, including list management, targeted e-mail, and e-mail?to?fax capability at a reduced rate. For other nonprofit organizations, GetActive serves as an e-activism ASP. So far, about 40 nonprofit organizations have signed up, including the American Lung Association and Zero Population Growth.
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