NRDC

NRDC or the Natural Resources Defense Council is an international non-profit organization that works to safeguard the earth - its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Founded in 1970, NRDC combines the power of more than three million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild.

History

The NRDC was founded in 1970 by a group of law students and attorneys at the forefront of the environmental movement. The founders were John Adams, Richard Ayres, John Bryson, Edward Strohbehn, and Gus Speth. Their goal was to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.

Mission

The mission of the NRDC is to safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. They work to restore the integrity of the elements that sustain life -- air, land, and water -- and to defend endangered natural places.

Work

The NRDC works on a broad range of issues as it pursues its mission to safeguard the Earth; these include combating global warming, defending endangered wildlife, promoting clean energy, fighting dirty energy, ensuring safe and sufficient water, and fostering sustainable communities.

Impact

The NRDC has been instrumental in enacting environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act, which have been fundamental in protecting the environment.

See Also

• Environmental law
• Sustainable development
• Conservation movement