In the wake of polls that say environmental issues are at the top of the public agenda, public interest and advocacy groups that specialize in environment issues are seeing an increased interest in their activities and are finding that their membership rolls are swelling:
Our phones are ringing off the hook,” said Ian Bruce, climate change specialist at the David Suzuki Foundation in Vancouver.
Bruce said his group is receiving many more calls and e-mails than ever before from citizens and reporters wanting to know about climate change issues.
“We are getting a lot of support and offers to help out with our work here,” said Bruce. “It's certainly uplifting. And it's something that has changed.”
Environmental groups say it's difficult to gauge the impact of climate change concern on fund-raising. But local activists say the number of people contributing time and money to green causes has jumped over the past year.
Sierra Legal Defence Fund executive director Robert Mitchell said his group's donor list jumped to 30,000 Canadians last year. “Whether this is because of climate change it's hard to say, but we have included our work on climate change in our fundraising appeal.”
Mitchell said the number of large donations is also on the rise. “We are seeing more $10,000 and $25,000 donations than ever before.”
Mitchell said fear of global warming prompted a large American foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, to give his group money for the first time. The Hewlett grant is being used to explore legal issues related to the tar sands projects in Alberta.
Greenpeace Canada executive-director Bruce Cox said his group expected to have a deficit in 2006 but now is looking forward to a surplus.
Cox said Greenpeace canvassers are finding that people are willing to spend more time with them on the doorstep.