Ten Green Charity Organizations

There are thousands of environmental agencies and organizations that you may have heard of, but which ones should you donate to? And who uses their funds appropriately?

We've listed some of the most well known charities along with links to their Charity Navigator ratings. Also listed are some organizations that you can donate your lens royalties to right here on Squidoo, like EcoTrust and EarthJustice. Some have fared very well, while others (that are very established) have surprising results.

America's partner in conservation

The Conservation Fund is the nation's foremost environmental organization dedicated to protecting America's most important landscapes and waterways. They're also one of the highest rated green charities on charitynavigator.org with approximately 94% of their funds going towards program expenses.

Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment.

Simply put, Earthjustice makes sure that environmental laws are passed and that they're being abided by. To see how Earthjustice fared on Charity Finder, read all about it here.

EcoTrust is an organization that believes economic systems and ecological systems are intertwined. This means that the prosperity of the environment depends on the prosperity of the society around it. EcoTrust encourages conservation of rainforests by ideas like promoting local farmers' products, thereby reducing the strain on local watersheds. A whopping 84% of Ecotrust's funds go towards benefit program costs.

The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide, making one of the largest eco oriented charities in the world. The Nature Conservancy is a green charity that covers all bases, from climate change to invasive species. Curious on where their money is spent? They've done quite well, read all about it here.

Inspiring America to protect wildlife for our children's future

National Wildlife Federation Alaska Natural Resource Center works on all issues impacting Alaska from global warming, sustainable tourism and clean energy, youth education and the preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. While the National Wildlife Federation protects all things wildlife, not just Alaska, you can donate your Squidoo earnings to the National Wildlife Federation Alaska, a definite bonus! Not a Squidoo member yet? You can write a lens on any subject of your choosing and have the royalties benefit the charity of your choice! Click here to get started! Here's NWF's Charity Navigator rating.

Partnering with businesses, governments, and communities to find practical environmental solutions

The Environmental Defense Fund supports the necessary research of scientists involved in Strong Science, as well as tapping smart business practices to bring about lasting environmental progress. A very high rating on Charity Finder, using 79% of their funds to program expenses.

Enjoy, Explore and Protect the Planet

Of all "green" charities, The Sierra Club might come to mind first. It's the oldest environmental organization in the United States, founded by major conservationsist John Muir. Inspired by the beauty of Yosemite National Park and the coastal Redwoods of California, Muir helped establish The Sierra Club to preserve and protect the rapidly developing California landscape (which has now expanded to saving lands worldwide). You can see The Sierra Club's rating on Charity Navigator here.

Promoting solutions essential to a green and peaceful future

Greenpeace was established in 1971, uses lobbying and research to achieve environmental protection and conservation goals. From global warming to whaling, Greenpeace isn't afraid to tackle any issue that threatens the planet by peaceful means.

Here's their evaluation on Charity Navigator to see where they spend their money.

Inspiring people to care about the environment

What better way to get people to care about the planet than showing them its natural beauty? That's the National Geographic Society's approach to conservation, but it's not just an environmental organization.

Through geography, archaeology and natural science, the National Geographic Society illustrates the vivid, cultured world we live in.

The author of this web page urges you to use eco friendly products for your cleaning regiment, skin care, and for the environment with their unique line of reusables which can be found here:

sources used to construct this lens

Wikipedia

Charity Navigator

Images in the polaroids courtesy of Wallpaperbydesign