Incorporated in 1967, the EDF was one of the pioneers in organized battle against policies and methods that have an adverse effect on the environment. Composed of a handful of scientists, economists, engineers, and computer analysts, the group has been instrumental in ushering in new environmental laws. With more than 700,000 members, EDF is one of the most influential environmental advocacy organizations today.
Advocacies that Matter
This non-profit organization is committed to protect the environmental rights of all people, promoting access to clean water and air, healthy food and strong ecosystems, as well as, a sustainable future.
While they do not rule out the possibility of litigation, their approach right now is to work with concerned government agencies and industrial entities towards favorable solutions that will be acceptable to all sides. One example of this was the scientific and economic research, testimonies, and persistent efforts that the EDF made to bring about the passage of a historic bill, the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill. This bill called for capping and reducing US greenhouse gas emissions.
EDF is also at the forefront of programs that encourage community groups to actively participate in helping and protecting their environment by working with communities towards greater energy efficiency, use of safer materials, promoting sustainable healthy food, and use of recycled paper or packaging.
EDF Milestones
The EDF has been quite successful in some of their earlier endeavors like helping pave the way for the banning of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), an insecticide widely used during the 1940s and 50s to eradicate the population of disease carrying insects. After three decades of using this poison, which posed serious harm to the ecosystem and humans, it was finally banned in the US in 1972.
Other notable achievements of the EDF include its successful efforts in adding all hunted whales to the US endangered species list in 1970, the triumphant campaign against the use of hazardous flame retardants in children’s sleepwear in 1977, and their influential role leading to the implementation of key reforms in California clean water laws in 2002, allowing equitable distribution of California’s water resource to farms and cities, as well as to the State’s wildlife.
Among their remarkable achievements in partnership with the business sector are the elimination of more than 150,000 tons of packaging waste from McDonald’s in 1991 and the utilization of hybrid electric trucks in Fed-Ex operations reducing smog-causing emissions that came from their delivery trucks in 2004.
The Challenges Ahead
The EDF stands on the principles of sound scientific approaches in researching ecological problems, like climate change, and their possible solutions. Their belief that strong science is necessary in their policy goals has brought about considerable successes. At present, EDF is intensely studying global warming, one of the most serious environmental challenges. Although the scientists at EDF recognize that it is a race against time, they hold steadfast to the belief that the solution is out there, just waiting to be discovered.
