Nature Conservancy, Members Discovering Downside To Years Of BP Funding & Publicity - WP

[hatrack]

EDIT

The Conservancy, already scrambling to shield oyster beds from the spill, now faces a different problem: a potential backlash as its supporters learn that the giant oil company and the world's largest environmental organization long ago forged a relationship that has lent BP an Earth-friendly image and helped the Conservancy pursue causes it holds dear. The crude emanating from BP's well threatens to befoul a number of alliances between energy conglomerates and environmental nonprofits. At least one group, Conservation International, acknowledges that it is reassessing its ties to the oil company, with an eye toward protecting its reputation.

"This is going to be a real test for charities such as the Nature Conservancy," said Dean Zerbe, a lawyer who investigated the Conservancy's relations with its donors when he worked for the Senate Finance Committee. "This not only stains BP, but, if they don't respond properly, it also stains those who have been benefiting from their money and their support."

Some purists believe environmental groups should keep a healthy distance from certain kinds of corporations, particularly those whose core mission poses risks to the environment. They argue that the BP spill shows the downside to what they view as deals with the devil. On the other side are self-described pragmatists who, like the Conservancy, see partnering with global corporations as the best way to create large-scale change. "Anyone serious about doing conservation in this region must engage these companies, so they are not just part of the problem but so they can be part of the effort to restore this incredible ecosystem," Conservancy chief executive Mark Tercek wrote on his group's Web site after criticism from a Conservancy supporter.

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The Conservancy has long positioned itself as the leader of a nonconfrontational arm of the environmental movement, and that position has helped the charity attract tens of millions of dollars annually in contributions. A number have come from companies whose work takes a toll on the environment, including those engaged in logging, home building and power generation. Conservancy officials say their approach has allowed them to change company practices from within, leverage the influence of the companies and protect ecosystems that are under the companies' control. They stress that contributions from BP and other corporations make up only a portion of the organization's total revenue, which exceeds half a billion dollars a year.

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Ed. - emphasis added.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/23/AR2010052302164.html

[CanonRay]

1. I quit giving to them years ago

after they formed their unholy alliance.

[polichick]

3. Are there any environmental orgs that have steered clear of such alliances?

I've been researching charities for donations and have often given to Nature Conservancy in the past, along with Greenpeace and several others.

[kristopher]

4. Why would you "steer clear" of them?

That position is like wanting to reform drug addicts without actually interacting with anyone that uses drugs.

Corporations are not going away. I'd hope that we see more influence on their actions from environmental groups, not less. BP would have done the bad they've done with or without the relationship with TNC. The efforts of TNC to protect sensitive environmental areas however, would not have been nearly as successful without corporate money.

Do you really think anyone was persuaded by BPs support of TNC that BP was a "green" business?

[polichick]

5. Their "Beyond Petroleum" ads probably convinced a few people. nt

[kestrel91316]

7. I look at it as sort of bleeding the beast. Taking money out of the pockets of

oil barons to undo some of their harm is a GOOD thing.

[polichick]

2. Is there any refuge from corporations? Not even the Supreme Court is untainted. nt

[pscot]

6. If you dine with the devil

bring a long spoon.

[NNadir]

8. It never bothered Amory Lovins, but then again, Lovins never gave a rat's ass about the environment.