Interdisciplinary Minor in Global Sustainability
University of California, Irvine

Conservation Issue Guides

Maintained by Dr. Peter J. Bryant
School of Biological Sciences
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92717, USA

Guides to issues appropriate for the Bio65 Writing assignment at the University of California, Irvine

National/International Issues:

Open for Public Comment:

Violations of the Endangered Species Act

Salmon Conservation

Protect Right Whales from Collisions with Ships

Should the Mississippi Delta be pumped dry?

Species at Risk Act: management plans for marine mammals (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Federal Register Documents open for public comment

Proposal to list 12 penguin species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973

Draft Recovery Plan for the Northern Spotted Owl

Oil Drilling in Bristol Bay, Alaska

Center for Biological Diversity campaigns

Support the Center for Biological Diversity in pressuring the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out the requirements of the Endangered Species Act.

Pending Legislation: Write to your representatives about any of the following Bills. To determine how to best influence the process, read How our laws are made. Your course of action will depend on where the Bill is in the process:

Help Us REPAIR Our Wildlife Refuges!

The Food and Farm Bill

HR-21: the Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act

Background: Oceans Protection Bill. To establish a national policy for our oceans, to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a national and regional ocean governance structure, and for other purposes.

African Elephant, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act

State (California) Issues:

General: CALIFORNIA'S PLANTS AND ANIMALS

The legislative Process

Open for Public Comment:

California Marine Life Protection Act

Listing of the California Tiger Salamander as an Endangered Species under the California Endangered Species Act.

Preserve southern California's largest and most valuable unprotected natural area, Tejon Ranch

Local Issues:

Initiatives

Write to your City Council about a ban on Styrofoam and/or plastic bags

Open for Public Comment:

Should the Foothills Toll Road be extended? Deadline May 28, 2008

Keep Mercenary Training Camp Out of San Diego Backcountry

Write to President Dynes regarding UC policies for Sustainable Practices

Background:
Campus Climate Challenge! – Organizer Toolkit
AASHE: Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
Progress in Implementing UC's Green Building, Clean Energy and Sustainable Transportation Policy
UC's Policy Guidelines, January 2006
UC Sustainability Policies
UC Irvine: Sustainability
UC Sustainability Steering Committee.htm
Revised Draft Policy Document Package 12-15-2006
Campaign for a Toxic-free UC
SNAP : What to Recycle

Orange County Great Park

Recommendations on how to be effective

Use the Conservation Hypertext Book and the News summaries (above) to research the issue!

Get the names and addresses of your representatives: U.S. Senate; U.S. House of Representatives

The Legislative Process

THOMAS -- U.S. Congress on the Internet

Recommendations on writing to a Member of Congress

National Wildlife Federation’s Act for Wildlife will help you in writing letters as well as many other kinds of activism

Sierra Club’s Activist’s Toolkit:
Tips for Effective Activism; Write a Powerful Letter

Newsletters from Environmental organizations

Center for Biological Diversity - Endangered Species

Your comments and suggestions on this document are welcome. Please send them to:
Dr. Peter J. Bryant (pjbryant@uci.edu)
School of Biological Sciences
University of California, Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Phone (949) 824-4714 Fax (949) 824-3571