Key Takeaways:
- Solid Roots donated $1 from every bar purchased during January-March 2021 to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).
- EDF aims to forge science-backed solutions to deal with the most serious environmental issues.
- A new initiative, a satellite called MethaneSAT, can pinpoint the location and magnitude of methane emissions on Earth to fix the areas where methane is leaking into our environment.
In 1967, a scrappy group of scientists and a lawyer from the newly-formed Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) were documenting with horror the harmful effects DDT was having on populations of osprey. Today, they’re launching satellites into space to find and fix methane leaks.
Back in the 60’s, the pesticide DDT was causing the ospreys’ already delicate eggshells to thin and break leading to massive population decline. The majestic birds were nearly wiped out.
The group, using the available scientific evidence, built a case on behalf of the environment to have the pesticide blocked from use. They won and, as a result, in 1972 DDT was banned nationwide and osprey populations rebounded.
Fifty-four years ago the founding members of EDF believed that a cleaner future was in reach. They still do today.
Here at Solid Roots, we couldn’t agree more. Positive change can only come though knowing we can do better, not through complacency. This is why we created our Root Cause of the Quarter Initiative - to support organizations who have that same hope for the future. Last quarter, based on YOUR votes, we supported EDF with $1 from each bar sold from January 1 to March 31, 2021 going directly to this great organization.
EDF has broadened its priorities from focusing on a single pesticide to forge the most effective, science-backed solutions to deal with the many facets of climate change and the most serious environmental issues. Now, their key priorities are:
- Stabilizing the climate to secure a healthy future
- Rebuilding better post-COVID 19 for a cleaner, more equitable economy
- Making communities more resilient to climate change
Innovation is at the heart of everything they do. For example, to cut climate pollution on Earth, they're looking toward the stars. Scientists at EDF realized that one of the most cost-effective ways we have to slow the rate of climate change is to reduce our methane emissions, but these emissions are invisible. So they're designing a satellite to track them. The satellite, called MethaneSAT, is set to pinpoint the location and magnitude of methane emissions virtually anywhere on Earth so we can inexpensively fix the areas where methane is leaking into our environment. Watch this amazing TED Talk to learn more!
Finally, I just wanted to note a quick thanks to everyone who voted for this great organization and who supported it with your purchase of products. I’ll bet you didn’t know buying a solid shampoo or conditioner bar was helping to launch a methane-seeking satellite into space!
If you have ideas for future Root Cause of the Quarter organizations you’d like us to consider, let us know here. And be sure to vote for our current Root Cause here!