News
A Conservation Success Story: Bracken Cave
In October 2013, Rachel’s Network members took a special excursion during our Fall Retreat to Bracken Cave, which at the height of summer houses approximately 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats, the largest concentration of mammals in the world. Earlier that year, BCI had learned that a planned 3,500-house subdivision would threaten the bats’ habitat. It was a conservation challenge like no other, but BCI rose to meet it. With the support of countless partners, they saved Bracken Cave.
Abigail Rome Joins American Rivers Board of Trustees
American Rivers’ Board of Trustees announced that Rachel’s Network Member Abigail Rome has joined the prominent conservation group’s board, effective immediately.
An Unexpected Journey to a Healthy Home
After Rachel’s Network Member Adriana Hayward’s family became sick from black mold, she and her husband launched Hayward Healthy Home and built a state-of-the-art sustainable, toxic-free regenerative house. Now, she’s sharing the hard-earned lessons she learned with others so that healthy buildings become the norm.
2015 Annual Report
2015 was a transformative year for Rachel’s Network. We spent a large part of the year charting the future of the organization through our Vision 2020 strategic plan. We’re delighted that this plan confirms the values we cherish, and takes them to the next level with passion and purpose. We’re committed to putting our resources to work finding solutions to global challenges. Read our 2015 Annual Report to discover how.
Saving Our Peaceful Cousin, the Bonobo
When faced with all that is wrong with the world, is there room for hope, love, or even a little compassion? Rachel’s Network Member Ashley Stone proposes that we look to our closest living genetic relative – the relatively unknown Bonobo, to find inspiration for our future. Ashley’s organization The Bonobo Project is working to protect bonobos in the wild and build awareness around their plight.
Saving Biodiversity at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Aided by cutting-edge research in endocrinology, genetics, GIS, and more; today’s conservationists pack an arsenal of sophisticated tools to help save the world’s most threatened species. Much of this significant research is happening in a rather unlikely place: the rural Virginia countryside. Several Rachel’s Network members support the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and we traveled there in March to see their work firsthand.
We Must Quit Coal Before Coal Quits Us
Powering 33 percent of our nation’s electricity, coal is a foundation to our lifestyles and industries. But Rachel’s Network Member Anne Butterfield shows that the nation is running out of its affordable, profitable supply. It’s time for the utility industry to stop taking coal for granted.
President Thu Pham Announces Leadership Transition
Thu Pham announced she will step down as president of Rachel’s Network, a nonprofit devoted to the environment, philanthropy, and women’s leadership. Pham will continue as president during the search for her successor.
Catching Up with Fellow Janelle Orsi
Janelle Orsi is one of the leading experts on the sharing economy, a growing movement that applies collaboration to utilize a community’s resources for the common good. Founder of the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC) and an Ashoka Fellow supported by Rachel’s Network, Janelle shared this update on how her work is evolving as a result of the Fellowship.
The Roadmap to Reduce US Food Waste
Last year, Rachel’s Network Member Betsy Fink and her husband Jesse approached like-minded philanthropists to launch ReFED: “Rethinking Food Waste through Economics and Data: A Roadmap to Reduce Food Waste”. The economic analysis and research they undertook revealed exciting news: Food waste is a solvable problem. Their new report maps a path for action.