Rachel’s Network members met in Washington, DC in March for our annual meeting to take clear-eyed look the current political environment, reflect on what works in our philanthropy, and think long-term about the sustainable world we want to bring about.
When it comes to communicating issues as important as climate change and wildlife poaching, simply conveying the facts won’t do. The best way to inspire action is to lead with the heart, not the head; and one of the most immediate ways to tell a heart story is through film. Film is a passion shared by several Rachel’s Network members, whether it’s Ruth Ann Harnisch’s harrowing 2015 documentary about rape on college campuses or Caroline Gabel’s work with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital. Here are a few of the projects our members have produced in recent years.
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.
While much has been written on this vast stretch of plastic soup in the ocean, we know relatively little about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and its impacts on the ecosystem. The recent Mega Expedition hopes to give researchers a better picture of the problem and what we could do to solve it. In the meantime, Rachel’s Network members are supporting the organizations that are fighting plastic pollution at the source and developing more sustainable packaging and supply chains.
Family forest owners, who care for more than one-third of the nation’s forests, can see the effects of climate change on their land firsthand: they’re seeing changes in growing cycles, extreme rainfall variations, increased insect and disease infestations, and uncontrollable wildfires, among other impacts. Despite these threats, forests are also an important part of the solution to climate change. Tom Martin, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, explains how family forest owners can help solve this great challenge.
