INTRO BY GEOFFREY PLATTS (Trek! pp. 197-198)

Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul. Edward Abbey


It is one thing to sing the praises of the natural world. It is quite another to rally to the defense of it. But now we have arrived at an ecological point so very critical that all who get pleasure form Nature's gifts -- of beauty, silence, and solitude -- must, in some form or other, take immediate steps to defend her: Pay your rent -- work for the Earth."


There is now no time to lose, no more shying from that personal and collective covenant to be made with Nature. This is because the natural systems of land, air, and water are everywhere at grave risk. Nor can they be made whole again without our resolute and converted action on their behalf. And so these times call on us, each and every one, to tithe for the Earth in the way we are best able.


The realms of environmental involvement to choose from are varied, ranging from volunteer stewardship, giving or raising funds to preserve habitat, recycling at the home or community level, eco-educating of youth within the family or in the school, supporting of conservation groups both locally and nationally.,, writing activism (such as letters to editors, members of congress, state legislators, hometown council members), signature-gathering for petitions or initiatives, testifying at public hearings -- to peaceful protest.


In short this vital for all of us to do something. To put our shoulder to the wheel of life. Without further delay.


Above all, this labour of love for the natural world calls for us to start simplifying our lives -- to pare away the excess, to cut out the waste, to come to see the value in less and the fatal fallacy in more. Multum in parvo. Much in little.


Both individually and societally, this will require a paradigm shift -- a dramatic turning around in our cultural thinking. yet, in the end, the Earth will be the healthier for our new leanness of living and simplicity of spirit. And so shall we.


"Come, my friends, 'tis not too late to seek a newer world." -- Tennyson.

1.) LAND PRESERVATION
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• Info on Arizona's ten land trusts are at: http://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/azia/155_report.htm
  
  
• One of these trusts is the Arizona Nature Conservancy. Its holdings include the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, which Geoffrey repeatedly visited, gave readings at, left his monies to, and otherwise wholeheartedly supported. See PATAGONIA PRESERVE www.tncarizona.org/preserves/patagonia.asp
  
  
• Another trust, close to Geoffrey's heart and his Camp Creek cabin, is the Desert Foothills Land Trust at www.dflt.org,

2.) ECO-ACTIVISM - ORGS
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Action alert lists [unless you have LOTS of time on your hands, sign up for only ONE and see if you can stay on top of it]

• Audubon/Arizona Activist -- www.audubon.org/net/list/az-activist -- is the email discussion list for all Arizona environmental activists where you can: * Share timely information about Arizona's environmental issues, communicate directly with other concerned Arizona activists about issues, of interest, stay on top of priority issues locally and beyond, receive legislative updates, etc.
  
  
• Center for Biological Diversity - http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/
  -- For list of 50 Action Networks: http://actionnetwork.org/add.tcl?domain=BIODIVERSITY&source=HomePage
  -- To Sign up, go to web page http://actionnetwork.org/add.tcl?domain=BIODIVERSITY&source=HomePage
  
  
• Defenders of Wildlife -- http://www.defenders.org/ -- is dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities.
  -- To sign up - http://www.defenders.org/action/
  
  
• Earth Justice Legal Defense Fund - http://www.earthjustice.org/action/
  EMAIL: enews@earthjustice.org
  
  
• Friends of the Earth -- www.foe.org, -- is dedicated to protecting the planet from environmental degradation; preserving biological, cultural and ethnic diversity of the planet; and empowering citizens to have an individual voice in decisions affecting the quality of their environment - and their lives. To sign up: http://www.foe.org, click on JOIN FOR upper left-hand column. EMAIL: foe@foe.org
  
  
• Friends of the Earth International -- http://www.foei.org/-- is the world's largest federation of environmental groups, uniting close to one million activists worldwide. FoEI's member organizations in 68 countries and 13 affiliate groups campaign on the most urgent environmental and social issues of our day.
  Sign Up Friends of the Earth International : http://www.foei.org/, click on SUPPORT US! EMAIL: E-mail: foei@foei.org
  
  
• Greenpeace -- www.greenpeace.org, -- concerns include ancient forests, Japan's whaling, star wars... Activities in 40 countries. To take action - see web page.
  
  
• The Mineral Policy Center -- www.mineralpolicy.org -- "is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment by preventing the environmental impacts associated with irresponsible mining and mineral development, and by cleaning up pollution caused by past mining." Take Action is at: http://www.mineralpolicy.org/takeaction/index.php3?nav=6
  
  
• National Resource Defense Council - http://www.SaveBioGems.org/
  EMAIL: http://www.SaveBioGems.org/contact.asp?biogem=home
  
  
• U.S. Public Interest Research Group -- www.pirg.org, Tackling real problems, proposing practical solutions, getting concrete results. To sign-up for Activist Net, go to web site www.pirg.org, and click on upper right-hand corner, "Sign Up! E-Activist"
  
  
• The Wilderness Society -- www.wilderness.org -- works to preserve America's wilderness so future generations will also have clean air and water, wildlife, beauty, and opportunities for recreation and spiritual renewal.
  To sign up: http://www.wilderness.org/whatcan/takeaction.htm

Other National Organizations

• American Rivers -- http://www.amrivers.org/ -- is "a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers nationwide. Founded over 25 years ago in a dusty Denver office, today we have offices in Washington D.C. and across the country."
  
  
• Union of Concerned Scientists -- www.ucsusa.org -- Environmental news, analysis, consumer guides, essays and more from the experts at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
  
  
• The Worldwatch Institute -- at http://www.worldwatch.org/ -- is dedicated to fostering the evolution of an environmentally society--one in which human needs are met in ways that do not threaten the health of the environment or the prospects of future generations. The Institute seeks to achieve this goal the conduct of inter-disciplinary non-partisan research on emerging global environmental issues, the results of which are widely disseminated throughout the world.

Local Organizations

• Arizona Audubon - http://www.audubon.org/chapter/az/
  --- Maricopa Audubon (Phx.) - http://www.maricopaaudubon.org/
  --- Sonoran Audubon (Glendale) - http://sonoranaudubon.org/
  
  
• The Arizona Green Party -- http://www.azgp.org/getinvolved.asp --is for awareness of the interdependence between the World's well being is at the root of the green philosophy. We are part of our environment not above it. The future of our society depends on our learning to live wisely in our fragile home. The Green movement is guided by this global vision, expressed in the following interconnected deserve freedom from exploitation. EMAIL: http://www.azgp.org/contact.asp
  
  
• Arizona Wildlife Federation - http://www.azwildlife.org/
  
  
• Sierra Club - Grand Canyon Chapter, Phx., AZ
  http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/az - EMAIL: Sandy Bahr <grandcanyon@qwest.net>

3.) ECO-ACTIVISM - POLS AND LEGISLATION
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In Arizona (with thanks to Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club)

• Governor of Arizona - http://www.governor.state.az.us/
  EMAIL: go to web page http://www.governor.state.az.us/post/index.html for phone, mail, and email click-on form. .
  
  
  Arizona legislators
• Names at http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtm; enter your nine-digit zip code.
  
  
• General information at http://www.azleg.state.az.us./
  
  
• Contact information, including email address, and committee assignments, for Senate, at: http://www.arizonasenate.org/members.html
  
  
• Contact Info, including email address, and links to committee assignments and bills sponsored, for House, at: http://www.azhousetv.org/
  
  
• To call Az. legislators, outside the Phoenix area, dial toll free 1-800-352-8404.
  
  
• To call Az. legislators. in the Phoenix area, dial (602) 542-3559 (Senate) or (602) 542-4221 (House).
  
  
• To write Az. legislators, 1700 W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890.
  
  
• To Email Az. legislators, use first initial + 7 letters of surname@azleg.state.az.us.
  for example, Sen. Edward Cirillo = ecirillo@azleg.state.az.us
  
  
  Other Legislature info
  
  
• General information at http://www.azleg.state.az.us./
  
  
• For Az. legislation, go to www.azleg.state.az.us, and, if you know the bill number and session, click on BILLS, second from top, left-hand column
  
  
• For direct links to several Az. Congressional Delegation websites, see Greenlinks at http://www.indirect.com/www/csrossi/green.htm
  
  
• Voting Scorecard, at Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter: http://arizona.sierraclub.org/political_action/2001_report_card.asp
  
  
  
  National
  
  
• Names of your representatives are at http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtm; enter your nine-digit zip code.
  
  
• Eco-Voting Records of Az. US Congress Delegation at U.S. Public Interest Research Group at http://www.pirg.org/score2000/arizona.html

4.) ECO-ACTIVISM - AGENCIES, STATE AND NATIONAL
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For information on an issue, an agency meeting to attend, the official to contact, etc.:

• Arizona Department of Environmental Quality - Environmental Programs
  http://www.adeq.state.az.us/environ/index.html
  
  
• Arizona Game and Fish --- Wildlife and Fish Information - http://www.gf.state.az.us/frames/fishwild/index.htm
  
  
• Arizona State Parks - http://www.pr.state.az.us/default.html
  
  
• Bureau of Land Management - http://www.blm.gov/nhp/index.htm
  Arizona Office http://www.az.blm.gov/azso.htm
  
  
• Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/
  
  
• Environmental Protection Agency
  --- National - http://www.epa.gov
  --- Region IX, San Francisco that oversees Arizona - http://www.epa.gov/region09/
  
  
• National Parks Service - http://www.nps.gov/
  
  
• Tonto National Forest Service - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/
  
  
• US Fish & Wildlife
  --- National - http://www.fws.gov/
  --- List of Endangered Species - http://ecos.fws.gov/webpage/webpage_vip_listed.html?&code=V&listings=0#B
  --- Arizona Office - http://offices.fws.gov/directory/ListOffices.cfm

5.) ECO-INFORMATION (General, Science/Research)
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Lists of Eco-Orgs

• Earth Day Net -- http://www.earthday.net/ -- Earth Day Network is the nonprofit coordinating body of Earth Day activities. Our goal is to promote a healthy environment and a peaceful, just, sustainable world by spreading environmental awareness through educational materials and publications, and by organizing events, activities, annual campaigns. Our network includes more than 5,000 organizations in 184 countries. EMAIL: to home page http://www.earthday.net/
  
  
• The EnviroLink Network --- www.envirolink.org --- is the world's largest environmental information clearing house. It was created in 1991 by Josh Knauer, while he was a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University. Since that time, EnviroLink has grown from a simple mailing list of 20 student activists to become one of the world's largest environmental information clearinghouses. In addition to an information resource, EnviroLink provides environmental and animal rights non-profit organizations with free Internet services. EMAIL: support@envirolink.org
  
  
• Green Links -- http://www.indirect.com/www/csrossi/green.htm -- has Arizona organizations, wolves, and much more.
  
  
• Learn Web -- http://www.learnweb.com/azeenet/orgnet.html -- has links to
  provides consulting services in the field of environmental education. We specialize in Arizona and the southwest. The origin of Learning Webs involves our philosophy of learning.

Local Organizations

• Arizona Plant Society - http://www.aznps.org
  
  
  Research and Other Reading
  
  
• The Central Arizona - Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research project -- http://caplter.asu.edu -- offers some interesting research on changes in the desert ecology, as well as on urbanization of the area, addressing everything from wildlife and plant ecology to water use.
  
  
• Desert Foothills Land Trust -- www.dflt.org -- has a good listing of short articles about the desert (written by the Desert Awareness Committee

Reading

• High Country News -- www.hcn.org, High Country News on the web is sponsored by readers like you. HCN is a non-profit, every-other-week Western newspaper dedicated to creating what Wallace Stegner called 'a society to match the scenery.
  
  
• Nature section at Changing Hands Bookstore, site of Geoffrey's Earth Day Readings -- http://www.changinghands.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp
  
  
• "TREK! Man Alone in the Arizona Wilds by Geoffrey Platts.. See  our PURCHASE TREK! page.
  
  
  -- For more authors see  Geoffrey's' Favorites and EcoQuotes.
  

6.) NATURE -- GETTING OUT INTO...
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The less and, what Geoffrey usually did, the VERY less civilized portions

• Arizona Hikes - http://www.indirect.com/www/csrossi/hike.htm
  
  
• BLM - Outdoor Recreation - http://www.az.blm.gov/fr_outrec.htm
  
  
• BLM - Hiking Trails - http://www.az.blm.gov/fr_outrec.htm
  
  
• National Parks - http://www.nps.gov/parks.html
  
  
• The Nature Conservancy Preserves - http://www.tncarizona.org/preserves/
  
  
• Sierra Club - Take a Hike With the Sierra Club
  To Join Sierra $39; To subscribe to The Canyon Echo and its listing of hikes, $10. EMAIL rissets@aol.com - http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/az
  
  
• Tonto National Forest - Recreation - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/recreation.html
  
  
• Tonto National Forest - Hiking and TrainRiding - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/trails/trails.html

Into the More Civilized, Sometimes Not Much More, Sometimes Quite a Lot More

• Arizona Desert Museum - http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/dec/stories/desmuseum.html
  
  
• Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum - http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/
  
  
• Desert Botanical Garden - http://www.dbg.org/
  
  
• Phoenix Zoo - www.phoenixzoo.org
  
  
• Sierra Singles - EMAIL: cheriecs@uswest.net

7. ) OTHER LINKS
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Besides ECO-LINKS, here are others connected in some fashion to Geoffrey.

1. Arizona Historical Foundation, where Geoffrey's papers and memorabilia will be housed, is at http://www.users.qwest.net/~azhistoricalfnd, a web site under construction.
   
   
2. Edward Abbey. Geoff was a good friend of Cactus Ed, who, among various locations in the known Universe and beyond, can be found at:
   http://www.abbeyweb.net/abbey.html