Earth Island Institute

Earth Island Institute was founded in 1982 by legendary environmentalist David R. Brower. Since then, Earth Island Institute has been a hub for grassroots campaigns dedicated to conserving, preserving, and restoring the ecosystems on which our civilization depends. Our model for assisting campaigns addresses one of the environmental movement’s historical barriers to success — that large non-profit organizations typically set their agendas far in advance, and thus are slow to respond to urgent, emerging issues. Creating new organizations for each campaign is impractical, because the time and effort detracts from achieving immediate goals. In addition to our project support work, we also inform and inspire people to take action through our award-winning quarterly magazine, Earth Island Journal, our New Leaders Initiative, and our Restoration Initiative. The Journal balances investigative exposés with inspiring stories of change, giving people the information they need be effective environmental activists. Our New Leaders Initiative hosts the annual Brower Youth Awards, highlighting the amazing accomplishments of young people working for sustainability and providing emerging leaders with mentoring resources. Our Restoration Initiative funds community-based coastal protection and wetland restoration efforts in Southern California. By sharing resources, Earth Island’s network of grassroots leaders benefit from the synergistic exchange of experience and ideas, making its members more effective together than they could ever be apart. Our Project Support program acts as an incubator for start-up environmental projects including Baikal Watch, Ethical Traveler, Food Shift, International Marine Mammal Project, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Sacred Land Film Project, and Women’s Earth Alliance, among others. Successful Earth Island Institute alumni projects include International Rivers, Rainforest Action Network, Bluewater Network, and Energy Action Coalition.