Environment

Supporting the Natural World

As families gain the benefit of available time, members often seek deeper meaning by supporting the natural world. Callings to environmental stewardship vary by individual and family. Clearly, this world is the only one we have available, and it operates as a closed system. Whether addressing pets, wild animals, water, land, food, people, services or products, it remains important to take responsibility for the environmental quality shared by all. Through stewardship via restoration and protection, scientific research, civic action, and individual daily practice, we can make a difference. Multi-generational involvement can be an exceptionally powerful way to help the natural world, while also bringing meaningful satisfaction to family members' lives.

Creating a Charitable Giving Plan

An environmentally focused charitable giving strategy can express the family priorities and values while also making the money go further. Using family time for reflection and discussion to prioritize charitable objectives can actually bring a family closer together, as you collectively formulate a giving strategy.

https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/guidance/family-philanthropy/5-steps-to-engage-family-in-philanthropy.html

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/donoradvisedfund.asp

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/12/private-foundation-start-up.asp

Adding Impact Investing to the Portfolio

Impact investments are an effort to target positive social and environmental results together with a financial return, using money as a tool in both emerging and developed markets, potentially changing outcomes for generations.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/impact-investing.asp

https://www.rockpa.org/guide/impact-investing-introduction/

Supporting Unique Environmental Stewardship Organizations

There are endless organizations that need support for their niche positive actions with long term visions, whether focused on repopulating ancient tree strains, preserving seed lines, or rebuilding watersheds permanently.

https://www.ancienttreearchive.org

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

Supporting Land Conservation and Preservation Organizations

Large and small land conservation and preservation organizations work tirelessly to together with landowners and communities to conserve the forests, shorelands, fields, and wildlife for future generations. Most need donations of time and money to continue their efforts.

https://www.chocorualake.org/

https://www.tklt.org/

Conserving Land You Own

Protection of land for future generations with a voluntary conservation easement can permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect the related conservation values.

https://www.landcan.org/

https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/private-lands-conservation/

Supporting Wildlife

Protecting future generations of the wildlife population, including threatened and endangered species, can often be accomplished by encouraging federal and state elected officials to support protective polices, by donating time and money to related organizations, and by seeking opportunities for permanent habitat protection.

Related:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/

https://awionline.org/content/what-you-can-do-wildlife

https://www.endangered.org/

Becoming a Citizen Scientist

Wildlife conservation researchers sometimes need assistance from the public, via tasks that can be performed from home to support their cause.

https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/andreavarela89/iguanas-from-above

https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/penguintom79/penguin-watch

https://nestwatch.org/

Giving to Both Charity and Family

For those who anticipate ending life with significant financial means, it may be possible to help children, grandchildren, and charities by carefully structuring a long term giving plan. Using a combination of a ‘pension-like’ fund and a charitable remainder trust, family members can potentially receive income throughout their lifetime while selected charities later receive the remaining funds after the initial beneficiaries pass away.