Audubon — Spreading Its Wings
In marketing, the idea of “positioning” is rooted in the notion that we have space in our minds for precious few ideas, and we tend to associate the people, the products, and the companies in our lives with single concepts. And so it is with Audubon. When I spoke with Delta Willis, the organization’s bright and passionate Senior Communications Manager just now, we both lamented that people think only of birds when they think of Audubon — yet the group is involved in the protection of so much more.
A current project, for instance – one that will require decades to complete, is the rebuilding of the wetlands around New Orleans – and then working all the way north up the Mississippi River to its source.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of our conversation dealt with the delicate issue of the environmental impact of renewable energy plants. Of course, this is highly ironic, considering the incalculable damage that the mining and consumption of fossil fuels have wreaked. It really is paradoxical to consider that efforts to stop poisoning our skies and oceans sometimes meet resistance from environmentalists.
Yet there truly are important issues to be considered. Take, for instance, the location of wind farms in northern Wyoming. It is true that Wyoming has already been badly damaged by oil and gas exploration and that establishing wind farms and the power lines necessary to transport the electricity will do even more harm to the sage grasslands where the animals in Yellowstone spend their winters. And it’s true that there are areas in which the human footprint is already much larger in which these wind farms would do less ecological damage.
But surely we need flexibility. I pointed out the obvious: “If we all dig our heels in about making zero impact with our solar thermal and wind farms, we’re playing right into the hands of big coal and oil.” Well, I’m happy to report that Audubon agrees. I ask readers to go through some of the really thoughtful articles and position statements on their website. I was gratified to see that the people at Audubon speak the language of compromise.
And let me point out that they do more than talk: they study. Using Google Earth, they’ve focused intense amounts of research on the subject, and offer maps where wind farms are most recommended.
Folks, on behalf of all the animals — on land and in the air — whose habitat you help protect — thank you.
