Academic Activism
Introduction
This type of activism can help children and adults become more aware of the challenges facing our planet and society, then inspire hope as you explore solutions together. Anyone at any age can help teach, and as requested, we are gathering solutions to share with you and your students including funding opportunities such as grants. If you like academic topics but don't have the time or education to get involved, citizen science might be your thing! It's a simple and fun way to help your local scientists, conservation organization, or even certain branches of government to protect us and nature.
Academic Activism by Field or Type
Animal Rights
It's important to include academic understanding of animal rights, conservation, and veganism when standing up for non-humans.
Animals are used in science despite the increasing knowledge about the many draw backs (driving frogs species to extinction to provide direction specimens to thousands of schools, putting empathetic students off scientific studies, unreasonably high costs for single use bodies, etc.).
Many animal welfare organizations and environmentalists groups still serve meat at fund raisers despite the meat industry's incredibly high impact on the environment. This unfortunately sends the message that some animals are more worth saving than others, or that consuming meat "isn't that bad" despite growing evidence to the contrary both in respect to human health and the environmental impacts.
Faunalytics is just one of the many resources providing up-to-date data about animals which can help activists speak to the scientifically minded.
Citizen Science
This can be an easy way to gather large and hard-to find data for scientists and conservation projects. The following list includes apps that can help you get involved today!
Click the Citizen Science button to see a growing list of ways apps and projects that can help you can get involved with helping the plant.
BioBlitz
These are generally one-day events, though they may last for only a short period such as an hour or over several days. They are a great way to get adults and children both out in nature and involved with science.
Education
Teachers, instructors, and tutors are essential for our future. Some people teach for free, but with certification you can earn money for bike safety training, and much more.
NAVS Advancing Science without Harming Animals "With your help, we can put an end to harmful, flawed and costly animal experiments through the advancement of smarter, human-relevant research and the promotion of animal-friendly changes to laws and policies."
For Teachers
Click the For Teachers button for eco-friendly materials, resources, packets, funding opportunities and more for educators or education planners.
Encyclopedias
These resources have a very special place in my heart. When I was little they were all in book form, and I'd spend hours pouring over photos and descriptions of whatever topic had grasped my attention at the time. Now people anywhere in the world just need an internet connection to learn about important or totally obscure information via the many online encyclopedias.
Essays
Being able to research quality studies and data sets, then create a helpful paper is a skill many people struggle with. For those who enjoy researching and writing, this is a gift that the world needs if we are to create and follow scientifically-supported transition paths.
Hactivism
This doesn't mean hacking in the same way as portrayed in the media! "Hacking" is a term in the tech community that traditionally referred to the act of creating something new out of what little resources they had at the time: "Hacking together a solution."
If technology, programming, or web-design are your thing, then we invite you to join with existing organizations like the VeganHactivists who work in teams to create amazing resources like these!
Mentoring
There are a growing number of mentorship opportunities and openings. You might want to start by seeking mentorship then become a mentor when you feel more confident and have a good grasp of what makes for good or bad mentorship.
Science
Research, development, peer review. Monitor our planet, work out solutions, and help spread the word about important issues. This information creates an vital foundation for our movements, helping us under stand which methods will help us transition to a sustainable systems sooner, how to avoid biases, and how to incorporate inclusion to those who might otherwise be left behind.
Translators
Do you speak more than one language? A huge percentage of internet content including studies are written in English. Now, more than ever, we need people to translate documents, articles, and other information into languages that will help people around the world benefit from sources that many of us take for granted. One example is the VeganLinguists
Europe
Austria
Roadkill (this site is in German, but you can click the "Translate this page" button to switch to English) "So far 1000 hedgehogs have been reported via Roadkill, in Austria alone more than 800. That is about one fifth of all reported animals!" Tracking roadkill can help communities and scientist better understand the dangers that roads pose to different species, which can in turn help us create plans, education programs, and even change our infrastructure to help protect wildlife.
Resources
LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈
British Ecological Society: Resources "For LGBTQIA+ ecologists and allies." includes "500 Queer Scientists", "Inclusive and accurate methods for teaching sex- and gender-related topics" and more!
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Ecologists: Pronouns and Gender Neutral Language "A guide produced by the ALDER Network to help reduce misgendering within the ecological community."
Groups
NAVS Advancing Science without Harming Animals "With your help, we can put an end to harmful, flawed and costly animal experiments through the advancement of smarter, human-relevant research and the promotion of animal-friendly changes to laws and policies."
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: Marine Invasions Research: Citizen Science Projects
International
Pride in STEM 🏳️🌈 "is a charity run by an independent group of LGBTQIA+ scientists & engineers from around the world. Proud of who we are and what we do. We aim to showcase and support all LGBTQIA+ people in STEM fields."
Maps
International
More People Care About Climate Change than You Think "The majority of people in every country support action on climate, but the public consistently underestimates this share."
Grants
International
Animal Charity Evaluators "ACE Movement Grants (formerly “Effective Animal Advocacy Fund”) is for anyone who is interested in making the animal advocacy movement more effective."
EA Animal Welfare Fund "The Animal Welfare Fund supports advocacy, research, and movement-building work aimed at improving the wellbeing of nonhuman animals, primarily farmed and wild animals. This includes corporate and policy advocacy, research, and the promotion of alternative products."
British Ecological Society: Funding "We support the global ecological community with over £400,000 in grants each year."
VegFund "offers grants to help you do just that! VegFund accepts applications for funding outreach in three areas: Community Events, Special Projects, and Online Campaigns."
Europe
UK
British Ecological Society: Funding "We support the global ecological community with over £400,000 in grants each year."