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World leaders have the power to make things happen in your community. They can stop the bulldozing over of land or construction of dams. They can pass laws that prohibit cutting down the rainforest. So a good thing to do is to WRITE LETTERS to your local representative. Tell them how you feel about the environmental problems of today. Tell them what you would like to see changed. Remind them how precious our earth is, and the diversity of species. Give suggestions on how to solve these problems. Keep in touch with them, so they understand how important this issue is to you.
Letters really can help. It was only because of protest and letters that an environmental movement swept across the U.S. in the 1960s. That movement was sparked by the publishing of a very influential book, Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson. If one book could begin such agitation in one country, think what you could do to spark interest in yours. This American movement eventually led to passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which was meant to halt or slow down the rate of species extinction due to human intervention, and help preserve the little remaining natural environment in America.
A government is an organization that usually holds a substantial amount of power. If wildlife is to be preserved, world leaders and politicians are usually a good place to start. Historically, governments have passed legislation that has been useful and effective largely because of public protest. For instance, the United States agreed to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on January 1, 1970. This law declared it the responsibility of the United States government to restore and maintain environmental quality. Conservation organizations followed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in late 1970. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of Interior and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of Commerce were also government-founded institutions, created to service people's wants. And in 1973 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was established.
In short, give your opinions a voice. If you do not tell your leaders what needs to be done, how will they know to do it? Help them understand that something desperately needs to be done in order to save the millions of beautiful creatures on this earth.
 Laws of Conservation
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