Joining an interest group is an easy way for citizens who are concerned about the environment to become involved in the political process.  There are a wide range of interest groups to join, all focusing on different environmental issues.

Some interest groups are international organizations.  GreenPeace, for example, has locations around the world.  Other groups are national or even local groups.

Usually, these interest groups allow people to join for a small membership fee.  This money is then used to cover the organization's costs and hire workers to try to influence the government.

Many interest groups offer membership benefits as well.  The most common is a newsletter about the organization and its recent progress.

Keeping members informed and lobbying the government are two of the most common tactics that interest groups try to use.  The very large environmental interest groups can tell political leaders that all of the group's members are concerned about the environment and will not support politicians who don't support the environment.

You can find a list of environmental organizations along with full descriptions and contact information in the Organizations section.

For additional information about interest groups and other environmental organizations, see the other Resources on Organizations.