Conservation starters from WWF experts

The document outlines practical 'Conservation Starters' from WWF experts to mitigate environmental degradation. It provides specific advice on protecting biodiversity, addressing climate change, conserving forests and freshwater, reducing food waste, eliminating plastic pollution, and protecting wildlife. Key recommendations include advocating for policy changes, adopting sustainable consumer habits, and implementing nature-based home improvements.

• Individuals can support biodiversity and local ecosystems by planting native flora, fruits, and vegetables in their gardens and preventing the spread of invasive species through actions such as cleaning boats and hiking boots before entering new areas.
• To address climate change, the document emphasizes the importance of political advocacy, the use of smart thermostats for energy efficiency, and the reduction of trash volume to lower methane emissions from landfills, which the USEPA identifies as responsible for approximately 16.9 percent of human-caused U.S. methane emissions.
• Forest conservation can be supported by purchasing wood and paper products with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo and urging congressional representatives to support the FOREST Act to prevent illegal deforestation products from entering markets.
• Freshwater protection strategies include transitioning lawns to native plant gardens or rain gardens to reduce stormwater runoff, utilizing low-flush toilets, and choosing food from farmers who employ water-saving methods like drip irrigation and rainwater collection.
• Reducing food waste is presented as an environmental necessity because nearly half of the food produced in the US is wasted. Recommended actions include home composting, supporting local farmers, and relying on sensory checks rather than 'best by' date labels to determine food freshness.
• To combat plastic pollution and achieve a vision of 'No Plastic in Nature by 2030', the document suggests supporting the UN Global Treaty on Plastic and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the United States, as well as swapping single-use plastics for reusable alternatives.
• Wildlife conservation efforts are highlighted by the 2022 Global Living Planet Index, which reports an average 69% decline in monitored populations of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals between 1970 and 2018. Recommended actions include avoiding plastic bags, opposing high-risk wildlife markets to prevent pandemics, and reporting illegal wildlife products to the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online.

APA

Naidoo, R., Mitchell, M., Cesareo, K., & Brigida, D. (n.d.). Conservation starters from WWF experts. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/conservation-starters-from-wwf-experts/

Chicago

Naidoo, Robin, Marcene Mitchell, Kerry Cesareo, and Danielle Brigida. Conservation starters from WWF experts. WWF International, n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/conservation-starters-from-wwf-experts/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Naidoo |first1=Robin |last2=Mitchell |first2=Marcene |last3=Cesareo |first3=Kerry |last4=Brigida |first4=Danielle |title=Conservation starters from WWF experts |publisher=WWF International |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/conservation-starters-from-wwf-experts/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naidoondconservation, author = {Naidoo, Robin and Mitchell, Marcene and Cesareo, Kerry and Brigida, Danielle}, title = {{Conservation starters from WWF experts}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/tips/conservation-starters-from-wwf-experts/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }