Talk about choosing a great BFF — Planet Earth!!!

Since its 1969 founding in an old San Francisco firehouse, Friends of the Earth has fought for a healthy and just world. The organization’s history is marked by victories across the years and a commitment to the environment. Highlights include:

• 1971 Launched first international campaign: Campaigned to save the whale from international whaling. Whaling banned in 1982.

• 1979 Stop the MX: Launched campaign against the MX Missile—and won.

• 1981 Synthetic Fuels: EPI began formal campaign to stop Synthetic Fuels Corporation, a government corporation wasting billions on environmentally threatening synfuels development. Over four years, EPI shut down the corporation, along with several DOE synfuels’ projects.

• 1987 Launched Ozone Protection Campaign: Efforts led to phase out of most products that deplete the ozone, such as aerosols and air conditioning coolants with chlorofluorocarbons.

• 1993 Published Crude Awakening: This 350-page report exposed the waste and inefficiency of the oil and gas industry.

• 1996 Following the Money: pursued Congress and the White House to eliminate $20 billion in federal programs that would have harmed the planet. FoE’s Earth Budget revealed that of more than 1.5 trillion spent annually on federal programs, less than 2 percent goes to activities that actually protect the environment. The River of Red Ink publication showed how millions of taxpayer dollars are spent on activities harmful to already-at-risk salmon runs. The Road to Ruin Report identifying 22 environmentally destructive highway projects in 15 states that would cost federal taxpayers some $10 billion.

• 1999 Lawsuit Victory: Won a law suit against the State of California to adopt new regulations to safeguard the public against the toxic pesticide, methyl bromide.

• 2007 Standing strong for Energy and Climate: Friends of the Earth, along with 12 states, several cities and more than a dozen environmental groups won a Supreme Court decision requiring the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from passenger vehicles.

Friends of the Earth major campaign areas

Global Warming
The challenges, opportunities and consequences surrounding planetary climate change.

Government and Industry
The environmental roles of regulation, legislation, trade, banking and international finance.

Energy
A look at the good, bad and ugly ways we power our communities and plan our energy future.

Transportation
Where we live and how we move around, currently and down the road.

Healthy People
What is making its way into our bodies and how it’s getting there – and why we need to pay attention.

Land, Air and Water
Identifying and fighting against the pollution and exploitation of our ecosystems.

.: Friends of the Earth :.