Arctic Refuge Defense Campaign: Volunteer

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Who we are:
Arctic Refuge Defense Campaign

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest and most intact ecosystems on planet earth, sustaining millions of birds, over 250 animal species (including polar bears, wolves, and the majestic porcupine caribou herd), and nine thousand Indigenous Peoples of the Gwich’in Nation. However, this majestic land is already seeing devastating impacts from climate change - temperatures are rising at twice the rate of the rest of the planet, villages are eroding into the sea, and food sources are disappearing. On top of this already unstable situation, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 which opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to be leased for oil and gas drilling. Oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be catastrophic: it would damage the refuge’s fragile ecosystem, disrupt age-old migration and denning patterns for caribou and polar bears, and risk the Gwich’in’s way of life. The Trump administration is fast-tracking the lease sale in the Arctic Refuge and the initial lease sale will take place before the end of 2019. We cannot let this happen - we need to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by building opposition to oil and gas drilling there and supporting the Gwich’in Nation as they fight to protect the land which sustains them.

Volunteer Description:
The ARDC is looking for motivated individuals to help us with an exciting campaign to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Volunteers will help us to build grassroots power and work with other community members and local organizations and participate in environmental advocacy. Over the next several weeks, we will be organizing community events, working with the media, collecting petition signatures and photo petitions, and building a broad coalition of campus groups. Volunteers will lead and assist with a wide variety of campaign tasks. Good verbal and writing skills are important as Volunteers will recruit and train others, and lead meetings.