Getting the Word Out

Normally I'm happy to stay in my little California Native Plant corner and let the great world of gardening unfold outside. But I do want to point anybody who might have missed it to some important posts:

Earlier this week, Carole at Beautiful Wildlife Garden wrote an informative and very even-handed post about Scotts partnering with the National Wildlife Federation. This was followed by a somewhat more spirited post by Susan at Gardenrant "Everyone Furious at National Wildlife Federation".
I particularly liked this part:
"And I'm not the only one (by far) who got their yard NWF-certified and came to regret it due to the onslaught of junk mail that followed.  I've worked for nonprofits, done fund-raising for them, but never seen anything like the weekly pleas for money from the NWF.  How many stuffed polar bears do they think we need?"


And today, Susan at Garden Rant points to the following information:
"Wow, Scotts is in the news again, with this announcement of their $4.5 million fine for selling pesticide-laden bird food and falsifying their EPA paperwork about it, no less."

Makes me quite happy that I never managed to sign up for the wildlife habitat program and had my own California Native Garden sign made. But also makes me sad. How far have we come with spin? Does NWF really believe this storm will blow over? And might they be right?

Comments

ryan said…
You're totally right about the spin thing. I lost a lot of respect for those 'certification' signs when I found out that they'll send one to pretty much anyone who pays the money. The Chevron refinery could have one if they wanted. And now this makes me even more cynical.
Diana Studer said…
Have we seen your sign?
Country Mouse said…
(Yes, TMouse did post a picture of her sign - I'll dig it out of the archive or she will sometime soon. It's very cute! I gave to Save the Children and will not do so again. It's heinous how people hound you. Makes you regret giving in the first place. I give you 25 bucks so you can send me lots of glossy literature and a year's worth of junk mail? Where is the balance in that? They get their money but everybody hates them? I suppose there is an equation in there that somehow works for the intended beneficiary. So - anyway good to know to avoid the certified wildlife garden program - sad as that is. At least CNPS does NOT do this!!
Jean Campbell said…
I don't have a sign. I never saw a need to pay a group to 'approve' something they never saw. My stamp of approval came from the out-of-season Tiger Swallowtail I saw today.

Agree with Country Mouse that giving pretty much opens the door most times. Maybe we should send anonymous money orders to worthy causes.
Sue Langley said…
I'm not one to join associations, just for the reasons, mentioned,...you don't know what goes on in the boardrooms,(how can you, the average person?) And it's enough for me to read more, become more aware of green practices and nature and gardening and native gardening. It's enough to know that I HAVE a wildlife habitat even without the sign. It's enough to know that I follow good and reasonable gardening practices.

I did join NWF because my Mom did so long ago. :-) My Mom died early on and I admire so her early environmental practice. A great influence I hope I can pass on as well.

Public awareness and outrage is and was the solution to the NWF-Scotts....it al shook out hopefully for the best.