About Environment Rhode Island
We’re your state environmental group — protecting the places we love, advancing the environmental values we share, and winning real results for our environment. Click here to donate now.
Who we are
Environment Rhode Island is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. We believe there’s something special about Rhode Island — something worth protecting and preserving for future generations. Whether it’s sailing in Narragansett Bay, hiking in Lincoln Woods, or swimming in one of Rhode Island’s many beautiful beaches, Rhode Island’s natural wonders enrich our lives in countless ways.
Yet the places we love and the environmental values so many of us share are too often threatened by powerful industries, short-sighted politicians and more. Defending our environment requires independent research, tough-minded advocacy and spirited grassroots action.
That’s the idea behind Environment Rhode Island. Together with thousands of supporters from all walks of life, we take the kind of action that wins tangible results for our environment.
FIND OUT MORE
OUR STAFF
What we do
Funded by supporters like you, we research the challenges confronting Rhode Island’s environment and educate the public about what’s at stake. Through our research reports, news conferences, interviews with reporters, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor, and more, we raise awareness of environmental issues and promote sensible solutions. Our canvassers meet people where they are — in public places or door-to-door — raising awareness, recruiting new supporters and activists, and raising funds to support our work.
When decisions are being made about Rhode Island’s environment, our elected officials hear plenty from the oil companies, developers and other powerful interests. We make the case for our environment and help people like you make your voice heard, through petitions, emails, letters, phone calls and more, all delivered to the right people just when it matters most.
Become a memberJoin thousands of your friends and neighbors in protecting our air, water and open spaces by becoming a member of Environment Rhode Island today.
|
Environment Rhode Island Research & Policy Center
Results
- Keeping Plastic Out of the Bay. Your support helped win us our first ban on disposable plastic bags, when the town of Barrington voted to ban the bags that kill marine life and pollute Narragansett Bay. We're helping spread this effor to Providence, Jamestown, Bristol and towns across the state, and we're already lining up state lawmakers to support a ban across Rhode Island. Your continued support will help us protect the bay and ban plastic bags.
- Cutting Global Warming Pollution. You played a crucial role in the singal largest step the U.S. has ever taken to tackle global warming. Thanks to your support and our work, by 2025, new cars and trucks will average 54.5 miles per gallon. This means by 2030, 270 million metric tons of carbon pollution will be out of our skies. Together we made this possible: Environment Rhode Island helped pass crucial state-level standards in Rhode Island and 13 other states; the standards that paved the way for this historic national step.
- Ensuring Healthy Rhode Island Beaches. I'll always treasure my memories of building sand castles on First Beach when I was a kid and watching my brother hit the surf. When my favorite Aquidneck Island beaches were being contaminated by sewage pollution, it was your support that helped bring Clean Water Act citizens' suits against the town of Middletown and the City of Newport to stop their illegal sewage discharges near their beaches. We won strong court settlements, and both Middletown and Newport agreed to clean up their acts.