Union of Concerned Scientists, Inc.

UCS has been one of the top national nonprofit resources for science-based research, reporting, and evidence-based decision making on environmental issues for decades, particularly focused on sound science and climate change. To maintain independence, they do not accept corporate or government grants. Supporters can opt for a minimal number of mailings each year, mostly consisting of their quarterly Catalyst newsletter/magazine. They have also been better than many nonprofits in not bombarding email inboxes with unsolicited messages and solicitations.

I made a significant donation during the holidays of 2012. I received a thank you email almost immediately. And then another the next day. Oh, wait, that wasn't a thank you, that was a come on to give more money. And five days later, an email with an alarming subject line announcing new misconceptions by the media. Which turned out to be nothing except another come on. The subject line had nothing to do with the email. So I wrote to them expressing my concern. And received a very nice apology. And still the emails come. And now phone calls and letters, trying to get me to become a member.

I donated to this organization at the end of 2010. Within the past year, I received no less than 15 pieces of snail mail from them. Not what I would expect from an organization that is suppose to be helping the environment.

As a scientist, I have found UCS's workshops, reports, and factsheets to be a great resource whenever I am trying to communicate my research to a broader audience. I also feel that their work on nuclear safety and security, climate change, clean energy, and food safety and sustainability are all based on solid scientific evidence, and I am extremely grateful for their work in fighting political interference in how science is being conducted in this country. (I've gotten their calendar for the past few years, and I really enjoy the cartoons on scientific integrity in the calendar.)

My fundraising agency has served the Union of Concerned Scientists since 1999, and I was personally engaged in the work for the first five years. I have rarely seen a better-managed or more focused nonprofit organization. As a result, I have become an annual donor, and I intend to continue supporting the organization because I'm convinced that it delivers the best return on a charitable investment in the environmental field.

The Union of Concerned Scientists work to reduce some of the biggest security threats facing the world today, including the risks posed by nuclear weapons, nuclear terrorism, and space weapons. They work with scientists around the globe to increase international understanding of these issues and to foster and strengthen efforts to increase international security. In addition, they work to improve the safety and security provisions at existing nuclear power plants and the performance of the industry's oversight body--the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; assess the safety, security and nuclear weapons proliferation risks of new reactors; and analyze the pros and cons of increasing nuclear power as a means of reducing global warming. They write reports, file formal petitions to the NRC, testify before Congress, and provide technical assistance to groups of citizens living near nuclear plants. Political interference in federal government science is weakening our nation's ability to respond to the complex challenges we face. Because policy makers depend on impartial research to make informed decisions, they are mobilizing scientists and citizens alike to push for reforms that will enable our leaders to fully protect our health, safety, and environment. As a scientist, this particular issue is of vast importance to me. They have been fighting global warming to protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations. To do this, they promote reducing our emissions of heat-trapping gases by using the technology, know-how, and practical solutions already at our disposal. This includes promoting the use of a family of diverse energy technologies that share a common thread: they do not deplete our natural resources or destroy our environment. Along these lines, they have been providing consumers with scorecards on how well specific automobiles meet mileage requirements and reduce polution. Two other things have been important to me. First, I believe that we must promote sustainable agriculture practices in order to protect the environment and produce high-quality, safe, and affordable food. The Union of Concerned Scientists promotes such practices while pushing to eliminate harmful CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) and strengthening government oversight of genetically engineered food. Secondly, they have been working to reduce the introduction of non-native organisms that damages the environment and endangers native species, undermining decades of conservation efforts. Because federally regulated international trade is the source of most invaders, they are working to reverse some U.S. policies and improve others.