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Social media is about connecting people and providing the tools necessary to have a conversation. That global conversation is an extremely powerful platform for spreading information and awareness about social causes and issues. That’s one of the reasons charities can benefit so greatly from being active on social media channels. But you can also do a lot to help your favorite charity or causes you are passionate about through social media.

Below is a list of 10 ways you can use social media to show your support for issues that are important to you. If you can think of any other ways to help charities via social web tools, please add them in the comments. If you’d like to retweet this post or take the conversation to Twitter or FriendFeed, please use the hashtag #10Ways.

1. Write a Blog Post

Blogging is one of the easiest ways you can help a charity or cause you feel passionate about. Almost everyone has an outlet for blogging these days — whether that means a site running WordPress, an account at LiveJournal, or a blog on MySpace or Facebook. By writing about issues you’re passionate about, you’re helping to spread awareness among your social circle. Because your friends or readers already trust you, what you say is influential.

Recently, a group of green bloggers banded together to raise individual $1 donations from their readers. The beneficiaries included Sustainable Harvest, Kiva, Healthy Child, Healthy World, Environmental Working Group, and Water for People. The blog-driven campaign included voting to determine how the funds would be distributed between the charities. You can read about the results here.

You should also consider taking part in Blog Action Day, a once a year event in which thousands of blogs pledge to write at least one post about a specific social cause (last year it was fighting poverty). Blog Action Day will be on October 15 this year.

2. Share Stories with Friends

Another way to spread awareness among your social graph is to share links to blog posts and news articles via sites like Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, Digg, and even through email. Your network of friends is likely interested in what you have to say, so you have influence wherever you’ve gathered a social network.

You’ll be doing charities you support a great service when you share links to their campaigns, or to articles about causes you care about.

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As co-founder of Renewing the Countryside, Joannides created a means to showcase positive examples of rural revitalization while simultaneously serving as an inspiring example of how one’s purpose and life can passionately blend.

As I write about in the Ecopreneur Profile found in ECOpreneuring, the seed for Renewing the Countryside stemmed from Jan’s master’s thesis work in the late 1990s profiling vibrant, diversified Minnesota farms and ranches. “As I interviewed these folks, I became so deeply inspired by their story and commitment to their family farms that I wanted to get these narratives out to the public, since the media often focus just on the negative decline of rural America,” explains Jan. Inspired by a similar venture in the Netherlands, she tapped into grant funding to publish Renewing the Countryside: Minnesota in 2001, showcasing 44 profiles of successful rural enterprises.

The enthusiastic response to this book led Jan, in partnership with her husband, Brett Olson, to found Renewing the Countryside as a non-profit organization in 2002. Its mission is to strengthen rural areas by championing and supporting rural communities, farmers, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, activists and other people who are renewing the countryside through sustainable and innovative businesses, initiatives and projects. “After all,” she says, “rural America is abundant with prospering enterprises as diverse as colors in the rainbow.” Brett leads the creative side of the organization, developing innovative public education strategies and campaigns.  It’s through our work on the Rural Renaissance book that my wife and I discovered this innovative non-profit organization, an organization that had its pulse on the revitalization happening in rural areas and the net migrations afoot from urban and suburban areas back to rural areas.

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Some perks include not having to go near a crowded mall, finding something for everyone on your list, and no lines, returns or exchanges.  Best of all, you’ll be making a tangible difference in the world with the cause of your choice, and it’s something that will last long after the latest retail trends fizzle out.

Changing the Present features more than 1,500 meaningful charitable gifts that users can browse by cause or nonprofit to find the perfect gift for friends or their own charitable giving.

Building on a commitment to changing the social norm when it comes to gift giving, and seeking to spark positive change in the world, Robert Tolmach, CEO of WellGood LLC, spearheaded the team that implemented this important effort, and was kind enough to share more details about the program with me in a one-on-one chat about the future of giving.

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I’m talking about GoodSearch.com. It’s a search engine, like Google or Yahoo, but with a twist: for each search conducted on the site, money is donated to the charity of your choice. Its sister site, GoodShop.com, operates on the same principle, donating a percentage of every purchase made from 700 online retailers. Doesn’t that make you want to sing, “Ya-hooooooo-oo!”?

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Now — in one of the most significant conservation sales in history — The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land have preserved 320,000 acres of forestlands in western Montana that provide valuable habitat for species in the Crown of the Continent.

“There hasn’t been an animal extinction here since Lewis and Clark encountered it in the early 19th century,” explains Kat Imhoff, the Conservancy’s state director in Montana. “It’s the only such ecosystem in the Lower 48 states.”

The deal is part of the Conservancy’s large-scale efforts to protect forestlands around the world — the majority of which are working forests supplying sustainably harvested timber.

Over the past five years, the Conservancy has protected 3.5 million acres of forestlands — at a time when nearly one-half of Earth’s original forest cover is gone and global deforestation rates continue to rise.

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The proliferation of voluntary carbon offset programs seems like a great way for individuals to help fight climate change. But do carbon offset programs really work? That’s the question for Bill Stanley, Science Lead for Carbon Strategies, Climate Change Team at The Nature Conservancy.

Lawrence Hamilton, of Charlotte, VT, asks:
“Are carbon offset programs and forest protection efforts providing real solutions for reducing global carbon emissions? And how do these programs help reduce pollution from mercury, arsenic and other “baddies” that often accompany carbon emissions?”

Bill Stanley, Science Lead for Carbon Strategies, Climate Change Team, replies:
To answer the first question, yes — well-designed carbon offset programs can have a meaningful impact on reducing the carbon emissions that cause climate change.

Deforestation and land-use changes contribute approximately 20 percent of global carbon emissions. Rigorously-designed, forest-based offset programs can make a real dent in that number.

To be effective, any offset program needs to meet high standards. These standards include:

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Something old, something new, something borrowed, something… green? It’s really not as out of the ordinary as it sounds—last year, Brides.com estimated that approximately 33% of future brides and grooms in the U.S. are planning an eco-friendly wedding.

Today, The Nature Conservancy is issuing tips for planning a greener wedding or commitment ceremony, with ideas from invitations through the honeymoon to help reduce your celebration’s impact on the planet—and maybe even reduce the impact on your wallet as well.

“There’s no need to sacrifice your dream wedding for a green wedding,” said Sanjayan, lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy. “Just imagine the power of one simple change—be it as small as reducing wedding travel or serving organic food at the reception—multiplied by the thousands of couples who plan to marry this year. The littlest changes really add up, and can leave a positive impact on the Earth for generations to come.”

Invitations: Sending invitations electronically or on recycled paper stock will save money and trees. Bonus for going the electronic route: You’ll save on the fuel used to deliver the cards.

Gift registry: Register for gifts that you actually need and will definitely use, and if possible, are healthy for the planet. Many of your favorite stores probably carry organic and environmentally sound products already, and with a little research, you can ensure that your new ice cream maker has a minimal carbon footprint.

Reducing consumption can have more of an impact than simply buying recycled/recyclable products. If you don’t need anything, ask your guests to donate to your favorite charity.

Flowers: Organic flowers are one option, but tastefully arranged dried or silk flowers can make as big a statement as fresh floral arrangements.

If you’re set on fresh flowers, try decorating with potted plants native to your area. What’s fresher than still-living flora? You can even plant them when the ceremony is over—wedding décor and landscaping in one fell swoop!

Fashion: The Condé Nast Bridal Group estimates that most brides spend about $900 on just their gowns—and that’s not including the many accessories most brides need to polish their look. An environmentally and cost-friendly solution is to wear a vintage or hand-me-down dress. A female relative or friend’s gown has likely (hopefully!) only been worn once, and you do need something borrowed, right?

If you’d prefer a new dress, look for one that’s made of certified organic cotton, since polyester is petroleum-based, and most other cotton is grown with harsh pesticides. Grooms and ushers can get on the all-natural natural-fiber bandwagon as well by wearing a dress shirt made of hemp or organic cotton.

Do your bridesmaids a favor and forgo the puffy sleeves and universally unflattering fits, and select a gown that your girls would gladly wear again. If you’re stuck with a frock reminiscent of an ‘80s-era prom nightmare, forgo dumping that hideous gown in the garbage, and check out HGTV’s suggestions for turning sequins and taffeta into stylish home accents.

The Rings: The production of one tiny band of gold results in 20 tons of mine waste, according to Earthworks, an organization that works to protect the environment from the impact of mineral development. Show your commitment to your brand new spouse with a recycled or heirloom ring, or start a new trend by sporting silver bands, since the mining of silver is a bit gentler on the environment.

The Location: Holding your festivities in a central location will cut down on travel for your guests, which will make both them and Mother Nature even happier to be a part of your joyous day. Another thing to consider when choosing a wedding locale: “Believe it or not,” said Sanjayan, “big cities might be better than country locations because cities, for the most part, have less energy use in terms of per capita carbon.”

It’s possible to keep the travel to a minimum once your guests have arrived, too. When Evan Parker, The Nature Conservancy’s manager of digital membership, got married last October, he and his bride-to-be chose a church and reception site within walking distance. Post-ceremony, the bride traded in her formal shoes for sneakers, and the couple and their guests walked to the reception, held at a restaurant just blocks from the church.

Food: Feeding your guests unpronounceable pesticides is no way to show your appreciation for their attendance, so consider serving organic food and wine at the reception. Local produce is also a great, low-impact option, and your menu will be fresher for guests and easier on nature.

Favors: The Bridal Association of America estimates that the average couple spends over $400 on favors for their guests, which seems like a lot for a couple pounds of after-dinner mints. A greener option? Donate the amount set aside in your budget to a favorite charity.

The Nature Conservancy offers a number of favor options with a minimal carbon footprint. Help reforest Brazil’s Atlantic Forest by contributing to the Plant a Billion Trees campaign, or adopt a few acres of Costa Rican rainforest in honor of your guests.

If you absolutely must give your guests a sweet treat, try organic, local goodies like chocolate or wine. Really, does anyone need yet another tiny lace pouch of Jordan almonds?

The Honeymoon: The party might be over, but the honeymoon fun’s just begun—and it’s easy to maintain a green theme throughout your romantic getaway. One way to lessen your trip’s environmental impact is to forgo a far-flung destination. (And as the cost of fuel continues to rise, keeping it local will also save you a bundle in travel costs.) If you’d prefer to spend your first few days as husband and wife in a more exotic locale, remember that many travel companies offer eco-trips or environmentally friendly excursions. You could even go on a Nature Conservancy Conservation Journey!

No matter how you decide to spend your honeymoon, you can buy energy offset credits to offset the toll your travel has on the environment.

…And Baby Makes Three?: If there’s a baby on the way, or you’re planning to start a family soon, have eight trees planted on your child’s behalf, said Sanjayan. “Eight trees will offset the amount of carbon a person releases by simply breathing during an average lifetime.” While you’re at it, why not plant a few for yourself as well?

For more information on going green, learn how you can become an everyday environmentalist.

Now, for the first time, scientists have observed long-tailed macaques fishing with their bare hands.

Nature Conservancy scientist Erik Meijaard and other researchers are the first to scientifically document this rare conduct. In a recent article published in the International Journal of Primatology, Meijaard and his coauthors say that, while conducting field studies in Indonesia, they have repeatedly observed long-tailed macaques catching fish from fast-flowing rivers.

“This is interesting behavior and some of the first observations of primates catching fish,” says Meijaard, the Conservancy’s senior ecologist in Indonesia.

A Very Hungry Monkey?

In the first sighting back in 1998, researchers describe seeing five female macaques sitting alongside the Ketambe River in the Indonesian province of North Sumatra.

The macaques’ eyes scanned the water. After about three minutes, one of the macaques reached into the river. With her bare hands, she pulled out a fish and quickly ate it. Other macaques watched her — and one even tried unsuccessfully to catch a fish herself.

“Clearly it may raise the question of whether there is some sort of learning going on,” says Meijaard. “If perhaps a couple of generations back, one primate caught a fish and it was subsequently copied.”

Researchers documented a similar sighting in 2006 in a separate macaque population in the Lesan Conservation Area, a Nature Conservancy program site in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. There, on two separate occasions, a macaque was observed swiftly grasping a fish out of the shallows before retreating into the forest with the fish still in its mouth.

While the fishing macaque sighting in Lesan coincided with a time of low fruit availability, Meijaard is hesitant to blame the fishing behavior on resource scarcity or draw conclusions about its meaning.

“It might be nothing more than a hungry monkey who is smart enough to extract nutrients from its environment,” he says.

Protecting Indonesia’s Forests

Meijaard is also the Kalimantan coordinator for the USAID-funded Orangutan Conservation Services Program.

But he says that forests — not macaques or orangutans — are the Conservancy’s real focus.

The Conservancy is fighting an ongoing battle to protect the forests around the Lesan Conservation Area. These forests, which harbor a substantial orangutan population, are slated to be destroyed for agriculture and plantations.

The Conservancy is working around the clock to convince local communities and governments to instead consider their long-term economic needs and put the forests into permanent, sustainable management.

“Macaques and orangutans are neat symbols, but they’re not going to convince people here,” Meijaard says. “What we need is data that shows the microeconomic implications of forest conversion.”

“Depending on the decisions made now, the forest could be around forever, or it could be gone forever by next year.”

1. Reduce your plastic consumption. The most frequently collected items during beach cleanups are made of plastic—think reusable shopping bags, water bottles and utensils.
2. Make informed seafood choices. Keep a copy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s seafood guide in your wallet or text Blue Ocean’s FishPhone to help you choose sustainable seafood at the grocery store or a restaurant.
3. Dispose of chemicals properly. Never pour chemicals, pharmaceuticals, oil or paint into the drain or toilets. Check with your county’s household hazardous waste program to properly dispose of or recycle chemicals and keep them out of rivers and oceans.
4. Choose green detergents and household cleaners—or make your own! Besides being better for your own health, these products are safer for the environment since what goes down the drain can end up in our oceans.
5. Get the dirt on your beachside retreat. Before you stay in a hotel on the coast, ask staff what happens to their sewage and swimming pool water, and if they source their restaurant fish from sustainable sources.
6. Find out the source of your food. Buying local, organic food reduces your carbon footprint, supports the local economy and reduces the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that end up not just in your stomach, but as run-off in rivers and oceans, too.
7. Fill your yard with native species. Reducing the amount of grass in your lawn by planting native shrubs and flower beds will provide a better habitat for birds and other wildlife and require far less water and fertilizer, which can seep into the oceans.
8. Keep your beach visit clean. When visiting the beach, stay off fragile sand dunes, take your trash with you and leave plants, birds and wildlife for everyone to enjoy. Find a Conservancy coastal preserve near you.
9. Choose alternatives to coral. Whether shopping for jewelry, household décor or accessories for your fish tank, do your part to leave fragile coral reef habitats untouched by buying products that aren’t made of real coral.
10. Celebrate our oceans. Whether you live inland or on the coast, we are all connected to the ocean; take the time to organize or participate in activities that restore and celebrate the ocean, and help support The Nature Conservancy’s ocean conservation work.
    • Donate online now to support The Nature Conservancy’s work to protect and restore marine habitats in your area and around the world.
    • Rescue a Reef to help protect some of the most threatened corals in the world.
    • Sign up for the Conservancy’s Great Places Network, a free online membership program, to learn more about what the Conservancy is doing in your state and around the globe.
    • Test your oceans knowledge with our online quiz.
    • Send an ocean e-card to friends and family.

But scientists estimate that 70% of all corals reefs could be lost by 2050 if current rates of destruction continue — from factors ranging from overfishing to climate change.

That’s why The Nature Conservancy is supporting three major policy efforts by island nations around the world to conserve marine diversity — the Micronesia Challenge, the Coral Triangle Initiative and the newly launched Caribbean Challenge, which is being aided by a $20 million Conservancy pledge.

Together, these regions contain 83% of Earth’s coral species, according to James Robertson of the Conservancy’s Center for Global Trends.

“The threats to coral reefs are huge and occur across the globe, so coral conservation has to be at a scale that matches those threats,” explains Lynne Hale, director of the Conservancy’s Global Marine Program.

“The Caribbean Challenge is a perfect example of how the Conservancy is working with governments and people who depend on coral reefs to catalyze bold and immediate conservation action,” says Hale.

Caribbean Nations Launch Challenge

The Caribbean Challenge will accelerate marine conservation in the region — with the aim of protecting 20% of the region’s marine and coastal habitat by 2020.

The Conservancy announced its support for the challenge when it was launched by Caribbean leaders at a U.N.-sponsored conference in Bonn addressing worldwide threats to biodiversity.

The Caribbean Challenge will enable the Conservancy to help participating nations do essential marine conservation work, such as:

• Create new marine protected areas (MPAs);
• Hire, equip and train park managers and other staff;
• Reduce destructive fishing practices;
• Incorporate protection strategies that mitigate the impacts of climate change; and
• Establish a sustainable funding source for future marine conservation.

“The Caribbean Challenge is a broad and collaborative effort,” says Rob Weary, the Conservancy’s senior conservation finance and policy advisor for the Caribbean. “By supporting island nations with funding, scientific expertise and training, we can help them achieve their goals.”

It’s an approach that’s already working in two of the world’s most significant coral areas — Micronesia and the Coral Triangle.

Protecting Marine Resources in Micronesia and the Coral Triangle

Launched in 2006, the Micronesia Challenge is a commitment by five governments to conserve 30% of their marine resources and 20% of their terrestrial resources by 2020.

In less than two years, the Micronesia Challenge has already spurred the creation of new protected areas and new legislation for the support and management of such areas. Heralded by the President of Palau and supported by the Conservancy, the Micronesia Challenge is the inspiration and model for the Caribbean Challenge.

The Conservancy is working similarly in Southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle region — where an astounding 76% of the world’s coral species are found.

“The Coral Triangle is the global epicenter of marine biodiversity,” says Rod Salm, the Conservancy’s director of marine conservation in Asia Pacific. “The world’s coral diversity hinges on the health and survival of this area.”

In the Coral Triangle, Salm and other marine scientists are pioneering the identification and protection of resilient coral communities — those that are most likely to survive bleaching and other traumatic events. They are hopeful that this effort will help save corals from the impacts of climate change.

“It’s critical that we begin incorporating principles of climate change resilience to protect corals and all of our marine resources,” says Salm. “The Conservancy is leading the way in helping marine resource managers to do this worldwide.”

Now, a new report co-authored by Nature Conservancy scientists says that biofuel crops could also become invasive species — and that the risk needs to be evaluated before these crops are planted.

The Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) and Conservancy scientists have identified all the crops currently being used or considered for biofuel production and ranked them according to the risk they pose of becoming invasive species.

GISP calls on countries to:

• Carry out risk assessments before they plant biofuel crops,
• Use low-risk species of crops for biofuels, and
• Introduce new controls to manage invasive species.

Major Findings of the Report

• Damage from invasive species costs the world more than $1.4 trillion annually — 5% of the global economy. The United States alone spends $120 billion annually on the control and impacts of more than 800 invasive species infestations.
• The giant reed (Arundo donax) is a proposed biofuel crop from West Asia which is already invasive in parts of North and Central America. Naturally flammable, it increases the likelihood of wildfires — a threat to both humans and native species in places such as California.
• The African oil palm is another example of the havoc an invasive species can wreak. Recommended for biodiesel, it has already become invasive in parts of Brazil, turning areas of threatened forest from a rich mix of trees and plant life into a homogenous layer of palm leaves.
• The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 9) represents the best chance in a decade to take global action against invasive species. The Conservancy and GISP are calling on delegates to recognize the dangers invasive species cause and recommend risk assessments before biofuel crops are planted. The two groups also call on the scientific community to conduct more desperately-needed research into this topic.

The Bottom Line

“Prevention is better than the cure,” says Stas Bugiel, The Nature Conservancy’s senior global invasive species policy advisor, “We need to stop invasions before they occur. The biofuel industry is a relatively new concept so we have a unique opportunity to act early and get ahead of the game — we mustn’t throw that away.”

While this is a little different from our normal fare, when the Craigslist Foundation asked us if we’d help get the word out on its Nonprofit Boot Camp event, we were happy to oblige. Sponsored by eBay, the event will take place on August 18 at the University of California, Berkeley, campus. If you’re a nonprofit leader or a social entrepreneur, it looks like this will be a day full of educational and networking opportunities. According to the foundation’s web site, "Nonprofit Boot Camp is designed to educate and empower the next generation of nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs, connecting them with valuable industry resources, peers and potential supporters."

Boot camp features eight different educational tracks, ranging from nonprofit basics to fundraising to technology. Featured speakers will include Ami Dar, Executive Director of Action Without Borders/Idealist.org , and Aimee Allison. There will also be an exhibit hall featuring over 50 organizations that serve emerging nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs, and free one-on-one coaching sessions.

Sounds like a great event, and there’s still time to register. The registration fee is $50.