Inform Yourself:
Make sure to get all the facts about the ivory trade and other threats to elephants. Remember to stay objective and try to understand different people’s perspectives. Start with the Overview to get some base knowledge. Know the difference between Asian and African elephants and use the Timelines to put elephant threats into context. Make sure to understand why people want ivory, how it moves, and what we should do with all of the ivory. Next, check out some videos about the different threats to elephants. Finally, see what different organizations are doing in The Elephant Network.
Sign Up:
Use The Elephant Network to research different organizations dedicated to saving elephants. Sign a petition urging your government to ban ivory sales, a petition urging other countries to change their ivory laws, or a campaign pledging not to trade ivory. Make sure you know what you are signing!
Create an Event:
Share your knowledge with your community by hosting an awareness event. Set up a table at your school or organization with informational resources for people to take home. Or, create an event with a presentation, video, concert, performance or informational piece that sparks discussion to your guests. Hold a demonstration, rally or protest to motivate the public, the media, political leaders or people interested in animal rights.
Start a Club:
Creating a club is a great way for people to study and discuss conservation issues. Start by recruiting members, setting goals for your club, consulting other clubs to get an idea of what works, and begin to finance your club – you’d be surprised at the kinds of funding you can get. Make sure to promote your club and be sure to stay on track with regular meetings and events. Together your local club can work at organizing discussions and events to raise awareness about elephants. Your club can create petitions and fundraising for elephant issues. Make sure to connect with The Elephant Network.
Start a Discussion:
Share your knowledge by facilitating a discussion in your different parts of your community. As the facilitator, you are in charge of calling on people to speak and encouraging involvement from the group so that everyone gets the opportunity to participate while keeping the discussion on track. See our Discussion Starters for ideas on how to start the discussion with your group.
Reach Out Locally:
Starting local will help you connect with people who are interested in animal rights and global conservation issues. See if any of the organization from The Elephant Network are in your area or if there are local wildlife organizations. If there are no organizations dedicated to animal rights, conservation, or elephant issues in your area then start a group.
Write a Letter:
Write a letter to your local government or an opinion piece to a local newspaper. As a citizen you have the power to influence big changes in your community and your government. Youth activist Celia Ho has made an impact in her community in Hong Kong, and it all started with a letter to the South China Morning Post.
Fundraise:
Raise funds to support what you believe in! Get others in your community to join your cause and help you financially support organizations that are protecting elephants. The Elephant Network is a great place to find organizations that you want to donate to. Do you want to support large conservation organizations, small NGOs in Africa or Asia, Asian elephant conservation issues, African elephant conservation issues or groups with a more political agenda?
Be creative:
Use your talents and be creative! Express yourself through art, dance, theater, songs, web design, animation, audio production, film, fashion or any other talents you might have to have your voice heard and stand up for what you believe in. Youth activist Celia Ho produced songs to promote elephant issues. Students in the Bronx shared their disappearing elephants art. What talents do you have that you can use to get people engaged about elephant issues?
Get connected:
Use social media to get your voice heard. Join groups online and meet the global network of people committed to elephant issues.
Disappearing Elephants 