Quercus (organization)

Quercus - Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza (Quercus - National Association for Nature Conservation) is a Portuguese environmental organization founded in 1985. The name Quercus is used because the Oak ("Quercus" in Latin) is one of the species that is characteristic from this country and that nowadays is more rare [ [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultCategoryViewOne.asp?categoryId=444 Wo we are] - Quercus official website ] .

On their website, Quercus declares itself to be a non-profit national environment organization, independent from political parties.

Mission statement

Quercus is a Portuguese organization, but it has concerns about the environment outside Portugal as well. A recent initiative, "Earth Condominium" alerts for the need of a global management of some earth resources like the water or the air [" [http://www.oprimeirodejaneiro.pt/?op=artigo&sec=b6d767d2f8ed5d21a44b0e5886680cb9&subsec=&id=ffa4233304732959b9b95b0bae687b11 Planeta Condomínio] " - Primeiro de Janeiro (Newspaper)] .

Most of its action is in Portugal, where this organization acts by creating awareness about the environment problems that this country faces, and by presenting more environmentally friendly options. Quercus also acts formally by complaining in Portuguese and European courts about allegedly unlawful actions against the environment.

Priorities and campaigns

GM - Quercus is against the use and production of genetically modified food, for human and animal consumption. It is a member of "Plataforma Trangénicos Fora do Prato", a Portuguese Organization that defends a GM free agriculture [" [http://www.stopogm.net/?q=node/70 De que plataforma se trata?] " - Stop OGM website]

Nuclear - Quercus is against the use of nuclear technology to produce energy, it has participated in the campaign One Million Europeans against Nuclear Power, and is affiliated with "Plataforma Não ao Nuclear" [ [http://www.naoaonuclear.org/ naoaonuclar.org] - Platform against nuclear]

Waste - The organization has campaigned for a reduction and correct processing of different kinds of waste in Portugal [" [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultCategoryViewOne.asp?categoryId=641 O trabalho da Quercus na área dos Resíduos] " - Quercus website (Quercus work against waste) ] .

Water - The organization has campaigned to create awareness about the challenges of water quality and quantity management in the planet. Recently it has announced the Earth-Condominium concept.

Membership

Anyone who share the Quercus environmental goals can apply for a membership. This can be done online or by contacting any of the local groups. Prices go from € 8 to € 20 (yearly) for individual membership and € 45 for organizations [ [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultCategoryViewOne.asp?categoryId=478 Inscrição Online] - Quercus website] .

Structure

The organization works under a democratic model. Leaders are elected under national and local elections, which take place every year or every two years. Decisions are also voted if a consensus is not possible [" [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultCategoryViewOne.asp?categoryId=650 Estatutos da Quercus] " - Quercus website]

The Quercus headquarters is located in Lisbon, Portugal, but there's other structures and projects located outside Lisbon [" [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultCategoryViewOne.asp?categoryID=593 Contactos da Quercus] " - Quercus Website] .

Local groups are called "Núcleos". Quercus has 20 local groups in almost every region in Portugal.

Projects are other type of structures that have very specific objectives. For example "Ecocasa" gives information about environment friendly houses, and 3 animal hospitals take care of wounded wild animals [" [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultCategoryViewOne.asp?categoryId=471 Centros de recuperação de fauna] - Quercus website"]

Communication

On television, Quercus has a regular one minute show, giving advices on how anyone can contribute to a better environment [" [http://www.rtp.pt/wportal/sites/tv/bomdia/minuto_verdel.htm Minuto Verde] " - RTP website, list of videos from "Minuto Verde"] . Some of the organization messages and campaigns are usually noticed on TV, specially if they speak about a current newsworthy issue like the plans to build a new airport in Lisbon [" [http://sic.sapo.pt/online/noticias/pais/20070608Ota.htm Quercus contra aeroporto em Alcochete] " - SIC website, 8th June 2007]

The official website, [http://www.quercus.pt www.quercus.pt] , is the main means of communication for the organization.

Other local structures such as Porto [" [http://www.quercusporto.org/ Quercus Porto] " - Porto group website] also have also their independent websites. Other projects in which Quercus is involved like Ecocasa [" [http://www.ecocasa.org/ Ecocasa] " - A house with environmental concerns] , Earth Condominium [ [http://www.earth-condominium.com/ Earth Condominum] - A website about global management resources] and Topten [ [http://www.topten.pt/ Top Ten] - Portuguese version of Topten.info, an environmental consumer website ] also have their independent websites.

On the 5th of June 2007, Quercus has announced Quercus TV [" [http://noticias.sapo.pt/info/748678.html Quercus instala planeta gigante e lança Quercus TV] " - "Sapo Notícias", 5th June 2007] , a web TV for environmental issues [" [http://www.quercustv.org/spip.php?article20 Hélder Spínola apresenta Quercus TV] " - Quercus TV (The president of Quercus presents Quercus TV)] . The organization plans to post videos from their activities and other videos about the environment [" [http://www.quercus.pt/scid/webquercus/defaultArticleViewOne.asp?categoryID=689&articleID=2035 A televisão da Quercus na internet] " - Quercus official website, 5th June 2007] .

References

External links

* [http://www.quercus.pt Quercus] - Official website
* [http://www.quercustv.org/ Quercus TV] - Official web TV
* [http://www.quercusporto.org Quercus Porto] - Website of Porto local group