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Quercus (organization)
Encyclopedia
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. It is headquartered in the Monsanto Forest Park
, in Lisbon
.
On their website, Quercus declares itself to be a non-profit national environment
organization, independent from political parties.
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.
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.
, for human and animal consumption. It is a member of Plataforma Trangénicos Fora do Prato, a Portuguese Organization that defends a GM free agriculture.
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.
Waste - The organization has campaigned for a reduction and correct processing of different kinds of waste
in Portugal.
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.
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.
The Quercus headquarters is located in Lisbon
, Portugal
, but there's other structures and projects located outside Lisbon.
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.
, Quercus has a regular one minute show, giving advices on how anyone can contribute to a better environment
. 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.
The official website, www.quercus.pt, is the main means of communication for the organization.
Other local structures such as Porto
also have also their independent websites. Other projects in which Quercus is involved like Ecocasa., Earth Condominium and Topten also have their independent websites.
On the 5th of June 2007, Quercus has announced Quercus TV , a web TV for environmental issues. The organization plans to post videos from their activities and other videos about the environment.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
environmental organization founded in 1985. The name Quercus is used because the Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
(Quercus in Latin) is one of the species that is characteristic from this country and that nowadays is more rare. It is headquartered in the Monsanto Forest Park
Monsanto Forest Park
Monsanto Forest Park is a protected forest in Lisbon, Portugal, the largest green patch in the city, with almost 1000 ha . It offers a well diversified tree-covered area to the Portuguese capital....
, in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
.
On their website, Quercus declares itself to be a non-profit national environment
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
organization, independent from political parties.
Mission statement
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 foodGenetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
, for human and animal consumption. It is a member of Plataforma Trangénicos Fora do Prato, a Portuguese Organization that defends a GM free agriculture.
Nuclear - Quercus is against the use of nuclear technology
Anti-nuclear
The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes the use of nuclear technologies. Many direct action groups, environmental groups, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, national, and international level...
to produce energy, it has participated in the campaign One Million Europeans against Nuclear Power, and is affiliated with Plataforma Não ao Nuclear.
Waste - The organization has campaigned for a reduction and correct processing of different kinds of waste
Waste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
in Portugal.
Water - The organization has campaigned to create awareness about the challenges of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
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.Structure
The organization works under a democraticDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
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.
The Quercus headquarters is located in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, but there's other structures and projects located outside Lisbon.
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.
Communication
On televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, Quercus has a regular one minute show, giving advices on how anyone can contribute to a better environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
. 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.
The official website, www.quercus.pt, is the main means of communication for the organization.
Other local structures such as Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
also have also their independent websites. Other projects in which Quercus is involved like Ecocasa., Earth Condominium and Topten also have their independent websites.
On the 5th of June 2007, Quercus has announced Quercus TV , a web TV for environmental issues. The organization plans to post videos from their activities and other videos about the environment.
External links
- Quercus - Official website
- Quercus TV - Official web TV
- Don´t Give Up | Un anuncio publicitario producido por McCann-Erickson para “Quercus“