The Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization is a non-profit, non-partisan, issue-oriented organization. Our members come from all walks of life, from all cultures, races and religious backgrounds, all motivated by a common cause, to reverse the dwindling spiral of life on Earth, and create a healthy habitable Planet on which all life flourishes and prospers, and of which we can be proud. The Earth Organization’s international offices work in association with other environmental groups around the world in projects of mutual interest. One of these co-venture partners is The Earth Organization in the United States (a 501(c)3 corporation with non-profit status).
Who We Are
Mission Statement LAEO is an independent, grass roots, international non-profit, conservation and environment organization, with new solutions, committed to the creative, responsible rehabilitation of Planet Earth and the plant and animal kingdoms.

Our Beginning
LAEO was founded by internationally acclaimed, South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony, who is well known for his remarkable 5½-month rescue initiative of the animals and staff in the Baghdad Zoo, early in the Iraqi War.

As a result of his experiences in Baghdad, as well as a searching look at the down-trending statistics of the natural world on our planet, Lawrence decided to found a unique, independent, science-based environmental organization dedicated to bringing effective, long-term solutions to the global problems we all face. One key aspect that sets LAEO apart is the understanding that, for a solution to truly be a workable, long-term answer, it must address and benefit by far the greater number of elements involved in any situation, including Mankind?s global expansion, commerce, industry, people, jobs, other plants and animals, etc; not just a single aspect of the problem or a particular species.

We are pro business, pro expanding economy, pro jobs, pro people, in addition to being pro wildlife and environment.

When taking on projects, we:
  • Investigate to ensure that a real situation exists which needs to be addressed
  • Research to find the true source of the problem
  • Find a solution which will not only stably reverse the decaying situation, but will be a solution that does not end up creating more problems later.

Our Operating Principle
We have conceived a new term to describe the basic principles on which we operate:

Cooperative Ecology (CoEco) (noun) - defined as the study of the mutual interdependency and cooperation of all life forms and the material world. It is based on the premise that all life forms are interdependent and engaged upon the same objective - to survive - and are acting in mutual support of this objective for their mutual perpetuation. The moment life forms, including man, fall away from the concept of mutual cooperation with all other life forms and the material world, their capability to survive diminishes and becomes less effective. It includes the study of man's sciences in view of this cooperative relationship of all life forms and it determines the value of sciences on these principles. Whether sciences bring about a steady improvement for life forms and the material world or whether they create imbalances determines to what degree the sciences, themselves, are cooperating with life and, thereby, their relative value. The study includes, as well, ecological and economic policy and their effects based on these principles. It is holistic, by necessity, and requires the interaction with, and study of, the full spectrum of scientific methods and views, all life forms and their interrelationships, micro to macro economic, governmental, religious and population systems and their relations to each other on the environment.

The objective of Cooperative Ecology is to generate improved science and policy that increase the survival potential and productivity for all interdependent life to a level of balanced abundance guaranteeing mutual perpetuity. To coecologize or to coeco (verb) - to bring into cooperation, harmonize, make aware of the mutual interdependency of all life and the physical world, and, thereby, bring about cooperation and mutual supportive existence.

Derivation: Eco - Late Latin oeco - household, from Greek oiko house, and cooperate, from Late Latin cooperari, from Latin co- with + operari, to work.

Some of Our Projects
We currently have 17 chapters around the world: South Africa, USA, Canada, Hungary, France, Italy, England, Zambia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, and Cameroon, with more chapters forming up. Each chapter is involved in local projects such as addressing pollution and water issues, reforestation, introducing effective technologies to resolve environmental situations, as well as environmental and conservation education.

The following are examples of some of the key projects we have completed or are currently working on:
  • GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL CLEAN UP: We have researched the existing situation in the Gulf to the end of finding a solution which would quickly, effectively, thoroughly, and cost effectively clean up the oil and the highly toxic chemicals that were used to ?disburse? the oil throughout the water. Within the field of Bio-remediation (a technology which harnesses the power of Mother Nature to clean up toxic situations through natural methods that greatly speed up the process), we have located a singularly effective product that, taking all aspects of this situation into account, we feel is the best solution. We are working with bio-remediation companies to educate the public, government officials, and oil companies on the product and strongly advocate its immediate implementation.
  • UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION TO PROTECT WILDLIFE: We are currently embarked on an international campaign to get accepted by the UN a formal resolution we wrote and submitted to them which would make places in war zones where there are caged wildlife (reserves for endangered species, zoos, veterinary clinics, etc.) considered as non-military targets in the same classification as churches, schools and hospitals.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR SCHOOLS: - We are creating an environmental curriculum for Kindergarten through 12th grades for schools and after-school programs. These courses improve a student?s ability to think critically while helping them develop knowledge and abilities to deal with important environmental topics that affect their lives. It is based on validated, scientific data, not on "scientific consensus". The curriculum will be going out, through our chapters, into schools internationally.
  • NEW ORLEANS TOXIC CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN: We completed a campaign to bring thousands of gallons of a cutting-edge, environmentally friendly, non-toxic solution into affected areas after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We sprayed houses, churches, a hospital, and schools to decontaminate them from the ravages of mold, and to clean the polluted water and soil. We donated enough of the product for over 33,000 homes and their surrounding areas to be cleaned of toxins. We then trained teams of workers and other local environmental and disaster relief groups on its use, and effectively turned the campaign over to them.
  • THE ROYAL ZULU BIOSPHERE: A 500 thousand acre game reserve has been created by a unique partnership between The Earth Organization, six Zulu tribes, and two game reserves. After 16 years of dedicated negotiations, consensus was achieved, and in late May of 2009 documents were signed stating that all outer territorial fences would be dropped and the land owners would come together to create one of the largest game preserves in South Africa. The initiative is historic in scope, benefits the local indigenous peoples, and creates an enormous tract of land opening up habitat migration corridors that had previously disappeared, while dedicated to Eco-tourism and rational conservation that will boost the local economy.
  • ECO SAFARIS TO SOUTH AFRICA: We are conducting spectacular, educational safaris to a private game preserve in South Africa where attendees have extraordinary opportunities to enjoy and learn about the wildlife and local Zulu culture as well as global environmental situations and their solutions. Attendees come away with greatly heightened respect and care for the natural world, while enjoying a 5-star luxury experience.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH IN COURT-ORDERED POLICE PROGRAMS: These workshops raise children's awareness of how pollution and littering affect wildlife in their neighborhoods and raise their interest in taking better care of their surroundings.
  • ENDANGERED RHINO RESCUE:    We initiated negotiations during the settlement of a peace treaty between the Ugandan government, the UN, and a large rebel army, to obtain from the rebel army a written addendum to the UN peace treaty, to stop killing the local game rangers, and to start protecting the highly endangered Northern White Rhino. Our work was described as "historic" by the UN representatives, and international press hailed our work as "unprecedented".
  • ENVIRONMENTAL ESSAY CONTEST: We conduct an Environmental Essay Contest for 9th-11th grade students, inspiring them to look more closely at what is happening with animals and the environment and gain a better understanding of why we should protect them. The Grand Prize winner receives a one-week educational Eco Safari to South Africa for themselves and one of their parents.