How Davids Beat Goliaths: Tenacity, Opportunism and, Yes, Money…

In a 2009 magazine essay that's become a standard hand-out of ours, author Malcolm Gladwell examines everything from a full-court press in girl's basketball to the military tactics used by Lawrence of Arabia in identifying the qualities that make successful underdogs.

They don't play by their opponents' rules.
They're opportunistic.
They're relentless.

Time and again, he finds that determination trumps everything else.

 Downwinders at Risk is one of the best examples of this formula.

There are larger environmental groups. There are groups with more expertise. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a more determined group than Downwinders at Risk. Why? Focus and persistence.

Focus, because we concentrate on local air pollution issues and nothing else.

Persistence, because we never give up, even if it takes years to win the fight. 

Despite a hostile Governor, unfriendly state agencies, and industry opposition, Downwinders has won huge, unprecedented victories for cleaner air in North Texas using not much else than its own sweat equity and the organized energy of local DFW residents like yourself.

But even the most determined insurgents need money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once a year in September, Dallas-based Communities Foundation of Texas hosts a regional "Giving Day" for all DFW non-profits, when online donations of $25 or more can be matched or multiplied by the Foundation itself or other donors. Your online contribution actually helps us grow more money for the cause.

This year's Giving Day is Thursday, September 18th, 6 am to 12 Midnight.

Downwinders is using this 2014 Giving Day to try and raise $7500 – enough to pay for staff work for three months.

That's couch change to most groups, but it's 90 days of determined and focused work for us – and your lungs.

How you can help:

On September 18th, just go online to northtexasgivingday.org click the "Environment" category on the right hand side of the page and find our familiar child and inhaler logo:

 

 

 

Click on it and donate $25 or more.

That's all there is to it. It's easy and it'll make a huge difference to us. You can follow our progress on the 18th on our FaceBook page.

Why you should help:

We're organizing resistance to another state "do-nothing" clean air plan that will continue to keep DFW the "Dirty Air Capitol of Texas."

We're pressing for the Midlothian cement plants to install state-of-the art pollution controls that are already in place in Europe.

We're making fracking a regional air quality issue, fighting to bring new studies and controls to the attention of the media and officials.

We're exporting the new, citizen-driven and more protective "Dallas Model" to replace the obsolete, industry-based Fort Worth Model" of gas drilling regulations.

We're speaking out against the City of Frisco's plan to leave 50 years of Exide lead smelter waste in the middle of town rather than hauling it off to a proper hazardous waste disposal site. 

Thanks for your support and consideration.