Important Updates
A new system of law based on respect for Nature and the…
Issues, News, Resources, Rights of Nature
Human and ecosystem viability come when we figure out how to orient…
News, Rights of Nature
Protecting Water and Life: Frontline Stories from Ohioans fighting corporate and state…
Publications
Apr 24, 2019
More than just recognizing legal rights, the growing Rights of Nature movement is a paradigm shift in the relationship between human beings and nature.
Read More | News from the Grassroots, Success StoryApr 22, 2019
Community Rights leader Markie Miller, from Toledo, Ohio, speaks to the UN General Assembly. She was invited to talk about the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, an historic law adopted by Toledoans in February.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryApr 16, 2019
The oil and gas industry tried to quash the Lake Erie Bill of Rights at the ballot. The agriculture industry is trying to quash it in court. CELDF is crowdfunding as we represent Lake Erie and Toledo community members to protect the Lake’s rights.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsApr 14, 2019
The Editorial Board of the Toledo Blade calls out the irony of Houston-based BP Corporation funding the anti-Lake Erie Bill of Rights campaign, which attacked the citizen initiative as led by “outside influencers.”
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsApr 6, 2019
BP Corporation was the sole monetary donor behind the campaign to quash the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR). The measure won with 61% of the vote.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsApr 3, 2019
Community members from Toledo, Ohio, are invited to the United Nations this month to speak about the Lake Erie Bill of Rights adopted by citizens in February.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryMar 19, 2019
Lake Erie files a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed by industry to overturn the Lake Erie Bill of Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsMar 19, 2019
The Great Lake Erie files to intervene in a lawsuit brought by the agricultural industry to overturn Toledo, Ohio’s, Lake Erie Bill of Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 12, 2019
Thom Hartmann interviews CELDF’s Ohio organizer Tish O’Dell on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights adopted by Toledo residents.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryMar 10, 2019
“What we really need to do is look at the (lake) as a whole, as an ecosystem that has inherent rights, that transcends the political parties of the day.”
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryMar 1, 2019
“We’ve been using the same laws for decades to try and protect Lake Erie. They’re clearly not working.” Thus, Toledo, Ohio, community members recognized the rights of Lake Erie via the ballot.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryMar 1, 2019
The Editorial Board of the Toledo Blade takes a stand for the Lake Erie Bill of Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsFeb 28, 2019
Lake Erie joins growing numbers of ecosystems around the world where people and governments are recognizing their rights to exist, flourish, and evolve.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 28, 2019
Lake Erie’s legal rights are now acknowledged following Toledo, Ohio’s, special election on Tuesday.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsFeb 27, 2019
Lake Erie now has legally-enforceable rights, with the overwhelming majority of Toledo, Ohio, residents voting in support of their Lake Erie Bill of Rights citizen initiative.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 27, 2019
A groundbreaking election in Toledo, Ohio, puts this midwestern city on the map – voters recognized the rights of Lake Erie and can take legal action to protect it.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 27, 2019
Lake Erie Bill of Rights is enacted by the people of Toledo, Ohio!
Read More | Community Wires, Success StoryFeb 26, 2019
Today, Toledo, Ohio, residents are voting on recognizing the rights of Lake Erie to exist and flourish – the next step in a changing landscape where the rights of ecosystems are expanding globally.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 26, 2019
After 21/2 years working to place their Lake Erie Bill of Rights on the ballot, Toledo, Ohio, residents celebrate victory for the Great Lake.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 26, 2019
An historic vote by the people of Toledo, Ohio, marks the first time in the U.S. that the rights of an entire ecosystem are secured in law.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs, Success StoryFeb 25, 2019
After decades of failed regulations to “protect” Lake Erie and several years of record-breaking algae blooms, Toledo, Ohio, residents prepare to vote on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 21, 2019
Government representatives, acting on behalf of industry, have failed to protect Lake Erie. Toledo, Ohio, residents advance a Lake Erie Bill of Rights ballot measure to protect the Lake, their water, and their community. They vote next Tuesday.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 19, 2019
While elected officials do nothing substantive to protect Lake Erie, Toledo residents follow in the footsteps of indigenous and other communities, voting next week on a groundbreaking citizen initiative to recognize the rights of the Great Lake.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 18, 2019
As the well-being of Lake Erie deteriorates, Toledoans are taking action, voting next week on a Lake Erie Bill of Rights citizen initiative. This is part of a growing strategy to recognize the Rights of Nature.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryFeb 4, 2019
Communities from across Ohio file a federal lawsuit against local Boards of Elections and the Ohio Secretary of State for multiple rights violations – including the right to vote.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs, Success StoryFeb 3, 2019
An Ohio resident urges support for the Lake Erie Bill of Rights in Toledo to overcome devastating harms to the Lake’s ecosystem and communities’ drinking water.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJan 29, 2019
“If there’s a problem to be treated, there’s a problem to be solved.” Toledoans take steps to solve the problem of contaminated water in Lake Erie on February 26th’s special election, with their Lake Erie Bill of Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryJan 27, 2019
Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR) is on the February special elections ballot. Check out news coverage and the growing support for Toledo residents’ pioneering efforts to recognize the Lake’s rights.
Read More | Community Wires, Success StoryJan 26, 2019
Cleveland.com editorial board member cheers the Ohio Supreme Court’s recognition of Toledo residents’ right to vote on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights initiative in February.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryJan 23, 2019
Communities geographically far apart share similar threats to their water from red tides and green algae blooms. They also share looking at Rights of Nature to protect themselves – and Toledo, Ohio, is leading the way.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryJan 12, 2019
CELDF’s Australian partners champion the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, understanding the Great Lake – like the Great Barrier Reef – must be recognized as having the right to exist and flourish. CELDF is working with both groups to advance those rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryDec 26, 2018
Overcoming numerous hurdles, Toledo, Ohio, residents will vote on their Lake Erie Bill of Rights in February. The measure recognizes the rights of Lake Erie to exist and flourish – and the right of residents to clean water.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryDec 26, 2018
Toledo, OH, residents celebrate advancing their Lake Erie Bill of Rights citizen initiative to the February 2019 ballot, despite state and industry efforts to stop them.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryDec 17, 2018
Industry allies attempt to keep the Lake Erie Bill of Rights off the ballot, while Toledo community members rally to protect the Lake’s rights and advance the measure.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsDec 16, 2018
In this LTE, Toledo community members call out efforts to block the Lake Erie Bill of Rights from the ballot and urge the Board of Elections to let the people vote.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsDec 6, 2018
Toledo, Ohio, City Council advances the CELDF-drafted Lake Erie Bill of Rights to the February 2019 ballot.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs, Success StoryNov 29, 2018
Toledo, OH, residents press city council to place their Lake Erie Bill of Rights on a special elections ballot in February.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsOct 24, 2018
Toledo, OH, community members are keeping up the pressure on their City Council as they fight to advance a Bill of Rights for Lake Erie.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsSep 27, 2018
Community Rights and Rights of Nature are growing. Here, how Toledo residents are advancing them to protect the Great Lake Erie.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StorySep 26, 2018
Communities across Ohio are not only fighting to protect their water from corporate harms – they’re fighting for their right to vote on their own initiatives as corporate and state government encroach on fundamental human rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsSep 24, 2018
While Ohio Supreme Court justices ignore democratic and environmental rights, Toledo residents continue to fight for them, and for the rights of Lake Erie.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsSep 12, 2018
Toledoans for Safe Water are determined to protect Lake Erie through their citizen initiative recognizing the rights of the Lake to exist and flourish.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 31, 2018
CELDF assists Toledo, OH, residents appeal the Lucas County Board of Elections decision to block their Lake Erie Bill of Rights from the ballot.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 29, 2018
Toledo, OH, residents vow legal action as the Lucas County Board of Elections votes to block a Lake Erie Bill of Rights from the ballot. CELDF is representing residents denied their right to vote.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 28, 2018
Growing efforts to stifle voting rights continue in Ohio as local government blocks Toledo residents’ Lake Erie Bill of Rights from the November ballot.
Read More | Community Wires, News, Press ReleasesAug 7, 2018
Toledo, OH, community members submit petitions to place a Lake Erie Bill of Rights citizen initiative on the November ballot. The measure recognizes the right of Lake Erie to exist and flourish, protecting it from major pollutors.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryNov 22, 2017
Growing algae in Lake Erie is driving Toledo, OH, residents to advance a Community Bill of Rights initiative, which would protect the Lake, recognizing its right to exist and flourish.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJul 13, 2017
Toledo resident calls out local government’s lack of meaningful response to protect Lake Erie, and calls in the broader community to participate in direct democracy in advancing community rights – including rights for Lake Erie.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots