The destruction of the Notre Dame Cathedral in France had left many persons around the world in a bewildered state. But it wasn't the catastrophe itself that left many bewildered. Ironically, it was how readily donations became available from various "Philanthropists". Subsequently, the masses began to ponder on the notion of how readily available would these philanthropic donations be if it were for graver issues such as those pertaining to the environment and homelessness

Man Goes Greener For Green

Hansjorg Wyss, CEO of the Wyss Foundation is a true example of where a philanthropic individual was ready to tackle a pressing issue regarding a true cause. The billionaire pledged a whopping one billion dollar donation towards conservation of the environment. Surprisingly, it wasn't the magnitude of the donation that was impressive but it was rather how he planned to pursue the cause.

According to an article by the New York Times, Mr. Wyss plan was to buy large plots of land ( 15 % to be exact ) from various regions of the world and transform them into parks that would open to the public.

The Business Insider had reported that the philanthropist had already donated $66 million dollars to at least nine different organizations in just over a two month period since making his commendable pledge.

It is the idea that wild lands and waters are best conserved not in private hands, locked behind gates, but as public national parks, wildlife refuges and marine reserves, forever open for everyone to experience and explore. The notion of holding these places in public trust was one I became deeply influenced by as a young man, when I first climbed and hiked on public lands in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains,” Wyss said.

Every one of us – citizens, philanthropists, business and government leaders – should be troubled by the enormous gap between how little of our natural world is currently protected and how much should be protected. It is a gap that we must urgently narrow, before our human footprint consumes the earth’s remaining wild places,” he added.

According to Business Insider, Wyss has already donated more than $66 million to at least nine different organizations in the two months after making his pledge. These beneficiaries include: Dehcho First Nations in Canada which received $750,000 to create a management program for the Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area in the Northwest Territories, Aves Argentinas, the oldest conservation group in Argentina received 9.5 million dollars with the prospect of creating a 1.5 million acre national park and lastly, $22 million was donated to Fundación Flora y Fauna, in order to establish a 178,000 acre national park in Argentina’s Tucumán Province.