Citizen's Toolkit

Our mission is to educate New Yorkers and help them become engaged and empowered advocates for the environment. The resources listed here can help you learn about environmental issues across the state and take advantage of the ways you can protect environment in your personal life and by getting involved in policy and political processes at the local and state levels. From contacting your representatives to the appropriate avenues to report environmental hazards to how to register to vote, these pages can help you protect the interests that are most important to you. As part of the Citizen’s Toolkit, we also provide weekly “Green Tips” so that you can make sustainable lifestyle choices. In the fight against climate change, every little effort can help to reduce carbon emissions and protect our planet from the worst.

Did you know that New Yorkers are required to recycle electronic waste in an environmentally responsible manner? Here are some tips to make sure you dispose of your e-waste in an environmentally responsible manner.

The summer heat means more sweat, and by extension more loads of laundry to do. However there a variety of practices other than re-wearing your sweaty gym clothes that can make your laundry practices more sustainable. Wash with Cold Water Studies show that 75% of the total energy-use and carbon emissions associated with your laundry…

Deforestation is devastating some of our most precious places. From loss of biodiversity to species fragmentation to exacerbating climate change, the demand for wood and paper products is one of the most pressing threats to our planet. Thankfully there are a variety of changes we can make to reduce our impact on deforestation. Sustainably Managed…

Part four of NYLCV’s series of forums on “Getting to 80 x 50” focused on energy use and transmission within New York City, and how we can achieve the Mayor’s goal for 50% of the city’s energy to come from renewable resources by 2030.

What you wear can demonstrate your beliefs, attitude, or sense of self, but it also can show how much you value the environment. Although it doesn’t get much press, the apparel industry has a major environmental impact, accounting for 10% of global carbon emissions annually. But that’s not all: materials for clothing are extremely water-intensive…

As temperatures rise, energy demand is spiking across New York as people are turning on their air conditioners to keep cool. However, there are ways to remain cool without using as much energy and simultaneously lowering your utility bills. If you use a window air conditioner, the primary energy efficiency measure you can take is…

Click Here to Read our Buildings Background Paper Click Here to Watch Videos from our Events In the second part of a four-part series analyzing New York City’s aggressive 80×50 carbon reduction goals, NYLCVEF hosted a forum on Thursday focusing on the role of buildings in reducing emissions across the city. Two panels representing a…

Which is Better for the Environment? Since the rise of online shopping in 2001, the $350 billion e-commerce industry has flourished in the U.S., almost doubling in size over the past five years alone. However, the jury is still out on the sustainability of online shopping as compared to traditional shopping at a brick-and-mortar store….

Click Here to Watch Videos from our Events This week, the NYLCV Education Fund hosted a Transportation Forum as the first part of its series on Mayor de Blasio’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. The forum was centered around the question: how can we ensure sustainable mobility for all New Yorkers?…

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