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.

Many local environmental groups organize day-long cleanup events to invite the public into their ongoing conservation campaigns. In addition to attending these events, organizing your own is a great way to support and engage your community in protecting the environment! You can follow the steps to organize your own community cleanup event,

Summer activities can take a toll on the environment and contribute to our greenhouse gas emissions, but you can make these last days of summer a little greener by following some of our tips.

Our buildings have a monstrous carbon footprint, accounting for almost 40% of national carbon emissions nationally. This massive energy expenditure not only accelerates global warming, but also contributes to local air pollution.

Spring is the perfect time to start your own garden! Gardening has many health and environmental benefits, such as the reduction of greenhouse gases, and the creation of habitats for small animals and insects. Gardening will help keep you active and has been known to reduce stress.

While road salt, 40% sodium and 60% chloride, is the most efficient way to de-ice our roads, the compound’s environmental impact gives plenty of room for pause after the snow melts. Road salt reduces the ground’s freezing temperature and increases wheel traction on pavement. Salt trucks deposit nearly 137 pounds of road ice per person…

The Town of East Hampton has a long record of sustainability leadership, particularly on the issue of open space. But there are many steps the town can take to continue to improve its environmental performance–and the town’s elected leaders will play a critical role in this effort.] For this reason, the New York League of…

Putting a bit of effort into your garden in the fall allows it to thrive during next year’s growing season. There are also many new plants that thrive in fall weather, such as flowers, shrubs, and edible plants. Even if your garden consists of just a few containers on a New York City rooftop or…

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…

Many of the biggest threats to environmental policy and funding in New York are coming from Washington, posing a significant challenge to local officials. Despite this, we see opportunity. New York’s congressional delegation includes leaders on both sides of the aisle who can play an important role in their respective caucuses in ensuring that New…

Get Involved

THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM CORPORATE PARTNERS