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.

In keeping with the holiday spirit, we are offering tips on how best to shop for family and friends, while also giving back to the environment. A good way to do this, as we move collectively towards a more sustainable and equitable future, is to consider the carbon footprint of whatever you are thinking of buying.

Following the historic announcement by the federal Environmental Protection Agency of the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, a member of the NYC Coalition to End Lead Poisoning, released an interactive map and a comprehensive report to help New York City residents determine if the building they…

At the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF), we believe in the power of voting. Voting is more than just casting a ballot; it’s an act of hope and a commitment to shaping the world around us. During the 2024 election, through our largest voter awareness campaign yet, Our Vote is Our…

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Check out our tips below to find out how to make this holiday season more eco-friendly. Travel smart  Not surprising, Thanksgiving travel has a larger carbon footprint than the dinner itself. If you have to travel for Thanksgiving, try to avoid using your gas-powered car for long trips: try…

New York City, trying to tackle its significant lead pipe problem, has announced it is expanding an existing program to replace lead service lines at no cost in targeted low-income and environmental justice areas of the city. Last month, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $48 million effort to replace privately-owned lead service lines in the…

The updated Lead and Copper Rules issued by the EPA also requires increased communication about the risks families face as well as more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold for communities to take action. The EPA also announced $2.6 billion in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

National Drive Electric Week comes at an important time in our effort to drastically increase the number of electric vehicles on the road. We hope that the annual event, running from September 27 to October 6, with scores of events planned nationwide, in every state except Georgia and North Dakota, will spark plug everyone’s interest in going electric.

By Peter Aronson Providing clean drinking water for New York State’s 19 million residents is of paramount concern for New York state officials. It is a complex process, given that 95 percent of all New Yorkers receive their drinking water from almost 9,000 different public water systems in the state. This ranges from the smallest…

Here is our list of important and obtainable sustainability goals for your own life – goals the average person can strive for in our collective effort to reduce our carbon footprints. While you may be thinking I am only one person, the truth is, if we act together, it will make a difference. 

It’s hard to believe that Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes many exciting seasonal activities. Fall not only brings cooler weather, but also many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors before the cold Winter season. It is always important that we keep sustainability in mind and how sustainable practices can change with each season. Some recommendations for fun and sustainable fall activities are below!

New York is experiencing one of its hottest summers on record. Even though we’re a month away from the Fall season, temperatures have continuously reached almost 100° in some parts of the State. We can attribute the recent scorching summers to climate change and the damage human impact has had on the environment. While an extremely hot day is not only unpleasant, it can be dangerous to human health. It is important to stay cool and take care of yourself and your loved ones on extremely hot days.  

Every year, we use the Back to School season to stock up on new clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics. All of this shopping makes the Back to School season the second highest consumer season of the year, just after the winter holidays! Unfortunately,  all of the new things we buy during the Back to School Season can generate a lot of waste.The good news is that the new school year is the perfect time to start sustainable habits, both for shopping and for other areas of the school routine. Here we have some tips for parents and students on how they can make their Back to School season eco- friendly!

Barbecues are the perfect way to get outside and enjoy the warm summer weather. They are a great way to catch up with friends and family, but the downside is they can create a lot of waste, thus contributing to  carbon emissions. If you want to find ways to  hold an environmentally friendly barbecue, we have some tips on how you can make this fun, summer tradition more sustainable!

Over the past few decades, single-use plastics have become such an important part of our day to day lives that it can be difficult to imagine living without them. Plastic Free July is a movement that seeks to change that perception, and show us how doable it is to cut down on our plastic use throughout the month of July. This July we’re encouraging our members to pledge to go plastic free for the whole month. 

The 4th of July, one of the most celebrated summer holidays in the United States, is just around the corner. Here are some ways that you can make sure your party is sustainable!

When we think about the impact of plastics on the environment, a few things probably come to mind: plastic bags drifting in the sea, animals tangled in fishing lines, microplastic particles in the soil, a water bottle that will exist on the planet longer than you will. The sheer scale of plastic pollution is almost too much to wrap our heads around, so how can we start to reduce the amount of waste we’re producing? In New York City, some organizations are beginning to work with the younger generations, connecting them with the resources they need to learn about sustainability and waste reduction. 

As the weather is warming up, the sun-fueled fun of summer makes it one of the most anticipated seasons of the year. As you get ready for longer days and warmer nights, there are many ways to reduce your environmental impact to ensure you have an eco-friendly yet exciting summer. 

Despite the recent cold weather in New York, the coming spring provides an opportunity to get out of stuffy offices and cramped rooms and appreciate the flora and fauna right outside our doors. Not only has regular exposure to green been found to be beneficial for mental health, but taking the time to familiarize yourself…

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