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.

The holiday season is in full swing! There is usually a lot of planning that goes into holiday gatherings, including parties, religious ceremonies, or small get-togethers. Follow our tips for hosting a more environmentally-friendly yet fun holiday gathering this year.

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…

The summer isn’t over yet. If you have a swimming pool and are still planning to take a dip in the pool, check out this week’s Green Tips to help you maintain it in an eco-friendly way!

Earlier this year, we published a series of Green Tips that covered how to establish and maintain a garden. Now that the growing season is coming to a close for certain varieties, we’re rounding out the series with tips on how to harvest your garden.

Campfires are an integral part of camping. Check out our Green Tips to reduce environmental harm and stay safe.

Check out this week’s Green Tips on celebrating the nation’s public lands and ensuring that they will thrive for future generations to come.

Freshwater sources are currently under threat. We need to reduce our water use at home to save enough freshwater for all New Yorkers.

In the summer, the days are longer, hotter, and the sun is brighter. For many, protecting the skin from intense ultraviolet (UV) rays is essential to avoid skin damage and burns. Both UV-A and UV-B rays can damage the eyes and skin, and potentially lead to vision problems and skin cancer. With the summer in…

The transportation sector is responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in New York State. In an effort to curtail health risks associated with air pollution, we’ve put together a list of tips to help you drive less.

Think of all the plastics that won’t enter our waterways because of the small changes that individuals are making to reduce plastic waste.

Millions of New Yorkers will expend energy to stay cool this summer, so it’s important to be mindful of our energy consumption.

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