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.

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. 

The area encompasses Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and the Great Lakes region and has a population of a little more than 3.5 million people. Our overall environmental goals for the region are to increase renewable energy, decarbonize buildings, clean up toxic waste, provide safe drinking water for all residents, and reduce waste going to landfills. 

It is essential that we learn to cut back and eliminate unnecessary plastic use. This week, our Green Tips will help you begin your plastic-free journey.

As the primary election season kicks into gear, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) continues their mission of educating voters through environmental candidate forums, conducting two in recent weeks, one in southern Westchester County for New York’s 16th Congressional District, and one in Albany for New York’s 109th Assembly District.  

Buying locally produced food and dining at farm-to-table restaurants is one way we can all work together to fight climate change. You can start out by visiting one of the many urban farms in New York City or elsewhere in the state, and then you can dine at one of the many farm-to-table restaurants.

Approval of multiple new projects, new multi-state leases and agreements, and the nation’s first commercial scale offshore wind project coming online with the completion of South Fork wind, mark the success of President Biden’s Clean Energy Agenda. 

By Peter Aronson We are thrilled to announce that the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) will be out on the streets helping New Yorkers celebrate Earth Month in April and Earth Day on April 22. “Every day is essentially Earth Day at the League, but there is no doubt that April…

We welcomed Jessica Wang from World Resources Institute and Ian Fried from CalStart to explore the future of clean school transportation and to discuss the benefits of electric school buses, from reducing emissions to fostering a sustainable learning environment.

The theme of this year’s Earth Day is Protect our Species. New York State is home to approximately 150 fish and wildlife species considered to be endangered. To do your part to protect these species and their habitats, check out our tips.

Earth Day is April 22nd but we’re celebrating all month! Help us honor the natural environment by spending time visiting your local park or playground. Here are some green tips on having the best day in the park.

Spring has arrived, and with it, more hours of sunlight. We hope you will take advantage of the changing season while remaining mindful about our environment. Here are some tips to make your spring activities even greener.

Motivated by warmer weather and sunshine, many people take time in spring to do a thorough cleaning of their homes, removing any lingering buildup or dirt from the winter months. Make sure you’re practicing a green spring cleaning routine this year by following our tips.

In the U.S., the average household uses 400 gallons of water a day! Here is a list of helpful tips to conserve water where you live.

March 22, 2019 marks the 25th annual World Water Day. This United Nations observance day celebrates the importance of freshwater worldwide and raises awareness of the global water crisis. Check out our tips for how you can celebrate and protect the water that we all rely on.

Did you know that March 14th is National Learn About Butterflies Day? Monarchs are one of the most commonly recognized butterflies in the US. Test your monarch knowledge by checking out some of our facts.

While big changes are necessary to fight climate change on a policy level, you can start making tiny changes today in your own home to reduce your carbon footprint. Check out our tiny tips for going green at home.

Doing laundry is a chore, but did you know that it is also a burden on our planet? Residential laundry generates 8.29% of total residential carbon emissions. Make this dirty job a little less dirty by trying out some of our tips.

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