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 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. 

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. 

Eating green and shopping green are essential for the environment, however, the preparation of locally sourced food that comes from your reusable totes should be accounted for as well. It is very important to have environmentally friendly kitchen habits, and we are here to help! The kitchen is one of the most used areas of…

With snow storms hitting so much of the state, snow and ice removal has officially become a necessary chore across New York. If you live in New York City, you should know that the city requires building and business owners to remove snow and ice on public walkways in front of their buildings. The city…

In 2003, California became the first state to an enact a law requiring regarding proper disposal of Electronic Waste. Since then 25 states have followed suite, mandating that electronic waste, including old televisions and computers, be disposed of properly. These laws seek to prevent electronic waste and the harmful chemicals they contain , such as…

With travel, gift giving, and many big meals, the winter holidays are one of the times of the year with the highest rates of personal consumption. Because of this heightened consumption rate, the holidays  are the time when being conscious of sustainable practices will have the greatest total impact. Here are some holiday practices you can take to generate an impact, and others that can help foster a sense of love and consciousness toward the environment.

Weatherproofing your home or apartment is an important and cost-effective step to ensure you comfort and safety in the winter. With temperatures quickly declining and winter around the corner, here are some helpful tips to improving the efficiency of your home this season. No Wind Chills Inside One of the most effective ways of sealing…

With Thanksgiving around the corner, consumption is on everyone’s mind. The food, the drinks, the supplies–consumption will be at an all time high on November 23. It is predicted that each family in America will spend $50.11 on Thanksgiving dinner food alone and that the average American will eat 4,500 calories of food. Even though…

Traveling somewhere this upcoming Holiday season? We have some tips for you to reduce your carbon footprint, wherever you plan to go. Whether it be reducing your consumption while on vacation, or saving greenhouse gas emissions by taking non-stop flights or train rides, we have advice to make your holidays greener. When traveling, it is…

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…

Temperatures are finally starting to drop, and we’re welcoming the crisp autumn air. One of the best ways to fully appreciate and experience the beauty of it is to spend time in one of New York State’s parks. Boasting some of the most beautiful nature in America, New York is home to over 200 state…

Get Involved

THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM CORPORATE PARTNERS