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. 

Thinking of buying an EV but don’t know where to start? We’ve put together a list of incentives that are available at the federal and state level. We have also created fact sheets on the state of EVs in NY, the EV marketplace, range anxiety & charging, and the economics of purchasing & owning an EV.

On September 14, the New York League of Conservation Voters hosted an environmental candidate forum in Troy, NY, featuring Mayoral candidates Nina Nichols (D) and Carmella Mantello (R). Spectrum News reporter Kate Lisa moderated the program, which was held at the Arts Center of the Capital Region and co-sponsored by Clean + Healthy New York…

With fall almost here, it’s a great time to fight climate change at home with energy efficient changes and upgrades. Even small adjustments made by renters, homeowners and businesses, when added up town by town and city by city, can make a significant difference in reducing our collective carbon footprint. 

There is no safe level of lead exposure and even small amounts can harm a child’s growth, behavior, and ability to learn. All New York public schools are required to test for, report to the school community about, and fix issues concerning lead in drinking water. With kids starting another school year, here’s some information that you might find helpful

This year, amidst all the traditional fun, you will also have the chance to explore the future of clean energy at the “Clean Energy Corner,” proudly presented by the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and its partner organizations. We’ll be there through September 4.

Break out the streamers, it’s time to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the biggest, boldest action our  nation has ever taken on climate! To mark the occasion, the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) will hold an event at the Albany Public Library with Congressman Paul Tonko on August 16.

While more work remains, Westchester County can take heart in their environmental trajectory. Whether we’re talking about harnessing solar energy or decarbonizing homes and commercial buildings, or through groundbreaking programs like Westchester Power and GridRewards, or through their myriad waste reduction programs, Westchester is making significant strides towards a greener, more sustainable future.

By Peter Aronson If you are sitting behind a desk, typing on a computer (like I am), then Tianna Kennedy may make you jealous.  An NYU grad, Kennedy is among a small but growing group of individuals who are forgoing more traditional work (and in some cases giving up big city life), to enter the…

According to a new report by the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning, an estimated 1 in 5 New Yorkers may be drinking from lead service lines (LSLs). The report, No Excuses, NYC: Replace Lead Drinking Water Pipes Now [Link TK], co-authored by the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Fund, and Earthjustice, identifies the problem of LSLs in the City and recommends urgent action towards their immediate removal.

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