When it comes to making a difference as an individual in the United States, it can sometimes feel like fighting a losing battle, or like you aren’t even fighting at all. Luckily, each and every one of us is represented by multiple officials at varying levels of authority and office. Part of an elected official’s job is to listen to their constituents, and part of our job as citizens is to advocate for what we care about! But how should you make your concerns known, and to whom?
Let’s start with a brief overview of how the representative democracy system works to determine who you should contact. When it comes to climate-related policy, different things can happen at differing levels of government.
If you’re looking for specific change in your local community, you are likely best suited to make a public comment at your city council meeting. For example, a lot of cities– and their mayors and city councils– have climate action plans. Climate action plans , or CAPs, are plans made by a governmental body to help a community reach environmental goals. Some of the things that are included in a CAP are a survey of existing emissions, an emissions reduction goal, revitalization efforts, resource efficiency targets, and plans for resiliency in the face of climate-change related natural disasters. Some notable examples are San Francisco, CA , Seattle, WA , and Fort Wayne, IN .
CAPs are often discussed in city council meetings. You can provide thoughts on initial drafts of climate action plans or on progress reports as each is released for your city. People of any age can give comments at these meetings - you don’t have to be 18.
When making a public comment at a city council meeting, keep these tips in mind:
- You may need to sign up in advance if you live in a larger city, so check out the guidelines for your area before you prepare.
- Keep your comments brief, usually 3 –5 minutes.
- Make sure you state your name and where you live, both for documentation and so that your representative knows that you live in their jurisdiction.
- Share your story: give a sense of why climate action is important to you and how it is relevant to your community. Why should your representative care about this issue?
To learn more about how to give testimony in local legislatures, check out amaxa’s youth-founded partner, the Climate Policy Project , for training and resources, especially if you live in Colorado.
If extremely localized action isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, it might be best to contact your state representatives and senators (These links will lead you to the site to find your rep).
Writing a letter, sending an email, or calling their office are the most common ways to contact them. When drafting a letter or email, think about these key points:
- Start with a respectful greeting and introduction. When contacting your representatives, it’s important to put your best foot forward by referring to them with their title (Mr., Mrs., Dr., Mx., etc.) and then by giving your representative an idea of who is contacting them.
- Keep the letter under one page. It’s important to be concise because your representative receives tons of correspondence from citizens.
- Be personal and, if possible, write an original letter. Many organizations offer prewritten letters, and while these are great jumping off points, if you have a personal story or angle to add, include it! Conveying to your rep why you specifically care about this is the most effective way to get their attention.
- Include your address in your signature, even for digital letters. Your representative may want to reply to you.
If calling your representative is more your speed, here’s a couple of tips for you:
- Try calling your representative’s district office rather than their DC office: district offices tend to have a lower call volume, giving you a greater chance to speak with someone, not leave a voicemail.
- Think about what you want to say before you call! It can be helpful to have a fully written-out script. Include your name, where you live, and why this issue is important to you, so have those things ready.
- When making calls, address a specific bill or policy instead of a broad issue. This gives your rep a clear idea of what you are asking of them.
Overall, contacting your elected officials is a key part of being an active citizen and can help change policy at the local, regional, and even national level. When you decide to contact your representatives about issues that are important to you, you are joining a long tradition of participatory democracy and advocating for issues that you care about!