One of the most important steps you can take to help create an environmentally wise
community is to provide information in a friendly and involving way that encourages people
to do more.
Help get the word out and share this book with your family, friends, neighbors, and
co-workers.
Working together to prevent pollution makes far more sense than cleaning up
pollution, which can be difficult and expensive!
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A community can mobilize for water pollution prevention, clean ups, environmental
planning, and growth management.
Ordinary citizens do have the power to exert influence, bring about change, and make
things happen.
We can make a significant impact by reducing our demand for water and electricity,
petroleum products, paper, wood, and metal products and land.
We can also reduce the amount of toxic, non-biodegradable wastes which we produce and
discard and in the process create serious water pollution problems that are harmful to all
life.
We need to ask ourselves if we really need a particular product and weigh the benefits
vs. the potentially harmful effects. Using environmentally friendly products and
changing the timing of activities in order to minimize environmental impacts can make a
difference.
Actions we can take to become an environmentally wise community:
- Vote. Support and elect officials who support environmental protection.
Attend community election forums and town meetings where candidates discuss their views
and find out how they stand on local, regional, state, national, and global environmental
issues. Monitor a candidate's voting record and compile voting charts on officials running
for re-election to help inform the general public. Request that first-time candidates,
who are without a voting record, complete an environmental survey.
- Letter writing to elected officials (local, state, and federal) and to
environmental, regulatory agencies is one of the simplest and most effective ways to
influence pubic policy. The best time to call or write is when decisions are being
made. Write legislators before a vote on a bill. Write environmental agencies when a
regulation has been proposed. Follow the news and read to keep track of what legislation
is being considered and when.
- Garner support by writing a brief and concise letter to a newspaper editor.
Suggest actions that others can take to assist your cause. Elected officials and decision-
makers scan the letters-to-the-editor section to follow public opinion on current issues.
- Identify the bill or issue by number or popular name.
- The letter should be timely (mail so the letter arrives while there is still time
for officials to take action, i.e., before a vote).
- Focus on your representatives.
- Ask for a response; don't hesitate to ask questions, and request clarification to
an equivocal response.
- Write your own views. A personal letter which incorporates your own experiences
and observations is far more effective than a form letter or petition.
- Give your reasons for taking a stand. Your legislators or government officials
may not know all the effects of the bill and what it may mean to an important segment of
their constituency.
- Show understanding. Indicate an awareness of the proposed bill, regulation, or
ordinance and its potential impacts within your community.
- Be constructive and offer alternative solutions.
- Share expert knowledge with your representatives. Well-researched information is
appreciated.
- Ask for specific actions to be taken such as cosponsoring a bill or supporting an
amendment.
- Say "well done" when it is deserved. Remember to thank representatives for their
efforts. Expressing disagreement politely may help on a related issue later.
- Some don'ts include:
Don't make threats or promises.
Don't berate your representatives.
Don't pretend to wield vast political influence.
Don't write on every single issue.
- Become knowledgeable and involved with local comprehensive planning.
Obtain a copy of the county comprehensive land use plan, local zoning ordinances, and
natural resources inventory. Attendance at planning meetings can help you assess what is
happening within the community and public presence can be influential.
- Attend city council and county commission meetings. Let officials know
that you are concerned as an individual or as a member of an organization (homeowner's
association, conservation group, etc.). Become involved and work to influence decisions.
Tackle an issue, become informed on the specifics, challenge the experts, wage a publicity
campaign, and submit "best management practice" strategies as solutions to water quality
problems.
- Join or form a water association which addresses water use and conservation,
water pollution problems, and watershed and wetlands protection. Take local officials
on a tour so they understand the dynamics of the watershed and become familiar with area
water resources and polluting problems.
Membership to national, regional, and local coastal or environmental organizations,
such as "Friend of" National Marine Sanctuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserves, or
many others, also helps preserve the coast.
Even if you don't have time to frequently participate in the organization's events,
membership dues are well-used and newsletters keep.
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- Find strength in numbers. Form alliances with groups and agencies sharing
common concerns. A coalition of environmental organizations, civic associations, service
organizations, and other community groups has more influence than one single group. Take
your group's concerns to other professional, academic, and civic organizations, too.
- Networking with affiliated groups on a statewide basis can provide valuable
information and may yield solutions to similar problems.
- Involve civic associations, service organizations, churches, scout troops, and
other community groups in water quality and natural resource protection. Arrange
speaker/slide presentation, panel discussions with local officials, and half-day workshops
on wetlands, estuaries and water quality issues.
- Arrange for tours of sewage treatment plants, landfills, large agricultural
operations, area creeks and waterbodies, and other areas of special concern to learn
first-hand about water quality problems and issues.
Invite local government officials to go along and initiate discussions on improving
water quality. Propose constructive measures to solve water pollution problems and
protect estuarine resources.
- Deal with specific issues. Concentrate on one particular problem in the
community. Avoid tackling many different problems and diluting resources and volunteer
power.
Local environmental groups should use scientists, physicians, engineers, attorneys,
teachers, and technicians from within the community to set environmental priorities and
help with community actions.
- Develop educational water quality projects that high school and elementary
students can participate in such as creating and monitoring a wetland habitat or planting
vegetation at a restoration site.
Parents and teachers can encourage water quality projects in annual school science fairs,
4-H fairs, and other area events where environmental displays would be welcome.
- Inform your state and federal government representatives about important
community projects to protect and preserve water resources.
- Request local TV and media coverage of water quality projects, community events,
and environmental programs to promote greater public awareness.
- Join a citizen volunteer monitoring program. Scientific water quality
monitoring involves volunteers collecting and analyzing water samples from designated
sites. They can document pollution problems (nitrate levels), identify pollution sources,
raise public awareness of water quality issues, and educate the public about preventing and
reducing water pollution. Check with your state coastal program or National Estuarine
Research Reserve on these programs.
- Organize a stream clean up and other water quality projects that all members
of the community can work on.
Walk, canoe, or boat local creeks and canals to remove discarded trash and check for
specific problems including erosion, algal blooms and fish kills, sewage discharge and
stormwater runoff, and highway and construction debris.
Participate in Beach Clean Ups, Adopt-A-Beach and Adopt-A-Road programs, Estuary Day,
Coastweeks, and other local environmental activities and events.
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