Ask your representatives to take climate action

By Al Grumet, Green Change

Asking elected representatives to take climate action is one of the most hopeful things we can do. Elected officials work for their constituents and want to know what we care about. 

When I first started to contact my elected representatives with emails and phone calls, I was surprised by how easy it was and that my representatives were so responsive. It is empowering to know that our messages are recorded by staffers and that direct requests for climate action by government officials can be very effective in creating change. 

You can get started by introducing yourself to your members of Congress and letting them know that you care about climate change. You can also try out the Climate Action Now app, which features a variety of climate advocacy campaigns and makes it easy to send messages to elected officials from your mobile phone. 

When you are ready to level up, you can join your local chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby and take their self-directed trainings to gain the skills to be an effective citizen advocate. Action is the antidote to despair, and the most effective action is to ask for what you want from those who have the power to deliver change!

Photo credit: Citizens’ Climate Lobby