1) Get to know your political representatives
Find out who represents you at the municipal, provincial and
federal levels. You can also look up relevant provincial and
federal ministers like the Minister of the Environment, for
example. Post contact information somewhere handy. When an
environmental issue comes up, make a phone call or write an email.
At election time, increase the pressure. Let your representatives
know that the environment is always an election issue.
To contact your federal Member of Parliament, visit http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E
To contact the federal Environment Minister, visit:
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=105835&Language=E
To contact the federal Minister of Natural Resources, click
here.
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78751&Language=E
To contact the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food,
click here.
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78749&Language=E
To contact the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, click
here.
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78754&Language=E
2) Talk where you shop.
As Greenpeace, we have to tell you, the best thing to do for the
environment (and a very political decision) would be to buy less.
The more you cut down on your consumption, the better it is for the
environment.
But, when you do buy something, you can use your purchase to
have some influence. Ask for the products you want to see: post
consumer recycled or Forest Stewardship Council certified tissue
products, wood and paper; fair trade certified coffee, tea and chocolate;
certified
organic food and ENERGY STAR rated appliances and
electronics.
Ask, as well, for products that are free of excessive packaging
and made under fair labour conditions.
3) Engage civil society
There are three sectors to engage when you start to think about
political change: government, corporations and civil society.
Loosely defined, civil society is everyone working in
not-for-profit settings (and this includes individual citizens) to
advocate for a particular cause. A non-governmental organization
like Greenpeace is part of civil society. So is a
small group of neighbours lobbying a city councillor for more green
space or a ban on pesticides.
Joining an established organization as a volunteer, a
web-activist or a supporter is a good way to start getting
political. Contact the organizations that work on the issues you
care about. You can contact Greenpeace member services
department to find out more about our campaigns. You can also
volunteer for Greenpeace.
Other national organizations like Council of
Canadians, World
Wildlife Fund, David Suzuki Foundation , Pembina Institute,
Sierra Club of
Canada and Environmental Defence also offer opportunities
to engage with environmental issues both online and in the real
world.
If you'd like to work on a neighbourhood issue, visit the Canadian Environmental
Network website to link into environmental groups working on
local issues. You can also try and internet search, contact your
city councillor, call your community centre or simply talk to
neighbours to find out if there are existing organizations working
on your issue.
4) Do it yourself
If you decide to run your own campaign, here are a few simple
steps to get your started. Remember - don't reinvent the wheel. If
someone else is already working on the same issue, it might make
more sense to work with them.
- Research.
You will need to be a bit of an expert on the issue you're
organizing around. Contact relevant organizations, interview
stakeholders and read everything you can get your hands on. Read up
on campaigning as well - find out how other groups reach their
goals.
- Define your goal.
Figure out exactly what it is you want to accomplish. Then
figure out who need to influence to make it happen. Do you want to
see a new city by-law? Do you want to see a polluting company held
to account? Find the institutions and/or corporations that connect
to your issue (there might be a few) and that will give a good idea
of how to build your campaign.
- Find allies.
Decide who your allies will be. Form coalitions with other
stakeholders, find community partners and figure out who else might
be willing to help. Try and engage people with a range of skills:
web programming, writing, graphic design, media relations, event
planning.
- Build a plan.
Plan your strategy step by step, working backwards from your
goal. You will probably need a fundraising plan (even if it's only
gathering funds from a few friends and neighbours). Do you need to
create a public outcry to help influence the institutions and/or
corporations you want to reach? Then you'll need a communications
plan, too. Make a list of everything that needs to happen, in
order, to help you reach your goal.
5) Stay informed.
Knowing how the world works - how environment problems are bound
up political and economic systems - is key to truly engaging
environmental issues. Find some reliable sources - listserves,
magazines, websites, books - and read them regularly. For regular
information about environmental issues, visit this site.