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.

Despite the recent cold weather in New York, the coming spring provides an opportunity to get out of stuffy offices and cramped rooms and appreciate the flora and fauna right outside our doors. Not only has regular exposure to green been found to be beneficial for mental health, but taking the time to familiarize yourself…

As Spring approaches, spring cleaning is on everyone’s minds. Unfortunately, many conventional cleaning products contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment and to humans. Most cleaning products come in plastic and non-renewable containers, only creating unnecessary waste. They can also be extremely expensive. 

Valentine’s Day gifts usually include flowers, greeting cards, presents, and nice dinners. This year, we encourage you to celebrate Valentine’s Day more sustainably. Check out the tips below for a greener Valentine’s Day!  

On Wednesday, January 12th, 2022, NYLCVEF and our partner, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, hosted a webinar with special guests Orsted and Eversource to learn more about their ongoing offshore wind projects, South Fork Wind and Sunrise Wind.

As COVID cases are spiking and the weather is getting colder, many are opting for takeout rather than dining in. Plastic containers and excess packaging can make takeout a less eco-friendly option, but there are many ways to still be environmentally conscious.

Go electric in 2022! Owning an electric vehicle (EV) has many advantages over owning a gasoline-powered car including lower maintenance costs, fewer emissions resulting in less pollution, and lower fuel costs. 

There’s a lot of talk about going green. Fortunately, governments, businesses and individuals around the world are taking action to support this initiative. From using alternative energy sources like wind, hydro or solar panels to switching to low-emission transportation options, if your daily actions are more eco-friendly, you will not only help protect the environment, but also benefit financially, physically and mentally.

The holiday season is notorious for producing a great deal of waste and harmful emissions, further contributing to humans’ negative impact on our environment. This holiday season, consider purchasing eco-friendly gifts. These gifts may not only promote sustainable practices to those receiving the gifts but also reduce unnecessary waste. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer some of the best annual sales. However, they are also the heaviest consumerism days of the year, intensifying an already significant problem of electronic, clothing, and plastic waste. A 2019 survey found that up to 61% percent of Americans received an unwanted gift during the holidays, much of which will end up in landfills. Below are some tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint this season while still enjoying the discounts. 

Identifying a Policy This is the starting point in the process, and the first point at which the citizen has a chance to have a say in the writing or rewriting of law. Ideas for legislation come from many sources: a legislator may have an idea; one of his or her constituents may point out…

On Tuesday, June 2nd Suffolk County passed the Toxic-Free Toys Act unanimously. The bill will prohibit the sale of children’s toys that contain unsafe levels of six hazardous chemicals: antimony, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, lead, and mercury. This is a huge victory for children and parents in Suffolk County. Legislator Kara Hahn introduced the bill after…

After the release of our report in Westchester County documenting the presence of dangerous chemicals and heavy metals in children’s toys and products, County Legislative Majority Leader Catherine Borgia announced she would be introducing a law to ban seven of the most toxic chemicals from children’s products, and the County Board of Legislators quickly got…

Assemblymember Steve Englebright discusses the Child Safe Products Act at press conference. Last year the Child Safe Products Act died in the Senate despite bipartisan support. It had 40 cosponsors but was not brought to a vote. We were disappointed, but we immediately got back to work with our coalition partners to get a similar…

Health and environmental advocates today unveiled a report, “Toxic Toys on Long Island,” detailing the presence of toxic chemicals like mercury and cadmium in children’s toys and products. The dangerous chemicals have been linked to cancer, cognitive impairments, hyperactivity and genetic disorders in children. All of the toys and products tested were purchased in Long…

PlaNYC2030 set out an ambitious goal to divert 75 percent of our solid waste from landfills. As food currently makes up about 35 percent of all waste generated in New York City, composting represents an attractive opportunity to save taxpayer dollars and reduce transportation impacts. Various composting pilot projects are underway in residential and school…

Health and environmental advocates today unveiled a report, “Toxic Toys in Westchester County,” detailing the presence of toxic chemicals like mercury and cadmium in children’s toys and products. The dangerous chemicals have been linked to cancer, cognitive impairments, hyperactivity and genetic disorders in children. All of the toys and products tested were purchased in Westchester…

Popular toys and children’s products being sold in Albany County contain toxic chemicals that pose health risks to children, according a new survey.  Researchers found a dozen toys on store shelves containing lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and more – toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancers, cognitive impairments and hyperactivity. The report, “Toxic Toys…

Notwithstanding several recent, high-profile capital projects, New York City’s parks as a whole have suffered from public disinvestment for years.  The shortfall is starkest with regard to operation and maintenance; the Parks Department’s operating budget has been cut back for over 40 years, and is now 37% less than in 1961. The city will have…

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