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| Image: Annette Bernhardt, flickr |
by The Wilderness Society, Medium - Our Wild: https://medium.com/our-wild/were-glad-you-found-our-activism-toolkit-b3d85010e2a7#.kmriqinq9
[Ed: Some great tips here for Australian activists as well - adapt and adopt].
The
Trump administration and its supporters in Congress are pushing one of
the most dangerous pro-fossil fuel, anti-conservation agendas in modern
history.
Americans must be prepared to defend our last unspoiled
wildlands and protect our environment for future generations. This
activism toolkit will help you get started.
The
threats are numerous. The foes of conservation are many. But we can win
if we unite around our shared passion and strength. So dig in and let’s
get to work!
Your guide to activism in the Trump era
Environmental threats posed by Trump and Congress
The
2016 presidential election could prove catastrophic for America’s wild
places, undoing the progress we’ve made to address climate change.
Trump’s agenda is pro-polluter and pro-Big Oil. He has already issued
numerous executive orders to roll back commonsense oil, gas and coal
reforms and he’s filled important cabinet positions with anti-regulation
climate change deniers.
At
the same time, Congress is dominated by politicians bent on an
anti-conservation, pro-fossil fuel agenda. Backed by oil money, the
worst offenders are pushing massive roll backs of Obama’s energy
reforms, as well as land giveaways to oil and gas, mining and other
extractive industries.
A few bad apples are even pressing to undo
national monument protections for places like Grand Staircase-Escalante
and Bears Ears national monuments in Utah. The American people are now
the last hope to stop Congress from implementing an agenda to sell out
our environment to special interests.
What’s working in our favor?
The
momentum is on our side. Protests across the nation and a storm of
phone calls and social media targeting congressional offices is helping
lawmakers see that Americans will not stand for attacks on our wildlands
and environmental protections. Already, we’re gaining strength and
winning battles.
In the West, people have rallied in front of
congressional offices to protest rollbacks of Obama-era energy reforms.
Recreation industry leaders have decided to move their $45 million
Outdoor Retailer show out of Utah in reaction to that state’s lobbying
of Trump to undo the new Bears Ears National Monument.
And a groundswell
of phone calls recently persuaded anti-conservation Rep. Jason
Chaffetz, R-Utah, to make the unusual move of withdrawing his own land
grab bill. We also have numerous conservation champions in Congress and
others who can be persuaded to do the right thing with enough public
pressure.
Who needs to hear from you
In
the past, American conservationists were able to accomplish a great
deal through bipartisan efforts in Congress supported by the president
and environmental agencies within the president’s cabinet, including the
EPA, Forest Service, Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Local communities were given a voice during public comment periods and
listening sessions hosted by the administration, and Americans helped
win new national monuments as well as greater protections for our shared
public lands.
Given the Trump administration’s agenda, it is unlikely
that this route will yield the same positive outcomes. That said, the
Trump administration has shown itself to be highly sensitive to public
opinion, so Americans should continue to attend rallies and express
themselves to the administration and its agencies. The White House comment line can be called Monday-Friday 9am-4pm Eastern time: (202) 456–1111.
Congress:
Our best hope to defend our last remaining wildlands and protect our
environment may be through Congress. We must draw the line and demand
that our elected representatives resist attacks on conservation.
How your Members of Congress think
Members
of Congress want to hear from their constituents. In addition to
legislative work, they have the non-stop job of planning their
re-election. House representatives are elected every two years and
senators are elected every six years. This continual election work
creates a need to keep a close watch on constituent opinion. They are
aware that they can’t afford to look weak or unfavorable in their home
districts.
An
ardent foe of conservation - especially one who receives heavy campaign
funding from the oil and gas industry - may never be swayed, but we can
slow their attacks by showing other lawmakers that supporting
pro-pollution, anti-conservation bills can be toxic to their image.
There are also many environmental champions in Congress who wish to
effect positive change and they need our support. Communicating with
supportive members of Congress reinforces their understanding of our
issues and can help fuel their fight against bad legislation.
Speak up! Action steps for being heard
1. Contact your Members of Congress frequently … and at key times
You have three members of Congress: two senators and one representative. If you don’t know who they are, you can find your representative here and your senators here.
Any contact with your congress member is good, but concentrating phone
calls and letters around key times, such as the week before an important
vote, can be more effective. Most of us don’t have the time to monitor
the daily workings of Congress, but you can join networks of dedicated people who will help you stay informed.
Calling your Members of Congress
Members
of Congress expect to hear from voters and their offices keep track of
the types of phone calls received each day. Staff tally up the calls
received on various issues, including the number of calls for, and
against various bills and policies. But they will only tally calls from
their own constituents. Be prepared to provide your zip code or your
town when you call.
A groundswell of opposition can push legislators to
back off an issue or slow down the progress of legislation while they
take time to hear from more stakeholders. If you feel passionate about
an issue, it’s perfectly acceptable to call your Congress members every
day. A simple message stating your position and why people of your
community could be affected will suffice.
Face-to-face contact
Meeting
with your Congress member is certainly the most memorable way to reach
out. While it may be difficult to secure that meeting, you could opt for
an appointment with a staff member as a starting point. Be sure to
bring fact sheets or other written materials that will help staff
understand the issue after you’ve left. Another important way to connect
is through town hall meetings and other public forums. To find out
about these events, you can sign up for your representatives’ e-mail
list and social media feeds.
Mention your Congress member in letters to the editor
Submitting
a letter to the editor to your local paper is a great way to gain
visibility for our issues, and actually mentioning a Congress members’
name will ensure attention by congressional staff who cull through the
newspapers each day, looking for mentions of congressional members and
issues. More on submitting letters and op-eds to the media.
What about letters and e-mails?
Physical
meetings and personal phone calls are best, but an e-mail or a personal
letter should not be overlooked if that’s all you can do. The key is to
personalize that letter to show that you care about the issue. Tell
them why you are for or a against a bill and how it could affect you or
your community. Your personal story may even be used by the Congress
member to publicly support his or her stance.
Tips:
· Know your member’s stand on the issue.
· Make one single, clear request, such as supporting or opposing a bill. Avoid ranting or listing off a laundry list of issues.
·
Explain why you care about an issue and include your rationale or a
personal Tell them why you are for or against a bill and explain how it
could affect you or your community.
· Call as often as once a day
Tools:
2. Attend town hall meetings and public forums
One
of the most important ways to be heard by your members of Congress is
to attend town hall meetings or other forums. Members of Congress
traditionally hold town halls several times a year to hear from their
constituents and report back what they’ve been working on in Washington.
What if my member of Congress has stopped holding town halls?
Following outpourings of anger at local town halls in early February,
many Republicans are avoiding such forums to prevent being challenged by
angry crowds or becoming fodder for negative social media. Some are
holding “tele-town halls” and Facebook Live events. These are not a
great substitutes since questions can be screened and audience feedback
may be limited. For that reason, constituents are within reason to
pressure office holders to hold in-person forums.
If your elected
official has refused to hold in-person events, you can continue to
encourage them to do so through phone calls, emails and social media
mentions. Another option is to reach out to your Congress members at
other scheduled events that are open to the public.
Tips:
Ask
a question: Typically there is a Q&A portion of town hall meetings
that will allow you to ask questions about how your Congress member is
working for - or against - our wildlands and environmental protections.
When asking your question, be sure to include a little context about
bill numbers to help jog the members’ memory and educate the audience
about the issue. You can also try to speak with your Congress member
immediately after the session.
Tools:
Find upcoming town hall meetings through the Town Hall Project or Legistorm
3. Say thank you and applaud good actions
Congress
members need to know that voters approve of efforts to initiate
positive environmental legislation. Give them a phone call to show you
noticed and approve of their efforts. If they have recently introduced a
positive bill, let them know you appreciate that bill and would like
them to fight hard to get the bill passed.
You can also show the love by
sharing the congress members’ social media posts or leaving positive
comments on their Facebook posts. Just remember that singular comments
aren’t as impressive as larger numbers, so it’s best if you can enlist
others from your networks to give thanks as well.
4. Help rallies and protests succeed
Is
your Congress member supporting bad legislation affecting climate
change, undermining conservation laws or threatening a sell off of
wildlands your state enjoys? Help make a strong showing outside a
Congress member’s office on rally day.
Before the rally: Spread
the word by sharing invitations or Facebook event pages on your social
networks. If you are an organizer, be sure to let local newspapers and
media know days ahead of time.
At the rally:
Organizers often provide tools for making signs, but you can make your
own ahead of time to ensure a strong visual statement. If there is a
check-in table, be sure to stop by and sign your name to any petitions
as well as any mailing lists for future events.
Be
peaceful and respectful to passers by, and ignore those who taunt or
attempt to incite violence. Shouting at onlookers only undermines our
cause. And of course, never damage public property.
Be
willing to talk to local media about why you have come, or help find an
articulate spokesperson. When speaking to reporters, stick to the
issues and how the outcomes could affect your community. Avoid character
attacks or other polarizing commentary that doesn’t further the debate
in a constructive way.
Keep the buzz going:
During and after the rally, keep the attention going by sharing photos
as well as local news stories on your social networks using popular
hashtags. You can also tag your Congress member to help drive publicity
they’re receiving about the event.
If local media cover the rally on
social media, be sure to share their posts and leave supportive comments
on their social media feeds. Media editors study engagement and
readership rates to inform the newspapers’ coverage of specific topics,
so the more sharing the better.
You can also use the comments section of
Facebook posts to add any critical information about the issue that the
reporter may have left out. This helps educate casual readers and can
also help reporters who monitor comments to get a pulse on community
perception of events and issues - and sometimes to collect quotes for
future stories.
5. Organize your own event
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| Image: Mike Weissman |
If
you can’t find a local or nearby rally or event, organize your own.
This can be a demonstration to put pressure on office holders or a
public forum or panel of experts to raise awareness for a specific
environmental issue. Partnering with local conservation groups will
ensure extra support and participant turn out.
Before the event, be sure
to alert local press to the event to ensure coverage in local news
outlets and social media. Invite attendees with a Facebook events page
and ask partner groups to share on their networks. You can also submit it here for extra reach. If your event is a protest, be sure to find out if your city requires a permit for demonstrations.
6. Contribute to media coverage
Call your local media outlets and pitch the story.
Anyone can call their local newspaper and media outlets to suggest
coverage of an issue. Start by calling and asking if the paper has an
environmental or lands reporter. If not, you can ask for a news editor.
Reporters are always looking for story tips and unusual local angles to
follow.
You can start the conversation by sharing any insider
information or story angles that you think your community should be
aware of. You are most likely to be successful if you can explain how a
policy would impact local people or businesses. It can also help to
share written information, such as press releases, fact sheets, relevant
stories and contact information for experts or community members the
reporter can speak to for additional information and perspectives.
Show your local paper what local readers want.
Newspaper editors keep a tally on the number of visitors to online
pages to help inform future coverage. Help show your paper what the
public wants by clicking and sharing the stories you care about. You can
also engage on social media posts through comments. Your comment, when
stated politely, can help educate other readers or correct a falsehood
or mistake in a story.
Write a letter to the editor or an op-ed for your local papers
Congress
members have staff members who cull through the newspapers for mentions
of the member and any policies pertinent to that member. Those stories
are compiled and delivered to the member each day. Writing a letter to
the editor is a great way to get visibility for our issue and have it
put directly before your Congress member. If you have a little more time
and know your facts very well, you can also submit an “op-ed” or fuller
editorial piece. Submission requirements vary for each publication - so
know the rules before you get started.
Tips for having you work accepted:
•
Newspaper editors are always looking for quality letters with unique
and clear perspectives. You have a strong chance of being printed if
your letter is well composed, succinct and ties to recent stories or
local issues in a timely way.
• If your issue has been recently covered or written about in an op-ed, cite the article in your letter and say what you agree or disagree with.
• Offer a strong well-supported opinion, but don’t rant endlessly.
• Expertise and personal stories stand out, so be sure to mention if you are an issue expert and/or include any relevant personal anecdotes that shed light on the issue.
• If the paper has published similar letters on your topic, look for unusual side angles that have yet to be explored by recent opinion writers.
• Don’t worry if your prose isn’t perfect. Your letter will be edited for grammar, typos and clarity. What’s most important is the strength of your voice.
• If your issue has been recently covered or written about in an op-ed, cite the article in your letter and say what you agree or disagree with.
• Offer a strong well-supported opinion, but don’t rant endlessly.
• Expertise and personal stories stand out, so be sure to mention if you are an issue expert and/or include any relevant personal anecdotes that shed light on the issue.
• If the paper has published similar letters on your topic, look for unusual side angles that have yet to be explored by recent opinion writers.
• Don’t worry if your prose isn’t perfect. Your letter will be edited for grammar, typos and clarity. What’s most important is the strength of your voice.
7. Use your social networks
Social
media is a great way to drive attention to a conservation threats and
issue. Facebook is good for sharing information with friends, such as
rally invitations, phone calling campaigns and petitions. If you’re big
on sharing news stories, you might want to expand beyond your Facebook
network. Twitter is more news oriented and allows for greater reach to
diverse audiences you wouldn’t normally find in your Facebook feed.
On
that note, if you do tweet, be sure to develop relationships with like
minded conservationists who can amplify your message. But avoid tweeting
in a “bubble.” It’s always a good idea to follow friendly people from
other interest circles who may not otherwise be exposed to your ideas,
or you to theirs.
When
tweeting, be sure to include your Congress members’ @tag on tweets
about rallies and protests that pertain to them. While one mention of
your congress member in social media will not likely get much attention
from his or her office, a cluster or larger number of tweets can grab
attention, especially if any are from influential members of the public.
When you mention Congress members on social media, ask influential
people and friends to do the same.When sharing opportunities for
engagement on social media, be sure to add popular hashtags so that the
message goes beyond your own followers.
Popular conservation hashtags include
Public land takeover movement
#OurWild
#KeepItPublic
National monuments defense
#MonumentsForAll
#ProtectBearsEars
#StandWithBearsEars
Arctic Refuge threats
#ArcticRefuge
#ProtectTheArcticRefuge
Standing Rock/Dakota Access Pipeline
#NoDAPL
#Standing Rock
#DefendTheSacred
Rollbacks of Obama energy reforms
#CutMethane
#RulesAtRisk
Climate change/pollution
#ActOnClimate
#CleanAir
#PollutingPruitt
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