CGF: Activist's Toolbox


				Committee for Green Foothills works effectively to protect open space on the Peninsula thanks to the combined voices of thousands of citizen activists. We encourage you to add your voice to ours — and get involved! Our Activist's Toolbox features tools to help you become an effective advocate for the environment. Find your elected officials California Local Government Information website - A collection of directories to official government sites and publications. A good starting point. The League of Women Voters of Los Altos-Mountain View Area - Find your elected representatives and how to contact them. Congress.org - Find your local, state and federal elected officials. Includes recent votes of the federal officials. California State Senate - Find your Senator California State Assembly - Find your Assemblymember Find email addresses for sending letters to the editor Vote - and vote for the environment Voter Resources - Non-partisan Register to vote online. Project Vote Smart - tracks current elections, elected officials, and ballot measures for all 50 states. The Democracy Center - basic nonpartisan facts about current ballot initiatives. California Voter Foundation - nonpartisan election information including campaign contribution lists and legislative district maps. Smart Voter - by the League of Women Voters of California. Provides easy-to-use comprehensive nonpartisan information. Voter Resources - Environmental National Environmental Scorecard - find out how your elected representatives voted Vote the Coast - supports legislators and candidates who support coastal protection in California. League for Coastside Protection - supports candidates for public office who will defend and enforce Local Coastal Programs. Endorsements of pro-environment candidates Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter League of Conservation Voters - Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters - California League of Conservation Voters - San Francisco League of Conservation Voters - East Bay Learn about the issues and those involved with them Peruse our guide to local organizations and agencies, "Who's Saving Local Open Space?" Learn common environmental terms and acronyms. Learn about your local government agencies. Read tips about reviewing environmental documents Read an excellent article in the CA Native Plant Society's Fremontia entitled "How to Comment on a CEQA document" (page 19) Check out the many resources for Habitat Conservation Planning. Find out about other conservation organizations. Support local agriculture In both San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, supporting local farmers is one of the best ways to protect our farms, fields, and other working open space. Learn about local farmstands, farmers' markets and community supported agriculture programs on our local food finder; read a few facts about local agriculture; and learn more. Examine the evidence www.CaliforniaCoastline.org. Select any area of the state's coastline to display a series of photos along that section. Speak up Effective environmental advocacy can take a number of forms -- write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper; speak up at a public hearing; write a letter to your elected officials; spread the word to others who might want to get involved; volunteer for CGF or another environmental group. Read our tips for environmental activists, "Clout Counts!" Read our tips for writing effective letters. Get contact info for local newspapers. Contact your elected officials. Find out about current issues and take action now. Get involved as a volunteer. Your voice does make a difference!