What is advocacy?

To advocate is to publicly support a particular cause. Advocacy can mean supporting new policies and/or critiquing existing laws to advance a cause. It can also mean raising awareness to individuals or groups in hopes of changing or affecting someone’s view on that topic.

What is a petition?

A petition is a written request that people can sign to help a certain cause. It is a form of advocacy. Petitions can help to show authorities that a lot of people are in favor of one thing. They can help to change laws, put pressure on decision-makers, and spread awareness.

These links will be useful if you’re interested in petitioning your local government:

PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

Governor Wolf

The Office of Environmental Sustainability in Lackawanna County

How does it affect the environment?

Advocacy can get local officials to listen to our environmental concerns. It can bring us closer to getting laws passed higher up. It can help to change a decision made by an organization.

By raising awareness we’re getting more people to be aware of climate change and other environmental concerns. We are able to make wide-spread change when we have enough people on board. For example, if enough people vote for candidates that prioritize the environment or advocate for green policies, they are helping to enact those policies. That’s huge!

What can I do?

Here are some ideas for raising awareness:

  • Engage in conversations with people about your environmental concerns and ideas—studies show that individuals are more likely to take action if they actually understand climate change, and talking to your loved ones about this is a great way to share the information!
  • Post or share educational insights on social media. But be sure to check your sources to avoid spreading misinformation!
  • Start or participate in an environmental club at your school or in your community
  • Petition your local government
Resources:

Get involved!

Join the cause

Let's work as a community to help our planet! Contact us if you want to get involved with our cause. Together we can do it!