Legislation

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Planting Seeds: Learn about governmental systems and the positions of your policy makers and local officials

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Attend city council meetings to learn how that governing body operates
  • Attend county commission meetings
  • Attend Public Hearings on issues relevant to sustainability issues (ie. transportation projects that determine highway size and multi-modal transportation options, utility commissions who consider costs assigned to utility companies and requirements on renewable energy infrastructure investments, etc.)
  • Attend public forums and debates among candidates for elected office
  • Read and listen to local news to learn about positions/votes taken by your elected officials
  • Just showing up to participate in or observe the democratic process can help hold our elected officials accountable on issues that matter to you!

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Available Resources in Western North Carolina:

Local Faith Communities Currently Utilizing this Strategy:

Nurturing Growth: Advocate for Creation by building relationships with your legislators through emails, phone calls, mail, and in-person visits

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Send emails, letters, or postcards
    • Provide templates and suggested messages for those who need guidance
  • Make phone calls and leave voicemails when necessary
    • Provide a script for individuals who are unsure of what to say when they call
  • Set up meetings with your legislators and tell them about your faith and call to love your neighbors and the earth, as well as asking them about their own story and how you can support them in the work they do (building relationships is critical)
  • Connect with local or state environmental advocacy organizations, like NC Interfaith Power & Light, to join them in meetings their staff set up with elected officials and get an understanding of their legislative issue priorities or talking points

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Available Resources in Western North Carolina:

Local Faith Communities Currently Utilizing this Strategy:

Deepening Roots: Encourage one another to sit on citizen committees and councils or consider running for elected positions in local government

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Contact your local government staff to find the list of advisory boards and commissions they rely on to get community input into the policy process.
  • Attend the meetings of these advisory boards and commissions – they should all be open to the public, have prepared agendas they share with the public, and have publicly accessible lists of the members of their boards and commissions so that you can connect with the members individually. If any of that isn’t publicly available, contact a local nonprofit to help you get this information.
  • Join your local political party (Republican, Democrat, etc.) and attend meetings to learn about the process of running for an elected office.
  • Think about the people in your community who you respect and who would make good representatives in your local government. Encourage them to run for office!
  • Support the campaigns for the candidates who will represent your values and priorities in office. There are lots of different ways to volunteer or donate to support political campaigns.

General Information Related to this Strategy:

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Click here.

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