Climate Fix Blog

In the past five years in the Interior West, we’ve seen:  

• 8 million acres of land protected. 
• $700 million invested in transportation electrification.   
• 100 million tons of yearly greenhouse gas reductions.   
• And so much more. 

But this wasn’t just the work of professional lobbyists and career litigators. This progress is only possible because the West is full of everyday advocates – regular people showing up for their communities in small ways that make a big impact. 

When you imagine an advocate, you might think of someone in a big city solving a big problem. Maybe this person is somewhere miles away, or someone who has skills, knowledge, or resources that are very different from yours.  When we think about getting involved in building a brighter future, it can feel like we need to dramatically change something about our lives to be effective or that we must be experts to have an opinion about climate solutions. 

But the truth is that all of us can make a powerful difference right where we’re at, with the skills and interests we already have. At its core, everyday advocacy is about noticing the small, creative ways you can take the first step by looking at what’s already around you and partnering with organizations that represent your values. 

Your interests and your skills are the best place to start. Your unique form of everyday advocacy will involve things that are accessible and rewarding in your day-to-day life. For green thumbs, that might mean carefully tending a vibrant, waterwise garden full of native plants. For busy parents, it might mean signing a digital petition while waiting to pick up the kids from school. Some people enjoy going to town halls and building relationships with their city council members over time, or even running for an open council seat. However you start, it can align with your unique interests, skills, and schedule. 

When it comes to advocacy, we don’t have to do it alone. There’s power in our community and collective action.  

Raising our voices in unison, we can come together to make an impact. One way that we can do this is through collective down ballot voting – voting in our state and local elections, not just the federal ones. State representatives, ballot initiatives, and elected commissions play a major role in climate solutions. Our state representatives and local officials have the power to decide on issues that immediately impact our local communities, like if our town uses water in a smart, sustainable way or if our state sets aside funding to protect our public lands and make them accessible to us.  

This is why “down ballot voting” or voting in all the elections on your ballot is so critical for decision-making positions that affect our everyday lives like the air we breathe and the water we drink. While people may look at the federal level and feel discouraged, there’s so many hopeful opportunities for positive change right where we live!  

Durable change is built on a cascade of actions that improve our communities over time. That means starting where we are – with our interests, skills, and communities – and doing the small stuff that we can keep doing for a long time, so that we can lend a hand for years to come.While some of these steps towards a bright climate future may seem small now, their impact compounds over time. It reminds us that the seeds we plant today will flourish in the seasons to come.   

Here are some more ideas on things you can do as an everyday advocate: 

• Submit a public comment to your elected officials about an issue you care about. 
• Participate in a local park cleanup. 
• Sign up for like-minded organizations’ email lists and act when they reach out.  
• Donate to an organization working on an issue that you care about.  
• Organize a reading or film group to learn more about climate issues in your area. 
• Attend a public hearing and give testimony on an issue that matters to you. 
• Install solar panels on your roof. 
• And so much more! 

At WRA, we’ve seen all these actions and more make an outsized impact on climate issues in local communities. Everyday advocacy enriches our communities and deepens our connections to the people and places we’re working to protect. Our voices are stronger together, and our actions lead the way for other people to join in, resulting in more powerful change over time. 

Ready to become an everyday advocate? If you haven’t taken the Bright Climate Future pledge yet, you can take it now to access more resources that will empower you to build a bright climate future for your community. You can also use this tool to find your state and local elected officials or go to our action center to take action on issues that matter to you!