Letters to the editor, of publications large and small, are another good idea.  Often you can email them, but hand-delivering them increases your chances of getting them printed. Type them (double-spaced), including your name, address, and phone number. Generally, letters must be short; however look at what they publish and keep it within that size. Make it punchy and readable. The list of letters waiting to be printed is often quite long, so don’t be upset if your letter is delayed a few days. If it’s a school paper, you can time it (and/or make a request) so that they print it on a specified date (like the day before your big rally!). Longer opinion pieces are also very useful, if you can get them printed. School and small city papers will print a large percent of the letters they receive – so write!
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<br>“If at first you don’t succeed, escalate, escalate, escalate again.”
<br> (Aaron Kreider)
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<br><b>Lobbying: Politicians, Administrators, etc.</b>
<br>This is a lot of fun, although in Congress you usually get a staffer instead of the Congressperson, even though you traveled thousands of miles, sigh . . . Often groups sponsor Lobby Days at the state and national level, and feel free to go yourself any chance you get. Your representative may have a local office near you as well. Here are some dos and don’ts:
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<ul>
<li> State, in a friendly manner, that you represent a student
     environmental group.
<li> State your case concisely:  “We’re concerned that S.666 is being weakened too far.  We’d like you to introduce an amendment to protect all whistle-breasted throat catchers, not just the ones with Ph.Ds.”
<li>Try to get a commitment on a vote, co-sponsorship, or whatever; if they haven’t decided yet, ask them for a date you can get back to them.
<li> Don’t lie.  If you don’t know something, say “I’ll get back to you on that.”  You can write  a letter later.
<li> Discuss the issue if you like, but don’t get sucked into a complicated argument.  State your case and stick to it.
<li> Don’t threaten or brag, like: “If you don’t vote for this, I’ll boot you out of office this fall.”  It’ll get you nowhere.
<li> Don’t bargain, like: “If you vote for this, I’ll work for you in the fall.”
<li> Don’t question their motives, like: “It seems to me you’re actually a tool of the coal industry.”  Everybody, even Ronald Reagan, thinks they’re an environmentalist—the point is to draw on that, not attack it.
</ul><br>
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