Just as important as voicing your views to the decision-makers on local issues (see parts One and Two of this series) is mobilizing support amongst local people in your community for Green Issues.

An easy and very important way to do this is through your local newspaper. Local news is where ideas are hashed out… Local media tends to be much less dominated by corporate interests than national or even regional media, and as a result can take firmer stances on pro-conservation, anti-development issues. Even if a local media outlet is unwilling to take a stand on an issue, they are often quite willing to give voice to that issue through involved readers.

That’s where you come in. Writing a letter to the editor is as easy as typing an email. Submissions to the Editorial page don’t need to be extremely verbose, or even well-spoken. They do, however, need to be well-thought out and respectful. Angry jabs or diatribes will rarely get printed in a newspaper. Well-reasoned arguments, however, laid out in a tactful manner, will almost guarantee a good look from an editor. Ultimately, editors are concerned with one thing: readership, and they will likely print any letters they think will generate a debate, and hence increase readership.

A good example is a letter I got published recently in my local, home town newspaper, the Hi-Desert Star in Yucca Valley, California. You can read the letter here. I wrote in regards to the proposed installation of big-game guzzlers in designated Wilderness Areas near my town. While it is a somewhat esoteric issue (OK, very esoteric), I wrote a thoughtful letter that carefully laid out the issues and stated my opinions. This is something editors will recognize, and often reward. The Hi-Desert Star decided to publish my letter, despite its relatively limited audience, and I got many responses.

If there is an issue that is important to you, I would encourage you to consider writing a letter to the editor. Be sure to include an action point at the end of the letter (in the case of above letter, writing a comment on an environmental assessment), or a contact or website for people to find out more information. This will only further help to garner support for your issue, as well as engage people in the issue.

Letters to the editor are a time-honored tradition in American media, and they continue to be an easy way for people to mobilize support on issues, particularly green issues, in local communities.