Below is a guest post by Stacy Clark, environmental geologist, educator, climate journalist and Barefoot author of Planet Power. She has helped many kids write letters to their government officials. Here are her tips!
Kids’ voices matter, and you can help them turn their passion into action!
Teach them how to write a letter to their local government representative to let them know that they believe protecting the planet is important. Here is step-by-step coaching you can provide to young activists:
1. Think about an issue that is important to you. Make a list of things you’d like to change or do differently to protect the planet. Do any of these ideas need new laws, funding, or technologies in order to happen in your community? Those are the ideas that a government representative might be able to help with.
2. Find a local government representative to whom you want to write. You can search online for the leaders who represent your neighborhood. If you live in the U.S., go to www.usa.gov/elected-officials where there are links to your local, state and federal officials. If you live outside of the U.S., you can also search “Who are my elected leaders?” online or ask your teachers or family for help. (Note: In different countries, local lawmakers may be called something other than a “representative.” Be sure to check to be sure that you are addressing your letter correctly).
3. Begin your letter by introducing yourself. My name is (your first and last name) and I am a student / homeschooler who resides in your district.
4. Explain why you are writing. What do you want? Here are some examples:
• You may want to ask for electric vehicle charging stations at your school or library
• You may want a solar farm built in your neighborhood
• You may wish to see a local river or ocean jetty be used to harness electricity
5. Include a fact or two that you have learned about the subject. For instance, you could write that you read a book or attended a science fair. You learned that renewable energy reduces the need for fossil fuels, and burning fewer fossil fuels means healthier communities and the chance to reverse climate change.
6. You’ll want to explain why your request is important to your life and the lives of your family and friends. Depending on where you live, you could mention that wildfires / hurricanes / droughts / arctic thawing—all made worse by climate change—are changing the world and making it unsafe for you and your future.
Download our editable template if you would like additional help. Simply type your information in the blank spaces and print it out!
About Planet Power, written by Stacy Clark and illustrated by Annalisa Beghelli
“A thorough and accessible informational text for climate change discussions” – School Library Journal
Explore six renewable energy technologies that are used around the world! Accessible verse and lush illustrations introduce children to important information about how we can harness the planet's natural resources including wind, water and sun. Inset boxes define new words like “turbine”, while extensive endnotes further explain the science behind each power source and the benefits of clean energy.
Winner of the Nautilus Silver Award!
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