We are building this out with example templates and resources – to help you talk to your reps, to industry managers, to media editors, and more.

CSTEP’s Representative templates

Basic, flexible letter

Here we provide a template with handy hints on how to set the tone, connect to the representative, and get tot he point.

CS-Basic-Form_-Representative-Letter-Template Download

Posts!

The key for any post on social media is to enchant, not scold or scare, because people can just thumb on by. Welcome people to the conversation, outline the problem, but also bring in a solution. Here’s a great one by my fav activist, Max. (Shared with his permission.)

Letter in Support of Bill

Coming in the week.

Testimonial Example

How does one write concise testimony? Start with an interesting, personal fact, and dive in – relating that fact to the issue.

gndc-testimony-to-the-dc-city-council-2018 Download

Other sites also have templates for letters, phone calls, and meeting requests:

Global:
1. Although this letter has a particular U.S. Representative listed, the guidelines and talking points it provides regarding the climate crisis are excellent for any politician anywhere. http://world.350.org/pensacola/files/2015/01/Letter-Guidelines-Senator-Rubio.pdf.
2. This site provides a general framework: https://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/climate-change-letter.html.
U.S.: The group Elders Climate Action, https://www.eldersclimateaction.org/sendaletter/, has templates/scripts for U.S. members of Congress and state legislators that are sent through their website, as well as letters to banks and finance groups, businesses, and newspaper editors. You will probably want to edit the letters (finish filling out your name, etc., first), as, uhm, there are typos and some old versions; also, I’m not a fan of all caps in some of these. And please remember to personalize, as mentioned above. Include your story in this.
U.S. – specific issues: Some others can be found here: CCL (regarding the carbon fee legislation: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/write-congress-now/#/14/) [under development] ….
For the U.K. here’s a good guide with template: https://www.campaigncc.org/lobbying_mps. Here’s another from Hope for the Future: https://hftf.squarespace.com/template-letters.
Australia: https://www.climateforchange.org.au/mpegs_writing; this second one is more of a guide than a template: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/how-to-write-an-effective-letter-to-your-mp/.