From our experience, strategically targeted phone calls to your own legislators, including Senators and Representatives in Congress, have a significantly stronger impact than mass emails and petitions. Phone calls take only a few minutes.

(Photo Courtesy Tony Brooks)

1. Oppose the nomination of Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

WHY: Appointing Scott Pruitt as head of EPA is like having the fox guarding the hen house. His oil and gas ties and contributions are as deep as his commitment to de-regulating protections on air, land and water. Pruitt sued the EPA, with industry backing, fourteen times during his tenure as Oklahoma Attorney General, each time seeking to weaken EPA influence. He lacks conviction on climate change. He opposed regional efforts to manage clean air, arguing states could manage it themselves. He sided with the chicken industry, allowing animal waste containing phosphorous and nitrates to pollute Oklahoma state waters and let expire a previously negotiated agreement that would have cleaned up the waste. Showing our opposition to this appointment sends a strong message that we want leaders who base decisions on science and on how best to protect the public interest.

Read more here:

New York Times Article

Oregon Envioronmental Council Article

Tulsa World Article

HOW: The US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is now conducting nomination hearings. The next step is to move to the full Senate. Call your Senators now and ask where they stand. If they oppose the nomination, thank them. If they are in favor of Pruitt, ask them to change their vote. Need help finding your Senator’s phone number? You can call the Capitol Switchboard and let them know your state. They will connect you to the Senate offices. That number is: (202) 224-3121. Save it in your phone!

For updated status reports on the Bill to appoint Scott Pruitt as Head of the EPA GO HERE.

We want to know about your call! Tell us how it went by phone (541-344-5044) or email ([email protected]).

2. Oppose the nomination of Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture and Head of US Department of Agriculture

WHY: Sonny Perdue has received more than $300,000 in campaign contributions from agribusiness and chemical industry giants including Monsanto. Formerly, as Governor of Georgia, he was not supportive of rights for farm workers and immigration reform (immigrant farm workers make up a large portion of the agriculture labor force in many states). He doesn’t take climate change seriously. Perdue has threatened cuts to environmental and conservation programs at USDA on his watch, right as we launch into  a new farm bill. We see Mr. Perdue as beholden to special interests over family farmers, conservation, health and the public interest.

Read more here:

New York Times Article

Politico Article

HOW: The US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will soon be conducting nomination hearings on Mr. Perdue. After that the next step is to move to the full Senate. Call your Senators and ask where they stand. If they oppose the nomination, thank them. If they are in favor of Perdue, ask them to change their vote. Remember, you can call the Capitol Switchboard and let them know your state. They will connect you to your Senate offices. That number is: (202) 224-3121. Save it in your phone!

We want to know about your call! Tell us how it went by phone (541-344-5044) or email ([email protected]).

For more on actions you can take on farm and food policy GO HERE. 

3. Register to Vote and Help Others to Register

WHY: As someone who cares about protecting community and environmental health and advancing more ecologically sound solutions to reduce pesticide use, one of the most important things you can do is to vote these values. With your vote, you can support leaders who base their decisions on facts and science, and who will work for clean air and water, to address climate change, and for ecologically sound solutions to pest problems. Help others register if you are a registered voter. Each vote matters! 

HOW: Learn more at www.vote.gov. Let us know if you’ve registered or helped others.

Please call and leave a quick message or email us to let us know how you’ve helped in voter registration. Phone: 541-344-5044. Email: [email protected] 

Each month we will feature different actions you can take to advance pesticide reform and protect community and environmental health. We invite you to join us! Sign up for our newsletter. Donate and support our efforts to keep making progress.