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Making
Your
Voice
Heard
C
ITIZENS
’ G
UIDE
TO
A
CTIVISM
Who We Are
The Maryland League of Conservation Voters(LCV) Education Fund isa 501(c)(3) nonprofit,nonpartisan organizationincorporated in 2000 tobuild the effectivenessand capacity of Maryland’senvironmentalmovement.
What WeDo
We are dedicated to maximizing theparticipation of conservation-minded voters inpublic policy decisions made at the state andlocal levels regarding Maryland's environmentand natural resources. Our programs strengthenand build the power of the environmentalcommunity, and they expand, deepen, andactivate the base of conservation-minded votersaround the state.
Why Should You Make Your Voice Heard?
•
Do you careabout the health of yourfamily and community?
•
Do you want Maryland to invest in a cleanenergy future— creating jobs and economicgrowth now?
•
Do you want more transportation choices,and to revitalize our older communities,protect parks and openspaces?
•
Do you want to preservethe Chesapeakeand Coastal Bays, and halt pollution?If you answered
“yes”
to these questions,then make your voice heard by using this
Citizens’ Guide to Activism
.
W
HO
W
E
A
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1
M
Maryland’s Environment is At Risk
Time is of the essence. The Maryland LCV Education Fund and other conservationorganizations are grappling with many challenges and fast-approaching deadlines.Marylanders face:
•
Threats from global warming,
•
Polluted waterways and runoff, and
•
Intense land, transportation, and energy demands from a booming population.In 2010, Maryland will reach its self-imposeddeadline for achieving the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement goals. In the current economy,legislators must wrestle with the realities of the recession and the resulting need to deal with a $1 to $2 billion revenue shortfallaffecting many of the programs that protectour natural resources.Public support for conservation issuesremains high. In the 2008 elections, theenvironment—particularly energy independence and green jobs—was animportant issue for many candidates. Wehave seen encouraging signs from GovernorMartin O’Malley’s Administration and theGeneral Assembly in the first two sessions of their current terms, but the present economicsituation underscores the need for theenvironmental community to remain “on thefrontlines,” advocating for policies thatprotect our air, land, and water.Public pressure is very important in keepingthe environment in the forefront. Educatingconservation-minded citizens and generatingpublic awareness of and support forconservation issues is the mission of theMaryland LCV Education Fund—and why wecreated this
Citizens’ Guide to Activism.
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ARYLANDAT
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