Dear Friend,

2019 was a year of challenges for the environment and the climate. It was also a year when the very clear and present dangers to our planet broke through to the public consciousness and civic engagement.

This was made clear when hundreds of thousands of young people took to the streets for the Global Climate Strike to bring attention to the climate emergency and to demand bold action. Many of you answered their call and joined them.

And throughout the year you also joined Earthjustice to speak up for the environment and the health of our communities.

In 2019, 103,077 of you sent 489,974 messages to legislators and agency officials, and logged 239 phone calls to congressional officials. Your actions made an impact on a local level.

The power of the people was strong in Illinois, where we asked you to weigh in on state legislation around coal ash — a type of toxic pollution produced by coal plants. No state has more dangerous coal ash dumps that need to be cleaned up and controlled than Illinois. Hundreds of Illinois residents wrote to state legislators and to Governor Pritzker, resulting in a landmark bill to deal with coal ash.

“I have 2 granddaughters and another grandchild on the way. Please be mindful of their futures in a safe air and water environment. I have lived in west central Illinois for a total of 23 years. I remember strip mining and the time before land reclamation was implemented. Coal companies must be held accountable for their pollution.”

The bill is now enshrined in Illinois law and it’s a model for other states on governing toxic coal ash and getting cleanups done.

Across the country, local fights to ban the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos took shape. Thanks in part to your continued pressure, states like California and New York were spurred to take action.

“This is a matter of both environmentalism and social justice, and an important way for California to use our agricultural might to take leadership. As one of your constituents, I urge your support for SB458, which would prohibit the use of the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos in California.”

Your voices made a difference. The year ahead will not be an easy fight. But we wanted to make sure you know how much your voice keeps us going and helps change the conversation. We were built for this moment, and you helped us get here. Thank you for taking action in 2019 and please keep it up in 2020!

Sincerely,