Environment New Jersey

Campaign to Save Open Spaces

What is Environment New Jersey

•Statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization.

•Combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for New Jersey's environment.

•Home to NJPIRG’s environmental work.

Mission Statement

• We all want clean air, clean water and open spaces. But it takes independent research and tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for our environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental progress. That's the idea behind Environment New Jersey. We focus exclusively on protecting New Jersey's air, water and open spaces. We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives.

Offices around New Jersey

• Trenton– Headquarters

• State capital, all lobbying goes on here or Washington D.C.

– Toms River• My office

– Very small– 13 people working there.– My boss Ethan--

Past Campaigns…

• Clean Energy

• Clean Air

• Clean Water

• Global Warming– Last summer’s campaign– Very successful

• Persuaded to the governor to sign the “Global Warming Response Act”

• Requires a mandatory reduction in GHG emissions. By 2050 has to 80% below current levels.

– This was done with the persuasive help of lobbyists, led by ENVIRONMENT NEW JERSEY

This Summer’s Campaign…

Open Spaces• Rutgers University predicts that New Jersey will reach full “build-

out”— in 30 years. • New Jersey currently loses 50 acres per day to development

• Current inaction in the state legislature has left off open spaces fund renewal of the November ballot.

– This summer was used to spread awareness of the issue and to recruit new members of Environment New Jersey

My Job

• Environmental Campaign Staff– Go out into the communities and talk with

citizens.– Raise awareness of the pressing issue.– Recruit new members of Environment New

Jersey.

A Day in the Life….A Day in the Life…. Monday/Tuesday/ Monday/Tuesday/

WednesdayWednesday– Get into the office Get into the office

at 1:15 at 1:15 – Draw “Turf” mapsDraw “Turf” maps– Have quick meeting Have quick meeting

about previous days about previous days accomplishments accomplishments and today's goals.and today's goals.

– Leave for my “turf”Leave for my “turf”

Thursday/Friday•Get into office at 8:30

•Get assigned a downtown area for “street canvassing”

•“Street Canvass” from 10:15- 3:30

A Day in the Life…A Day in the Life… After Canvassing…After Canvassing…

– Go back to headquartersGo back to headquarters

– Count new members Count new members

– Count money madeCount money made

My Favorite Days…

• First day of Street Canvassing…– Had to make quota

• Retirement Home…– “I just need a friend”

What I Learned…

• Hard work really pays off– Past campaigns

• People can be mean…

• Don’t go into yards with unchained dogs.

Sources

• http://www.environmentnewjersey.org/news

• Pitcures from Google images