Get Started

Official plans for your city/town and county describe the range of civic projects that have been proposed or are underway. Look specifically for ideas related to potential climate issues or infrastructure upgrades. Is there an opportunity to integrate climate concerns into these plans?

Note especially any mention of people or groups that have expressed interest in upgrading infrastructure or protecting existing assets. These community members may have already considered climate issues, or they might be willing to participate in your efforts. 

To ensure that potential team members have sufficient knowledge to discuss climate matters comfortably, encourage them to peruse summary-level information from the United States’ National Climate Assessment and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Remind them to use caution in their explorations, as many websites are set up specifically to spread disinformation about climate.

• Recruit a team that represents your entire community. Encourage planning team members to commit to working with you for at least a year.
• Pay special attention to areas where income is low, pollution is high, or access to services is limited. Invite leaders from these areas to participate in your effort.
• Reach out to identify and engage with subgroups in your community. Share your ideas and listen to theirs. Invite leaders of these groups to join your planning team.
• Check that your developing goals are aligned with community values. If the project you are beginning to envision is successful, will your efforts address the needs of those most in need? Or will achieving your goal simply pass social or economic costs from one group to another?  
• Consider if a popular idea for addressing a relatively small issue in one part of the community might leave a genuine hardship unaddressed in another area.

Although internal meetings have engaged a full planning team, the kickoff meeting announces the project to the larger community. Use the opportunity to describe the problem you plan to explore and to demonstrate your group's intent to be transparent.

Be prepared to respond to questions from community members who are just learning of the project. The announcement may also attract new contributors who feel strongly about the asset you want to protect or the actions you might take.