Eco Actions

California is racing ahead on electric vehicles (EVs), which means more EV batteries are hitting the road—and more will soon reach the end of their lives. Every EV battery contains materials that are essential to our clean energy future. Without strong recycling policies, these batteries can be wasted, stockpiled, or dismantled in unsafe ways, putting workers and communities at risk. EV recycling works. Already, we can recover more than 90 percent of many critical minerals, such as cobalt, lithium, and manganese from EV batteries. Research by the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that by 2050, recycling could supply about half of the cobalt and nickel, and a quarter of the lithium, needed for EV batteries in the United States—but only if states put smart recycling systems in place. Urge Governor Gavin Newsom to support policy that requires responsible EV battery recycling in our state. Act HERE.

Californians overwhelmingly support legislation to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their actions — and for the damage they do to the climate and the environment. But Big Oil is fighting back, spending millions to lobby lawmakers for industry handouts. Now California legislators have introduced two bills to give the industry what it wants: more drilling permits and more ways to dodge its cleanup responsibilities. Assembly Bill 2711 would facilitate oil companies looking to expand drilling in California by rushing environmental review and limiting public input on potential projects. Meanwhile Assembly Bill 2716 would let polluters sidestep the Orphan Well Prevention Act, a 2023 law that helps protect taxpayers from industry bankruptcy — which Big Oil often uses to dodge its responsibilities and dump its cleanup costs on the public. Californians have paid enough for fossil fuel giants’ sins. Tell your state senator to stop this double-whammy giveaway to the oil industry. Act HERE.

For nearly a decade, we’ve joined Indigenous tribes, environmental leaders and the outdoor community in the ongoing fight to preserve Bears Ears and the surrounding landscape as a nationally protected monument. The recent action by the Trump administration to shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments is yet another attempt to liquidate public lands. Tribal Nations are the original stewards of the area, with ties to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante stretching back thousands of years. It is vital we support their vision to ensure these sacred cultural landscapes are protected. The president’s latest actions does the exact opposite.  We remain committed to defending the land with those who have stewarded the area for time immemorial. Join us and take ACTION.

The herbicide paraquat, widely used in the U.S., is so toxic it's banned in over 70 countries. It's also linked to a significantly increased risk of developing the neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's. It's absurd for such a dangerous substance to be sprayed anywhere near our food. But progress is possible: Vermont just passed the nation's first paraquat prohibition. Urge our governor today to follow Vermont's lead and phase out the use of paraquat here in California. Act HERE.

Houston, we have a problem: The Trump administration has proposed to turn rickety offshore oil rigs into “spaceports,” sites for launching and landing spacecraft. This isn't some clever repurposing scheme, though — quite the opposite. No oil rig or platform was designed to withstand the rigors of rocket operations. Using antiquated infrastructure for launch and recovery activities could threaten workers' safety and degrade water quality. And the rocket noise, explosions, fuel spills, and industrial activity would harm marine life like whales and sea turtles. The law requires oil companies to remove aging offshore platforms and restore habitat when drilling stops. The new proposal could let them attempt to leave decrepit rigs in the ocean "for future spaceport use" (aka indefinitely). Tell the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management: Don't let Big Oil dodge its duties and convert our oceans into industrial testing grounds for billionaires' rockets. ACTION.

Assemblymember Mia Bonta introduced the Community First Coal Review Act (AB 40) in order to protect the clean air and health of East Bay cities from the devastating impacts of a new coal port. The bill would require a full Environmental Impact Report before any local agency may grant a discretionary approval for a new or expanded coal handling, storage, or export facility. In June, Donald Trump announced a $75 million investment into a proposed massive coal export terminal next to the Bay Bridge. The Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT) would bring coal trains from states like Utah and Wyoming straight into West Oakland, which is already burdened by historically poor air quality and health disparities. AB 40 would ensure that outdated environmental review on OBOT is replaced by a new, comprehensive study that takes into account its effect on the surrounding cities of Richmond, Albany, Berkeley, and Emeryville in addition to Oakland. Please ask your legislators to support AB 40, which would help protect Oakland and other California communities from toxic coal projects! Action HERE.

Nestled along California's Central Coast, the Pajaro River provides essential habitat for endangered species including the red legged frog, long-toed salamander and steelhead trout, and a beautiful place for families to enjoy the outdoors. A nearby mining company, Graniterock, has frequently polluted the river, according to a lawsuit filed by Environment California, along with the California Sportsfishing Protection Alliance. Now, instead of cracking down, the regional water board wants to make changes to the mining company's permits that would make it harder for the public to know whether Graniterock is releasing harmful levels of pollution. Tell the regional water board: Don't let the Pajaro River be polluted again. Act HERE.

Some of central California's most important wildlife habitat could soon be opened to oil and gas development. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering leasing 50 parcels for oil and gas development across California's Central Valley. While some of these parcels are already in heavily disturbed areas, nine of them stand out because they remain largely intact and provide important habitat for some of California's most imperiled wildlife. Five of the parcels are located adjacent to, or within 1.5 miles of, Carrizo Plain National Monument, one of California's most spectacular remaining grassland landscapes, home to San Joaquin kit foxes and amazing superblooms. Submit a public comment to tell the BLM: Keep oil and gas leasing away from Carrizo Plain and important wildlife habitat. Action HERE.

Toxic chemicals don't belong in the water we drink. That's something we should all be able to easily agree on. PFAS have been detected in the drinking water of more than 175 million Americans. Exposure to even low levels of PFAS over time have been linked to a wide range of health effects, including increased risk of some cancers, decreased fertility and developmental delays in children. But right now, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to rollback restrictions that keep toxic PFAS "forever chemicals" out of our water. We only have until July 20 to ask the EPA to abandon this rollback and keep toxic PFAS out of our drinking water. Add your name today HERE

For decades the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, aka APHIS, has run an antiquated and highly secretive program that allows insecticide spraying to kill native grasshoppers and Mormon crickets on public lands in 17 states. This is done to keep insects from “competing” with cows for grass. The public lands APHIS targets for spraying are home to an astonishing diversity of wildlife, including imperiled sage grouse — who eat grasshoppers and Mormon crickets — and vulnerable pollinators like butterflies and bees. Spraying these lands harms wildlife, and because APHIS is so secretive about its activities, most people visiting have no idea whether a given area has been (or will be) sprayed. Now, thanks to a legal victory by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, APHIS is being forced to reassess its grasshopper-and-cricket-killing program — and it needs your feedback. Tell APHIS to completely overhaul its approach, stop drenching sensitive public lands with insecticides, and protect wildlife, people, and public lands. Take ACTION.

Majestic animals belong in the majestic wild -- not dead on the side of the road. Since habitats are increasingly fractured by roads, highways and other infrastructure, animals are sometimes forced to take deadly risks. Each year roughly 1-2 million bears, moose, elk and other large animals are killed by motor vehicles in the U.S. The results? Animal lives wasted, 200 dead motorists, 26,000 more injured, and billions of dollars in damage. Wildlife crossings -- bridges and tunnels for animals to cross highways -- are an extremely effective solution, and your voice matters. Urge your U.S. senators today to support funding for wildlife crossings in the upcoming transportation bill. Act HERE.

From the Sacramento River Bend to the Bodie Hills, Eastern Sierra, Ord Mountains and beyond, California's public lands could soon see MORE livestock grazing, MORE fences, and LESS public access and oversight. As part of its overall attack on public lands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed major changes to the rules governing livestock grazing on its lands it manages—245 million acres of public lands across the West—including approximately 15 million acres in California. These changes would offer mega corporations and wealthy elite grazing operations handouts they don’t need at the expense of small ranchers, clean air and water, and the greater public. And, they’d stifle the public’s voice in decisionmaking. Submit a public comment before July 13 to oppose these handouts. Act HERE.

he Forest Service is trying to rush an emergency logging project across six of our national forests. If this goes through, they could remove as many trees as they want across 11 million acres of national forest. They won't even tell us where they plan to log -- they want to be given carte blanche to log wherever they want across millions of acres of trees for five years. This unchecked logging could disrupt the habitat of endangered species and disturb the natural ecosystem.And we just found out they're only giving the public until Monday to weigh in. Take immediate action: Protect 11 million acres of forest from unchecked logging. Take Action HERE.

Federal data shows 33 whales reportedly entangled in commercial fishing gear last year — plus nine so far this year — off the U.S. West Coast alone. Most of these whales were humpbacks. (And since not all entanglements are reported, scientists say, the actual entanglement numbers may be five times higher.) Entanglements happen when whales, sea turtles, and other sea creatures get caught in vertical ropes running from buoys at the ocean surface to fishing traps on the seafloor. The ropes can starve, suffocate, wound, and drown animals. Fisheries can prevent suffering and save lives by using pop-up gear (aka “on-demand” or ropeless gear), which stops entanglements by eliminating the need for vertical ropes used in traditional commercial gear. Pop-up gear works and is readily available. But to truly succeed, it needs state and federal support. Sign our petition HERE urging NOAA Fisheries and other decisionmakers to protect whales in key habitat — while still allowing fishing with safer, whale-friendly gear.

The Michigan state government will decide by July 7 whether to approve a key permit for the expansion of Line 5, a massive oil pipeline running through the largest freshwater system on Earth. Line 5 has already spilled 33 times, and history shows another leak is a matter of when, not if. The Great Lakes are an irreplaceable ecosystem that we cannot afford to pollute even more. Please speak up and tell Michigan officials you oppose Line 5. Speak up HERE.

These vessels are part of an important industry that supports millions of jobs and moves many of the goods that power our world. But too often, the pollution that ships produce comes at a steep cost to our health, climate and ocean. The benefits of cleaner shipping are undeniable. If shipping were a country, it would be the sixth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, responsible for an estimated 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. The Next Generation Shipping Act would authorize critical funding to support the development of zero-emission vessels, including cargo ships and beyond, and their supporting charging and fueling infrastructure at ports. Global shipping is on the verge of a green shift! Speak out for this measure HERE.

Governor Newsome has proposed a plan that will help more Californians afford new and used electric vehicles — because they deliver real savings. Bold solutions, like cutting our costly reliance on gasoline, can lower transportation costs and make our lives more affordable. For many Californians, transportation is one of the largest household expenses, and electric vehicles can help families keep more money in their pockets. That’s why we’re supporting the Governor’s plan to help more Californians afford EVs! Take Action HERE.

Lead poses a serious poisoning threat to people, wildlife, and the environment — but this dangerous heavy metal is still allowed in hunting ammo and fishing tackle, including ammo used in many national wildlife refuges throughout the United States. Thanks to an agreement between the Center for Biological Diversity and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2023 the agency finalized a rule banning lead ammo and tackle use in nine more national wildlife refuges, including Rachel Carson in Maine and Blackwater in Maryland. Now the Trump administration has proposed repealing the ban — mere months before it’s supposed to take effect in September. Tell the Service to keep the lead out of national wildlife refuges HERE.

Deadly cyanide bombs are a brutal way to kill unwanted wildlife, and they absolutely don't belong where people live, hike and play. But right now, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is once again allowing cyanide bombs on the millions of acres of public lands they manage. In 2017, an Idaho boy and his dog were exploring near their home when he noticed something that looked like a sprinkler head on the ground. But it was a cyanide bomb. When he touched it, the device exploded in a cloud of deadly sodium cyanide. The boy was rushed to the hospital. His yellow lab was dead in minutes. The device was planted by government wildlife managers to kill predators, but a child paid the price. Once a cyanide bomb is placed, there's no way to control what -- or who -- will fall victim. Tell the BLM: No deadly cyanide bombs on public lands. Act HERE.

The Trump administration has proposed opening federal waters along the entire California coastline to new offshore oil drilling. While state law blocks the approval of new infrastructure to support these federal operations, a loophole remains: oil companies could tap existing aging pipelines — like how Sable Offshore has restarted the pipeline that caused the 2015 Refugio oil spill — to support new federal drilling. AB 1448 (Hart) is a proposed state bill would close that loophole for good. The bill prohibits existing infrastructure from being used to support new federal offshore development and requires stronger environmental and safety review before any lease renewals or transfers. Take ACTION!

For over a year, the timber industry has been pushing the Fix Our Forests Act -- a bill with provisions designed to fast-track huge logging projects and strip away environmental protections.1 Thanks to people like you speaking up, we've successfully held them off. But the timber industry isn't giving up. They're just changing tactics. Pro-logging members of Congress have added the worst parts of the Fix Our Forests Act to the Farm Bill. And it just passed the U.S. House. Tell our U.S. senators to oppose slipping unchecked logging into the Farm Bill. Act HERE.

Estuaries, the coastal areas where rivers meet the ocean, are critically important for shorebirds and seabirds. Many of these special places along America's coasts are supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program, which strengthens local community-led restoration of vital coastal habitat. This successful bipartisan program is nearing its expiration date—but steps are being taken by Congress to reauthorize and expand it with the ESTUARIES (Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America's Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems) Act. Urge your U.S. Senators to support the National Estuary Program HERE.

The DSGS program is the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy resilience solution that we have, and is one of the world’s largest networks of residential clean energy technologies. DSGS is a broad term for programs that pay consumers to reduce electricity usage or provide power during high-stress times to support the grid. This involves coordinating the clean energy resources that are already dispersed throughout our communities, such as home batteries, smart thermostats, electric cars and electric car chargers to reduce demand or supply energy when the grid is strained. Please tell your state legislators to support restored 2026 funding HERE.

The world’s top scientists agree that reducing GHG emissions is not enough to avoid a climate catastrophe. To defend against this crisis, we must also remove greenhouse gases currently in the atmosphere. The bipartisan ReSCUE Oceans Act is a critical piece of legislation that will establish a plan to fund and carry out safe and effective research on marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR). Our ocean already absorbs about a third of manmade carbon dioxide emissions. The growing field of mCDR aims to enhance this natural process but must proceed in safe, transparent and science-backed ways. By advocating for oversight and research into science-based innovations like mCDR, you can help unlock the power of safe, proven ocean climate solutions. Urge Congress to support the bipartisan ReSCUE Oceans Act HERE.

Whales are dying at alarming rates along the West Coast. Dozens have been found dead off California, Oregon, and Washington in recent weeks, and the count is still rising. According to a new study focusing on the San Francisco Bay, nearly 1 in every 5 gray whales entering the bay dies — and more than 40% of the time, ship strikes are the cause. Limiting vessel speeds in key whale habitat to below 10 knots (roughly 11.5 miles per hour) is a tried-and-true way to reduce tragic whale deaths and injuries, especially for mothers and calves, who are at greater risk from ships because they spend a lot of time near the ocean's surface. Join the call for whale-safe ship speeds: Urge NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Coast Guard to require vessel speed limits where whales are most likely to be. Act HERE.

As climate disasters like floods, fires, and hurricanes intensify, Big Oil companies are lobbying Congress for blanket immunity from any laws or lawsuits that could hold them accountable for fueling the crisis. Join us in urging Congress to reject Big Oil’s call for immunity and to protect our right to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. Big Oil companies knew decades ago that their fossil fuel products could cause “catastrophic” consequences, but they lied to the public to protect their profits. Big Oil is turning to its allies in the Trump administration and Congress to try and secure an industry-wide “liability waiver” that could help them escape accountability and take away our right to make corporations pay when they cause harm. Speak up HERE.

The Administration's rush to mine Black Hills uranium destroys people and the sacred. The Lakota people never consented to uranium extraction from treaty land. We’ve fought it for over 20 years and we’re still fighting. Tell Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum directly. We need him to reverse the Pe’ Sla drilling permit, pull Dewey-Burdock uranium project (50 miles from Pine Ridge, in the aquifer above our reservation) off the fast-track program, and suspend all extractive permits on treaty lands until real consultation and a full environmental review are done. It’s fast and easy to make all three demands in one customizable message to Burgum online HERE.

What if the fresh produce you bought was contaminated by “forever chemicals”? New testing by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation found that 37% of samples of non-organic produce grown in the state contained PFAS pesticides – chemicals linked to cancer, immune system suppression and reproductive risks. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they never break down in the environment. They build up in our bodies, our soil and our drinking water. Your voice is needed to protect our food supply. Tell California lawmakers: Ban PFAS pesticides HERE.

Heavily promoted by the oil industry, chemical recycling is an umbrella term for a suite of technologies. Some of these technologies, like gasification and pyrolysis, are energy-intensive processes that use high heat to turn plastics into oil or gas, rather than back into plastics. Along the way, they also produce vast amounts of hazardous waste and significant greenhouse gases. The end product is not a new milk jug from recycled plastic but rather dirty fuels that will exacerbate the climate crisis. Call on your elected leaders to oppose policies that favor these harmful practices. Speak UP.

Bobcats pad along the remains of ancient buildings and ravens soar above kivas built by the ancestral Puebloans more than a thousand years ago. A staggering 91% of the public land surrounding Chaco Canyon has already been leased to the oil and gas industry. And now the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to remove even more protections. The BLM has imposed one of the shortest public comment periods we've seen -- we only have one week to take action. Call on the BLM to protect greater Chaco Canyon today. Speak out NOW.