I wish I could say that I follow the legislative process closely. I have the desire to be more involved and when I do take the time to learn about the issues, I become motivated and inspired. It’s just that when put into the mix with the gazillion other priorities to attend to each day, it tends to fall to the bottom more often than I’d like to admit. That’s why I sat up and took notice this year when I got an invitation to the Citizen Action Day, hosted by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Citizens Action Day is an annual event that NRCM puts on to help educate citizens like me about the important environmental bills going through the legislature and how we can get involved.

This year’s event takes place in Augusta from 8:30 am – 2 pm on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday March 17 – what better time to focus on the environment than the day dedicated to all things green. The event kicks off with a briefing by the NRCM staff on the year’s legislative priorities for the environment and includes tips for how to talk to our legislators. This is followed by a trip to the state house for a tour and meetings with your individual legislators. The day wraps up back at the NRCM offices with lunch.

Some of this year’s priorities include an act to improve the state’s weatherization programs and create a “one stop shop” for energy efficiency programs to make it easier for consumers to access resources, and an act that would guide planning for new public and private developments ensuring that they are as energy efficient as possible.

Others bills going through the legislature this year would limit the amount of mercury that can be included in CFL light bulbs in the state and require manufacturers to share the costs of collecting and recycling used bulbs; and one that would establish a notification system to help neighbors learn of plans to apply pesticides near their properties.

Interested? Space is limited so you need to register. Call (800) 287-2345 ext. 206. If you cannot make it to Augusta that day, but want to learn more about NRCM’s legislative priorities you can do so on their website at www.nrcm.org.