Where do you report a complaint about environmental issues?

Hello,

I would like to know where I could write a letter about environmental issues: Ie: a company who wastes a lot of paper, pollutants, fumes, etc....?

Is there a place to write? And make people aware, thus having the non environmentally friendly companies or people be investigated or approched to resolve these issues?

Thanks

Pippo, it depends on where you are. In some places, a company may be violating local recycling laws when it wastes a lot of paper or other materials and releases pollutants into the environment. In other places, there may be no law that applies.

Wherever you live, are there local governmental agencies concerned with conservation, or resource use, or environmental protection?

If there are and if you think the government can pretty much be trusted, I'd begin by contacting them and asking them what the laws are and where you can report violations.

If you're in an area where the laws are weak, or where there are no laws, then maybe writing a letter to the local newspapers about the problem might help.

Or maybe you could write to a local political party or a religious organization. But there is no one answer that will work everywhere.

John,

Thanks. I'm in California. I'll look into it.

Pippo - In California, I bet you have lots of places to go. You might start by looking up a local chapter of the Sierra Club, or maybe going to the Sierra Club's national web page and seeing if you can get from the web page the phone numbers of local chapters in California. Then call your local chapter; it will probably be run by volunteers, but I think someone will get back to you.

I'd check with your local city or county government, too, to see if they have ordinances.

And if the city doesn't have a mandatory recycling program, try the state Department of Natural Resources. If I recall correctly, their web site is jam packed with information and can be a little difficult to navigate, but with some patience you should be able to find someone.

Good luck!

John, Thanks.

In fact the whole reason I asked is explained in a question I just posted here. See:

'Is a good cause a reason for waste?'

You can reply to that one.

Ciao