Writing to your local representative or to a corporation requires the same manner as speaking. It is important to remember that whoever you're writing to are individuals - people who work every day and more often than not have the same personal worries and concerns in their lives as do you. These people are caught in a cycle that can only be broken through awareness.

Whilst, you may feel that these individuals are being ignorant in their way of thinking or simply looking out for themselves, then it is your right to let them know - in a compassionate manner!

Tips for writing to your Representative and Corporations
Remember, polarisation will have you make your recipient the "enemy". There is no enemy - only ignorance. If you feel your recipient is being ignorant, then don't rant at them! This will only cause them to turn away and ignore you. Instead try to show them how they are being ignorant.
As always, facts help - try to use them as much as possible
Be humble in your letter - whilst you may very well be extremely angry about a particular issue it is important to remember that your recipient isn't always the one who makes the final decision. Whilst they obviously have influence over a particular issue, holding them personally responsible will only aggravate and polarise you further from your point.
Adding a slight sense of humour can dampen the immediate animosity often felt by those opening letters that are obviously criticising them for something
Always put yourself in the shoes of the recipient. Would you answer yourself?
Give your recipient plenty of time to respond
If and when your recipient does respond, be open to what they suggest. Polarisation will always want them to agree with you fully, however, this isn't how progress is made. If they write you a lengthy letter then appreciate the time they have given you.
If you feel that your recipient hasn't answered your issue or has been rude then contact your representative to take the matter further

For example letters - see Write to a Company (further down this page)

Don't believe it can work? Thinking to yourself, "how can someone that high up in a company care what I think?

See the proof that people do care and want to hear your opinions!

Click Here to see scanned letters from corporations and banks

The Letter to the Editor page is one of the most widely-read sections of any paper. If your letter is well written and timely, there's a good chance it will be printed and that your words could influence and educate hundreds or thousands of people, from your neighbours to your member of Congress / Parliament to the CEO of a company

Tips:
1. Make it personal.
The more personal and original your letter is, the more likely it is to be printed.
2. Make it local.
The more relevant you can make this letter to the people in your community, the more effective it will be. For example, it's very effective to reference a recent article or LTE that appeared in your local paper in your letter.
3. Keep it short.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your letter under 200 words.
4. Include your phone number.
Many newspapers won't print your letter without first calling you and confirming that you wrote it, etc.
5. Submit your letter.
You should find a mailing address, email address, or fax number to submit your letter to on the Letters/LTE/Opinion page of either the printed edition or the online version of your paper.

Find the email, website and postal addresses of the local newspapers in your area!
Simply choose by State or City. Click below!

Writing to corporations over their practices can have powerful effects. As a consumer, you are corporations' first target. It is you that purchases their products. As a result, each major corporation has a service quality team that specifically deals with complaints. You may read this on the side of a carton packet or you may go to a company website and even pick out the company board directors to write to. All will have an effect and companies will get back to you, providing you are polite with your issue.

Remember, one of the most powerful tools you have is writing to your own company that you work for. As an employee, your company is much more willing to listen to you than an outsider. Use this power to create changes within your company - whether it be more recycling bins to the policy of your company abroad. Any issue is your issue!

 
TEMPLATE LETTER EXAMPLES
SCENARIO: ENVIRONMENT

Template letter: Example of a letter to Exxon Mobil regarding its practices:

Dear XXXXXXXX, (choose either the CEO, chairman or board of your company - refer to their corporate website for info)

I would be most grateful if you could hear my voice regarding the current environmental crisis that is occurring in the world. I write to you as an individual and as a potential consumer.

Our world remains overly dependent on oil, which has serious consequences ranging from rising gasoline prices that burden every American to global warming that threatens current and future generations. This addiction to oil represents a failed energy strategy, one that your company not only supports but has helped to develop. I am most disturbed by:

- ExxonMobil's active support of drilling in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge;
- ExxonMobil's efforts to block meaningful action to cut global warming pollution and its funding of junk science to hide the real facts about global warming;
- ExxonMobil's conscious decision to forgo investment in clean energy solutions - despite your record profits at a time of rising gasoline prices;
- ExxonMobil's failure to pay all of the punitive damages awarded to fishermen and others injured by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Please can you review your practices as your policy and I would be most grateful if you could reply to me regarding these crucial issues. I believe that if we all work together we can help salvage this world, that we have all been responsible for destroying

Yours Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXX

Template letter: Retailer and use of plastic bags

I am writing to you as a consumer of <COMPANY>. I hope that you may act on my words, if you are not already doing so.

The planet is obviously under a great deal of pressure and I feel I would be insulting your intelligence if I highlighted the environmental damage that we are all doing to the planet on a daily basis.

I am writing in the hope that you will introduce a policy of charging customers a penny or two for plastic bags. This will significantly reduce the amount of plastic bags being used by customers as they will begin to bring their own or at the very least buy sturdier bags that you offer anyway. The extra money generated could be used for recycling initiatives with the government?

Of course the main reason for this would be to dramatically reduce landfills, where plastic bags are more often than not binned rather than recycled. Also many of them end up on the streets or rivers. The amount of plastic bags used by customers of <company> let alone other retailers (to which I am also writing to) is phenomenal

I hope that you can use your power to make a difference to the planet, that we all, including myself, have been involved in destroying.

Yours Sincerely

Template Letter: Marks & Spencer's

Dear XXXXXXXX,

I would like to say what a refreshing surprise it is to hear about your new environmental policy to set a carbon neutral target for your company. I believe you are setting a precedent for other companies to follow this important issue.

I am glad to see that Marks & Spencer's obviously values the environment in this way. I hope that your policy doesn't reflect an ongoing drive to produce carbon dioxide with the intent to offset it using this process, and that you are also committed to seriously reducing carbon emissions as well.

Yours Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXX