Have a beef with a local business? Want action on a community project? Interested in starting a sustainability venture? Put your issue on paper. Here are our top tips for writing a successful letter.

• Make it Personal: Don’t use general salutations like “To Whom it May Concern.” Make the effort to get a name. Call a receptionist or search the company’s/politician’s website
• Keep it Brief: Your letter should not exceed one page.
• Use Bullet Points: After a one-line introduction, use bullet points to set out your concerns/questions.
• Call to Action: Make it very clear what your desired objective is and politely set a deadline for action.
• Include your Co-ordinates: Add your phone number, email and postal address to enable easy follow up.

To find your elected representative click on the country.

Canada

http://www.dwatch.ca/camp/mps.htm

US

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

UK (London, Wales, Northern Ireland)

http://www.writetothem.com/

Scotland

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/

Ireland

www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/

Australia

http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/lobby.html#mps

New Zealand

http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/

Holland

http://www.government.nl/Government/Rutte_Government

Germany

http://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/EN/Federal-Government/federal-government.html

Sweden

http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2052

Norway

http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/smk.html?id=875

Denmark

http://www.denmark.dk/en/servicemenu/media-room/Contact/

South Africa

http://www.info.gov.za/aboutgovt/contacts/index.html

Japan

http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/kan/meibo/index_e.html