- Make one clear point in your letter. This point should be the message, which is composed of three parts. Therefore, the clear point would be: "PPG is releasing dangerous mercury into the environment, and we need to tell them to go mercury-free."
- Convey your outrage, but avoid exaggeration. In a Letter to the Editor (but not an Op-Ed, which is longer and more academic), we want people to know that we are upset, frustrated, and angry about the state of affairs. However, we don’t want to sound petty or insulting, nor do we want to come across as hyperbolic. Two examples:
- Good: I am appalled at PPG’s business practices. They are focusing on the money in their bank accounts instead of on the dangers of mercury contamination to which they are exposing all of us.
- Bad: I am furious about what PPG is doing to us. What sick people. How dare they try to poison us all. I think they should be put on trial and thrown in jail for life.
- The Difference: The first one sounds educated, credible, and seems to have been thought through. The second sounds like the letter from an outraged grandmother and does not appear to come from a reliable source. Try to convey your anger in a measured, thoughtful way.
- Use your personal experience. People will always connect better to a personal story than to an academic letter. So, you want to express your concern through some facet of your own life. For example, you may want to highlight where you are from. You may want to tell a personal story of mercury contamination affecting a family member. You may want to talk about how you grew up fishing. All of these personal touches make a Letter to the Editor that much more effective.
- keep it short and try to make it clever. Most papers have a limit of 200 words, so definitely be concise. At the same time, be witty and make it interesting to read.
- Sample outline:
- Sate the problem or why you personally are concerned: "PPG is releasing mercury into the environment, and mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that has been linked to autism."
- Describe the problem in a way that makes it real for the reader: "Pennsylvania has the second highest level of mercury contamination nationwide." OR "In Morgantown, every local stream where I used to go fishing has a mercury advisory."
- State the solution, both generally and specifically: "PPG needs to go mercury-free. All of us need to let PPG know that they cannot continue doing business as usual, so I urge everyone to get on the phone with PPG or write them a letter telling them to go mercury-free."
- Wrap it up with a final why, usually one sentence long: "I urge PPG to get rid of the mercury and protect the health of Pennsylvanians and West Virginians."
- Send it in!
Discuss: Talk about this in the forum.