A new look for CLF: John Kassel talks about why we need it and why now.

• Author: Kassel, John
• Position: Conservation Law Foundation

Regional is the new national. Solutions to the environmental problems that threaten our economy, our security and our health are not coming from Washington. Instead, they're being forged by energetic and creative problem solvers like CLF who work in regions and states and strive to create models for the rest of the country. This is CLF's moment. But we can't do it small.

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To be truly effective in the face of the unprecedented challenges facing New England, we need a movement behind us. We need neighborhoods standing up for their right to clean air and water, cities and towns demanding better transportation options and a whole region clamoring for clean energy.

About a year ago, we started work to ensure that our story was clear and compelling and inclusive enough to engage a whole region in our mission. We began by asking employees and board members, partners and adversaries, long-time members and new friends what draws them to CLF. Resoundingly, we heard: CLF protects my New England."

This notion of protection is inherent in CLF's brand: our region's abundant natural resources, as well as its historic cities and towns, are in peril from the impacts of climate change and other realities of modern life. CLF has a long and successful history protecting New England's environment, from a landmark lawsuit that prevented oil and gas drilling off of our shores to developing green car insurance that rewards people for driving less. At CLF, protection is not about keeping things the way they were. It anticipates the reality of a changing environment and is on the cutting edge of planning for it, to ensure that out-region will continue to thrive. This kind of protection requires pragmatic, science-based approaches, fearless creativity and a willingness to collaborate to find solutions to our most complex challenges.

To convey the many facets of CLF's brand, built painstakingly over 44 years, we needed to refine, not...