If you are interested in staying involved with our campaigns to save our wildlife, help students get ready for the fall 2024 election, and more, sign up for our Summer Organizer Leadership Training Programs.
Save Money, Save the Environment
We worked to address climate change by defending the landmark investments in climate solutions in the Inflation Reduction Act in Congress, and calling on the EPA to take the strongest regulatory actions possible to fight global warming. PIRG students called on members of Congress to invest in climate solutions and made sure student voices were heard on numerous EPA rules that will reduce climate emissions and make our air cleaner for generations to come.
This semester we hand-delivered thousands of petition signatures to the EPA Youth Advisory Council and met with our Congressional Representatives in their state districts and in Washington D.C. to thank them for their work and advocate for further action on climate change. We also educated thousands of community members about cost-saving programs that people can take advantage of when purchasing solar panels, electric vehicles, or upgrading their appliances to be more energy efficient. Our TexPIRG Club at UT-Austin held a tour of the local community solar farm!
Advocating for Affordable Education
According to the College Board, the average undergraduate student should budget between $1,200 and $1,300 for textbooks and supplies each year. That’s as much as 40% of tuition at a two-year community college and 13% at a four-year public institution. The rise of automatic textbook billing programs at colleges and universities is exacerbating this problem.
PIRG students organized students from 76 institutions in 20 states to sign onto a letter to the Department of Education in support of their proposed policy to regulate these predatory programs. FloridaPIRGs Florida State University President Graceanne Hoback, provided testimonials to the Department of Education and student leaders across multiple clubs continued to advocate in support of the Affordable College Textbook Act by meeting with Congressional staff about the benefits of free open textbooks.
Alternative Spring Break to Protect the Environment
While many students spent their spring breaks partying or taking a break from the semester, PIRG students from across the east coast went to Atlanta, Georgia to support our team at Georgia State University on their campaigns to stop a proposed titanium mine near the Okefenokee Swamp and educate Georgians about how they can save money and fight climate change through the Inflation Reduction Act. GeorgiaPIRG Vice President Caleb Gustavson and the student team educated hundreds of community members about the campaign to protect the Okefenokee Swamp and held a rally at the Georgia Capitol steps to call for action.
Engaging Students in Elections
To make sure young people have a voice in our democracy, we want to make sure students vote in every election. This spring, we reached more than 18,000 students to register to vote, make plans to make it to the polls, and connect them with important resources to vote in state primary elections.
We worked with community partners and campus vote coalitions to help campuses create Civic Engagement Action Plans so our campuses are ready to engage the student body in the fall semester leading up to the November election. Students leaders Jade (Kalamazoo Valley Community College) and Lucas (Michigan State University) with our PIRGIM Student Clubs participated and led training sessions at the Michigan Student Vote Summit. Our Vote Goat also made an appearance at the conference!
Thanks to everyone who made this year a memorable one, looking forward to next school year!
Manny Rin
Organizing Director
PIRG Campus Action