Waste

RICHMOND, Va — Gov. Ralph Northam announced this morning Executive Order 77 which will eliminate the use of disposable plastic bags and single-use foodware at all state agencies within 120 days, and phase out the use of other single-use plastics in the state agencies and public universities by 2025. It also directs the Secretary to develop recommendations for reducing solid waste and diverting waste from landfills through composting, reuse, and other strategies. 

Early actions the Biden administration can take to restore critical environmental protections In recent years, America’s environment has been at risk. Air pollution has been on the rise. Many of our bodies of water are at risk of pollution from… Read more

OAKLAND — University of California campuses will start phasing-out single-use plastics, paving the way for campuses free of non-essential plastics by 2030, the UC Office of the President (UCOP) and CALPIRG Students announced jointly today. The new policy will transition UC away from plastic bags in retail and dining locations and eventually eliminate single-use plastic food service items and plastic bottles, helping to reduce the production of plastic pollution in California and prevent microplastics from contaminating waterways.  

As we wrap up the spring semester on the east coast, I’m happy to share that this enthusiasm for action hasn’t waned. PIRG students across the country organized more than 50 local actions and events with more than 800 attendees for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

— FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — ContactDan Xie, Political DirectorStudent [email protected], 858-353-1452 [Remote, United States of America] — On April 22nd, 2020, Americans will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day a little differently. The Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs)… Read more

America’s first Earth Day celebration in 1970 mobilized millions of Americans to take action for clean air, clean water, and protected open spaces. This nationwide activation resulted in the passage of some of the most important environmental legislation in the… Read more

Seattle, WA – Governor Inslee signed the Reusable Bag Bill Wednesday, which will ban single-use plastic grocery bags statewide. The legislation, which goes into effect on Jan 1, 2021, bans retailers from giving out single-use plastic carryout bags and requires an 8-cent charge for other bags.

Last Fall’s Election was a whirlwind. One thing we should all be excited about is that in California, we continue to push the envelope in protecting the environment. We’re so happy that California’s citizens voted to uphold the ban on single-use… Read more

In the spirit of the upcoming Olympics, the Massachusetts Senate earned a gold medal tonight when they passed the Updated Bottle Bill.  

California students from San Diego to Davis have been working hard to address the problem of plastic pollution in the Pacific.