WHAT has been done so far?
2008: Passage of Prop 1A – High Speed Rail for CA! Throughout 2008, CALPIRG students played a critical role in passing Prop 1A to bring a High Speed train to California. We started with a Spring Break tour in March to build awareness of the measure and help keep it on the ballot. Right before election day, students across the state held a huge day of action that educated over 200,000 Californians about Prop 1A. We also put on Forums throughout the state, produced a Public Service Announcement, and got media coverage of the issue.
2006: Clean Energy Victory! On May 26, the CALPIRG Student Chapter at University of California Santa Cruz officially won their campaign to bring 100% renewable energy to the campus. Over 70% of the student body voted to assess themselves a $3 fee per quarter to pay for any added costs of buying all of their energy from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power. The CALPIRG Student Chapter helped to write and put the question on the student ballot, and then did aggressive outreach to encourage students to vote for the measure. Only a handful of colleges in the country currently buy all of their energy from clean sources.
2006: UC-Irvine CALPIRG students joined with ASUCI and other groups to make sure that students voted in favor of a plan to upgrade the campus buses to biodiesel and add more routes on campus.
2006: After a year long campaign by CALPIRG students in coalition with groups from across California, Governor Schwarzenegger petitioned the Bush Administration to protect all 4.4 million acres of National Forest in CA from development. CALPIRG students gathered over 1000 public comments, signed on faculty to a letter and generated media including a concert at UCSB that drew approximately 300 people.
2006: The California Public Utilities Commission approved a $3.2 billion solar program that will create a million new solar homes and businesses over the next ten years and make California the world leader in solar power. CALPIRG students played a vital role in generating thousands of comments, signing on approximately 60 faculty experts to a letter, generating media through educational events and convincing key legislators through direct advocacy.
2002: In the wake of the energy crisis, we convinced legislators to adopt the California Clean Energy Law in 2002. The law—the nation’s strongest such law—requires investor-owned utilities to produce 20 percent of their electricity from clean sources by 2017.
2001: CALPIRG reporting helped show that half our national forests were rapidly disappearing due to destructive activities such as logging, road-building, and mining. This prompted CALPIRG to play an important role in convincing the Clinton Administration to move to protect 60 million acres of National Forests from such activities. CALPIRG is now working to ensure that the Bush administration implements the plan.
2001: CALPIRG's research has consistently demonnstrated the effectiveness of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable power as clean solutions to meet our energy needs. In April 2001, CALPIRG helped to write and pass a series of laws that will allocate $1 billion in urgently needed funds to conservation and renewable programs.
1999-2000: CALPIRG helped uncover serious air pollution problems stemming from heavy, diesel-running vehicles and Sports Utility Vehicles. This research and other activities helped CALPIRG and other groups successfully make the case for tough new emissions standards for diesel-burning trucks and buses, as well as to Governor Davis to preserve clean alternatives such as California's Zero Emission Vehicle Program.
1999: A CALPIRG report documented that California's regional water boards were grossly under-enforcing the Clean Water Act, allowing thousands of violations to occur. In response to this data, CALPIRG wrote and helped pass the Clean Water Enforcement Act, now the country's toughest clean water law.
1995-present: With assistance from AmeriCorps and the S. Mark Taper Foundation, CALPIRG volunteers and interns have removed over 100 tons of trash and debris from local waterways, replanted tens of thousands of native plants, and educated hundreds of elementary school children about local waterway issues. Between 1999 and 2001, Los Angeles area students organized over 30 river cleanups that removed over 12,000 pounds of trash from local rivers, and made over 120 elementary school presentations about water pollution.
2006: Clean Energy Victory! On May 26, the CALPIRG Student Chapter at University of California Santa Cruz officially won their campaign to bring 100% renewable energy to the campus. Over 70% of the student body voted to assess themselves a $3 fee per quarter to pay for any added costs of buying all of their energy from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power. The CALPIRG Student Chapter helped to write and put the question on the student ballot, and then did aggressive outreach to encourage students to vote for the measure. Only a handful of colleges in the country currently buy all of their energy from clean sources.
2006: UC-Irvine CALPIRG students joined with ASUCI and other groups to make sure that students voted in favor of a plan to upgrade the campus buses to biodiesel and add more routes on campus.
2006: After a year long campaign by CALPIRG students in coalition with groups from across California, Governor Schwarzenegger petitioned the Bush Administration to protect all 4.4 million acres of National Forest in CA from development. CALPIRG students gathered over 1000 public comments, signed on faculty to a letter and generated media including a concert at UCSB that drew approximately 300 people.
2006: The California Public Utilities Commission approved a $3.2 billion solar program that will create a million new solar homes and businesses over the next ten years and make California the world leader in solar power. CALPIRG students played a vital role in generating thousands of comments, signing on approximately 60 faculty experts to a letter, generating media through educational events and convincing key legislators through direct advocacy.
2002: In the wake of the energy crisis, we convinced legislators to adopt the California Clean Energy Law in 2002. The law—the nation’s strongest such law—requires investor-owned utilities to produce 20 percent of their electricity from clean sources by 2017.
2001: CALPIRG reporting helped show that half our national forests were rapidly disappearing due to destructive activities such as logging, road-building, and mining. This prompted CALPIRG to play an important role in convincing the Clinton Administration to move to protect 60 million acres of National Forests from such activities. CALPIRG is now working to ensure that the Bush administration implements the plan.
2001: CALPIRG's research has consistently demonnstrated the effectiveness of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable power as clean solutions to meet our energy needs. In April 2001, CALPIRG helped to write and pass a series of laws that will allocate $1 billion in urgently needed funds to conservation and renewable programs.
1999-2000: CALPIRG helped uncover serious air pollution problems stemming from heavy, diesel-running vehicles and Sports Utility Vehicles. This research and other activities helped CALPIRG and other groups successfully make the case for tough new emissions standards for diesel-burning trucks and buses, as well as to Governor Davis to preserve clean alternatives such as California's Zero Emission Vehicle Program.
1999: A CALPIRG report documented that California's regional water boards were grossly under-enforcing the Clean Water Act, allowing thousands of violations to occur. In response to this data, CALPIRG wrote and helped pass the Clean Water Enforcement Act, now the country's toughest clean water law.
1995-present: With assistance from AmeriCorps and the S. Mark Taper Foundation, CALPIRG volunteers and interns have removed over 100 tons of trash and debris from local waterways, replanted tens of thousands of native plants, and educated hundreds of elementary school children about local waterway issues. Between 1999 and 2001, Los Angeles area students organized over 30 river cleanups that removed over 12,000 pounds of trash from local rivers, and made over 120 elementary school presentations about water pollution.
