What we’re working on this summer

Since 1982, the Fund has worked with more than 40 social change non-profit organizations to tackle challenging issues. We have raised more than $700 million to give these groups the resources they need to stand up to special interests, and gathered more than 20 million petition signatures to support campaigns to protect our environment and our health.

See below to learn more about our recent campaigns across the country, and we’ll update this page as we get closer to the summer and finalize our campaign plans.

In California…

We've all heard for years that bees are dying at alarming rates, and colonies are collapsing. In an effort to address this, Fund for the Public Interest worked with Environment California — canvassing across the state to save the bees by building people power and public support for a statewide ban on some of the worst bee-killing pesticides — neonicotinoids (or “neonics”).

Neonics are a class of pesticides that attack bees' brains, paralyzing and then killing them. Eliminating these needless or easily replaceable uses will make a big difference for bees in peril across the state. So, since the summer of 2017, we've knocked on tens of thousands of Californians' doors, engaging the public on this environmental crisis. And it worked! We spent years organizing the public and persuading California leaders to care about bees, largely through our canvassing. Environment California knocked on doors and held thousands of conversations, lobbied elected officials and collected 30,000 petitions in support of saving the bees.

California is now the 10th state to ban some of the worst uses of these bee-killing pesticides. We couldn't have won this vital bee-saving action without canvassers like you knocking on doors and building support across the state. This new law will make a big difference for California's bees, including the 1,600 native bee species that buzz throughout the state. And as the world's fifth largest economy, California's action will set a strong example for the rest of the country that we don't need to use bee-killing pesticides.

We’re also working with CALPIRG to reduce plastic waste generated by online orders. Amazon alone produced over 700 million pounds of plastic waste in 2021, and these negative impacts on landfills, communities, and the ocean cannot be ignored. So, CALPIRG is calling on Amazon to take action by eliminating single-use plastic and moving towards sustainable packaging.

In D.C…

In our D.C. office, we're working with Environment Virginia and Environment Maryland to keep even more plastic out of our environment. Less than 10% of all plastic ever made has been recycled. The rest is burned in incinerators, dumped in leaky landfills, or pollutes our neighborhoods and waterways. When plastic gets into our waterways it harms birds, fish and other wildlife. So, we’re urging our state leaders to require plastics producers to use more sustainable materials and pay to recycle their packaging.

In Massachusetts…

We're working with Environment Massachusetts to power our state with 100% renewable energy. It’s 2024. We have the technology to power our state with clean energy like solar and wind power. Instead, we’re still depending on fossil fuels that pollute our air and warm the planet. We just can't go on like this. That’s why we’re building support for the 100% Clean Act, which would transition our state to 100% clean electricity by 2035.

We’re also working to reduce the single-use plastic waste. MASSPIRG is dedicated to passing the Better Bottle Bill, an update to our state's successful recycling program that includes modern beverage containers. We are determined to overcome opposition from the beverage and bottling industry, as we have previously when we successfully passed the original Bottle Bill in the 80s.

In New Jersey…

We're working with Environment New Jersey for 100% clean energy. We’ve had the power to harness clean, abundant energy from the sun and the wind for decades. Today, we can do it more efficiently and cheaply than ever before. Given the progress we’ve made so far, it makes no sense to keep on producing, consuming and wasting energy in ways that do lasting damage to our environment, our climate and our health.

We’re also working to reduce plastic pollution and protect our environment. Only 9% of all plastic ever produced is recycled, leading to an alarming increase in plastic waste within our communities and along the Jersey Shore. NJPIRG is taking action by urging state leaders to require plastics producers to use sustainable materials and take responsibility for recycling their packaging and products.

In Oregon…

We’re working to save Oregon’s oldest trees. Our forests, especially our oldest trees in places like the Willamette and Umpqua National Forests, help make Oregon a special place to live, providing habitat for thousands of species. They are critical allies in the fight against climate change — one that we lose the moment we cut them down. Environment Oregon is calling on the Biden Administration to prevent timber companies from logging mature and old growth trees on all federal land in Oregon and across the country.

We’re also working with OSPIRG to tackle the issue of electronic waste. Companies hinder repair efforts by limiting access to parts and tools, encouraging unnecessary replacements. Our goal is to pass a statewide bill that empowers individuals to repair their electronic devices, preventing them from ending up in landfills. Help us gather support and secure the crucial votes needed to pass the Right to Repair legislation.