PennPIRG

The average Pennsylvania household can expect to save $2,564 in utility bills over the next two decades thanks to new energy efficiency standards. Learn more about how these important appliance standards are reducing energy waste, saving consumers money, and improving product performance in Pennsylvania with this new report. https://pirg.org/pennsylvania/articles/new-appliance-standards-save-consumers-money/

PECO proposed increases in electric & gas rates. Regulators at the Public Utility Commission are holding 3 in person & 1 phone meetings to hear from PECO customers. Join us in calling to reject excessive rate hikes for unjustified utility rates & wasteful spending!

Scientists have known for years that glyphosate is dangerous to our health, and now they've found it in 80% of American study participants' urine. It's time to ban this toxic herbicide and protect our health!

‘Disturbing’: weedkiller ingredient tied to cancer found in 80% of US urine samples CDC study finds glyphosate, controversial ingredient found in weedkillers including popular Roundup brand, present in samples

Each year, a whopping 70 million pounds of waste gets left behind in our country’s parks for the National Park Service to manage, and single-use plastics are a big part of that problem.

This week is both Earth Day and National Parks Week. So we’re calling on U.S. senators to take action and ban single-use plastics in national parks. Add your name today.

Tell your U.S. senators: Support a ban on single-use plastic products in our national parks What could ruin a stroll through one of our country's beautiful national parks? How about the sight of single-use plastic litter?

Another great story from The Philadelphia Tribune highlighting Councilmember Helen Gym's announcement of her forthcoming bill to protect kids from lead in The School District of Philadelphia drinking water.

Gym to introduce bill to ensure safe, lead-free water in schools At-large Councilmember Helen Gym said she plans to announce legislation towards lead-free water filtration in Philadelphia’s public schools.

Thanks to Councilmember Helen Gym for supporting our work to get the lead out of Philly schools’ drinking water! We look forward to working with council to address this crisis once and for all.

COUNCILMEMBER GYM PLEDGES LEGISLATION TO ENSURE WATER ACCESS AND SAFETY IN DISTRICT SCHOOLS Bill will set stricter standards and accelerate transition to lead-free water filtration stations PHILADELPHIA — Today, City Councilmember Helen Gym announced plans for legislation to accelerate the transition to lead-free …

Our new report, Lead in the Water, shows 98% of schools tested in Philadelphia had lead in the drinking water. This is a threat to public health that the School District of Philadelphia can tackle! Find your school and sign the petition at pennpirg.org/PhillyLeadMap

Our hearts go out the those injured in the bridge collapse in Pittsburgh on Friday. We need to invest in fixing our crumbling roads and bridges to prevent more accidents like this. Find our full statement on our site:

Statement: Pittsburgh bridge collapse highlights need for focus on infrastructure repair and maintenance | PennPIRG Ten people were injured when a bridge near Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood collapsed Friday morning.

Have you ever been hit by a after being treated in an emergency room or in a hospital? Those days are now over as of January 1. Learn about the new patient protections going into effect and how to use your new right: https://bit.ly/3mSz86q

bit.ly

It's a new year and we have new consumer protections! Celebrate the start of new patient protections from most surprise medical bills. Check out our guide to know your rights: https://bit.ly/3mSz86q

uspirg.org

You helped us win strong patient protections from the high cost of out-of-network . Now put those new patient rights to work for you. Read and share this patient guide. https://bit.ly/3mSz86q

uspirg.org

By one report, Amazon was responsible for 465 million pounds of plastic waste in 2019 alone. Join us in telling Amazon to move beyond plastic and eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic packaging.

https://pennpirg.webaction.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=48028

Tell Amazon: Stop using single-use plastic packaging Plastic is already flooding our oceans and harming our communities. We need to stop the flow of plastic waste as soon as possible.

PA has 90 toxic waste sites managed by the EPA’s Superfund toxic waste cleanup program. The chemicals at these sites can increase the risk of cancer, lung and heart problems, and other serious illnesses. Yet, for decades, these sites have been languishing on the EPA’s National Priorities List. New funding from a “polluter pays” tax on chemical production aims to reverse the slow cleanup of these sites. Full report on our site: https://bit.ly/3pPSqKl

Funding the Future of Superfund | PennPIRG Funding the Future of Superfund: Addressing decades of slow toxic waste cleanup

PA has 90 Superfund toxic waste sites that have been languishing on the EPA’s National Priorities List of the most hazardous waste sites in the country. The chemicals at these sites can increase the risk of cancer, lung and heart problems, and other serious illnesses. New funding from a polluter pays tax on the chemical industry should reverse decades of slow progress, but there’s still more for Congress and the EPA to do to ensure that people are protected from exposure to hazardous waste, according to a new report from PennPIRG and PennEnvironment. Full report on our site: https://bit.ly/3pPSqKl

This holiday season, you can avoid backorders and delays from global supply chain shortages while paying even less than you would on Black Friday for electronics, if you buy them used and refurbished. “Fixed for the Holidays” helps consumers purchase used items with confidence -- detailing what to buy, how to know if you are getting a good deal and where to shop. Check out our guide https://bit.ly/3nWpoJr

Fixed for the Holidays | PennPIRG Fixed for the Holidays Nathan Proctor, Director, Campaign for the Right to Repair Welcome to our guide for buying repaired or refurbished electronics with confidence they will last. Even as this year’s semiconductor shortages put electronics in short supply, you can still get great gadgets for a g...

Thanks to Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick for helping our Advocate Emily Horst-Martz highlight the win for polluter pays fees in the Infrastructure Bill! There will now be more resources to clean up Superfund toxic waste sites and keep our communities safe.

Guest Opinion: A once-in-a-generation chance to clean up Bucks County’s most contaminated toxic waste sites Passage of the infrastructure bill means there is renewed support for the cleanup of toxic waste sites like the Chem-Fab Superfund site in Doylestown.

On this National Mesothelioma Awareness Day, our Advocate Emma Horst-Martz considers how talc in beauty and personal care products is still making us sick. The FDA must hold companies accountable to keep asbestos out of our consumer products.

On Mesothelioma Awareness Day: Why are we still finding carcinogens in our cosmetics? | PennPIRG Education Fund National Mesothelioma Awareness Day is on September 26. This year, we should take the opportunity to consider how products we use in our everyday lives could lead to this deadly type of cancer.

Illegal robocalls aren’t just annoying, they cost consumers $10 billion a year in scams and fraud. Our new report shows which phone companies are following the new federal rules to protect consumers from illegal robocalls and which are not:

Report: Only one-third of largest phone companies have completely adopted anti-robocall technology | PennPIRG Education Fund A looming deadline should finally force all U.S. phone companies to take stopping robocalls seriously.

Environmental hazards like mold should not threaten the health of students at school. Councilmember Derek Green and environmental expert Jerry Roseman with the Philly Healthy Schools Initiative are leading the way, calling on the Philly School District to make school buildings safe.

Mold flagged by a Philly teacher will be remediated — after the union’s environmental expert was escorted out of the school Jerry Roseman, the union’s longtime director of environmental science, was denied entry and escorted off school grounds Friday.

The Philadelphia Healthy Schools Initiative is calling on School District of Philadelphia to share data and a plan for addressing before school starts next week. Students, teachers and staff shouldn’t get sick from the buildings they learn and work in.

District Flips the Bird To Parents & PFT!! Allows Dangerous Asbestos Conditions To Fester - Philly Healthy Schools The District has proven over and over again that it is not transparent, it is not trustworthy. Statements assuring us of the health and safety of our children from District Officials are often inaccurate, misleading or downright dishonest. We must say ENOUGH!

A great spotlight on the Right to Repair movement from Mae Anderson at the Associated Press!

Without ‘right to repair,’ businesses lose time and money As software and other technologies get infused in more and more products, manufacturers are increasingly making those products difficult to repair.

It's not too late to donate to our 2021 End of Fiscal Year Drive! Make your gift to support our work toward a cleaner, healthier, zero waste future.

Our country has a plastic waste problem. Donate to PennPIRG's 2021 End of Fiscal Year Drive today to help us meet our $25,000 goal and move our country beyond plastic.

A ban goes into effect on July 3 that halts the sale in the European Union of the 10 single-use products that make up the bulk of plastic pollution. It's time for the U.S. to follow with bold action on plastic waste.

Bold single-use plastic ban kicks Europe’s plastic purge into high gear As part of a broader effort to create a circular economy that reduces waste and greenhouse gas emissions, the European Union will ban a host of throwaway plastic items next month and is working to create an expansive and lucrative market for recycled plastics.

Our country has a plastic waste problem. That's why we're advocating for bold action on plastic pollution. Donate today to our 2021 End of Fiscal Year Drive to help us expand our campaign to move beyond plastic and all of our work in the public interest.

Our country has a plastic waste problem. Donate to PennPIRG's 2021 End of Fiscal Year Drive today to help us meet our $25,000 goal and move our country beyond plastic.

"Just 10 plastic products make up 75% of all items and scientists say the pollution must be stopped at source."

Takeaway food and drink litter dominates ocean plastic, study shows Just 10 plastic products make up 75% of all items and scientists say the pollution must be stopped at source

Converting plastic waste into fossil fuels releases greenhouse gas pollution and toxic byproducts. Tell Congress to not subsize technologies that create these problems.

Tell Congress: Don't create new greenhouse gas pollution from plastic A new bill just introduced in Congress would subsidize creating new greenhouse gas pollution from plastic waste to the tune of $500 million.

People just want to be able to fix their stuff. That's why the first time a broad right to repair came up for a vote in a state senate, it passed — despite powerful industry opposition. Read more: https://uspirg.org/news/usp/statement-right-repair-passes-new-york-senate-51-12-vote