CALPIRG at UC Berkeley

We are UC Berkeley students' public interest group, and have been since 1976. Because 10% of the student body supports our work, we get real results. For example, we recently convinced the Berkeley City Council to get 50% of its energy from solar power by 2030. Other victories include registering 8,000 Golden Bears to vote, passing a bill to make textbooks more affordable, and getting $36 billion in financial aid directly to students (through Pell grants). We offer opportunities for you to become an intern or volunteer, where you can learn a variety of skills while really making a difference. By joining CALPIRG, you can see how easy it is to get involved in a large movement for social change.

Right now we're working on campaigns to...

• Get to 100% renewable energy
• Save the bees from toxic pesticides
• Make textbooks afforable
• Save federal student aid programs

Students' support can go a long way

The thing that makes us so effective is that 10% of our students pledge to pay $10 on their bill every semester to fund CALPIRG. When we share our resources, we can stand up to powerful opposition that generate enough profit to influence lawmakers in their favor with ease. Students' contributions help us make students’ voices just as influential, allowing us to hire our own professional staff to train students to run effective campaigns as well as advocate in Sacramento and Washington DC full time on our behalf. 

Pledging CALPIRG

If you have questions about our CALPIRG pledge system, visit our Frequently Asked Questions Page or email info@calpirgstudents.org.