Our taxpayer dollars should be used to fight the public health crisis, not to prop up polluters. Call on your U.S. representative to oppose bailing out the plastics industry.
Our taxpayer dollars should be used to fight the public health crisis, not to prop up polluters. Call on your U.S. representative to oppose bailing out the plastics industry.
COVID-19
Tiered reopening plan for California is a step in the right direction
Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced a tiered reopening plan for California, which uses county-by-county data on COVID-19 transmission to determine which areas need tighter restrictions on non-essential activities. CALPIRG supports this plan and is encouraging the governor to continue prioritizing public health and the recommendations of the experts in our state’s COVID-19 response.
Consumer Protection
California Legislature passes key protections against price gouging
The California Legislature has passed a CALPIRG-backed bill which will ensure greater protections for consumers against price gouging during emergencies. Our research partners at U.S. PIRG Education Fund have found that some sellers are still using the COVID-19 pandemic to take advantage of vulnerable consumers by dramatically increasing prices of essential goods.
Consumer Protection
California Legislature passes bill to make cosmetics toxic-free
The California Legislature has passed the CALPIRG-sponsored Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, which would ban 12 highly toxic ingredients — including mercury and formaldehyde — in beauty and personal care products statewide. The bill passed by a 59-0 vote and aims to address gaps in increasingly outdated laws regulating toxics in cosmetics.
Solid Waste
CALPIRG Students secure UC commitment to move beyond plastic
CALPIRG Students (pictured here at a campaign event in 2019) and the University of California (UC) Office of the President jointly announced that UC campuses will start phasing out harmful and unnecessary single-use plastics — paving the way for campuses to be free of non-essential plastics by 2030.
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CALPIRG is your advocate for the public interest, speaking out for healthier, safer, more secure lives for all of us.
News & Research
News Release | CALPIRG
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday creating a new consumer protection watchdog in California, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). The new agency will have expanded oversight of companies, including debt collectors and credit reporting agencies.
News Release | U.S.PIRG
We've joined the National Consumer Law Center in a news release describing a letter from 21 consumer and faith groups urging her to revoke permission to the credit reporting industry to violate consumer protections.
Blog Post
Fragrances in personal care products can harm consumer health by masking the presence of toxic ingredients. More than 3,000 ingredients hide behind the term fragrance, so when looking at an ingredient list, you can't be sure what's in your product.
News Release | CALPIRG, Environment California
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday morning an executive order requiring all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. With this executive order, California becomes the first state in the country to set a sales ban on gas-powered cars.
Blog Post
Here’s a guide to your rights depending on how you pay
RESOURCE
Coronavirus update
In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve taken steps for all of our staff to work remotely for safety reasons. But rest assured, we’ll keep advocating for you as we work for a healthier, safer world.
Learn more about how we can work together to address the COVID-19 pandemic.