NYPIRG was with Beyond Plastics and many other advocates who want to put people and planet over plastic in New York State. We rallied in support of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act and the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, which we need passed this legislative session in order to address New York's solid waste crisis!

NYPIRG rallied with Council Members Carmen De La Rosa and Lincoln Restler in support of a bill to close a dangerous landlord loophole in Local Law 97, New York City's nation-leading local jobs and climate law!

In February, De La Rosa and Restler introduced Intro 1180, legislation to close a loophole created by Mayor Eric Adams at the behest of the real estate lobby.

This loophole allows building owners to buy their way out of reducing their pollution by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits in place of cutting about 50% of the greenhouse gases that they produce. This defeats the purpose of Local Law 97, which is already setting an example for the nation for how to lower energy bills, create good jobs, and reduce air pollution while helping meet our urgent climate goals.

At the event, we showcased two buildings near each other in Lower Manhattan: One is well on its way to becoming energy efficient, while the other is in danger of continuing to waste energy, endangering our health and environment.

Thanks to all who joined us to call for clean air and lower bills for all New Yorkers!

On Monday, May 5, NYPIRG Staff Attorney Kyle Giller testified at the New York City Banking Commission hearing about the need to divest our tax dollars from Wall Street and establish a public bank that could reinvest our tax dollars into local community needs.

On Tuesday, May 6th, NYPIRG and our allies went to Albany to meet with state legislators and rally in support of the New York State Public Banking Act and the Bank of Rochester Act, which will provide a path for public investment into climate infrastructure, fair financial services, and affordable housing.

NYPIRG and our coalition partners turned out in full force to advocate for the Fair Pricing Act because we know that it is past time to lower hospital prices in New York. Affordable healthcare is a fundamental right for every New Yorker!

Reconnecting Queens: Students Lead the Charge for Subway Expansion at NYPIRG's QueensLink Town Hall

More than 100 students, faculty, and community members gathered at Queens College for a town hall spotlighting the QueensLink proposal — a community-driven plan to transform the defunct Rockaway Beach Branch into a new north-south subway line through Queens. Hosted by NYPIRG, the event featured interactive stations, personal storytelling, and direct engagement with project leaders. With Queens residents facing some of the city's longest and most unreliable commutes, attendees voiced strong support for the plan’s potential to connect transit-starved neighborhoods, slash travel times, and foster sustainable growth. Student organizers emphasized the importance of community voices in shaping transit policy, especially as QueensLink clears key funding hurdles and gains political momentum.

NYPIRG and our coalition partners stood with legislative leaders fighting for all New Yorkers to help offset the slashing of billions of dollars in federal funding to New York by rallying to restore New York’s stock sales tax.

The absurd corporate stock sales tax rebate only benefits speculators and billionaire hedge fund owners. Restoring the sales tax will recoup an estimated $13 to $20 billion annually to finance critical public services in health care and mental health, education from pre-school to supporting CUNY and SUNY, sorely needed infrastructure improvements from mass transit to affordable housing, and addressing environmental concerns, climate change, and local government aid.

NYPIRG and our coalition partners held an Earth Day rally in support of the NY HEAT Act!

The NY HEAT Act is the top climate priority of New York’s environmental movement, with its promise of lower energy bills while eliminating massive subsidies to the fracked gas industry. As New Yorkers contend with the threats of climate change and rising costs of living, the rally highlighted the need for making energy more affordable while moving off of fossil fuels.

The event featured the NY HEAT Act’s lead sponsors in the New York State Legislature, Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, along with other elected officials.

NYPIRG students and staff joined a news conference for the release of a new report about city bus performance from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. The report contains:

• Novel research about bus speeds, reliability, and on-time performance
• An analysis of the city and Metropolitan Transportation Authority's bus priority initiatives to-date
• Recommendations for creating a high-quality, affordable bus system for New Yorkers

NYPIRG organized a townhall to show support for our nation-leading climate and jobs law, Local Law 97, and to learn about all of its successes, threats, and opportunities!

Now more than ever, New York needs to protect New Yorkers, and that means fighting climate change. The real estate industry and big money do not like it, but we know we cannot wait for climate action to protect our communities. New York City deserves reduced air pollution, more jobs, and lower utility bills!

NYPIRG cosponsored the University Student Senate March in March for more CUNY funding and free student Metrocards! Kick-off for the march was at 11:30 AM at Brooklyn Borough Hall, then we marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to rally at City Hall.

NYPIRG and our coalition partners mobilized to demand that the New York State Legislature passes the NY HEAT Act in the state budget for cleaner heat and lower bills!

NYPIRG and the Campaign for New York Health held a lobby day to fight for universal healthcare!

Passing the New York Health Act is more urgent this year than ever before. Our state lawmakers must act to protect New Yorkers from exploitation by insurance and pharmaceutical corporations for profit, and attacks on our healthcare at the federal level.

We set up teams and met with state legislators to discuss the health issues facing their constituents and to illustrate how the New York Health Act — our state bill to provide comprehensive, universal healthcare to all New Yorkers — will improve our health and financial security. Sharing our personal stories, as patients and care-givers, was a powerful way to show how this transformational policy will impact real people.

NYPIRG, the CUNY Rising Alliance, and other partners hosted a mayoral forum about the future of CUNY! We met New York City mayoral candidates, learned about their plans for uplifting CUNY, and asked them about how they plan to defend CUNY during this uncertain time. Will the next mayor be a CUNY champion or not?

Public higher education must be free and fully funded, and financial aid and student services must be expanded!

With the cost of living increasing so much in recent years, the burden on students has been immense. Years of stagnant state funding and ever-increasing tuition and other costs of attending school have threatened college accessibility for too many students. Campuses are drastically underfunded when it comes to professors, academic advisors, class availability, and mental health counselors, making it all the more difficult for students to thrive. Last year, NYPIRG fought for and won improvements to higher education funding in the state budget. But this year, it is time to get more funding so that our college communities can thrive! 

Along with our student and faculty partners, NYPIRG organized a Higher Education Action Day where we took a day trip to Albany to advocate for:

• A New Deal for CUNY
• Free and fully funded SUNY
• More money for mental health resources, advisors, and smaller class sizes.

We scheduled meetings between students and our elected representatives, who will decide how much funding our colleges receive. Our elected officials need to hear from the students of today as to why the state needs a student-friendly budget! 

We met the candidates running for New York City mayor!

Staff and students from across the city represented NYPIRG at our New York City Mayoral Candidate Forum, where attendees heard from five candidates for mayor (Scott Stringer, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, Zohran Mamdani, and Brad Lander) who all answered questions on climate, jobs, and justice issues, such as reducing pollution, improving mass transit, and working to protect New Yorkers from the worst effects of climate change. With the federal administration in the pocket of the oil and gas companies, it is more important than ever for our top local elected officials to take major action!

200+ advocates from across New York State met to advocate for the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, having meetings with 80+ lawmakers to urge them to support the bills. The day kicked off with a rally on the Million Dollar Staircase, featuring faith leaders who made the case for why urgent action on reducing plastic and packaging pollution is vital for our future.

Also, check out NYPIRG's analysis which shows that modernization of New York's Bottle Deposit Law would generate nearly $100 million more than it does now in the first year of implementation, revenues that can be used to invest in the state’s flagging recycling efforts and to improve its administration.

Now is the time to MAKE POLLUTERS PAY!

NYPIRG and our allies rallied outside of Governor Hochul's New York City office and urged her to sign the Climate Change Superfund Act to protect New York taxpayers by making the world's biggest, richest oil companies pay their fair share for climate-related damages.

We need faster buses on Flatbush Avenue!

NYPIRG's Straphangers Campaign and our partners have been collecting community and business surveys on rider challenges in the Flatbush Avenue corridor, and we released the results at a news conference. In alarming (yet unsurprising) results, the survey found that one in three riders have lost pay, been reprimanded, and/or been fired due to a late bus on Flatbush Avenue.

NYPIRG IS 50 YEARS OLD!

That is an incredible testament to the dedication, hard work, and luck that has allowed us to meet the half-century mark. It is quite a milestone – which we marked with the NYPIRG 50th Anniversary Celebration.

The event was a rousing success, and we all had a wonderful time celebrating NYPIRG’s decades of tireless work for the public interest, reconnecting with friends and colleagues from years past, and honoring our 2023 Changemaker Award recipients – including renowned author and activist Jane Fonda!

We are pleased to share these event photos and this commemorative video that highlights NYPIRG's decades of tireless work for the public interest.

Thank you so much to everyone who was involved – our honorees, current and former students and staff, friends, colleagues, and supporters – for your generous support and steadfast commitment to our crucial mission.

Thanks again, and we look forward to the work ahead!