Our Mission

Together we can make change happen.

It's a good thing, too. Our generation has some big challenges to tackle - from global warming to the rising cost of college, from homelessness to our collapsing health care system. It won't be easy, but by acting together we can find solutions.

That's where we come in. Here at WashPIRG students, we organize college students to solve some of the world's most pressing public interest problems.

WashPIRG students is an independent statewide student organization that works on issues like environmental protection, consumer protection, and hunger and homelessness. For nearly 35 years students with their campus PIRG chapters have been making a real difference in people's lives and winning concrete changes to build a better world.

We give students the skills and opportunity to practice effective citizenship. Both here on campus and out in the world, we mobilize students to investigate big social problems, come up with practical solutions, convince the media and public to pay attention, and get decision-makers to act.

Our Funding

The WashPIRG Student Chapters are funded by students at the University of Washington and The Evergreen State College. This funding allows us to hire experts and organizers to work with students to fight global warming, cleanup our water ways, make college affordable, and other issues we decide to work on.

On all of these issues and more, narrow powerful interests spend enormous resources to influence public decisions. WashPIRG was established by students to stand up to these powerful interest on behalf of the public. We do this by researching problems, educating the public and advocating for solutions. We are effective because we combine the energy of students with the expertise and continuity of a professional staff of advocates and organizers who work both on and off campus to advocate for the public.

Over the last thirty-five years, WashPIRG has helped students become an important and credible voice to Washington’s opinion-leaders and decision-makers. Learn more about our accomplishments here.