Illinois Public Interest Research Group Explained

Illinois Public Interest Research Group (Illinois PIRG) is a non-profit organization that is part of the state PIRG organizations. It works on a variety of political activities, including childhood obesity, reducing the interest on student loans, and closing tax loopholes.^{[1] [2]}

In the United States, Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) are non-profit organizations that employ grassroots organizing, direct advocacy, investigative journalism, and litigation to affect public policy.^[3]

History

Illinois PIRG was founded in 1987, and has offices in Chicago, Springfield, IL, and a national lobbying office in Washington, D.C. called US PIRG.^[4]

The PIRGs emerged in the early 1970s on U.S. college campuses. The PIRG model was proposed in the book Action for a Change by Ralph Nader and Donald Ross.^[5] Among other early accomplishments, the PIRGs were responsible for much of the Container Container Deposit Legislation in the United States, also known as "bottle bills."^{[6] [7]}

Notable members and alumni

• Phil Radford^[8]

Affiliate organizations

• The Fund for Public Interest Research
• Environment Illinois

External links

• U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG)
• The Student PIRGs
• The Public Interest Network

Notes and References

1. Web site: Illinois Public Interest Research Group . August 25, 2013.
2. Web site: House Approves Lower Rate on Student Loans . August 25, 2013.
3. Web site: U.S. PIRG: About Us . October 8, 2012 . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006130644/http://www.uspirg.org/page/usp/about-us . dead .
4. Web site: In the Matter of Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting the Conversion To Digital Television, Comments of Illinois PIRG . . 2013-08-23 .
5. Book: Nader, Ralph . Action for a Change: A Student's Manual for Public Interest Organizing . Donald Ross . Grossman Publishers . 1972 . New York.
6. Web site: PIRG Backs "Bottle Bill" . . 2013-08-23.
7. Web site: Bottle Bill Beverage Containers Recycling Program . . 2013-08-23.
8. Web site: Phillip D. Radford, Greenpeace, Executive Director . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130601223141/http://fundforthepublicinterest.org/jobs/alumni/profiles/phillip-d.-radford . 2013-06-01 . 2013-07-19.