Why 100% Renewable Energy?
We all know that burning oil, gas, and coal has polluted our air, water, and land for decades - and now
it's changing the climate even faster than scientist feared it would.
We know we can have healthier communities right now and a livable future for ourselves and
generations to come. But to get there, we must transform the way we produce and consume energy.
That's got to start with a commitment to 100% clean, renewable energy.
Standing in the way of this progress, of course, are the fossil fuel companies. Time and time again they
have demonstrated their ability and willingness obfuscate, outright lie, and lobby like hell to block the
shift to clean energy wanted by most Americans. Despite all of their hard work, we’re making progress.
We will keep working with you and our many allies to achieve the 100% clean, renewable energy future
that the climate crisis demands and our health, our well-being, and our children deserve!
A 100 percent clean energy future means shifting from dirty energy to completely clean energy sources
wherever and however we can. 2015, more than ever before, demonstrated that 100% clean, renewable
energy is completely possible. Clean energy had many important victories (which will be discussed in
future posts) in the past year including being a major focus of the Paris Climate Conference as well as
Congress opening the door to more renewable energy growth than ever before! During the Paris
Climate Conference 1,000 mayors came together to sign the Paris City Hall Declaration, which pledges
support of long-term climate goals such as 100% clean energy.
In the U.S., renewable energy is on the move. 61% of the new electric generation added in 2015 was
wind and solar. 2015 saw record progress with a solar installation happening every 2 minutes, more
solar was installed this year than all solar installed prior to 2012. Wind energy grew by over 3,600 MW in
2015, now providing enough energy to power 19 million American homes. Most importantly, Congress
paved the way for even more advances in clean, renewable energy when they extended critical
renewable energy tax incentives for wind and solar for the next 4 to 6 years.
Why Organize on 100%?
Organizing around 100% renewable energy allows us to frame the debate nationally about an efficient,
clean energy future while building and demonstrating power in key congressional districts and states
around the country.
100% Renewable Energy Campuses
In order to move America towards a 100% clean energy future, we need to continue to move 100%
renewable energy into the mainstream. A key part of that effort will be working on college and
university campuses. College and university campuses are home to important thought leaders,
researchers, and most importantly, to students. College and university campuses have a long history of
leading the charge on some of America's most important social movements.
This fall, Environment America, Student PIRGs, and The Climate Reality Project are working together on
a coordinated effort to raise the visibility of 100% renewable energy and jumpstart a national
conversation by holding a series of events while gearing up to launch 100% renewable energy campaigns
on more than a dozen campuses in January 2017. Environment America, Student PIRGs, and The Climate
Reality Project will be co-organizing The Week of Action for Renewable Energy with more than 50 events
happening on college and university campuses across the country on November 17th.
Fall Strategy
Currently, Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ) has offered a resolution in the House of Representatives and
Senator Markey (D-MA) and Senator Merkley (D-OR) have offered a resolution in the Senate in support
of 100% renewable energy. We will be urging members of Congress to champion clean energy and act
on global warming, and seize the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the 100% renewable
energy movement that we are building across the country by signing on to co-sponsor these resolutions.
To urge members of Congress to co-sponsor the resolutions or to thank them for being a clean energy
champion by already having co-sponsored the resolutions we will be organizing key constituencies such
as local leaders, academics, and students. We will demonstrate broad support from these constituencies
through a letter supporting 100% renewable energy, photo and paper petitions, and a grassroots day of
action on college campuses across the country.
Tactics
Grasstops Organizing: Students can work to engage and mobilize key constituencies on campus to urge
national leaders to support 100% renewable energy resolutions in the House and Senate.
Engage and mobilize sustainability directors, faculty, and student organizations working on

campus sustainability to sign on to a statement urging congressional members to co-sponsor 100%
renewable energy resolutions in both the House and Senate. Goal: 20 sign-ons per campus
Grassroots Organizing: Students can engage the campus community to demonstrate strong support for
100% clean, renewable energy. Students, faculty, and staff can call on their representatives to champion
100% renewable energy by seizing the opportunity to co-sponsor 100% renewable energy resolutions in
both the House and Senate.
Hold a photo petition event on campus to show members of Congress that the campus

community supports 100% renewable energy. Goal: 50 photos per campus.
Gather petition signatures to urge members of Congress to support 100% renewable energy

resolutions. Goal: 100 petition signatures per campus.
Hold a phone in day to Representatives and Senators to demonstrate support for clean,
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renewable energy. Goal: 30 calls per campus.
Get students, faculty, and staff to sign up for the Thunderclap in support of 100% renewable

energy. Goal: 50 sign-ups per campus.
Day of Action: November 17th, National Day of Action, co-sponsored by Environment America, Student
PIRGs, and The Climate Reality Project to show the broad base of support nationally for clean,
renewable energy.
Hold a photo petition on campus and post photos to raise visibility of national day of action

Organize students to participate in a rally on campus while calling on national leaders to support
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100% renewable energy resolutions in the House and Senate.
Organize students to spell out 100% renewable on the campus quad like at the 2016 Paris
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Climate Conference
Organize a panel of experts such as academics, local officials, or health professionals to discuss

100% renewable energy in a question and answer forum (students should only commit to
organizing a panel if a coordinator can dedicate time to the event before the November election).
Goal: 3 panel speakers, 30 attendees per campus.
Hold a press conference on campus to call on Congressman and Senators to co-sponsor the

100% renewable energy resolutions in the House and Senate.
Day of Action Description
On Thursday, September 17th, campuses across the country will be participating in the 100% Renewable
Energy Day of Action, cosponsored by Environment America, the Student PIRGs, and The Climate Reality
Project. Student PIRG chapters will join the day of action by committing to one of the three tactic tiers.
Events will be held on campus and students will be showing support for 100% renewable energy while
calling on Congressman and Senators to support resolutions calling for 100% renewable energy.
Appendix
A.
November 17th, Panel Discussion
Goals: The goal of the panel is to raise the visibility of 100% renewable energy and all of the progress
that has been made to date towards a clean energy future. Across the country there will be
approximately 50 events occurring on campus which will elevate the promise and possibility of 100%
renewable energy. In order to have a successful day of action you should:
Recruit 3 speakers representing key constituencies including academics, student leaders, local

business owners, local elected officials, health professionals, etc.
Recruit students, Environment America members and the general public to attend - goal of 30

attendees
Invite the media to attend and earn 4 press hits
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How to:


Nail down your speakers and location at least 4 weeks in advance so you can promote the event.
GREAT speakers will make the event and drive turnout, so aim high!
Work with your on campus contacts, the university, coalition partners, and social media to
promote the event.


Get at least 60 RSVPs to attend - via on campus recruitment, Facebook event, working with all of
the above groups, and by phone and email.
You'll need at least 60 yeses to attend and you'll need to confirm 45 of those 60 in order to hit
the goal of 30 attendees.
Timeline:
4 weeks out
Confirm location

Set up Facebook event (information can be added to event as speakers are confirmed)

Recruit and confirm 1-3 speakers
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3 weeks out
Recruit and confirm 2nd speaker (if needed)

Work with your school to start promoting the event

Work with student groups and coalition partners to promote the event

Confirm a student group to help table/petition on the day of the summit

Promote on email, social media

Goal: 20 total RSVPs

2 weeks out
Confirm 3rd speaker (if needed)

Start prepping your presentation

Nail down plan for table/petitioning

Continue to promote the event through the school, student groups, coalition partners

Goal: 45 total RSVPs

1 week out
Finalize and practice your presentation

Confirm and prep with all speakers

Prep media materials – advisory, news release

Continue to promote the event through the school, student groups, coalition partners

Start to confirm attendees

Goal: 60 total RSVPs

Week of the event
Confirm and prep your speakers

Advisory and pitches to the media

Confirm RSVPs via phone – 45 confirms

Table and petition on campus for day of action and to recruit for the panel event

Prep materials: info on the campaign; petition on the 100% campaign

The event
confirm media

Have attendees sign in and get names, phone and email

Have materials to hand out on the campaign

Present on EA, the campaign
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Introduce each speaker/Allow time for questions

Follow up
Send out news release and call reporters

Send a thank you note to all attendees; include links to info on the campaign

Call and thank all speakers; ask them to get more involved in the campaign by taking another

action
Grasstops organizing materials:
Sample email to send:
Dear XXX,
We’re writing to seek your support for shifting America from dirty to clean renewable energy by
signing onto a letter to members of Congress asking them to cosponsor resolutions calling for a
national goal of 100% renewable energy. Congressman Grijalva & 45 other members of
Congress have cosponsored H Res 540 calling for 100% renewable energy. Senators Markey
and Merkley along with several others are seeking support for a similar resolution in the Senate.
We’re working to bolster their efforts to get additional co-sponsors with a strong show of support
from local and state officials, organizations representing a broad array of constituencies, and
businesses from across the country.
We all know that fossil fuels have polluted our air, water and land, harming our health and our
quality of life. That pollution is also changing our climate faster than scientists feared it would.
The impacts are disproportionately borne by disadvantaged neighborhoods, communities of color
and low-income people.
A shift to 100% clean, renewable energy will improve our environment, and our quality of life. If
done right, it can also help revitalize disadvantaged communities and lift up low-income people
and communities of color that have suffered the worst effects of our current energy systems. It’s
a big, bold goal, one that would make America a world leader in the race toward a cleaner,
healthier future — and it’s a goal that’s 100% possible.
In order to stop big energy interests from holding back our progress, we must demand that our
national leaders to push past opposition and lead our country to 100% renewable energy. Please
join us in showing Congress that you support a brighter future with 100% renewable energy by
signing onto this letter by November 4th.
If you have questions you can contact Anna Hofmann at [email protected]
or Phone number.
Thanks!!
Here’s a link to the letter and the form that folks can fill out. Please Sign the Letter to
Congress Urging Them to Support 100% Renewable Energy
Organizations that have signed onto the letter so far.
350.org
Amazon Watch
Association for the Tree of Life
Association for the Tree of Life
Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Inc.
Azul
California Environmental Justice Alliance
Catholic Network - US
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Popular Democracy
Clean Water Action
Climate Action Now
Climate Law & Policy Project
ClimateTruth.org
Conscious Elders Network
Cooperative Energy Futures
Earth Day Network
Earthjustice
Earthworks
Elders Climate Action
Elders Climate Action
Emerald Cities Collaborative
Environment America
Food and Water Watch
Friends of the Earth
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Interfaith Power & Light
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
Iowa Interfaith Power & Light
KyotoUSA
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light
Oregon Environmental Council
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
People's Action
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Physicians for Social Responsibility Maine Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility New Mexico
Physicians for Social Responsibility-Wisconsin/WI Environmental Health Network
Physicians for Social Responsibility, Arizona Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility/New York
Polar Bears International
Public Citizen
Renewable Energy Long Island
Safe Climate Campaign
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Sierra Club
Sol-Reliant
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
Sustainable Energy and Economy Network
Texas Drought Project
The Solutions Project
Toxics Action Center
Transition Howard County
U.S. Climate Plan
Voices for Progress
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility
Working Families Organization
Academics and Individuals
Professor Albert R George, Director of Graduate Studies in Systems, Cornell University
Robert Perkowitz, President, ecoAmerica
Jerome A. Paulson, MD, FAAP, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and of Environmental &
Occupational Health , George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
and George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
Katherine Eddins, Executive Director, Georgia-Alabama Land Trust
Roger Moore American Society of Landscape Architecture
Marie Venner Chair National Academies Transportation Research Board, Climate Change,
Energy and Sustainability Subcommittee (AF0003)
Brian F. Keane President, SmartPower
Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Pastor, St. Matthew's United Methodist Church
John Insalaco Mayor Town of Apache Junction, Arizona
Doug Von Gausig, Mayor, Clarkdale, Arizona
Joe Ramirez, Vice Mayor, El Mirage, Arizona
Terry Pawlowski, Chair, Tucson Climate Action Network