As the Senate prepares to consider the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), which would establish a framework for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, Student Public Interest Research Group (Student PIRGs) chapters around the country yesterday teamed up with Campus Progress, the Energy Action Coalition, and Clean Energy Works to organize students to call their Senators in support of reform. The groups generated more than 1800 calls asking Congress to pass strong clean energy legislation.

In New Jersey, NJPIRG student volunteers and interns dressed up as Santa Claus and got more than 220 students to call N.J. Senator Frank Lautenberg, who supports energy reform.

Justin Hunkele, a NJPIRG volunteer and junior at Rutgers, was one of the Santas. “Environmental legislation is hard to get through because senators sacrifice their ability to get re-elected since the legislation takes a lot of commitment and money, so it’s easier to just pass short term legislation,” said Hunkele.

Indiana PIRG and the California PIRG chapter at the University of Southern California also had big call-in days.

"Literally thousands of lobbyists from the oil and coal industries are talking to [Congress] every day, urging them not to act," reads the Student PIRGs website. "Your calls can help show them that the public wants them to stop global warming and repower our economy with clean energy."

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