Florida PIRG, USF, and 100% Renewable Energy

Florida PIRG, or the Florida Public Interest Research Group, is a student action and training program that is active on more than 100 campuses across the country, aiming to improve quality of life and combat global issues that we face today. We are currently working to tackle climate change, hunger and homelessness, and college affordability at the University of South Florida. In particular, we are working on a 100% Renewable Energy Campaign to shift the energy debate in Florida towards 100% renewable energy and to get a 100% renewable energy commitment from the University of South Florida by the end of 2021.

Here at Florida PIRG, we know, more than any other generation, that we need to transition away from fossil fuels and repower our communities with clean, safe, renewable energy like wind and solar. That’s why we’re calling on our campus to commit to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Florida PIRG Students along with our partners such as Environment Florida and our larger Public Interest Network, have a long history of working on climate change issues and organizing students, communities, and states to implement ambitious goals.

Renewable energy is energy that comes from naturally replenishing sources. They are considered to be cleaner forms of energy that can be used to meet our energy needs. 100% renewable energy means that all of our energy needs would be fulfilled by clean energy sources.

There are many different types of renewable energy sources including: solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass sources. These can be used solely or in combination depending on the given area, to fulfill our power needs through renewable energy.

According to the Sierra Club and the Energy Information Administration (EIA), one of the major reasons that we need renewable energy is that it has the potential to play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions because they do not directly emit greenhouse gases like fossil fuels do, which would help reverse and mitigate the negative environmental impacts of climate change.

Below is a chart from the EIA, outlining the main means of energy consumption by energy source in the United States during 2019. We need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels because they not only have negative environmental impacts such as increased greenhouse gas emissions but they are also limited resources and will run out soon, particularly at the world's rate of energy consumption. We need to increase our reliance on renewable energy sources to mitigate the environmental impacts and fulfill our energy needs!

To put it simply, we need 100% Renewable Energy because Florida is ground zero for all of the worst consequences of climate change. Everything that makes Florida special--from our springs to our beaches to our wild places like the Everglades--will disappear if we do not drastically change the way that we produce and use energy. As a planet and as a country, we need to move away from dirty fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas as quickly as possible and move towards 100% clean, renewable sources like solar and wind energy.

Below is a new feature called Google Earth Timelapse. This compilation of satellite images clearly articulates some of the long-term environmental trends of the impact of humans on the planet from melting glaciers to deforestation and other troubling environmental impacts. Interactive features such as this, further evidence why we need 100% renewable energy as soon as possible to mitigate and prevent humanity's negative environmental impact.

According to Environment America, we can implement renewable energy by promoting ambitious clean energy and energy efficiency goals to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy more feasible. For example, states can implement conservation and energy efficiency measures to keep energy use in check and reduce waste, build additional energy capacity, convert existing technologies and infrastructure to run on renewable energy sources, and increase energy storage capacity.

Additionally, we can assert local pressure through college student and community activism to transition to 100% renewable energy. By working with passionate students, faculty, staff, and alumni at universities as well as community members, we can convince and pressure administrators and public officials to act to commit to 100% renewable energy by demonstrating the depth of support for renewable energy and sustainability.

At universities with existing environmental goals, such as USF, we can also argue that accelerating the transition to 100% renewable energy is the most effective approach to combat and mitigate climate change and its sprawling impacts and demonstrate the leadership of universities in their communities. An important step is starting a conversation! Most recently Florida PIRG started hosting a series called Renewables Roundtable, which includes a discussion between faculty, students, and attendees about how to transition USF to renewable energy, the relation to the larger climate crisis debate, and the potential benefits and impacts of this transition.

College campuses are ideal places to lead the renewable energy transition because they are large energy consumers and have the potential to expand the uses of renewable energy both on and off campus. Additionally, campuses often have physical attributes that make them good locations for hosting clean energy projects, and are leaders of innovation and training.

Additionally, campuses are often community leaders of radical social change through the work of student activism on campuses and in surrounding communities. Through the partnership with Environment America and the Student PIRGs, college students nationwide have been organizing this year, 2021, around 100% Renewable Energy in support of campus and state action to commit to renewable energy. Florida PIRG is working to demonstrate the grassroots support nationwide and statewide for renewable energy by collecting petitions from students and signatures of support from faculty, staff, alumni, and coalition partners.

There are almost a million college students in the state of Florida alone, making college campuses potentially powerful grounds of change that Florida PIRG can organize to make a large impact to change the narrative around renewable energy in the state and embark down the path towards energy efficiency and the transition to renewable energy sources to power campuses.

The University of South Florida, main campus is located in both the city of Tampa jurisdiction and Hillsborough County’s. As a large energy consumer, as well as a source of jobs and economic investment in the city, having the administration of USF not only on board with the city and county commitments but active participants in the transition will help to ensure that 100% Renewable Energy resolutions pass.

Additionally, the University of South Florida is dedicated to sustainability both on campus and around the world. Some of the sustainability initiatives already at USF include: the Student Green Energy Fund, the Clean Energy Research Center, the LEEDs program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), following the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Patel College of Global Sustainability which directs many of the environmental projects on and around campus and offers several concentrations related to sustainability, and the 2010 Climate Action Plan.

The University of South Florida has the capacity to do more to be a climate leader! The university possesses the localized knowledge of its brilliant faculty to advise and spearhead the transition to 100% renewable energy. At Florida PIRG we believe we can utilize this localized knowledge as well as the momentum from grassroot support from students and faculty and student government to convince President Currall to commit USF to 100% renewable energy by 2040.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Florida is the third in the nation for rooftop solar potential, but fourteenth when it comes to solar capacity that has actually been installed. The University of South Florida has already taken the initiative to act to change that reality through sustainability research and the installation of solar panels at both the Tampa and Saint Petersburg campuses, and the LEEDs certification of several buildings, proving that the university has the capacity and support to continue to be an innovative leader in the transition to renewable energy.

Below is a map featuring all of the current environmental and sustainable projects on the University of South Florida Tampa campus that have been funded by the USF Student Green Energy Fund.

Nationwide universities are reducing their energy consumption on campus to streamline the transition to 100% renewable energy by making the transition easier through energy efficiency improvements. According to a report produced by Environment America, nationwide over forty universities fulfill their energy needs from some combination of renewable energy sources.

According to Environment America, other colleges and universities are leading the transition to renewable energy by reducing their energy consumption, implementing greater energy efficiency, generating renewable energy on-campus, purchasing renewable energy from off-campus sources, replacing fossil-fuel ventilation and water systems for electric systems that use renewable energy, running campus vehicles on electricity instead of fossil fuels, and instituting more sustainable practices.

Some of the top universities that produce their own renewable energy on campus includes the University of Missouri and the University of Minnesota, Morris which produces 60% of its energy needs from a combination of two on site commercial-scale wind turbines and solar panels on buildings. Some of the top universities that purchase renewable energy from off-campus include George Washington University and American University who meet 53% of their electricity needs from off-campus solar panels.

Cornell University and Colgate University are two of the top universities known for providing their non-electrical energy needs, including heating and hot water, with renewable energy sources by replacing fossil-fuel powered systems. Other schools such as California State University, San Marcos and the Ringling College of Art and Design, are transitioning away from fossil fuels to operate their campus transportation systems entirely by electricity.

Additionally, The University of California system (UC), along with other schools such as Harvard, have adopted ambitious renewable energy commitments for the future, such as carbon neutrality by 2025, fossil-fuel free by 2050, and greater reliance on renewable energy sources to meet campus energy needs.

These examples demonstrate that energy efficiency and the transition to a greater reliance on renewable energy are possible and that the University of South Florida should follow the examples of these prestigious colleges and remain a leader of innovation by also committing and transitioning to a greater reliance on renewable energy sources to power our campuses.

Not only are other colleges working towards greater energy efficiency, sustainability, and 100% renewable energy, but the University of South Florida has recently made some great strides.

Most recently as part of the Florida PIRG at USF 100% Renewable Energy Campaign, we gathered over 600 student petitions in support of transitioning the University of South Florida to 100% renewable energy and making the campuses more sustainable.

Additionally, Florida PIRG successfully presented and unanimously passed our 100% Renewable Energy Resolution through Student Government and received recognition from various outlets about this accomplishment such as The Oracle. The passage of our resolution demonstrates the wide support from students and student leaders for the transition to 100% renewable energy and the visibility of our accomplishment serves to further bolster our cause by increasing awareness and visibility of the climate crisis and our activism to address it.

Additionally, other schools nationwide and throughout the state of Florida have passed resolutions to commit to 100% renewable energy as part of their 100% Renewable Campaigns with Florida PIRG, such as: the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, the University of West Florida, and Florida State University. These resolutions were introduced and passed through the hard work of Florida PIRG student leaders over the course of a single semester! Imagine what we can do in future semesters!

Not to mention, that we are seeing a ripple effect of climate bills being introduced in legislation. For example, most recently, Representative Eskamani of the 47th Congressional District of Florida, introduced House Bill 97 - State Renewable Energy Goals, which would commit Florida to 100% renewable energy, ban fracking, and create a workforce development board to create clean energy jobs. Though this bill died in subcommittee it was not the first bill of its kind to be introduced and it will not be the last. The fact that this bill was introduced is a great indicator that the energy debate is shifting towards greater energy efficiency, sustainability, and renewable energy, highlighting the centrality of the climate crisis and the significance of movements supporting renewable energy commitments.

Additionally, cities and colleges nationwide such as Atlanta, Tempe, Arizona, Las Cruces, New Mexico, St. Petersburg and Tallahassee, Florida, and Spokane, Washington, have been and will continue to commit to renewable energy and make the transition, thanks to the activism of communities and students. Not to mention, that recently President Biden has presented ambitious environmental goals at the Climate Summit such as reducing America's greenhouse gas emissions by half by the end of the decade. These local, state, and national examples further demonstrate the centrality of the climate crisis and how the conversation is beginning to shift towards more sustainable practices, reducing environmental impacts, greater energy efficiency, and relying more on renewable energy sources.

Florida PIRG is a student run grassroots organization that is currently working on a 100% Renewable Energy Campaign to shift the energy debate in Florida towards 100% renewable energy and to get a 100% renewable energy commitment from the University of South Florida by the end of 2021 because we know, more than any other generation, that we need to transition away from fossil fuels and repower our communities with clean, safe, renewable energy.

We need 100% Renewable Energy because Florida is ground zero for all of the worst consequences of climate change. Everything that makes Florida special will disappear if we do not drastically change the way that we produce and use energy. As a planet and as a country, we need to move away from dirty fossil fuels as quickly as possible and move towards 100% clean, renewable sources.

Renewable energy is energy that comes from naturally replenishing sources and are considered to be cleaner forms of energy that can be used to meet our energy needs. 100% renewable energy means that all of our energy needs would be fulfilled by clean energy sources such as: solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass sources.

We can assert local pressure through college student and community activism to transition to 100% renewable energy. By working with passionate students, faculty, staff, and alumni at universities as well as community members, we can convince and pressure administrators and public officials to act to commit to 100% renewable energy by demonstrating the depth of support for renewable energy and sustainability.

College campuses are ideal places to lead the renewable energy transition because they are large energy consumers and have the potential to expand the uses of renewable energy both on and off campus. Additionally, campuses often have physical attributes that make them good locations for hosting clean energy projects, and are leaders of innovation and training.

The University of South Florida, main campus is located in Tampa and Hillsborough County, and as a large energy consumer, as well as a source of jobs and economic investment in the city, can influence city and county commitments to 100% Renewable Energy resolutions. Additionally, USF has already taken the initiative to be more sustainable through various projects and has the capacity to do more to be a climate leader because of its localized knowledge!

Other colleges and universities are leading the transition to 100% renewable energy by reducing their energy consumption, implementing greater energy efficiency, generating renewable energy on-campus, purchasing renewable energy from off-campus sources, replacing fossil-fuel ventilation and water systems for electric systems that use renewable energy, running campus vehicles on electricity instead of fossil fuels, and instituting more sustainable practices.

Nationwide and throughout the state of Florida colleges have passed resolutions to commit to 100% renewable energy as part of their 100% Renewable Campaigns with Florida PIRG, such as: the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, the University of West Florida, and Florida State University.

Local, state, and national momentum demonstrate the centrality of the climate crisis and how the conversation is beginning to shift towards more sustainable practices, reducing environmental impacts, greater energy efficiency, and relying more on renewable energy sources to fulfill our energy needs.

Join the conversation and be a part of the solution, not the pollution.

If you are a USF student, sign our 100% Renewable Energy petition:  100% Renewable Energy at USF (actionnetwork.org) 

If you are a USF faculty, staff, or alumni, commit to our sign-on:  USF 100% Renewable Energy Sign-On (actionnetwork.org) 

If you are interested in getting involved with Florida PIRG, fill out our interest form:  Florida PIRG Students Interest Form (actionnetwork.org)