Our Campaigns
WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT DO WE MAKE?
We run smart, strategic campaigns—campaigns with concrete goals, detailed plans, rigorous training, and above all, a laser-like focus on results. Here are just some of the ways we’re making an impact.
WE’RE STOPPING THE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS ON FACTORY FARMS
We rely on antibiotics to save lives, but overuse of these lifesaving medicines is breeding “superbugs” that threaten our health. Yet, factory farms keep using antibiotics to fatten up chickens, pigs and cows, and the government is reluctant to take action to stop them. So how do we get factory farms to stop misusing and overusing antibiotics? By convincing the restaurants that buy from them to take action. Impact organizers helped mobilize thousands of doctors, nurses and consumers to call on big restaurant chains to stop serving meat raised on antibiotics. And both McDonald’s and Subway have already agreed. Now we’re building on that momentum to get more restaurants to take action.
WE’RE SWITCHING AMERICA TO 100 PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY
If we’re serious about climate change, we need to commit now to 100 percent renewable energy. It’s a bold goal, and we know it won’t be easy—especially with big energy interests standing in our way. To mobilize influential “early adopters” to stand publicly for 100 percent renewable energy and build the momentum for change, Impact brought together XX academics, XX business leaders and XX elected officials to join our call to action.
WE’VE DEFENDED OUR WATERWAYS
With Environment America, our campaign organizers helped win the biggest step for clean water in more than a decade, closing loopholes in the Clean Water Act. Environment America Research & Policy Center found polluters had dumped 206 million pounds of toxic chemicals into our water, fouling our rivers, lakes and streams. Armed with these facts, our campaign organizers and allies helped mobilize more than 800,000 Americans, including 450 farmers, 600 local elected officials, 500 health professionals and 300 small businesses to show the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enough public support that they finalized a rule to restore protections to 2 million miles of streams in the U.S. under the Clean Water Act.
WE’VE FOUGHT TO RECLAIM OUR DEMOCRACY FOR THE PEOPLE
The Citizens United decision changed the landscape of our elections, allowing Super PACs and mega-donors to drown out the voices of ordinary voters. That’s why we’re working to empower regular Americans through a system that matches small contributions to candidates who don’t take large or corporate contributions, a system that’s already working in places like New York City. We helped win similar legislation in Maryland, Maine and Seattle, and built support for an amendment to overturn Citizens United in cities and states across the country.
WE PROTECTED CRUCIAL HUNGER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
One in five children is at risk of going hungry every day. They depend on food programs like SNAP and school lunch. Congress recently tried to cut programs like these that keep millions of children from going hungry. Impact gathered more than 500 photo petitions to show our decision-makers the public support for these programs, so that they can continue to help kids thrive.
WE’RE KNOCKING DOWN BARRIERS TO VOTING
We should be knocking down barriers that stop people from voting, not building new ones. To engage more voters in our elections, Impact recruited student leaders and state lawmakers to win commonsense reforms like “automatic voter registration” laws in [California] and [Illinois].