You are here

Home >

About

For more than 20 years, Federal Consumer Program Director Ed Mierzwinski has helped us stand up against big banks and credit card companies, and the new Wall Street reform law finally sets rules to protect consumers from risks taken by big banks.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH & EDUCATION

CoPIRG Foundation is an independent, non-partisan group that works for consumers and the public interest. Through research, public education and outreach, we serve as counterweights to the influence of powerful special interests that threaten our health, safety or well-being.

With public debate around important issues often dominated by special interests pursuing their own narrow agendas, CoPIRG Foundation offers an independent voice that works on behalf of the public interest. CoPIRG Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, works to protect consumers and promote good government. We investigate problems, craft solutions, educate the public, and offer Coloradans meaningful opportunities for civic participation.

OUR TOP PRIORITIES

Using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation, CoPIRG Foundation stands up to powerful interests and delivers concrete results. 


 

STANDING UP FOR THE PUBLIC ON HEALTH CARE

As our leaders put the health care reform law into practice, we’re working to promote a more competitive health insurance marketplace that lowers costs for consumers.
 

 

PUTTING PUBLIC HEALTH AHEAD OF BIG AG

One in three school-age kids are overweight, yet our government is wasting $16 billion each year on subsidies for sugar-laden, high-fat foods. CoPIRG Foundation is calling to end to subsidies for junk.
 

 

CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES

Corporate tax dodgers cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. That’s why CoPIRG Foundation is working to close the loopholes that allow ExxonMobil, Bank of America and others to avoid paying their taxes. 
 

HOW TO CONTACT US

For information about a specific report, please contact the author. If you are a foundation interested in supporting CoPIRG Foundation’s work, or if you have general inquiries, please contact us here:

CoPIRG Foundation
1543 Wazee St., Ste. 330
Denver CO 80202
(303) 573-7474

CoPIRG Foundation is an independent, state-based, citizen-funded organization that educates for the public interest and is a member of U.S. PIRG Education Fund, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.

 

Since 1970, state PIRGs have delivered results-oriented citizen activism, stood up to powerful special interests, and used the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing and litigation to win real results on issues that matter.

 

Across the country, state PIRGs employ close to 400 organizers, policy analysts, scientists and attorneys, and are active in 47 states, with a federal office in Washington, D.C. On national issues that impact Coloradans, we also coordinate our efforts, pool resources, and share expertise so that we can have the biggest impact — here in Colorado and for the country at large.

CoPIRG Foundation Staff
CoPIRG Foundation is an independent voice that works on behalf of the public interest. We investigate problems, craft solutions, educate the public, and offer meaningful opportunities for civic participation. CoPIRG Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization working to protect consumers and promote good government. Find out more about our staff

What's New

Blog Post | Public Health

Home remodeling shouldn’t be a deadly project: Toxic paint removers being sold by Lowe’s and other stores | Dev Gowda

No one should lose a loved one to deadly chemicals. But right now you can walk into Lowe’s and other stores and buy paint removers containing highly toxic chemicals.

> Keep Reading
News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Transportation

Rollback of Federal Clean Car Standards Bad for Colorado Wallets, Health

Coloradans have saved $550 million at the pump and avoided putting dangerous smog forming pollutants into our air since the federal government adopted clean car standards in 2012. Despite having huge benefits for Coloradan’s pocketbooks and Colorado’s air, the Trump administration intends to roll back the clean car standards.

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Public Health

Grieving parents & health advocates urge Lowe’s to pull deadly paint strippers from store shelves

U.S. PIRG Education Fund joins Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, and the Natural Resources Defense Council in calling on Lowe’s to stop selling paint strippers made with methylene chloride and the chemical NMP.

> Keep Reading
News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Make VW Pay

Colorado Finalizes Plan for State’s VW Settlement Money

Today, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) publicly released their plan for investing the $68 million that Colorado will receive from Volkswagen’s (VW’s) settlement over their emission-cheating vehicles. CoPIRG Foundation applauds the plan, known as the Beneficiary Mitigation Plan (BMP), for investing the maximum allowed in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and incentivizing transit agencies and school districts to upgrade dirty diesel buses to cleaner, electric-powered buses. 

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Public Health

More Info On Our Testing Methodology for Asbestos in Makeup

Claire’s Stores Inc. incorrectly claims that our testing methods are unsound. Its accusations are misinformed at best, and seem to be designed to distract from the bottom-line: that Claire’s is selling makeup that contains asbestos to preteens.

> Keep Reading

Pages

News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Transportation

Rollback of Federal Clean Car Standards Bad for Colorado Wallets, Health

Coloradans have saved $550 million at the pump and avoided putting dangerous smog forming pollutants into our air since the federal government adopted clean car standards in 2012. Despite having huge benefits for Coloradan’s pocketbooks and Colorado’s air, the Trump administration intends to roll back the clean car standards.

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Public Health

Grieving parents & health advocates urge Lowe’s to pull deadly paint strippers from store shelves

U.S. PIRG Education Fund joins Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, and the Natural Resources Defense Council in calling on Lowe’s to stop selling paint strippers made with methylene chloride and the chemical NMP.

> Keep Reading
News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Make VW Pay

Colorado Finalizes Plan for State’s VW Settlement Money

Today, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) publicly released their plan for investing the $68 million that Colorado will receive from Volkswagen’s (VW’s) settlement over their emission-cheating vehicles. CoPIRG Foundation applauds the plan, known as the Beneficiary Mitigation Plan (BMP), for investing the maximum allowed in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and incentivizing transit agencies and school districts to upgrade dirty diesel buses to cleaner, electric-powered buses. 

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Public Health

More Info On Our Testing Methodology for Asbestos in Makeup

Claire’s Stores Inc. incorrectly claims that our testing methods are unsound. Its accusations are misinformed at best, and seem to be designed to distract from the bottom-line: that Claire’s is selling makeup that contains asbestos to preteens.

> Keep Reading
News Release | CoPIRG Foundation | Public Health

Asbestos Found in Claire’s Kids Makeup

Independent lab results confirm that makeup the CoPIRG Foundation and their national network, U.S. PIRG Education Fund found for sale at Claire’s retail stores across the country is contaminated with asbestos, which causes cancer. Parents and consumers need to know about these asbestos-laden makeup products. We alerted Claire’s to these test results more than a week ago and asked the company to recall these items immediately and to inform customers. Claire’s has responded, stating that it has not found asbestos contamination in its makeup products.

 

> Keep Reading

Pages

Result | Health Care

656 Participate in Forums about CO Health Benefit Exchange

656 Coloradans participated in forums designed to raise the voice of Coloradans around the design and implementation of the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange.

> Keep Reading
Report | CoPIRG Foundation | Public Health

In Your Face

The negative health effects of asbestos are well-known. Most people may associate asbestos contamination with the workplace or decades-old construction material, but alarmingly, recent media reports have found asbestos contamination in kids' makeup from popular stores. PIRG decided to do its own asbestos testing at an accredited laboratory.

> Keep Reading
Report | CoPIRG Foundation | Transportation

Plugging In

The adoption of large numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) offers many benefits for cities, including cleaner air and the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles are far cleaner than gasoline-powered cars, with lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower emissions of the pollutants that contribute to smog and particulate matter.

> Keep Reading
Report | CoPIRG Foundation | Public Health

Kiss Off: A Consumer's Guide To Saying No To Toxic Lip Products

Lip products are used by most Americans every day. In fact, 81 percent of women and 39 percent of men use lipstick or lip balm products. Unfortunately, the ingredients in these products are barely regulated, and many major brands use toxic chemicals in these products. This consumer guide includes some potentially dangerous examples and a few “safer” alternative products that do not contain these toxic ingredients. With so many lip products that contain toxic chemicals, it is hard for the average consumer to know what is safe to use and what is not.

> Keep Reading
Report | CoPIRG | Consumer Protection

Recommendations After Equifax Breach

Equifax, one of the big three credit reporting agencies, announced on September 7th that it had been hacked, potentially compromising the data of 145 million Americans. The types of information taken from the massive credit bureau, particularly Social Security numbers and dates of birth, are the keys to new account identity theft. This is a big deal. To make matters worse, there’s a lot of confusion over what to do now. Here’s our recommendations for what you should do:

> Keep Reading
Report | CoPIRG Foundation | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland 2017

For over 30 years, CoPIRG Foundation has conducted an annual survey of toy safety, which has led to over 150 recalls and other regulatory actions over the years, and has helped educate the public and policymakers on the need for continued action to protect the health and wellbeing of children. Among the toys surveyed this year, we found potential choking hazards, and two products with concentrations of lead exceeding federal standards for children’s products. We also found data-collecting toys that may violate children’s privacy laws.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Blog Post | Public Health

Home remodeling shouldn’t be a deadly project: Toxic paint removers being sold by Lowe’s and other stores | Dev Gowda

No one should lose a loved one to deadly chemicals. But right now you can walk into Lowe’s and other stores and buy paint removers containing highly toxic chemicals.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Consumer Tips and FAQ about the Equifax Breach | Mike Litt

Hackers gained access to the personal data of over 145 million Americans in the Equifax breach. Here are some recommended actions consumers can take to protect themselves and answers to frequently asked questions.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Public Health

During This Intense Hurricane Season: Some Reports and Information On Storms, Chemicals and Public Safety | Kara Cook-Schultz

Hurricane Harvey was a natural disaster, and a devastating one at that. During and after the hurricane, we learned anew that it’s not only the initial storm that threatens life and limb, but also chemical facilities that are hit.  As Irma bears down on Florida, we hope for the best outcome for the people of Florida. We also want the state to prepare for the worst. In that spirit, here are some resources and information on storms, chemicals and public safety.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Public Health, Food

EPA’s Pruitt Met with Dow Prior to Favorable RulingDev GowdaKara Cook-Schultz

On March 31st, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that his agency would deny a petition to ban the dangerous pesticide chlorpyrifos from being sprayed on food. He announced this decision despite EPA scientists’ earlier findings that concluded that chlorpyrifos, which is manufactured by Dow Chemical, can harm brain development of fetuses and infants after ingesting even small amounts. The news that the EPA would continue to allow the spraying of chlorpyrifos alarmed doctors and other public health officials, but what’s even more interesting is that according to several recent Freedom of Information Act requests, Pruitt met with Dow CEO Andrew Liveris at a Houston hotel just twenty days prior to making his controversial decision.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Food

Shrinking the Dead Zone, Reducing Fertilizer Use | Bill Wenzel

Last week, scientists predicted that this year’s hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico will be the 3rd largest since monitoring began 32 years ago. The “dead zone” will cover about 8,185 square miles — an area roughly the size of New Jersey.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Support us

Your tax-deductible donation supports CoPIRG Foundation's work to educate the public on the issues that matter, especially when powerful special interests are blocking progress.

Donate Today

Learn More

You can also support CoPIRG Foundation’s work through bequests, contributions from life insurance or retirement plans, securities contributions and vehicle donations. 

Find out more