Lakshmi worked on NRDC’s Move America Beyond Oil campaign, representing NRDC at various coalition and Capitol Hill events She wrote a report on U.S. state oil intensities as a measure of economic vulnerability. This report serves as the foundation for a more focused study into the oil intensities of different states’ transportation sectors.

She also organized NRDC’s first “Drive Beyond Oil” roadtrip. The trip was designed to educate communities in the Midwest of solutions that exist to reduce America’s dependence on oil. It showcased advanced auto technologies via a 2400-mile trek through eight states, reaching about one million people through the newspaper, radio and television coverage it generated. NRDC will be having a series of “Drive Beyond Oil” roadtrips throughout the US and Lakshmi’s work on the first trip will serve as a template for future trips. Her work at NRDC was important to furthering their oil savings campaign. For more information on the road trip, visit NRDC’s  blog: http://drivebeyondoil.typepad.com

Finally, Lakshmi represented NRDC at congressional hearings and visited a number of Congressional offices to advocate for legislation for oil savings.

I’ve learned so much about legislative strategizing, the influence of NGOs in politics, how public advocacy is conducted by NGOs, how to conduct research and analysis with government data, upcoming energy technologies, and most of all – how great it is to work for NRDC.

- Lakshmi Alagappan   

MAP casts a net that yields a talented group every year; I have yet to be disappointed.

-Deron Lovaas, Vehicles Campaign Director