Fighting for food justice is an ongoing American battle as we take action to end hunger and food insecurity. The Food Research & Action Center reports that 10% of households in the United States experience food insecurity. While it can be difficult to address such a large-scale issue, confronting hunger in your own community can lead to a…
The state of the fashion industry is harrowing, to say the least; can online thrifting help abate this crisis?
The fashion industry is currently responsible for roughly 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions, making it one of the world’s largest air polluters. It is also the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply. It takes…
Bringing an outside caregiver into your home is such a personal decision and can make you feel vulnerable. Whether the person is there to work with your kids, an elder, or a family member with a disability, it can feel awkward to have a stranger there doing the job. Imagine being on the other side—domestic workers are often women, immigrants, non…
As your clothes tumble around in the washing machine, water washes away your shirt’s dirt, smells, and tiny pieces of microplastics. Microplastics, plastics less than 5 millimeters long, can be shed off clothes in the form of microfibers of non-biodegradable material such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, or spandex. When water empties from the…
In 2019, meat alternatives went from a fringe food to a mainstream trend. “Meatless” beef—practically indistinguishable from actual beef—made its way to fast food establishments to appeal to meat-eaters as the climate-friendly burger. But with all these choices, what’s the difference, and are they truly planet-friendly?
We compiled a shortlist of…
Ever since the creation of Bitcoin in 2009, the cryptocurrency market has staked its claim as the 21st century gold rush. Investors have made and lost millions in the digitized crypto trade, and as of 2021, over 100 million people are using cryptocurrencies.
Whether you’re hoping to strike it rich, or you think that crypto investors are…
We all know that supporting small businesses is key to strengthening our communities. According to the Small Business Administration, they create 1.5 million jobs annually and account for 64% of new jobs created in the US. But how can we support green and local businesses without overconsuming? Check out our list of tips for some ideas on how to…
Whether you are gift-shopping for an advanced green-thumb or a hopeless horticulturist, here are some rad(ish) green gardening gifts to jumpstart them into next spring.
{GBN} signifies a Green Business Network member. Green America's directory of certified businesses are small and micro-businesses that have passed rigorous…
Buying household essentials individually can add up fast—in packaging waste and actual dollar cost. Yet according to a study from Portland State University’s Food Leadership Center, shoppers can save an average of 56% by purchasing natural and organic foods in the bulk foods aisle of a grocery store. Bulk buying is exactly what it sounds like—…
The bad news: wasteful and throwaway packaging is bad for human health, human rights, communities, wildlife, and climate and we’re using more and more. The good news: we’ve made big strides in sustainable packaging. It is possible for customers and workers to be healthy and safe without excessive waste and other negative impacts. It’s time to…
Begin your environmental education journey by checking out these green books that have quickly become modern classics.
Women are already bearing the disproportionate brunt of climate change—so it makes sense to listen to the women at the forefront of climate change work, sharing stories and solutions for environmental issues. All We Can Save (…
Ordering a coffee includes confronting a long list of lingo—if you’ve ever stood in front of a Starbucks menu scratching your head, you get it. Among these phrases are “fair trade” and “direct trade” which are terms to describe how a coffee bean is traded, but discerning the difference can be just as confusing as choosing between a café au lait…
When my colleagues and I talk to Green America members, whether they started their green journeys last year or 30 years ago, we see a pattern: times of transition lead to new ways of thinking. And that’s when people often adopt greener ways of living, by taking eco-friendly and socially just actions. When someone discovers a new food sensitivity,…
First time here? Check out the most recent and updated version of this article: Bottled Water VS. Tap.
Water is life. Some of us drink it straight from our faucet without a second thought. Others go to great lengths to buy enough jugs or bottles from the store to always have on hand. Safe water isn’t straightforward— but the best-for-you, best…
The pandemic keeps evolving and “new normal” is an ever-changing concept. What we can look to are the lessons learned from the pandemic to build a better normal, while still remembering and honoring what was lost.
Keeping the momentum going during the post-pandemic years will be crucial to building that better—greener—normal. These four…
Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright serves as the director of environmental justice for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. As a native to New York City, Rogers-Wright grew up seeing the vast discrepancies his community navigated compared to the more affluent communities where his white peers lived. His childhood experiences catapulted Rogers-…
1. If you want to:
Get problematic industries like tobacco, fossil fuels, weapons, and others out of your portfolio
Invest in forward-thinking companies on the cutting edge of green technologies, like renewable energy, water purification, and responsible waste management
Try: Screening
What is it?
Screening is making the…
You know by now that socially responsible investing (SRI) does make a difference in the world, but perhaps you’re wondering what kind of difference it will make in your portfolio. Will you sacrifice financial returns if you align your investments with your values?
The evidence, amassed through hundreds of studies, shows that historically,…
If you ask multiple financial advisors for generalized advice on money matters, they’ll likely tell you that every person’s finances are different and ever-changing based on goals and plans. If they’re advisors who specialize in socially responsible investing (SRI), they’ll also agree that no matter how much money you have, you can use your money…
When Gambian immigrant Mariama Jallow aspired to launch an African hair shop in Maine more than five years ago, she lacked a cosmetology license and other means to start a business in an unfamiliar country. Today, however, thanks to assistance from a community development financial institution (CDFI) called Coastal Enterprises, she runs Mariama’s…
The Black Lives Matter protests after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, inequities exposed by the covid-19 pandemic, and a rising sense of urgency on climate and environmental issues have made people reevaluate their priorities and question the systems they are a part of. One of those systems is the financial system, which attracted…
Breaking up with a megabank is easy. And it can make your life easier, too.
In New Orleans, Louisiana, Michael Butler sold his car to pay his medical bills, and racked up 1,400 miles on his Nikes walking to and from work for nine months. His mother saw an ad for HOPE Credit Union {GBN} and encouraged him to apply for a car loan, even though he…
Since 2018, professionally managed assets in the U.S. using socially responsible investing (SRI) strategies have grown by 42% and now total $17 trillion, according to the United States Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment.
With SRI—which also refers to sustainable, responsible, and impact Investing—on the rise, robo-advisors,…
If money talks, then divestment walks. At least it does in the fossil fuel divestment movement that has prompted large and scalable campaigns against organizations that ally with oil and gas. Since 2012, investment activists and college students have been pressuring universities, religious institutions, and philanthropic foundations to divest from…
Starting a garden can seem like a daunting prospect, but like anything, you start with just one step. We asked Climate Victory Gardeners to share what they wish they knew when they started to inspire your journey—their answers are surprisingly simple.
On Taking Care of Soil:
“It’s all about the soil, not just the soil, but the life in…
For those who have spent the past year staying safe at home, the chance to get outside is more alluring than ever. While we continue to practice covid-19 precautions even as vaccinations roll out, the good news is you can get out and stay safe at the same time. We put together this list of natural sunscreen, bug spray, and hand sanitizer to help…
The increased national attention to racial justice movements following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the summer of 2020 sparked a flurry of pledges from companies promising to do better on racial justice issues. Now, shareholders are increasingly asking for reports on how racism affects company proceedings—and making sure last…
We’re all yearning to get outside. After a year indoors, the sun coming out as hundreds of millions American receive covid-19 vaccines holds promise of reuniting with loved ones and feels unbelievably hopeful. We are getting outside, too.
In the past year, gardening became a national pastime. Green America saw Climate Victory Gardens swell…
In 2018, Dewayne Johnson, a groundskeeper for a school district in the San Francisco Bay Area, filed a lawsuit against Monsanto, claiming that exposure to the common weed killer caused him to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The jury ruled in Johnson’s favor in the first of many trials filed against Monsanto for failing to inform the public of…
Jessika Greendeer says the key to farming is getting along with her coworkers. She’s not talking about people. She means the animals, the living soils, and the plants that coexist on the land she works. As a farmer, she doesn’t see herself as in charge of the land, just as a steward of it. The way she manages her farm—regenerative agriculture—is…
Whether it is a beach, mountain trail, campsite, or local park, being in a green space has the power to nurture human health. Spending at least 120 minutes per week in nature can lower risks for cardiovascular disease, mental distress, and myopia among children according to an article published in the 2019 issue of Nature. Simply, living near…
Eco-friendly lawns are patches of green space that have the potential to promote clean air, carbon sequestration, and serve as pollinator havens, but only when we abstain from unsustainable products and practices. As you nurture your backyard, watch out for these everyday climate culprits.
1. Lawnmowers
Lawnmowers are mini tractors…
The American dream’s stereotype is a house with a white picket fence, with a lush green lawn for playing fetch with the dog and seeing baby’s first steps.
Except today’s American dream is green—and having a large expanse of lawn just isn’t. Across the country, people are realizing that a traditional grass lawn isn’t sustainable. The…
As the last of the snow thaws in western Michigan, cherry trees herald the return of spring with a bold display of pink and white blossoms. Some see this spectacle as a unique photo opportunity, but Gabrielle Cerberville sees a seasonal vegan treat.
Cerberville is a graduate student at Western Michigan University on the weekdays and a…
In the year since the global spread of the novel coronavirus, it seems fair to say every person on Earth has struggled. One in twelve Americans have been diagnosed with the virus since last January and well over 500,000 have died, according to the New York Times COVID-19 tracking project. As of September 2020, 25 percent of US adults say they or…
A year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic put the country in lockdown. Millions of people lost their jobs and small businesses across the nation closed, despite the trillions of dollars disbursed by the federal government. Yet, the biggest companies profited. Across industries, giant companies swallowed the market share previously occupied by independent…
How we spend our money is a way of making our values clear and measurable. When retail corporations use robust revenues to open new store locations, we know those companies want to increase sales. When city councils vote on budgets, residents get to see what programs are being prioritized in their communities. Taking a quick review of our own…
Telling the truth about history, apologizing, and paying long-owed debts are the start of
healing and reparations for Black Americans.
Every year, millions of visitors flock to Asheville, North Carolina, a city in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. Tourists hop on trolleys and snap photos of Gilded era mansions and estates. Others find…
Immigrants and migrant workers are overwhelmingly the people responsible for getting food from fields onto American plates. When they don’t make enough money for their own food, communities create solutions.
Over 2 million farms are scattered across America’s rural lands, providing much of the produce, dairy, and meat products that fill grocery…
When no amount of work is enough to support your family, you live in a system with unjust wages. A livable wage is a theory and, for some, a reality that shows a different way is possible.
For a couple with two kids to earn a living wage while making the minimum wage, they would each have to work 76 hours a week, or two full time jobs each,…
When people of color lack access to financial services, their schools, housing, and businesses are affected. Delegate Jazz Lewis of Maryland details the economic repercussions for constituents like his.
As the global pandemic disproportionately affected communities of color and activists took to the streets following the police killing…
Is this your year to start a garden? Make it a Climate Victory Garden! Get started and see results before you know it.
Imagine it’s an early summer morning and you step outside to look at your garden just as the sun is evaporating the dew off the grass. You see new leaves on your herbs and some baby zucchinis starting to form under huge green…
Small businesses across the US were hit hard by the coronavirus, but Black-owned businesses felt it the most. Black-owned businesses shut down at a rate more than double of white-owned businesses, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The pandemic exposed all sorts of inequities in our society, but the connections…
The pandemic has reshaped many of the ways our society works, from public gatherings to workplace settings. For shareholders, the annual meeting season came at the start of the pandemic, causing last-minute transitions to online formats for public safety—and in this scramble, some companies dodged shareholders by literally muting them. …
The intensity of the 2020 general election exposed the frustration so many Americans feel when our needs go unheard by government and corporations. It also showed the disillusionment we often feel with our political system, as many Americans wondered whether a new presidential administration would truly make a difference when it comes to long-…
Our current agricultural system relies on toxic chemicals and practices that endanger the health of ecosystems, farmers, farmworkers, and our climate. No matter who you are or where you live in the US, this broken system impacts your life, but there’s a better way.
Regenerative agriculture is the answer to the dual crises of a global…
Communities worldwide are facing relentless wildfires, powerful hurricanes, and devastating flooding — the climate crisis is here, and it will worsen unless we act. Fossil fuels combustion is heating global temperatures and energy use causes 73 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting emissions is possible as we urgently transition from…
No matter how much or little money you are able to save, if you use a bank, credit union or 401(k) plan, you can be a socially responsible investor.
There are different names for this approach to saving and investing, such as socially responsible investing (SRI); environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing; impact…
Above: Robin Rue Simmons at a press conference about equity in education in Evanston, Illinois. Photo by Heidi Randhava.
Over the past four years, the Trump administration has unraveled decades of progress in environmental protection: pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, weakening regulations on air pollution, and implementing…
When we envision a fully-fledged climate emergency, scenes of ferocious wildfires, flooded streets, and monstrous weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes commonly come to mind. Writer Mary Annaïse Heglar coined the term “climate vision” to describe this commonly-shared sense of impending doom, and in so many ways, the crises of COVID-19 and…
