How Trader Joe’s remains a beloved brand despite record product recalls, safety violations, worker misconduct complaints, and an environmental record that belies its reputation.
After months of fruitless negotiations, workers at a Salvadoran garment factory that closed without paying them thought they'd finally secured a win, but can't find any record of the bike brand's claimed contribution.
We spoke with Cathy Cowan Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director of Green America, on its mission to harnesses economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
Your bank is more than a place to put your money. Banks can use the funds you deposit to create loans or make investments. And in some cases, that may mean using your money to invest in fossil fuels that can harm the environment. Sustainable banks are working to change this model, giving consumers the ability to deposit their money with a company…
Instead of passing the buck on to the rest of us and our most vulnerable citizens, big insurance companies must use their leverage and clout to push the energy transition to a more sustainable future. Column by Responsible Finance Campaign Director Cathy Cowan Becker
Pro bike racing is no stranger to protests. Activists for causes of all stripes routinely use the platform the sport provides to spread messages about climate change, political causes, and a variety of issues. But a protest that happened recently in Belgium at the Tour of Flanders was unusual for two reasons.
If you’re discarding a large number of items or parting with bulky furniture, you may consider hiring a junk removal service. However, ensure the company employs sustainable practices. “When researching junk removal companies, ask about what they do with everything,” says Eleanor Greene, editor-in-chief of Green American. Some companies…
Cathy Cowan Becker, a co-founder of the environmental group Save Ohio Parks, said the Facebook ads were “misleading” and may have tricked people into submitting a pro-fracking comment to state regulators.
Cathy Cowan Becker, a co-founder of the environmental group Save Ohio Parks, said the Facebook ads were “misleading” and may have tricked people into submitting a pro-fracking comment to state regulators.
In a signed letter to Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, 22 groups including Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, Fight for the Future, Green America, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Friends of the Earth, and Accountable Tech ask the Senate to find ways to ensure that AI’s carbon impact doesn’t undermine the fight against climate change.
San Francisco assemblyman Phil Ting is leading this charge, using statistics from Green America to say at a press conference in May that receipts come at the expense of “3 million trees, 10 billion gallons of water, 302 million pounds of waste on the backside.”
“We wouldn't have things like the Willow Project or Line Three” — an oil drilling project in Alaska and a pipeline from Canada to Wisconsin, respectively — “if we didn't have these big banks underwriting them by lending them all this money,” said Cathy Becker, responsible finance campaign director for Green America, a nonprofit.
There are relatively simple ways you can move your finances away from fossil fuels. Nexus Media News spoke with several advocates and financial experts about how to decarbonize your money.
A survey from Green America found that 89% of US consumers want retailers to offer both print receipts and digital receipts sent via email. With that in mind, you might want to purchase a receipt printer and printing paper. This way, you can give shoppers the proof of purchase they prefer.
Creating receipts also generates more than 4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide pollution, which greatly contributes to the overheating of our planet, reported the L.A. Times, citing a study by advocacy group Green America.
An HEV is an excellent avenue to better fuel economy if you want to keep things simple and less expensive at the point of purchase. Green America says the improvement over an ICE alone, on average, is somewhere between 20% and 35%. On the other hand, if you are willing to spend more for the purchase and deal with plug-in recharging to obtain up…
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee held a hearing this month on environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices as the result of a letter sent from 21 state attorneys general to top asset managers that warned them against using ESG considerations in their investment decisions. It’s the latest GOP attack on responsible investing and…
That was seriously weird.
JEVA LANGE•MAY 10, 2023
Of all the nonsense spouted during the House Oversight Committee’s “ Examination of Environmental, Social, and Governance Practices with Attorneys General: Part One” on Wednesday, perhaps the most patently false comment came from Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs. “Always interesting…
These days it seems like every brand is making bold claims about using eco-friendly materials and sustainable practices. A quick shopping trip can quickly turn perplexing—which of the assertions are the real deal? We spoke with experts, including an environmental scientist and an environmental lawyer and policy expert, to help if you’re selecting…
The world is in the midst of a climate crisis. That’s why nonprofit Green America says you should grow a 'Climate Victory Garden'. For more information on Climate Victory Gardens, visit greenamerica.org
Global demand for chocolate, not least during the holiday season, has devoured tropical forests where cocoa trees grow.
Now, lawmakers in the European Union, the world’s largest cocoa buyer, have vowed to import only what doesn’t destroy or degrade forests. It’s part of a landmark legislative package to address deforestation risks in the…
Higher prices, rather than bigger crops, are crucial to help lift cocoa farmers out of poverty as inflation spirals, according to a report from non-governmental organizations.
Pressure has been mounting to tackle child labor on cocoa farms and ensure growers earn a living income. That’s spurred cocoa companies to launch sustainability programs…
Environmental and social problems in global cocoa supply chains are likely to continue unless companies pay farmers substantially more for their beans, according to a major report on cocoa sustainability published on Wednesday.
The Cocoa Barometer, produced by the VOICE Network group of civil society organisations, found farmers in many cocoa-…
Going green is good for business. Consumers are often willing to pay more for eco-friendly products than other comparable products on the market, according to market research.
But not all environmental claims are created equally. “Greenwashing” is a form of misinformation often used to entice an aspiring green…
When we think about the companies responsible for carbon emissions, we tend to focus on the Chevrons and ExxonMobils of the world. But virtually every company has a carbon footprint. And each can help solve our global problem.
“Small actions on a local level add up,” says Fran Teplitz, executive co-director of business, investing, and…
This week I have bar soaps, shower gels, and body washes facing off in a suds-filled arena to see which will emerge from the fray awash in victory. Also in this issue: Do spare tires expire, and which is better for your oral health, an electric or manual toothbrush?
Spencer Tierney (Mar 4, 2022)
Some banks that uphold social and environmental causes let outside groups evaluate their values to show their commitment.
"A champion for good causes" may be the last way you would characterize a bank, but some fit that profile.
Part of how banks make a profit is by using the money in your checking, savings…
A combination of factors make the U.S. a hotbed for fast fashion consumption above consumers in other wealthy countries. While Americans of all income levels contribute to the fast fashion crisis, Charlotte Tate – the Labor Justice Campaigns director for Green America, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that promotes ethical consumption – points…
WASHINGTON DC - Leading US fashion brands and retailers need to improve their toxic chemical management policies, according to a new report from the Green America initiative.
The 'Toxic Textiles' study provides a company-by-company breakdown of 15 major corporations and shows significant room for improvement on hazardous chemicals use, workplace…
Toxic chemicals continue to plague the apparel industry, yet fewer than a handful of America’s biggest retailers are addressing the issue with robust management policies for their own-brand products, a new report claims. In fact, only Target has emerged as the “clear leader” when it comes to protecting consumers and garment workers from…
ESG investing can be confusing. It helps to have an adviser who is on the same wavelength.
By Cheryl Wi nokur Munk
Sept. 30, 2021 1:00 pm ET
It isn’t easy being an ESG investor these days. Financial products that focus on environmental, social and governance issues have multiplied, leaving many investors confused about which ones best…
By Christopher Marquis
In establishing Beneficial State Bank as a financial institution with social and environmental impact in mind, co-founders Kat Taylor and Tom Steyer saw an opportunity to serve as an example for others in the U.S. financial industry, which handles trillions of dollars in finances daily. The potential for positive…
By Melissa Pandika
Common wisdom says to put your money where your values are. If the wildfires, heat waves, droughts, and floods that have been ravaging much of the world lately have left you with an unshakeable sense of grief, dread, or both, chances are that your values align with ending the climate crisis, which makes such extreme weather…
By Kristen Bahler
By the end of the summer, I’ll go from living the charmed life of a 30-something who has never, not once, changed a diaper, to someone who’s very existence revolves around the activity. And like many soon-to-be moms with a stack of parenting paperbacks and an embarrassingly long baby registry, I’m starting to feel pretty…
By Aimee Picchi
Amazon.com's two-day Prime Day event is June 21-22 this year, with other major retailers like Walmart elbowing in on the action with their own sales. But the summer discounts offered by Amazon and its competitors may not match the kind of door-busting sales that are typically available before the holidays, market…
If you’re currently thinking of buying a commercial landscaping franchise, there’s one thing you have to consider carefully: environmental impact. Not all landscaping practices are sustainable, even if the business as a whole promotes nature.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has some guidelines on “green landscaping.” They’…
Does your favorite chocolate cost the Earth, or is it as sweet on sustainability as it is to your tastebuds?
This week, the Rotten Egg Awards ranked 31 chocolate companies around the world for their performance on sustainability and human rights. And what’s clear from the ranking is that some companies are doing a far better job than others of…
By Kristine Solomon & Lela Nargi
Yes, big changes are needed, but little ones add up. These simple lifestyle choices can reduce your carbon footprint—and make a major impact.
It’s pretty easy being green
Scientists around the world are in almost unanimous agreement that our planet is facing a catastrophic climate crisis. Carbon…
Green America in the News (April 8, 2021) Green America’s Green Business Network “currently certifies businesses across 38 different industry sectors, including apparel, banks and credit unions, cleaning products, housewares, travel, farming, and more. GBN is always looking to fill industry certification gaps and is currently working to create a…
It’s a very good thing that there are so many sustainability labels in the world, although it may feel confusing at first. These certifications are proof positive that lots of people care about how workers are treated and that they want products that are made without hurting animals or the ecosystems we all depend on.
There are many of us…
By David Vetter
Does your favorite chocolate cost the Earth, or is it as sweet on sustainability as it is to your tastebuds?
This week, the Rotten Egg Awards ranked 31 chocolate companies around the world for their performance on sustainability and human rights. And what’s clear from the ranking is that some companies are doing a far better job…
It’s not a debate. If we don’t take drastic action, climate change will have dire consequences for all life on earth.
Environmentalists agree that we need to completely do away with fossil fuels, a primary driver of climate change. But there’s less agreement on what sources of energy should replace them.
Nuclear energy has gained more…
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Green America’s Green Business Network is launching an open comment period to collect informed feedback on a new certification standard for hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) products that are legally compliant. The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GBN_CBDstandard_opencomment. The comment period will…
By DAVID LAZARUS
BUSINESS COLUMNIST
MARCH 2, 2021 5 AM PT
There’s a lot to fret over these days. Whether you’re entitled to a paper receipt when you buy something seems like a decidedly small matter, all things considered.
But it can have potentially large ramifications for consumers in terms of their ability to return products…
Green America reports a surge of interest in people gardening for climate reasons.
If it seems like more people are gardening than ever before, you're not wrong. Green America is a non-profit that promotes the creation of Climate Victory Gardens. It tracks these in an interactive online map that just surpassed an impressive 8,000-garden…
Climbing out of the potential well of starting a company-wide, individualized environmental/human health safety improvement project may seem daunting: doing the research to identify candidate projects, selecting and defining a target project, getting buy-in and support from other internal — and external — organizations, and obtaining funding from…
