At the Green Business Network®, our certified members inspire us every day with their innovation and commitment to sustainability. Running a small business is no easy task, especially when intention requires thoughtful approaches that still ensure success.

We spoke to four of our members about how they reduce plastic waste and tips they have for anyone looking to rethink their relationship to plastic. Here’s what they had to say:

Airnex

Eco kitchen essentials >>> Shop Airnex

How does your business reduce plastic waste?

Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. We design home and kitchen essentials that aim to reduce single-use plastics with plant-based, biodegradable alternatives like bamboo, cornstarch, and wood pulp cellulose.

We’ve also partnered with CleanHub to ensure that for every product sold, we help prevent ocean-bound plastic from entering the environment. Through this collaboration, we’ve supported the collection of over 12,000 lbs of plastic waste.

What’s one piece of advice you have about rethinking plastic use?

Think beyond recycling—refuse and replace. The most powerful shift happens when we stop accepting plastic as the default. Whether it’s a bamboo toothbrush, a refillable cleaning solution, or plastic-free packaging, every small swap chips away at a big problem. Start with one habit, and you’ll see how quickly it adds up.

Supply Bulk Foods

Healthy foods without plastic packaging >>> Shop Supply Bulk Foods

How does your business reduce plastic waste?

Our whole primary mission—our raison d’être—is the reduction of plastics. We run a plastic-free, dry bulk grocery store. We also recycle everything that comes in that is recyclable (plastic bags, markers, batteries, and more).

What’s one piece of advice you have about rethinking plastic use?

Don’t use it! We now know that plastics are leaching chemicals into foods and there are so many alternatives now that mean we don’t have to use plastics. For home/personal items, there are zero waste stores all over the country (most ship) that can provide almost anything you need that doesn’t have plastic associated with it.

Hill+House

Sustainable and reusable essentials >>> Shop Hill+House

How does your business reduce plastic waste?

We use entirely plastic-free and sustainable materials for all our shipments, reducing our environmental impact and providing our customers with a true eco-friendly experience. Our shipping labels are 100% compostable, designed to naturally break down and return to the earth. We also use non-reinforced, kraft paper tape that’s free of plastic fibers.

What’s one piece of advice you have about rethinking plastic use?

Instead of thinking of plastic as something that just “goes away,” recognize that every piece of plastic you use is a permanent part of our environment. Plastic never truly disappears; it just breaks down into [progressively] smaller pieces (see “Microplastics 101” on p. 8).

Rethink the single-use habit. Before you grab a plastic bottle, a plastic bag, or a disposable coffee cup, take a moment to ask yourself, “Do I really need this, or is there a reusable alternative?”

Brush With Bamboo

Plant-based oral care and accessories >>> Brush With Bamboo

How does your business reduce plastic waste?

Our products are certified biobased and home-compostable wherever possible, ensuring they do not contribute to long-term plastic pollution. Every design choice—from sourcing to shipping—is focused on reducing or eliminating plastic at every stage of the product lifecycle.

What’s one piece of advice you have about rethinking plastic use?

View plastic as a last resort, not the default. Before purchasing, ask yourself if there is a natural, reusable, or compostable alternative. Small swaps, like choosing a bamboo toothbrush over a plastic one, add up to significant environmental impact over time. Changing everyday habits, even in seemingly small ways, is the key to reducing dependence on single-use plastics.

Going into the holiday season, taking a zero-waste attitude can go a long way in curbing your waste footprint. And while “zero waste” can mean reusable gifts—such as refillable candles and refillable makeup—it can also mean gifts that are meant to last—like quality, fair trade clothing and artisan, upcycled homewares.

But one of the biggest plastic culprits of the holiday season isn’t even a gift…it’s what the gift comes in.

Don’t Stop at Zero Plastic Gifts

So, you’ve found the perfect gift with no trace of plastic—but what’s a gift without the joy and surprise of opening it? Most wrapping paper, adorned with metallics and glitter, is made of a paper-plastic composite and cannot be recycled. Tissue paper similarly cannot be recycled; some can be composted, but due to its lack of nutritional value, it often winds up in the landfill. Gift bags are slightly better, despite being made up of plastic materials, because they can be reused.

If absolutely no plastic is the goal, here are some plastic-free gift-wrapping options:

A gift bag and present all in one: The handwoven cotton beach tote from Altiplano is a beautiful gift in and of itself, but put a couple extra gifts in it and it can be a gift bag all on its own, too! The small business has many handwoven bags from artisans in Guatemala that can be used for all sorts of gifts and bags—a jewelry holder, a cosmetics bag with some new non-toxic makeup, whatever you can dream of.

Cloth gift bags: Seeds to Sew International offers colorful, reusable gift bags of varying sizes made from upcycled fabric scraps and crafted by artisans in Kenya.

Unique wrapping and accessories: Happily, there are more sustainable options for wrapping paper and accessories than ever before. EcoPartyTime offers a variety of green packaging options, like biodegradable cotton twine, organic woven boxes, or linen drawstring pouches with decorative trims.

Sustainable paper: Whether recycled or made from fibers like hemp, there are all sorts of papers these days that can be used as gift wrap. Plus, you can get creative and draw or write a letter to make it unique and heartfelt.

Decorate boxes: Items like electronics or edible treats often come in well-made, sturdy boxes, so instead of throwing them away, redecorate them with sustainable paper and wrapping accessories to make your own unique gift boxes.

Repurpose glass jars and bottles: Homemade gifts of spice mixes, air fresheners, infused cooking oils, or simple syrups can be packaged in emptied glass jars and decorative bottles. Just give them a thorough clean, pretty them up with some sustainably made accessories like labels and ribbons, and voilà!

All natural resources on planet Earth are in an endless cycle of decomposition and renewal. Water travels from the sea to the sky and returns to the earth as rain. Vegetable scraps in our composts turn into feed for worms and bacteria that transform dirt into usable soil to grow more plants. Even man-made materials are part of a cycle—paper is shredded and turned into pulp to be renewed as recycled paper for printing once more.

When foreign materials are introduced into these cycles, they don’t just disappear, they become part of it. And for “forever chemicals” like PFAS—a group of synthetic, fluorine-based chemicals prized for being waterproof, flame-resistant, and most notably, very long-lasting—their impact can upend ecosystems and the livelihoods of those who depend on them, especially under the current administration’s hostility toward regulations about their use and production.

This is the situation Maine farmers Adam Nordell and Johanna Davis found themselves in a few years ago. In 2014, Nordell and Davis bought land to raise a family and start Songbird Farm, an organic farming operation. They were successful—until soil testing in 2021 determined that their land had high concentrations of PFAS. But as an organic farm, they had not used synthetic fertilizer in their fields.

Instead, the contamination came from biosolids, a byproduct of wastewater facilities used as nutrient-rich fertilizer that had been spread on the land decades before Nordell and Davis purchased it. After the Clean Water Act went into effect in 1972, chemicals and toxins that had previously been allowed to flow freely into Maine’s waterways became processed through sewage plants. And the injection of PFAS into wastewater systems—through domestic washing and using of PFAS and industrial manufacturing waste—meant this centuries-old method of using biosolids as fertilizer became one of many pathways PFAS and other toxins entered the food web.

Up the Food Chain

Initially discovered in 1934, PFAS is now used in everyday products, such as nonstick cookware, aircraft manufacturing, rain jackets, medical devices, automotive parts, cleaning supplies, firefighting foam, and much, much more. But it’s only within the last decade that researchers have discovered that PFAS found in groundwater today likely came from manufacturing PFAS-laden products as far back as the Truman presidency.

So far, researchers have determined that PFAS exposure is connected to increased cancer risks, liver damage, high cholesterol, immune system damage, reproductive harm, and developmental issues in children. Still, companies continue to profit from using PFAS in their products while the chemicals seep further into soil and water—and people like Nordell and Davis bear the consequences.

In 2021, Songbird Farm was one of 60 sites identified by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection as “posing the highest risk to human health” because they’d had biosolids applied to the land. While some Maine farms recovered, Songbird Farm had to shut down. But thanks to a state buyback program enacted by Maine’s legislature, Nordell and Davis sold the land to Maine Farmland Trust in 2023 to make it available for PFAS research while the state geared up to launch a buyback program enacted by Maine’s legislature. (The couple did not return to farming.)

The trust is dedicated to supporting farms and the future of farming through conservation easements, technical assistance, farmland access, and policy advocacy. It was their efforts in coalition with other groups that brought the passing of L.D. 1911 in Maine of April 2022, which banned the land application of PFAS contaminated biosolids. Maine was the first state to enact such a ban.

Brett Sykes, Co-Director of the Farmland Protection Program at Maine Farmland Trust says that it was a policy priority for the bill to include “$60 million in the supplemental budget that would support a state income replacement program, funding research on remediation, and funding a state buyback program.”
Unfortunately, not all farmers and ranchers can rely on programs like Maine’s for support.

Jason Grostic, a multigenerational rancher in Michigan, was told in January 2022 that he was not allowed to sell his cows or forage crops anymore because the PFOS (a chemical in the PFAS family) levels were too high in the food he produced.

Turns out, PFOS was in the biosolids he had applied to the hay he used to feed his cows. The biosolids came from treated wastewater from an automotive parts manufacturer in Wixom—and illegally so, because the manufacturer, Tribar Technologies, was negligently dumping the pollutants in municipal wastewater (Grostic sued Tribar in 2022, and the lawsuit is ongoing as of printing.)

Unable to sell any meat products or move the livestock off the land for the next two years, Grostic’s cows essentially became large pets. It was a blow to his operation and his ability to support his family, until he was able to partner with the Michigan State University Center for PFAS Research. Now, he’s paid for having his cows tested for PFAS at the research center as part of ongoing grant-funded studies examining where and how PFAS bioaccumulates, how PFAS travels from crops to livestock, and strategies to mitigate PFAS exposure.

Down Into the Soil

While stories like those of Nordell, Davis, and Grostic illustrate just how dangerous it can be when we only become aware of risks posed by chemicals used in everyday products after the damage has been done, they also tell us what we can do better to protect our food systems and ourselves moving forward.

Sykes agrees that PFAS is a major issue but also notes that some farms can handle PFAS contamination by making different decisions around what crops to grow and how to grow them.

“Different management practices—for instance, corn uptakes PFAS at a much lower rate than hay—can help the final product stay below state action levels,” says Sykes.

Other affected communities, such as the Mi’kmaq Nation in northern Maine, are exploring phytoremediation, in which living plants are used to remove dangerous toxins from soil, air, and water. The Mi’kmaq Nation owns a portion of land that was once the Loring Air Force Base and is contaminated with PFAS, coal ash, petroleum jet fuel oil, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls that were banned in 1979), and many more pollutants. In 2019, Upland Grassroots was founded to test fiber hemp’s phytoremediation properties on Mi’kmaq land, as hemp is very effective at pulling up a gamut of chemicals—from heavy metals to petroleum and PFAS—and it grows very large in a short amount of time.

According to Chelli Stanley of Upland Grassroots, one step in solving the forever chemicals problem involves understanding how to break down long chain PFAS—which are less mobile—into short chain PFAS, so that it can be more readily taken up into the hemp. A 2023 joint testing effort conducted by the Mi’kmaq Nation, Upland Grassroots, the University of Virginia, and the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station revealed that while hemp absorbs PFAS, it doesn’t break down the chemical, so the next step is figuring out how to break PFAS into something harmless.

“Otherwise, we just have contaminated hemp that you’re then having to put in a landfill,” says Stanley. “For us, that’s not a solution at all, because we don’t want to move contaminants from one place just to cause problems in another.”

Preliminary research also shows that the Phanerochaete chrysosporium fungus can break down PFAS and PFOS into their short chain forms, but the technology to bring it to scale is not viable—yet.

Through Research Comes Informed Solutions

PFAS affects all of us through the food we eat and the water we drink. Efforts like Upland Grassroots’ highlight the importance of funding research to understand how PFAS moves throughout the environment and what is being affected so that we have a fighting chance at remediation in the future. Which is why federal funding for scientific research and regulations are important tools in building environmentally sustainable and responsible systems to produce our food and safeguard our health.

But they’re not the only tools we can use to create those systems.

Support from local groups like the Maine Farmland Trust and its coalition have demonstrated that emergency and mutual aid can go a long way in helping farmers recover from PFAS pollution. But to prevent total fallout for farmers like Grostic, Nordell, and Davis—and to safeguard our food supply—stricter oversight on PFAS use and disposal is necessary.

Additionally, state and municipal governments have been stepping up to fill the gaps left by the current administration’s anti-environmental science and anti-regulation policies. In New Mexico, the state Environmental Department and Department of Justice are suing the U.S. Air Force to clean up PFAS contamination at the Cannon Air Force Base, which has devastated local agriculture in neighboring towns like Clovis, New Mexico. (3,500 dairy cows were poisoned from drinking contaminated groundwater coming from the base and had to be euthanized.)

Also, much of PFAS regulation has come from action at the state-level. Working with and supporting local advocacy groups to protect our food and the soil and water we use to produce that food shows a track record of success. Maine’s victory of passing L.D. 1911 was made possible by the work of Maine Farmland Trust and several advocacy groups, leading to Maine being the first state to have a ban on PFAS in biosolids. As of June 2024, the Connecticut legislature signed a comprehensive ban on PFAS in various products. Maryland, Massachusetts, and Michigan conduct monitoring and testing of PFAS in land-applied biosolids.

Action on PFAS by State Bills >>>

The lack of consistent regulation across state lines also means that public pressure to ensure corporate responsibility—whether that be for enforcing stronger policies around waste or conducting thorough research before putting a material to use—remains crucial.

In our daily lives, the most likely way we consume PFAS is through our drinking water. You can reach out to your local water utility to ask how they are addressing PFAS in the water supply. If your water comes from a home well, it is important to conduct regular testing yourself as there is no oversight organization to ensure that your water has not been contaminated by irresponsible corporate and military actors. You can also install in-home water filters certified NSF/ANSI to lower PFAS levels.

PFAS is deadly persistent, both as a chemical and a public health problem. It requires solutions that can be scaled properly to both remediate and prevent contamination. With local advocacy groups, researchers, and our collective voices demanding protection from and prevention of PFAS, a future without it is still within reach.

Water is essential to life. When we turn on the tap, we expect clean and pure water to flow. But, increasingly, that’s not the case. In recent years, criminally high levels of lead were found in water in Flint, Michigan, and many major cities are plagued with lead in their water pipes. Towns located near chemical factories often have high levels of toxic chemicals in their water.

And then there are chemicals that seem to be everywhere, such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), some of the most alarming contaminants turning up in tap water. PFAS is a class of 12,000 chemicals used to create thousands of products, including firefighting foam, non-stick cookware, and water repellant clothing. In our work at Green America, we’ve discovered that PFAS can come from surprising places, including even refrigerants (see “Keeping Our Cool Without Risking Our Health” p. 22).

And it’s showing up in our water—PFAS has been detected in the tap water of many major metropolitan regions including Miami, Philadelphia, New Orleans and the suburbs of New York City. Over 200 million Americans have been potentially exposed and that number is growing, which is alarming for a number of reasons.

All toxic PFAS, called “forever chemicals,” do not easily break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body over time. Because these chemicals have been released into our environment in increasing amounts over several decades, many of us already have some level of PFAS in our bodies. Exposure has been linked to a plethora of human health issues, such as cancer, immune suppression, reduced fertility, and developmental abnormalities.

Countries worldwide have begun enacting policies to mitigate the amount of PFAS building up in our environment—the European Union has already banned several types of these chemicals and aims to phase them out of commercial use completely by 2030. In the U.S., we’ve seen some success, such as California’s recent decision to phase out PFAS in cookware and other commercial products, modeled on successful legislation in Maine. However, not only are we still behind Europe in regulating their use, but the Trump administration’s policies are also pulling us deeper into dangerous territory.

In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally adopted new rules to help protect
communities from being poisoned by six highly toxic PFAS via their drinking water. Over 11,000 Green Americans joined with members of allied groups to flood the EPA with comments in support of the rule. However, lobbying groups for municipal water authorities and the chemical industry quickly sued to block implementation of the rule, and in May 2025, the EPA announced it would delay implementation of the rule until 2031—putting millions of people at risk of exposure in the meantime. In a related action, the EPA is advancing four new pesticides that all contain PFAS for use on romaine lettuce, soybeans, oranges, apples, peanuts, and other crops. This will increase PFAS exposure for everyone.

So, how can we respond?

Protect your water. Install water filters in your home that meet NSF standards for removing PFAS. These filters will also remove several other contaminants.

Act now with Green America and its allies. As the EPA continues to issue rulemaking delaying the implementation of the PFAS rule and regulation of other hazards, we will continue to flood them with comments in opposition. We also need to address PFAS at the source. Currently, Green America is putting pressure on major retailers to use natural refrigerants in cooling systems, but chemical manufacturers are pushing refrigerants that result in PFAS contamination (p. 22).

Urge action at the local and state level. Call your local water authority and request information about the presence of PFAS and other contaminants in water. You can also do your own research using the Environmental Working Group’s “Know What’s in Your Tap Water” database and the U.S. Geological Survey’s interactive map. If PFAS are present in your water or you are getting the run around from your utility, work with other residents to urge your local and state officials to take action to ensure transparency and reduce harmful exposures from your drinking water.

Microplastics. The term haunts every conversation about sustainability and health. And with good reason—they’re found in every global ecosystem as well as human and animal tissue, and they pollute both the environment and health of all living things.

Thanks to unregulated industrial practices, microplastics have become increasingly pervasive, but there are many ways we can reduce their impact and the dangers they pose to ourselves and our planet.

Every Plastic, Everywhere, All at Once

What started as a turn of the 20th century invention to make people’s lives easier is now one of the planet’s biggest pollutants. Every year, the world produces 400 million metric tons of plastic that ends up in oceans, our waterways, even our bloodstream.

The most pervasive is microplastic, solid particles that range in size from 5mm to 1nm (for comparison, the EPA states a single strand of human hair is 80,000nm wide).

There are two types of microplastics: primary and secondary. Primary microplastics are those intentionally manufactured and found in things like cosmetics and air blasters. Secondary pieces are the ones derived from degrading plastic debris.

It is not hyperbole to state that microplastics are found nearly everywhere and travel through seemingly endless pathways.

Though microplastics are related to and used interchangeably with PFAs and phthalates in conversation, they are not the same. While micro- and nanoplastics are small pieces of plastic, phthalates, BPA, and PFAs are all toxic chemicals found in plastics with their own litany of health problems.

The danger of microplastics to people and the planet is a minefield, particularly because our awareness of their dangers is relatively recent, and ongoing studies have only scratched the surface of the ways they affect the environment and our bodies.

What to Do?

The question of how to combat the effects of microplastics can feel overwhelming. But there are important and straightforward strategies to minimize microplastic creation and consumption. Ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption are the most common way microplastics pollute and bioaccumulate inside human bodies. Many solutions to prevent this are habit- and process-based. Here are four changes you can make today:

Swap out your cleaning products. Ditch the jelly-like detergent pods, especially the dishwasher ones. Heat is microplastic’s best friend and can cause the plastic to leach into your kitchenware.

What to do instead: Use organic and nontoxic dishwashing products, like the vegan solid dish soap from Hill+House or plastic-free detergent pods from companies like Blueland. And don’t forget about handwashing tools—check out Airnex’s natural cleaning brushes and sponges. For general cleaning, try making your own home cleaners with ingredients like baking soda, water, and vinegar.

Speaking of the kitchen, opt out of plastic packaging. Plastic tupperware, especially when exposed to heat through warming food in the microwave or being run through the dishwasher, can release millions of micro- or nanoplastics. The same goes for kitchen tools and water bottles.

What to do instead: Invest in high-quality, durable, and safely reusable products like stainless steel water bottles, glass tupperware, plastic-free food storage containers from Food Huggers, or wood cutting boards and utensils.

If possible, opt for more organic food and try to avoid highly processed foods. A 2023 study in Environmental Pollution revealed processing machinery like conveyer belts can make microplastics leach in products. Pesticides have also been shown to contain microplastics that can get absorbed into crops.

What to do instead: Go to your local farmer’s market. At the grocery store, shop for organic and non-packaged foods when possible. And advocate with your local grocers and elected officials to provide greater accessibility to affordable quality and sustainably produced food.

Invest in better-quality clothing and fabrics. A lot of modern clothing is made with synthetic and manmade materials, whether as a blend or whole cloth. These are the materials that should be avoided whenever possible: nylon, spandex, polyester, and acrylic.

What to do instead: Apparel businesses within the Green Business Network® feature clothing and raw textiles made of hemp, 100% organic cotton, eco-friendly wool, bamboo, linen, and more. Thrifting is also a great option. But if you purchase secondhand clothes made of synthetic blend, wash by hand and
line-dry—exposure to the agitation and heat of the washer and dryer will release microplastics.

Finally, do not spiral with shame or guilt if you do use plastic. Corporate marketing strategies and lax government regulations have intentionally designed a world that requires considerable effort and cost to avoid the use of plastics in every day life because it increases corporate profits—even at the expense of the public’s health. I still have plastic in my house because I can’t replace every single kitchen or bathroom product in one fell swoop, least of all an entire wardrobe. But each swap, each habit change, makes a difference.

One of the things I love about living in Chicago is the abundance of fantastic food. We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to styles of cuisine, availability of fresh produce, and a variety of artisanal treats. My favorite neighborhood bakery even started selling traditionally-styled Filipino comfort food recently, which has inspired me to have food safe silicone and stainless steel takeout containers available when I’ve got a craving for tapsilog—tender jerky-style beef over garlic rice with a fried egg and fresh chopped cucumber and tomato—or pork adobo and lumpia.

Any source of motivation I can get is helpful because changing habits can be hard, and few things have become as habitual in American life as our acceptance of disposable plastic in, well, everything. And all that plastic continuing to build up in our environment comes at a price that corporations are happy to have us pay while they profit.

Whether it’s in the soil, water, or even our own bodies, microplastics and the “forever chemicals” leached by many plastics are now part of our planet’s endless cycles of renewal and decomposition. And that buildup is happening much faster than our ability to understand just how deeply microplastics and forever chemicals can impact our health and the health of our planet, never mind how we can remediate or even prevent those consequences from happening.

Despite mounting evidence that microplastics and forever chemicals have been linked to a variety of health issues—such as cancer, liver damage, harmful changes to gut biomes, and genetic defects—corporations remain slow in replacing commercial use plastics with more sustainable alternatives and remediating their contamination of our soil and water. Even worse, the regulatory policies and government organizations meant to protect the public continue to be defanged and defunded by the current presidential administration.

While it’s essential to demand our local governments and federal agencies enact and enforce policies that prioritize our health and safety over corporate bottom lines, there are still plenty of other ways we can leverage our resources and voices to protect ourselves and our communities. This issue of Green American highlights some of those avenues by sharing stories about farmers partnering with researchers to find ways to revive land that has been poisoned by PFAS and what sustainably-minded businesses are doing to cut down on the amount of plastic in their products, as well as offering primers on the difference between microplastics and “forever chemicals” and why artificial refrigerants being promoted by chemical producers are not actually “environmentally-friendly.”

Knowledge is power because it enables us to act, and under an administration that chooses to side with wealthy corporations instead of the communities it’s supposed to serve, it’s more important than ever to know how we can leverage our connections and resources to take care of each other. Ever since the first Reagan administration, Green America has consistently proven the effectiveness of collective action, both in holding corporations to account and in making changes in our everyday lives to bring us that much closer to a greener world. It’s why we’re committed to sharing stories in this publication and across our content channels that not only talk about the problems we’re facing but also provide well-researched information and multiple ways you can contribute to a more sustainable and just future for all of us.

As this issue came together, I often thought about that iconic scene from The Graduate in which Dustin Hoffman’s character was told, “There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?”
Well, we have thought about it, and it’s clear that a plastics-dominated future is anything but great.

Hanging that future can be difficult, especially under a corporate-friendly administration that is deeply hostile to making it easier for us to “say no” to using plastic in our lives. But it’s not impossible if we continue to opt-out of using plastic wherever we can, keep up the pressure on industries to adopt safer, more sustainable practices instead of dumping chemicals into our food systems and waterways, and demand our local governments and federal agencies maintain and strengthen existing regulations that protect our health and safety, not corporate profit margins.

And hopefully in doing so, we can treat ourselves to some delicious food made by the good folks sharing our communities because this time, we remembered to bring those reusable takeout containers.

From the ocean to the heartland, communities are working to remove plastics and PFAS from our ecosystems.

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 6, 2025 – Green America, Beyond Pesticides, Public Research Interest Group, People and Pollinators Action Network and Re:wild Your Campus launched the new Save Beer! Campaign to call on major beer companies to eliminate pesticides from their supply chains, starting with barley and hops. Toxic pesticides like glyphosate and 2,4-D threaten human health, kill essential pollinators, contaminate water, and ultimately threaten the key ingredients and agricultural systems needed for beer production.   

In the U.S., beer is the #1 alcoholic beverage, with the typical American age 21 or older drinking an average of 26.5 gallons per year. While brands often advertise the purity of their ingredients, reports of significant pesticide levels in beer undermine those claims. And although several companies have sustainability goals, they do not explicitly include pesticide reduction targets.  

Emma Kriss, Food Campaigns Manager at Green America, said: “We love beer, and we need to take steps now to save it so that Americans can continue enjoying it for generations to come. Our goal is to help brewers implement integrated pest management systems, and ultimately regenerative organic practices that avoid using toxic pesticides like glyphosate and 2,4-D.” 

Clariss Mancebo, Policy Associate at Re:wild Your Campus, said: "Consumers should be able to trust major beer companies like Anheuser-Busch when they make sustainability pledges, but as we see time and time again these are narrow and often hypocritical pledges that tend to overlook the health of their consumers, their farmworkers, and the environment." 

Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides, said: “It is critical that corporations play a leadership role in requiring practices in the production of their agricultural ingredients that eliminate petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, which contribute to adverse health effects, biodiversity decline, and climate change. With tremendous advances in organic hops and barley production, the beer industry should be at the forefront of ecologically responsible organic farming, that also protects workers in these labor-intensive crops.”  

Pesticide use in agriculture has exploded in recent years, with more than 800 million pounds of pesticides used annually in the U.S. Since the 1990s, pesticide use has become 48x more toxic to essential pollinators like bees. There also have been devastating impacts on soil health and ecosystem health across agricultural supply chains. 

A 2024 case study on just four U.S. food crops — soy, corn, apples, and almonds — identified a $219 billion risk for the U.S. food retail sector in financial, climate, and biodiversity costs between now and 2050 from the use of pesticides.  

New scientific research has also linked pesticides to health impacts like kidney disease and cancer. In 2024, Bayer, which produces the herbicide Roundup, was ordered to pay $2.25 billion to a man who developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma from exposure to Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate. 

Policymakers and several food and beverage companies are increasingly moving to phase out harmful pesticide use. Several states have taken action to restrict neonicotinoid pesticides, adopting more restrictive measures than the EPA.  Leading food retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, and Giant Eagle have all established pollinator health policies aimed at reducing pesticides in their supply chains. 

The campaign is calling on Anheuser-Busch, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands, Heineken USA, Pabst Brewing Company, and Diageo to: 

• Make a time-bound commitment to eliminate harmful pesticides from your supply chains, starting with barley and hops 

• Work with suppliers to implement integrated pest management and organic farming practices 

• Ensure complete supply chain transparency by publicly disclosing pesticide policies and progress 

• Support farmers and farmworkers in transitioning to regenerative, organic agriculture practices 

• Collaborate with environmental organizations and prioritize science-based approaches 

• Fund substantial assistance for suppliers adopting pesticide-free farming methods  

• Use third party-verified measurement and verification to demonstrate commitment to a healthy and high-quality product 

Addressing pesticide use requires a holistic approach. Consumers are asking these companies to implement these recommendations comprehensively, demonstrating genuine commitment to eliminating toxic pesticides from their operations and to protecting the health of farmers, farmworkers, consumers, and ecosystems. 

Consumers who want to learn more about the campaign to Save Beer! or to sign the petition can go to: https://action.greenamerica.org/page/89737/action/1   

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MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin for Green America, (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com. 

ABOUT  

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power, and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org    

Leading Health Supplement Brand Supports Farmers in Advancing Soil Health

WASHINGTON, DC — November 5, 2025 — Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) proudly announces its expanded partnership with True Grace, a Wisconsin-based, women-founded health supplement brand dedicated to regenerative agriculture and nutrient-dense wellness. As one of the first SCI Regenerative Partners, True Grace will directly sponsor the Regenerative Transition Program to support its network of over 165 farms and 350,000+ acres of land in  the transition to regenerative agricultural practices.

Through its support of SCI’s Regenerative Transition Program, True Grace is helping to provide farmers with a holistic package of technical assistance, agronomic expertise, outcomes testing, peer-to-peer learning, and a clear framework for measuring regenerative progress. This model helps build the trust, tools, and connections needed to shift our food system to a more thriving, sustainable, and nutritious future.

True Grace’s roots in regeneration run deep. Even before the company’s founding in 2020, its executive leadership team was actively engaged in advancing SCI’s mission. Kristie Hall, Founder and President of True Grace, alongside Brian Hall, CEO, and Sara Newmark, COO, helped catalyze the initiative from its earliest days, with both leadership and seed funding provided through Kristie’s family foundation. Their shared commitment to soil health and climate solutions is what ultimately brought them together to build True Grace—a brand designed from the ground up to embed regenerative agriculture into its products, partnerships, and purpose. In 2023, True Grace introduced the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) microgreens powder, underscoring its commitment to advancing both human and planetary health.

“From the beginning, our vision for True Grace has been to link human health directly to the health of the soil. Partnering with SCI allows us to expand that vision beyond our products to directly support farmers as they adopt regenerative practices. It’s about creating a healthier future for our families, our communities, and our planet,” said Kristie Hall.

In addition to this partnership, True Grace is working with SCI to assess the land impact of its supply chain using SCI’s Acre Footprint Calculator, a proprietary tool that quantifies the acreage needed to grow a brand’s products. This analysis will provide powerful insights to guide True Grace’s regenerative sourcing strategy and opportunities to spur innovation in its supply chain.

“At True Grace, we believe transparency and accountability are critical to building trust with consumers. SCI’s Acre Footprint Calculator gives us a powerful way to measure the land impact of our supply chain and ensure our sourcing is truly regenerative. By investing in data-driven insights and farmer partnerships, we can scale a model that regenerates both the earth and the body,” said Sara Newmark.

“True Grace is exactly the kind of brand we built the SCI program for,” said Adam Kotin, Managing Director of SCI. “They’re combining purpose with accountability, giving farmers the tools they need while investing in the insights needed to scale regenerative agriculture and support lasting, meaningful change.”

Regenerative agriculture is emerging as one of the most powerful levers for climate resilience, soil health, and human nutrition. By partnering with SCI, True Grace is offering a real-world model for how companies can invest in both farmers and data-driven impact, supporting regenerative transitions while measuring and communicating their role in stewarding the land.

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ABOUT

True Grace was born out of a passion to improve the health and well-being of future generations. Education inspires change, and change begins with awareness. We believe that a small group of like-minded individuals can have a major impact on our food supply chain, improving the health of our soil, food, people, and ultimately, our planet.
True Grace provides nutrient-dense products to combat nutrient deficiencies in our soil, communities, and selves. The brand supports regenerative agriculture and is revolutionizing traditional supplements by focusing on nutrient density and sustainable practices that regenerate the earth and the body. True Grace currently offers a One Daily Probiotic, One Daily Women’s Probiotic, One Daily Women’s Multivitamin, One Daily Women’s Multivitamin 40+, One Daily Men’s Multivitamin, and Highly Concentrated Omega-3 Fish Oil. www.truegracehealth.com

Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) is a nonprofit originally launched in 2018 (formerly the Soil Carbon Initiative) in collaboration with farms, companies, NGOs, and soil scientists. Its mission is to accelerate the transition of agricultural acres under regenerative management by supporting and engaging every link in the supply chain. SCI offers a holistic suite of regenerative transition services, such as farm planning and agronomic support, soil testing, supply chain engagement, reporting, and third-party verification. These efforts help drive measurable improvements in soil health outcomes, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality, climate resilience, food security, farm profitability, and the overall well-being of rural communities. www.soilclimateinitiative.org

Soil & Climate Alliance is a collaborative network of farmers, food companies, researchers, and mission-driven organizations working to accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture. Through cross-sector partnerships, events, and market-based strategies, SCA aligns the entire food system around soil health, climate resilience, and community wellbeing. The Alliance helps scale solutions that strengthen farm viability, improve food quality, and advance equity and regeneration from the ground up. www.soilclimatealliance.org Nutrient Density Initiative (formerly Nutrient Density Alliance) connects the dots between soil health and human health by advancing science, transparency, and collaboration across the food system. NDI works with farmers, brands, researchers, and health professionals to expand nutrient density testing, interpret data, and communicate the value of regenerative practices to consumers. Together, these efforts are transforming how we understand, measure, and deliver nutrition from the soil to the table. www.nutrient-density.org

Together, Soil & Climate Initiative, Soil & Climate Alliance, and Nutrient Density Initiative form an ecosystem of regenerative agriculture programs working collaboratively to scale soil health, climate resilience, and nutrition from the ground up.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Max Karlin, (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com

It might sound harder and more annoying then it is, but switching your bank is straightforward and one of the most effective ways to take a stand for climate justice.

In a single decade, when the Paris Agreement was first unveiled in 2015, the world's 60 largest banks, like Wells Fargo and PNC, committed $6.9 trillion to the fossil fuel industry. Projects in this industry include fracking on national parks to pipelines with over 400 water violations.

The money anyone puts in a bank doesn't just sit there, the bank uses it for financing loans—for whatever projects they want. While US Bank and Goldman Sachs disproportionately fund fossil fuel projects, other banks like community development banks and credit unions prioritize community projects: mortgages, small businesses, public works, and more.

This is exactly what Laurie Kay, a longtime Green American, was looking for when she switched banks.

Below, Kay discusses how she switched and what she's already learned in # years.

Anya Crittenton: When did you realized you wanted to switch your bank?

Laurie Kay: It was around the time a story came out in the Green American Magazine about two banks making loans that were not only free of fossil fuel investments, but important for people like me who want to get loans for clean energy products and people who have been regularly overlooked by "big banks." The banks were Clean Energy Credit Union and Self-Helf Federal Credit Union, and I switched that year in 2023.

It was important to find a bank that would be helpful to friends and neighbors.

Crittenton: How soon did you begin the process to switch banks?

Kay: Immediately. Once I found those banks, I started transferring money and feeling a lot better about my money working for good causes.

Crittenton: Did you look into any other banks as possibilities for switching?

Kay: Those first two were easy, but I've recently needed another so I went to Get a Better Bank and began going through options. I had three different criteria I was looking at. First, it had to be a credit union. Then I looked at the types of certification the institution had. Finally, I compared CD rates. Though I had no preference about an online only or brick and mortar bank, I ended up settling on Rize Credit Union this year, which has offices in my area.

Crittenton: What made you settle on Rize?

Kay: They met my criteria, with especially excellent rates. Also, my area was impacted by a big fire and it was important to find a bank that would be helpful to friends and neighbors in need of loans. I'm also really proud of them for helping foster kids as they get older by opening an account with them to set them on their way to becoming financially secure.  

Crittenton: What was the process of switching banks like for you?

Kay: Each of the three credit unions I mentioned were easy to open accounts and transfer money into. I opened the accounts online and had wonderful staff that guided me through. I basically opened an account, then transferred a small amount from my checking account, and then started opening CDs as funds became available. I have one last IRA CD maturing shortly and will celebrate when it's out of my old fossil-fuel supporting bank, woohoo!

Crittenton: Did you tell your former bank why you closed your account?

Kay: I didn't tell my former bank why I was moving my money out. They didn't ask. And, honestly, the people there were very friendly and I totally get that they are just trying to make a living. 

Crittenton: Have you talked to your family and friends about switching banks?

Kay: Not a lot yet, but they know I'm happy and if anyone asked about my banking choices, I'll gladly share as much as they want to hear. I've given my friends copies of the Green American Magazine and maybe they'll want to jump on board.

Crittenton: What have you learned through this process and since you first transferred banks two years ago?

Kay: I was clueless about how banks actually make their money, so I'm ever so grateful to Green America for educating me on the subject! It's one thing when you don't know, but when you do, the little effort to make the switch to good banks that help the community and the planet is well worth it!

Crittenton: What excites you most about what's next?

Kay: Knowing my money is helping real people, the planet, and me! I read the annual board meeting statements eagerly, something I never did before, and have attended board meetings on Zoom. It's interesting and encouraging hearing from professionals that are not pulling the wool over people's eyes as to how their money is being used. 

Anyone can switch their bank—and it's easier thank you think. Find your new bank or credit union from hundreds of options at Get a Better Bank now.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming our world at lightning speed, and using energy just as fast. The current costs to our climate and communities are unsustainable and unacceptable.

AI is using energy at unprecedented rates. AI's massive energy appetite, mostly for its data centers, could either accelerate the climate crisis and pollute our planet OR supercharge our renewable energy future, where communities have a real voice in how and where AI facilities are built.  

Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are breaking their promise to use 100% renewable energy while spending billions of dollars on AI and accelerating both our climate and energy crises.  

There’s a lot at stake, especially for the communities where these data centers and power stations are being proposed or turned back on, but it can be difficult to cut through the noise and misinformation. Here are some common questions and misperceptions:

What can I do?

There is really great work being done by local organizers around the country who are feeling immediately and directly the effects of data centers, or who are mobilizing to block data centers, knowing their community will be negatively impacted if they are built. If an AI data center is planned for your community, you can fight back using this guide from Kairos Fellowship.

To support those local efforts, join Green America in calling on Amazon, Meta, Google, and Microsoft to protect communities nationwide and honor their climate promises. Every time you call for renewable-powered AI, you're helping write the next chapter of both technology and climate progress.

We have a great track record in driving the renewable energy future by getting Amazon and the telecoms to make historic corporate purchases of solar and wind.  Now we need to do the same for AI.  Amazon, Meta, Google (Alphabet), and Microsoft.  They have all made massive renewable energy purchases in the past, with public pressure, they will do so again. 

If tech giants insist on pushing AI forward, let's make sure we direct that energy toward the just and sustainable future we all deserve. 

TAKE ACTION NOW

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Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

How to add socially and environmentally responsible funds to a workplace retirement plan - 2022 version

Banking for GoodEmpty heading

Banks and credit unions can use your money in ways that align with your values – or not. Where you put your money has an impact.

Watch the video below to learn how three financial institutions are investing in a more sustainable and equitable world through small business, affordable housing, public works, and more.

Featured institutions include Beneficial State Bank, Self-Help Credit Union, and Adelphi Bank. You’ll also be introduced to Hip Hop Caucus' Bank Black and Green program as well as Green America’s upgraded Get a Better Bank map

Why You Should Switch Banks

Benefits of switching to a community development bank or credit union include:

They invest in their local economy – things like mortgages and small business.
They have more accountability to individual customer members, not shareholders.
They provide financial services to low-income individuals and/or supply capital for small businesses, affordable housing, and education facilities.
Banks and credit unions dedicated to community development help create good local jobs.
They may support clean energy, fair labor, and food security in food deserts.

Get a Better BankEmpty heading

To help you find a better bank or credit union, Green America has created the Get a Better Bank map. This new website lists over 3,000 banks and credit unions - with almost 17,000 locations - whose mission is to build their communities.

The map is fully searchable by name and location. You can also find online-only banks and credit unions, as well as information about why and how to switch banks, and learn more about how we selected the institutions listed.

Green America's mission is to harnesses the economic power and strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace in order to create a socially just and sustainable world. Learn more about our finance work here, including responsible credit cards and socially-responsible investing.

Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) | Program Implementation
Hours: Full-time (4 days, 32 hrs. per week)
Salary & Benefits:  $62,000 -$67,000 with excellent benefits; grant program track
Location: Mississippi Delta Region (Required)
Reports to: Senior Manager, Farm Transition Services

The Background

Delta Regen Rice+ is a regionally-based collaboration to regenerate soil, build farmer prosperity and boost regenerative agriculture markets in the Delta, starting with rice. 

Formally launching in November 2025, Delta Regen Rice+ is a program of the Soil & Climate Initiative. SCI is a farmer-first holistic farm-to-shelf regenerative agriculture transition program with options for 3^rd party verification. www.soilclimateinitiative.org

SCI seeks a Farm Program Specialist to work with farmers in the Delta Region who wish to transition to regenerative agriculture and be part of a dynamic program to build markets for rice and other regeneratively-grown products in the Delta. You’ll join our growing, passionate SCI Team, (www.soilclimateinitiative.org/team), which includes two colleagues who work and farm in Arkansas, along with Delta Regen Rice+ founding farmers, who are already engaged in pilots in the region.

The Opportunity

Support the transformation of agriculture in the Mississippi Delta as the operational backbone of our regenerative agriculture transition program. As SCI’s Farm Program Specialist, you'll ensure program excellence through meticulous compliance management and farmer coordination, directly enabling the success of farmers transitioning from conventional to regenerative practices.

Working primarily with rice farming operations across the Delta, you'll be the essential link between farmers and our technical support team, ensuring documentation is complete, requirements are met, and farmers receive the coordinated support they need. This role places you at the operational heart of a movement to prove that farming can be a powerful solution to climate change while supporting thriving agricultural communities.

Your Impact

Deliver Program Excellence through Effective Farmer Engagement (60%)

Serve as the primary farm program account manager, tracking farmer progress across the Delta Regen Rice+ Project and other verification-oriented initiatives. You'll build strong working relationships with our farmer participants and proactively support them in their program participation by: building trust and buy-in for the program, identifying missing documentation, co-developing technical support packages suited to participants' individual needs, and maintaining comprehensive tracking systems that ensure program quality and farmer success.

Enable Strategic Program Coordination (25%)

Transform expert consultations into actionable resources by adapting farmer interview transcripts into farm plans, soil health reports, field activity logs, and completed SCI forms. Your document generation and administrative coordination will ensure all materials are clear, actionable, and properly formatted, directly supporting farmers in their regenerative transition journey.

Facilitate Learning and Engagement (15%)

Coordinate the logistics that make learning possible by scheduling farm plan consultations, webinars, office hours, and field days. You'll coordinate group learning sessions and farmer working groups, ensuring farmers have access to the peer networks and educational resources that drive successful transitions to regenerative practices.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications:

• Experience working with farmers, agricultural producers, and/or rural communities
• 5+ years of experience in program coordination, compliance management, or administrative roles requiring systematic tracking
• Exceptional organizational abilities with demonstrated experience managing complex documentation and compliance systems
• Strong attention to detail and ability to track multiple requirements across large portfolios
• Experience coordinating schedules and communications between multiple stakeholders
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite, CRM systems, and database management
• Systematic approach to process management and ability to maintain accurate records
• Comfort with technology and ability to learn new platforms
• Must be located in or willing to relocate to the Mississippi Delta region

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with agricultural data collection or certification processes
• Previous experience coordinating multi-stakeholder projects or programs
• Background in compliance management, quality assurance, or regulatory tracking

Essential Skills:

• Ability to manage complex documentation systems while maintaining high service standards
• Strong interpersonal skills for coordinating between diverse stakeholders including farmers and technical experts
• Capacity to transform technical information into clear, actionable resources for farmer participants
• Please note, we recognize that experience doesn't always look the same – skills are transferable, and passion is important. Please tell us how your experience can lead to success in this position.

Ready to Transform Agriculture?

Join us in building relationships with the Delta Regen Rice+ farmers and providing the  operational excellence that makes regenerative agriculture transitions successful. This role offers the opportunity to directly support farmers while contributing to systemic change in one of America's most important agricultural regions.

More about Compensation and Benefits:

• Competitive salary between $62-67,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Full benefits package including employer-sponsored health insurance, retirement, and generous vacation and sick leave
• Professional development opportunities
• 4-day work week
• Remote work flexibility

To Apply: Please email your one-page cover letter and one-page resume highlighting relevant experience in program coordination, account management, and agricultural support services to hiring [at] soilclimateinitiative [dot] org

Applications should demonstrate exceptional relationship building and organizational abilities, systematic tracking experience, and passion for supporting farmers transitioning to regenerative agriculture.

Application Deadline: September 29^th, 2025

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The Soil & Climate Initiative is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment based on a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) | Program Development & Implementation
Hours: Full-time (4 days, 32 hrs. per week)
Compensation: $85,000 - $90,000 annually, excellent benefits; grant program track
Location: Mississippi Delta Region (Required)
Reports to: Managing Director, Soil & Climate Initiative

The Background

Delta Regen Rice+ is a regionally-based collaboration to regenerate soil, build farmer prosperity and boost regenerative agriculture markets in the Delta, starting with rice. 

Formally launching in November 2025, Delta Regen Rice+ is a program of the Soil & Climate Initiative. SCI is a farmer-first holistic farm-to-shelf regenerative agriculture transition program with options for 3^rd party verification. www.soilclimateinitiative.org

SCI seeks a Delta Regen Rice+ Program Director to build this market-based collaboration and work with its key stakeholders in the Delta Region – farmers, processors, buyers, technical specialists and more – who wish to transition to regenerative agriculture and be part of a dynamic program to build markets for rice and other regeneratively-grown products in the Delta. 

You’ll join our growing, dynamic SCI Team, which will include a dedicated Delta-based farm program specialist.  Meet our team (www.soilclimateinitiative.org/team), which includes two colleagues who work and farm in Arkansas, along with Delta Regen Rice+ founding farmers, who are already engaged in pilots in the region.

The Opportunity

Lead the transformation of agriculture in the Mississippi Delta. As the Delta Rice+ Program Director at the Soil & Climate Initiative, you'll spearhead our strategic expansion into this critical agricultural region, driving the transition from conventional to regenerative farming practices that restore soil health, sequester carbon, and strengthen rural communities.

Starting with rice farming operations across the Delta, you'll build the partnerships, systems, and market connections that make regenerative agriculture both environmentally beneficial and economically viable. This role places you at the center of a movement to prove that farming can be a powerful solution to climate change while supporting thriving agricultural communities.

Your Impact

Drive Regional Transformation

Lead the Delta Regen Rice+ Program from pilot phase through full-scale implementation. You'll work directly with farmers to transition thousands of acres to regenerative practices, creating measurable impact on soil health, carbon sequestration, and farm profitability across the region.

Build Strategic Partnerships

Develop and manage relationships with processors, CPGs, and supply chain partners to create market incentives and access for regeneratively grown crops. Your partnership strategies will provide the economic foundation that makes regenerative transition sustainable for farmers.

Manage Stakeholder Relationships

Oversee a comprehensive portfolio of program participants and agricultural value chain stakeholders. Ensure high-quality program delivery while advancing our mission through strategic relationship management and farmer support services coordination.

Secure Growth Resources

Collaborate with Growth & Impact and Grants & Partnerships teams to identify and secure funding sources and strategic partnerships. Drive program expansion to reach more farmers and convert additional acres through effective resource mobilization.

Lead Impact Measurement

Direct cross-functional efforts for data collection, analysis, and reporting to farmers, partners, and funders. Ensure program impact is accurately measured, documented, and communicated to support continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications:

• 7-10 years of experience working with farmers and/or food companies
• Experience with regenerative, organic, or biologically-based agricultural systems
• Strong understanding of agricultural supply chains, from processors to brands
• Strong project management and team leadership skills
• Proven business and client development experience
• Must be located in or willing to relocate to the Mississippi Delta region

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with certification or verification procedures in agricultural settings
• Experience with facilitative leadership and multi-stakeholder networks
• Strong research, writing, and speaking skills
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree or directly related work experience

Essential Skills:

• Ability to discuss complex sustainability and agricultural issues with diverse stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal skills for building relationships with senior executives and agricultural leaders
• Capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high service standards
• Please note, we recognize that experience doesn't always look the same – skills are transferable, and passion is important. Please tell us how your experience can lead to success in this position.

Ready to Transform Agriculture?

Join us in proving that regenerative agriculture can revitalize rural communities while addressing climate change. This role offers the unique opportunity to lead systemic change in one of America's most important agricultural regions.

More about Compensation and Benefits:

• Competitive salary between $85-90,000 annually, commensurate with experience
• Full benefits package including employer-sponsored health insurance, retirement, and generous PTO
• Professional development opportunities
• 4-day work week
• Remote work flexibility

To Apply: Please email your resume and cover letter to: hiring [at] soilclimateinitiative [dot] org

Application Deadline: September 29^th, 2025

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The Soil & Climate Initiative is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

By Mathilda DeCosse, volunteer, and Todd Larsen, Executive Co-Director

Time is running out to benefit from federal tax credits for installing residential solar power that are available thanks to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. With the passage of the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” residential solar power systems need to be installed and likely placed in service by December 31, 2025 in order to qualify for the up to 30% solar tax credit in 2025. It’s unclear whether or not the credit may apply to systems that are installed but not in operation by December 31, but to be on the safe side, your system should be operational by the end of the year.

The tax credit has helped make the cost of solar panel installation less expensive for homeowners. With the credit, the average panel installation cost is about $20,000.  Without it, people will have to pay thousands of dollars more.

There are still individual state or local incentives for installing solar panels that may still help reduce the cost of installing solar panels after December 31, but losing the federal tax credit is still a big hit to homeowners and sustainable energy efforts.

Installing solar panels makes sense for many homes. Homeowners save money on their electric bills and those savings can pay back the cost of installing panels within 7-10 years—with the rebate in place.  Without the rebate, that payback period will be longer.

And there are the environmental benefits of installing solar power—the more our homes are powered by solar, the less we rely on the fossil fuel industry which continues to be one of the major drivers of climate change.

To qualify for the installation tax credit by the December 31 deadline, here’s what you should know:

Should I purchase the panels or lease them?

The credit is only available for purchased solar panels. Purchasing solar panels has several benefits, but the most important is that you will receive the entire benefit of your reduced electric bill throughout the life of the panels, which can last 25 years or longer.

If you do not have enough funds available to pay for panels outright, and can’t or don’t want to finance the cost of panels, solar leasing is an option.

With a lease, you pay $0 upfront to have panels installed, and the company that leases you the panels pays for repairs. But, the company that leases you the panels owns them throughout the lease, which lasts 15-25 years.  During that time, you will pay a monthly fee to the company that installed the panels, which will eat into any savings you see on your electric bill.  Also, it is very difficult to end a lease, and if you sell your home, you may need to arrange to have the panels installed on your next house (if you are moving locally) or try to get the new buyer to assume the lease.

Another option to finance solar is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)  Similar to a lease, you have little to no upfront costs or maintenance but you do not actually own the equipment. In most cases this means the homeowner buys the energy produced by the solar panels at a fixed rate from a company that owns and pays for the panels. Separately, the home owner will still pay for any additional electricity that they need from their local utility. PPA’s are less common than leases since they are only allowed in certain states.

How do I choose an installer to work with?  What red flags should I look for?

As the window to benefit from these federal tax credits rapidly closes, there is a real risk of unethical companies coming by and trying to push you to install panels quickly.  

Fraud in the residential solar sector increased dramatically in recent years.  Door to door salespeople may overinflate the savings to be gained by rooftop solar and lock unwary customers into predatory loans.  In some cases, companies engage in shoddy work and even install non-functioning systems.

To protect yourself, it pays to do your homework:

1. Ask local homeowners who installed solar if they were satisfied with their contractor.  Reach out to companies that several people recommend.
2. Be careful when searching online.  Look for credible options.  For example, installers that belong to the cooperative Amicus Solar are certified B Corps that partner with lenders like Clean Energy Credit Union ( community development financial institution) to obtain financing.
3. You can search for qualified solar contractors in your area by using Energy Sage, which provides competing quotes from several solar installers near you.  
4. Make sure to look online at reviews, and if your state has an ethics pledge for solar installers, make sure the company has signed the pledge.

What are typical solar installation costs? 

Solar Panels can range from $15,000 to $35,000 upfront without tax incentives. Ongoing maintenance can be $300-$500 each year, excluding any necessary replacements. For example, inverters are a part that often needs to be replaced at least once during a system’s lifetime.

The upfront cost of installation includes the price of the physical equipment, such as panels (6kW system: $7,000), inverters ($1,000- $6,000), and mounting hardware ($800), as well as installation costs, which are often priced according to the system being used. People should expect to pay around 20% of the system cost for installation.

How can I obtain financing that’s on the up and up?

Cash will always be the “cheapest” way to finance solar panels in terms of overall cost. But not everyone will have $25,000 available! 

The most common options to borrow money are loans and installer financing. Loans can be granted through state programs (such as Property Assessed Financing), finance companies, or local  bank or credit union solar loans. Installer financing often offers lower rates but may have higher origination fees. Many of these also require credit scores above 650.

Be careful if you are considering Property Assessed Financing as the source of your loan.  A property lien will be placed on your home and your property tax bill will increase to pay back the loan. Your mortgage lender may prohibit such loans.

When obtaining financing, beware any mention of “free” products and services, along with anyone who says that the government will pay for your solar—it will not. Another warning sign is when a company suggests using tax credits to pay for solar without checking your eligibility. You should get a paper copy of any transactions, deals, or contracts. If you are not provided with these, the offer is a scam.

When financing, do not feel restricted to use the financing of the salesperson. You might be able to get a better deal by getting a loan from a bank or credit union. Explore lenders and find the best deal with low interest rates, lender fees and good terms. You could use our Get a Better Bank site to find local community development banks and credit unions near you that offer homeowner loans.

What should I expect for the installation process?

Generally, to place solar on your home, you will need to obtain a permit from your local government and undergo an inspection. Detailed permit fees and requirements vary heavily across jurisdictions. Residential solar permits typically take several weeks but some areas may grant them in a few days, so do your research and plan your timeline accordingly. 

On the flip side, some areas may take months to approve a solar permit. Permit fees usually cost about $150-$300. After obtaining a permit, the physical solar installation typically only takes about two days. Once the system is installed, it must be inspected by your local utility and a municipal inspector, and connected to the grid to begin producing electricity. These final steps may take a few weeks. 

Delays in physical installation are typically caused by issues such as unsuitable weather, unsafe conditions, or roof complexity. Though annoying, these complications are often resolved in a few days. Longer delays are often caused by time-consuming permit processes. 

Are there states that support rooftop solar?

Many states, municipalities, and utilities provide rebates or credits for solar installation. Check the Unbound Solar site to see if there are incentives where you live.

What should I know about basic maintenance?

When cleaning, avoid kneeling or walking on the panels, as that could damage the mechanism. Never clean on a hot day as the sudden temperature change of water on the panels can cause cracking. Cleaning on cloudier days or in the morning is recommended to reduce risk of temperature shock.

For smaller solar panel systems, cleaning is not often required. Rain can usually get the job done. If your area is experiencing a dry spell, cleaning might be needed to clear the dust and debris collecting on the panels. If panels are mounted horizontally, this will also require more frequent cleaning. No matter the situation, solar panels should be cleaned at least twice a year.

If there is an electrical problem with the system, reach out to the system provider. Getting little to no energy even when it is sunny is a telltale sign of a damaged circuit.

What if rooftop solar isn’t an option for me?

If you live in an apartment building, or a house that is shaded by trees, solar is not a good option for you.  But you may still be able to take part in advancing solar power by signing up for a community solar project.  Community solar projects are larger-scale installations of solar panels located in your community.  You take part by subscribing to the project, which can result in lower electric bills for you, while supporting the transition to solar energy.  You can see if community solar is an option in your state here.

You can also take action to make your home more efficient by adding insulation, fixing drafty windows or doors, and installing more efficient air conditioners or furnaces.  These fixes are often simpler than installing solar, but to receive federal tax credits (up to 30% of the costs) the work must be in progress by December 31, 2025.

And, if you want to receive a federal tax credit for the purchase of an electric vehicle and charging station, you must make your purchase by September 30, 2025.

A resource for beginners: Take charge of your finances in four areas - banking, credit cards, property insurance, and investing.

Part Time Fellow, Nutrient Density Alliance 
Salary:  12-13 hours /week at $32-$35/hour  
Reports to:  NDA Managing Director, Mary Purdy 
Remote. Flexible work schedule. Fellow positions do not include benefits.  
 

This is a part-time Program Associate role with strong potential to grow. We are seeking a dynamic candidate with exceptional project management and stakeholder engagement skills. While the initial focus will be on administrative and coordination support, we envision this position expanding into deeper program engagement, strategic contributions, and leadership opportunities as the Alliance evolves. We welcome your ideas, problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking too. This is an exciting chance to be part of a mission-driven team working at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, nutrition, and public health, with room to develop skills and responsibilities over time. 

Green America is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change. Our unique approach involves working with consumers, investors and businesses to create a world that works for all. We deploy marketplace solutions to solve the most pressing social justice and environmental problems facing society today. Green America’s Center for Sustainability Solutions focuses on bringing together focused multi-stakeholder innovation networks with the objective of making significant, industry-wide system change. 

The Nutrient Density Alliance is an initiative of Green America’s Center for Sustainability Solutions.  Our mission is to ignite awareness and mobilize action around the nutritional benefits and improved food quality that result from soil-building regenerative agriculture. We aim to drive demand for a more sustainable food system and improve human health outcomes for all. 

We collaborate with a diverse network of stakeholders in the food and agriculture sector, including food brands, farmers, ranchers, communications professionals, regenerative agriculture advocates, nutrition and health care practitioners, and Food is Medicine programs. Together, we work to make the vital connection between soil health and nutrient density clear, compelling, and actionable. 

NDA team members can choose to work remotely or in our Washington, DC office. This position could involve occasional travel including to Network meetings, conferences and business cultivation meetings, staff training, Green America’s annual staff and board retreat and other stakeholder engagement meetings.   
 

Key Responsibilities 

Program & Event Support 

• Help design, plan, and execute network meetings, webinars, and working groups (virtual and in-person), including speaker coordination, session development, and participant communications. 

• Ensure events run smoothly through clear communications, organized logistics, and timely follow-up with stakeholders. 

• Translate discussions and working group activities into actionable next steps and shared resources for members. 

• Support the Managing Director in coordinating, tracking, and amplifying speaking engagements (both virtual and in-person), including logistics, scheduling, communications, and post-event follow-up to maximize visibility and impact. 

Communications & Knowledge Management 

• Assist in developing messaging that clearly communicates the connection between soil health, nutrient density, and human health to diverse audiences. 

• Document processes, key learnings, and successful strategies to strengthen the organization’s institutional knowledge. 

• Leverage social media and other digital platforms to share stories, resources, and event highlights, helping amplify the organization’s message and engage wider audiences. 

• Collaborate with Green America colleagues to ensure consistent and aligned communications across programs. 

Member & Partner Engagement 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with members, partners, and prospective collaborators across sectors including food brands, producers, nutrition and health professionals, and Food is Medicine initiatives. 

• Connect members with relevant resources, expertise, and networking opportunities. 

• Support the creation and delivery of compelling content  (newsletters, event follow-ups, member updates)  that highlight the value and impact of participation in the Alliance. 

• Maintain ongoing conversation tracking and conduct targeted outreach to current and prospective members and partners to advance project objectives and maintain engagement. 

Strategic Contributions & Thought Partnership 

• Monitor and synthesize trends, research, and policy developments in regenerative agriculture, nutrient density, and sustainable food systems; provide regular updates and recommendations to the Managing Director. 

• Proactively identify opportunities for the Alliance to participate in events, collaborations, and thought leadership that advance our mission and visibility. 

• Contribute to strategic planning and organizational development efforts, ensuring alignment between daily activities and long-term goals. 

• Assist in shaping narratives and messaging that articulate the link between soil health, nutrient density, and public health to multiple audiences. 

Qualifications 

• Minimum 3–5 years of professional experience in program coordination, partnership development, stakeholder engagement, or related work in the nonprofit, advocacy, or sustainable food systems space. 

• Foundational knowledge of regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems; demonstrated interest in the role of nutrition and nutrient density in human health. 

• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt to evolving circumstances. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling messages. 

• Demonstrated interest and/or experience in research, trend monitoring, or knowledge synthesis, especially in agriculture, health, or sustainability fields. 

• Comfort with digital tools including Zoom, Squarespace, email marketing platforms, and event management systems; experience with budget tracking a plus. 

• Preference for familiarity with CRM’s such as Salesforce, Zoho etc.  

• Collaborative, proactive, and resourceful, with the ability to work independently while contributing to a team-driven mission. 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 

• Please note, we recognize that experience doesn't always look the same – skills are transferable, and passion is important. Please tell us how your experience can lead to success in this position.   

How to Apply 

• To Apply: Please email your resume and cover letter and an example of external written communication to hiring@nutrientdensityalliance.org by September 5. 

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Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

Tech Giants Google, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft to Hear from Front-Line Communities and Consumers Demanding Clean Energy, Efficiency and Transparency. 

WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 26, 2025 – Green America launched a new consumer campaign to call on AI companies to use 100% renewable energy instead of driving fossil fuel demand, re-starting old nuclear reactors, creating more pollution and increasing energy rates for ratepayers. The new Dirty Data: Stop Big AI From Polluting Our Climate & Communities campaign will also push companies to listen to families and stakeholders living near proposed data centers and fossil fuel power plants, and to give them a say over their own exposure to health burdens from data center and air pollution. 

AI already consumes enough electricity to power 7 million American homes, and communities are paying the price to feed the demand. Largely due to new energy-greedy data centers, electricity costs $500 more annually for families in Georgia, while Oregon residents saw 50% rate hikes. Families near data centers also experience increased noise, congestion, and pollution.   

Dan Howells, Climate Campaigns director at Green America, said: “There is a lot of excitement about artificial intelligence and its potential to make all our lives better. But for all the benefits, AI comes with a big environmental cost. So, the choices companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft make are critical. They could choose a new clean energy future and not return to a dangerous and dirty energy past. In order for the AI revolution to really be intelligent, it must be powered by renewables.” 

Triple Threat: Coal, Natural Gas, and Nukes 

AI is a major driver of polluting and dangerous power plants nationwide. It is so power-hungry that utilities are keeping coal-fired power plants that were slated for closure running to meet the needs of massive servers. 

Natural gas is a new go-to energy source for AI. In the American South alone, there are plans for 20 gigawatts of new natural-gas power plants over the next 15 years—enough to power millions of homes—to feed AI’s energy needs. 

Tech companies are also turning to nuclear power—with Microsoft and Meta re-opening or expanding nuclear plants.  And both Google and Amazon are investing in small nuclear reactors.    

Nuclear power has many downsides, including safety issues, the problems with nuclear waste disposal, and cost overruns and delays, and is unlikely to meet AI’s soaring energy needs— which means even more reliance on fossil fuels unless tech titans ramp up renewable energy fast. 

Driving Climate Chaos 

Major corporations must  reduce their emissions to keep the world from warming more than 1.5 degrees, and yet carbon emissions from major tech companies in 2023 have skyrocketed to  150% of their average  2020 values: 

• Operational emissions grew to 182% of 2020 values for Amazon 

• 155% for Microsoft 

• 145% for Meta 

• 138% for Google 

All four tech giants previously made major climate commitments and pledged to use 100% renewable energy. By spending billions of dollars on AI, they are breaking their promise to use 100% renewable energy and furthering the climate and energy crises. 

Meanwhile, other industries reliant on data servers are making progress on climate. For example, emissions from large telecom companies decreased to 94% of 2020 values.  Green America’s “Hang Up on Fossil Fuels” campaign urged telecoms to switch to 100% renewable energy and their resulting use of wind and solar power has lowered their carbon footprint.  Progress is possible! 

Your Voice Powers the Energy Revolution 

The Dirty Data campaign will mobilize Green America members and people around the country to ensure AI becomes a force for climate solutions, not climate destruction. The campaign will demand that tech giants: 

• Build Smart, Build Clean 
  Data centers should go where they won’t harm communities. Many existing data centers create more noise, pollution, and congestion for underserved neighborhoods already dealing with unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Communities should be fully involved in the placement process to ensure everyone benefits from data center construction. 

• Put Efficiency First 
  Design AI programs to do more with less energy—more efficient chips and processing. No more wasteful computing when lives and our climate are on the line. 

• Zero Fossil Fuels, No Nukes, Period 
  Every aspect of AI processing must run on clean energy—no coal, no gas, no nuclear. We don’t lack the right technology, just corporate commitment and accountability. 

• Community Power 
  Listen to families living near proposed data centers and power sources and give them a say—they deserve transparency, pollution protection, and fair electricity rates that don't subsidize corporate energy consumption.  

• Transparency 

Major AI companies are building more and bigger data centers without being fully transparent about issues like the electricity and water needed to run them. If these companies are to be good neighbors and take responsibility for the pollution generated from fossil fuels, they first need to be honest about the scope and scale of the problem. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin for Green America, (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com.  

ABOUT  

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org  

AI is supposed to be the future. But it's being powered by the past.  

Artificial Intelligence is generating tons of buzz. It can do everything from helping students write an essay to helping doctors diagnose diseases. But there’s another “buzz” AI is generating and that buzz you hear is coming from restarting coal and natural gas power plants, and building new gas plants, to feed the energy greed of the data centers. And in some cases, companies are extending the life of existing plants -- including 3 Mile Island! --  and planning new nukes.  

Major tech companies including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon are embracing AI as the best of what is to come. And they plan on profiting handsomely.  

But all that profit comes at a deep, deep cost.  

• The power being generated is polluting communities near power plants and the data centers. Many of these power plants are in low-income communities leading to more negative health effects, including air and noise pollution, in places that are already polluted.  

• Instead of decreasing climate pollution as most of the companies pledged to do, their emissions are increasing. The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency for digital technologies, report that the operational emissions of the four most prominent AI-focused technology companies increased by an average of 150% from 2020 to 2023.  

• AI’s demand for energy is driving up electric rates across the country.  Rates could surge by 20% this summer and there could be power shortages as utilities struggle to meet increased demand from data centers. 

• AI has a growing hunger for electricity. By 2028, the researchers estimate, the power going to AI-specific purposes will rise to between 165 and 326 terawatt-hours per year. That’s more than all electricity currently used by US data centers for all purposes; it’s enough to power 22% of US households each year. That could generate the same emissions as driving over 300 billion miles—over 1,600 round trips to the sun from Earth.   

• AI has a great thirst for water too. In some places, local residents are reporting that their taps are running dry from data centers taking all the water. And this thirst is only projected to increase. 

• Besides the pollution and climate issues AI has many other problems as well including but not limited to copyright and privacy issues. AI has been shown to have bias and discrimination issues as well. 

When it comes to the costs to society from all the pollution, there are solutions that can mitigate them. Solar, wind and battery storage are the cheapest sources of energy, and they don’t produce local pollution or climate emissions. 

And these Big Tech companies know it. Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon already use renewable energy for much of their needs. But more must be done to ramp up renewable energy purchases and improve the efficiency of AI to reduce energy needs. And if these companies don’t take the lead, AI energy demand will only take us back to the days of more pollution and to a future where climate change is significantly  worse.  

Green America is pushing Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies to use renewable energy so communities aren’t polluted and climate change isn’t made worse by fossil fuels they plan to use.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming our world at lightning speed, but the current costs to our climate and communities are unsustainable and unacceptable. AI's massive energy appetite could either accelerate the climate crisis and pollute our planet OR supercharge our renewable energy future, where communities have a real voice in how and where AI facilities are built.  

Among the companies using AI are four giants that previously made major climate commitments and pledged to use 100% renewable energy: Google, Meta,  Amazon, and Microsoft. By spending billions of dollars on AI, they are breaking their promise to use 100% renewable energy and furthering our climate and energy crises.  

AI’s enormous energy needs are driving fossil fuels demand, re-starting nukes, and creating greater pollution and higher energy rates for communities nationwide. 

But it doesn’t have to be this way. AI could be powered by renewable energy that is non-polluting and works to reduce energy costs for us all. AI could use energy that is clean and just. 

AI’s huge power appetite 

AI already consumes enough electricity to power 7 million American homes—by 2028, that could jump to the amount of power needed for 22% of all US households.  

And American communities are paying the price to feed AI: electricity costs $500 more annually for families in Georgia, while Oregon residents saw 50% rate hikes—largely due to energy-greedy data centers. Families near data centers experience increased noise, congestion, and pollution.   

Triple Threat: Coal, Natural Gas, and Nukes 

AI is a major driver of polluting and dangerous power plants nationwide. 

It is so power hungry that utilities are keeping coal-fired power plants that were slated for closure running to meet the needs of massive servers. 

Natural gas is a go-to new energy source for AI. In the American South alone, there are plans for 20 gigawatts of new natural-gas power plants over the next 15 years—enough to power millions of homes—to feed AI’s energy needs. 

Tech titans are also turning to nuclear power—Microsoft and Meta re-opening or expanding nuclear plants.  And both Google and Amazon are investing in small nuclear reactors.    

Nuclear power has many downsides, including safety issues, the problems with nuclear waste disposal, and cost overruns and delays, and is unlikely to meet AI’s soaring energy needs— which means even more reliance on fossil fuels unless tech titans ramp up renewable energy fast. 

Driving Climate Chaos 

All those fossil fuels from coal and natural gas plants will have a huge climate impact! 

We need all major corporations to reduce their emissions to keep the world from warming more than 1.5 degrees, and yet carbon emissions from major tech companies in 2023 have skyrocketed to 150% of average 2020 values: 

• Operational emissions grew to 182% of 2020 values for Amazon 
• 155% for Microsoft 
• 145% for Meta 
• 138% for Google 

Meanwhile, other industries reliant on data servers are making progress on climate. For example, emissions from large telecom companies decreased to 94% of 2020 values.  Green America’s Hang Up on Fossil Fuels campaign urged telecoms to switch to 100% renewable energy and their resulting use of wind and solar power has lower their carbon footprint.  Progress is possible! 

Expanding Nationwide 

AI data centers are cropping up all over the country.  As demand for AI grows, the number of data centers nationwide will grow dramatically as well. 

Local Impacts 

And what does all this firing up of dirty energy mean for local communities?  

The communities near the power plants and the data centers are forced to deal with air, noise, and water pollution.  And some people are finding that their taps are literally running dry because data centers are using all the ground water where they live. 

Chicago-based airline pilot Joshua Zhang told CBS News in 2021 that a new data center in his Printers’ Row neighborhood whines like a gigantic vacuum cleaner that never shuts off. “I try to fly as much as I can to stay away from here,” he said. “I can’t really sleep well… and I have to operate a flight.” 

On top of all that, electric rates near data centers are going up fast— and projected to rise much faster.  An analysis by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse found that: 

• Mid-Atlantic States will see 11-19% bill increases this year. 

• Entergy Louisiana is projecting a 90% increase in rates by 2030. 

• Yearly power bills have gone up $500 for the average Georgian since 2023. 

• Oregon residential rates have increased 50% in the last five years. 

We are increasingly paying for AI’s growing need for power in our electric bills, and it’s projected to get much worse. 

Big Tech Has the Money to Do Better 

The tech titans are raking in the profits. They have the money to invest in renewable energy: 

• Google: revenues were $350 billion in 2024, with a net income of $100.1 billion. 

• Meta: revenues were $164.5 billion in in 2024 with net income of $62.4 billion 

• Amazon: $638 billion in revenue for 2024  with $59.2 billion in net income. 

• Microsoft: revenues were a record $262 Billion in 2024 with net income of $93 Billion. 

The Solutions Are at Hand 

We don’t need to wait for renewables to power AI's future sustainably. Solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage are already the cheapest and fastest ways to meet this exploding energy demand. The Department of Energy confirms renewable technologies could deliver hundreds of gigawatts by the 2030s. 

Advanced battery storage also means data centers can run on 100% clean energy 24/7—storing sunshine and wind power to feed AI systems when needed, without a single blackout. These are some of the wealthiest and most sophisticated companies on Earth. They have the resources and must be held accountable. 

And tech titans can boost renewable energy that advances energy justice – creating high paying jobs, supporting local communities, lowering energy costs, and ensuring that the people and communities manufacturing solar, wind, and battery storage technologies are treat well. 

Your Voice Powers the Energy Revolution 

Tech companies won’t take action unless they feel the pressure. 

Green America is mobilizing our members and people around the country to ensure AI becomes a force for climate solutions, not climate destruction. Together, we're demanding that tech giants: 

• Build Smart, Build Clean 
  Data centers should go where they won’t harm communities. Many existing data centers create more noise, pollution, and congestion for underserved neighborhoods already dealing with unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Communities should be fully involved in the placement process to ensure everyone benefits from data center construction. 

• Put Efficiency First 
  Design AI programs to do more with less energy—more efficient chips and processing. No more wasteful computing when lives and our climate are on the line. 

• Zero Fossil Fuels, No Nukes, Period 
  Every aspect of AI processing must run on clean energy—no coal, no gas, no nuclear. We don’t lack the right technology, just corporate commitment and accountability. 

• Community Power 
  Listen to families living near proposed data centers and power sources and give them a say—they deserve transparency, pollution protection, and fair electricity rates that don't subsidize corporate energy consumption.  
• Transparency 
  Major AI companies are building more and bigger data centers without being fully transparent about issues like the electricity and water needed to run them. If these companies are to be good neighbors and take responsibility for the pollution generated from fossil fuels, they first need to be honest about the scope and scale of the problem. 

Action Matters  

Every time you call for renewable-powered AI, you're helping write the next chapter of both technology and climate progress. We have a great track record in driving the renewable energy future by getting Amazon and the telecoms to make historic corporate purchases of solar and wind.  Now we need to do the same for AI.  Amazon, Meta, Google (Alphabet), and Microsoft have all made massive renewable energy purchases in the past, with public pressure, they will do so again. 

If tech giants insist on pushing AI forward, let's make sure we direct it toward the just and sustainable future we all deserve. 

Ready to reshape how AI technology serves our planet’s climate and our communities?  All year long, stay tuned for our “Dirty Data: Stop Big AI from polluting our climate & communities” campaign calls to action.  Together, we got the entire telecoms industry to make massive renewable energy commitments – let’s do it again with AI.   

TAKE ACTION NOW

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Is water in a box really better for the environment? What about sneakers labeled eco-friendly? How about green-accented soap bottles with plant visuals?

These words and images may look environmentally friendly, but they could also stem from a marketing strategy known as greenwashing. The practice occurs when companies sell the idea of “green” products while accomplishing little or nothing for the environment.

There is a growing market for products that minimize damage to the environment, according to Todd Larsen, executive codirector for consumer and corporate engagement at Green America, a nonprofit that certifies environmentally responsible businesses and promotes ethical consumption.

Big fast-food companies are employing children as young as ten years old to work in dangerous conditions. They also work hours so long that it negatively impacts their education.

WASHINGTON, DC — July 23, 2025 — The non-profit Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) is expanding its partnership with​​​​​ breakfast ​brand Seven Sundays, engaging 15 farmers on over 2,400 acres in the transition to regenerative agriculture. This collaboration gives farmers the comprehensive support they need to implement new practices that foster healthy soil, climate resilience, and farm profitability. This crucial support helps farms build biological abundance on the land through agronomic practice incentives, technical assistance, and actionable soil testing.  

Since founding the brand in 2011, Seven Sundays has worked directly with Midwest farmers to source locally grown crops like oats, buckwheat, flax, and sunflowers. As part of their continued commitment through their partnership with SCI in 2022 via the Regenerative Transition Program, the brand has doubled down to drive even greater outcomes within its sourcing network. 

“We’re excited to grow our partnership with Seven Sundays, a regenerative leader committed to charting a new path forward for our food system,” said Adam Kotin, SCI Managing Director. “Together, we are equipping farmers with the tools and support they need to grow delicious food in ways that rejuvenate the land.” 

Through its collaborations with SCI​​​​, the brand is making direct investments in its growers while also working alongside processors to strengthen supply chain resiliency. This integrated approach delivers the transparency and traceability that today’s consumers increasingly desire and expect. 

“We are excited to collaborate with SCI to further our mission in restoring people and planet health for future generations,” said Brady Barnstable, co-founder and Chief Cultivation Officer at Seven Sundays.  “SCI’s farmer-first approach aligns with how we’ve built farm-direct relationships based on mutual transparency, trust and education since our early Farmer’s Markets days.”   

By participating in SCI’s Regenerative Transition Program, brands like Seven Sundays sponsor farmers with a holistic package of technical assistance, agronomic expertise, soil testing, peer-to-peer learning, and a clear framework for measuring regenerative progress. In doing so, they build the trust and connections needed to shift our fraying food system to a more thriving, sustainable (and delicious!) future.  

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ABOUT 

Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI), a project of the national nonprofit Green America, was originally launched in 2019 (formerly the Soil Carbon Initiative) in collaboration with farms, companies, NGOs, and soil scientists. Its mission is to accelerate the transition of agricultural acres under regenerative management by supporting and engaging every link in the supply chain. SCI offers a holistic suite of services, such as farm planning and agronomic support, soil testing, supply chain engagement, reporting, and third-party verification. These efforts help drive measurable improvements in soil health outcomes, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality, climate resilience, food security, farm profitability, and the overall well-being of rural communities. www.soilclimateinitiative.org   

Green America, founded in 1982, is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Green America provides economic strategies and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s most pressing social and environmental problems. www.greenamerica.org 

Seven Sundays, a certified B-Corp, is rethinking the food system from the ground up, making cereals that improve the health of people & the planet. Founders Hannah and Brady Barnstable started Seven Sundays to flip the US cereal aisle on its head after they had a taste of good muesli and a sustainable food system during their inspirational honeymoon to New Zealand. Seven Sundays makes breakfast options, like Muesli, Sunflower Cereal, and Oat Protein Cereal, with 100% real foods. Since 2020, Seven Sundays has saved over 150 tons of waste from the food waste system by using upcycled ingredients. The brand does not use artificial or "natural" flavors, dyes, preservatives, refined sugars, GMOs, or Glyphosate. Seven Sundays is sold at Costco, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and more. www.sevensundays.com 

MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin, (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com 

Where does your paycheck go after it’s deposited in your account? It doesn’t just sit there. Banks use those dollars to make loans and investments in other projects. They are depending on your continued patronage to fuel their revenue.

Local banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions often have clientele that live and work in the neighboring communities. But corporate mega-banks have clientele ranging from family households to multimillion-dollar corporations, which gives them more money to loan to industries and practices that harm the environment and put people at risk.

Concentrating your financial power in your local economy is one of the best ways to support your community. But patronizing your favorite neighborhood shops and restaurants isn’t the only way you can put your money to work where you live—investing in local community development financial institutions can also help strengthen community connections, grow local businesses, and even have an impact beyond the borders of your neighborhood.

Move Money Back into the Local Economy

Unlike big banks, community development banks are more likely to follow a strong social justice mission and invest their resources back into the local economy, bolstering support and opportunities for small businesses to expand, and individuals to buy homes. Additionally, these banks are often much more familiar with the needs and conditions of the communities they operate in, and they tend to be more invested in maintaining a community’s stability and health because the bank’s fortunes are more directly tied to the people and businesses it works with.

According to a 2024 report from the Federal Reserve, small business owners were more satisfied after their dealings with community development banks than big banks, and more likely to have loans and credit line requests approved by community development banks. Community development banks and credit unions are also regular supporters of local events like Pride celebrations, music and arts festivals, and public initiatives.

Banking Aligned with Personal Values

In today’s complex, globally integrated systems of finance and industry, it’s incredibly difficult and frustrating to know how to spend and invest your money while causing the least amount of harm. When it comes to the choice between community development banks and credit unions versus big banks, the data is clear.

According to the 2025 Banking of Climate Chaos report, 65 of the world’s largest banks have sunk $7.9 trillion into financing fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement—including $3.3 trillion since 2021, the year the International Energy Agency found no room for any fossil fuel expansion. Yet the 10 U.S. based banks—JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Truist, PNC, U.S. Bank, and Capital One—are now increasing their funding of both new and expanded oil, gas, and coal operations, accounting for about one-third of the global bank funding for fossil fuels. In addition, big banks also contribute significant financing to the weapons industry and factory farms, which also drive climate change through deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental destabilization, as well as exploit workers, abuse animals, and violate human rights.

Maybe you live in a farming community and want to support farmers looking to adopt regenerative agriculture practices. Or your neighbor is opening a new restaurant that will ensure they work with ethical producers throughout their supply chain. Maybe you volunteer with the library’s Drag Queen story time or a food bank fundraiser and need the support of local businesses and institutions. By banking within your community instead of big banks, your money is more likely to help bring beneficial businesses and events to fruition, rather than produce weapons, unsafe food supply systems, and fossil fuels.

Going Local is Easier than You Think

Making the switch from megabanks is worth your consideration and effort. You’ll want to research a bank’s or credit union’s ownership, memberships, and certifications, as well as ask about fees, services and products, and if the institution is FDIC or NCUA-insured, before deciding.

You can start by visiting Green America’s recently updated Get a Better Bank Map online and enter your zip code to find institutions local to you. The site also has a 10-step checklist to follow once you’ve decided to make the switch.

All banks promise that by working with them, your money will be there when you need it. But not all banks can promise this truth: until you do need that money, it will be used in ways that align with your values, and that will ensure the growth, stability, and safety of your community and the planet. The institutions in our Get a Better Bank Map can.

Moving your bank account to a new bank or credit union may seem like a daunting task, but once you get started, it is easier than you think. Just take it one step at a time. The first step is to research responsible banks and credit unions in your area. Are they a mission-driven institution that supports your community? Do they offer the services you need? Are they in a convenient location with reasonable hours?

Once you’ve decided on a new community development bank or credit union, the next step is to establish a relationship. You can start by opening a checking or savings account, or even a certificate of deposit. After that, move your automatic deposits to the new account, then your automatic withdrawals. Finally close your megabank account and tell them why.

None of these steps need to be rushed—just keep making progress. Every transaction you can move from a megabank to a community development bank or credit union will put us all one step closer to the better world we envision and deserve.

Find a Better Bank near you using our Get A Better Bank Map! >>>

When climate disaster strikes, policyholders expect the property insurance they paid for to help them recover and rebuild. And as we’ve seen from the wildfires in Los Angeles and flash flooding tragedies in Texas to hurricane Helene destroying communities in and around Asheville, no one is immune to the risk of damage from extreme weather. What many don’t realize is the part insurance companies play in making the climate crisis worse.

According to The New York Times, over 1.9 million home insurance contracts have been “nonrenewed” nationwide since 2018, and the nonrenewal rate across 200 U.S. counties has tripled. At the same time, the nation’s largest insurers continue to both insure fossil fuel projects and invest billions in fossil fuel companies. Together the largest insurance companies have invested $582 billion in fossil fuels.

The largest insurance companies that fuel the climate crisis have raised rates sharply in the last few years, in part due to the climate crisis causing more disasters nationwide—a crisis those insurance companies are complicit in by investing billions in fossil fuels. Those practices are driving people to drop coverage or underinsure because they simply can’t afford to be properly insured.

But going without insurance simply isn’t an option for many people. For instance, home insurance is required to obtain a mortgage, and insurers pulling out of a community can trigger a wave of social and economic divestment that only puts people at further risk.

That’s why Green America created the Climate Smart Insurance Directory. It lists options for insurance companies in every state that do not insure fossil fuel projects and invest little to nothing in the fossil fuel industry. Cathy Becker, responsible finance campaign director at Green America, says the directory helps folks find alternatives to big corporate insurers for the policies they need.

Michi Trota: Obtaining property insurance isn’t an easy task to begin with. How can people know when it’s the right time to search for a new policy?

Cathy Becker: Any time is a good time to shop for property insurance—but it’s especially ideal when:

You are nearing the month for your annual insurance to renew; If your insurance rates have sharply increased, whether you have recently filed a claim or not; If your insurance company has informed you that it will not renew your policy.

Shopping for property insurance is easier than you might think. Start by calling three independent agents in your area and ask them for a quote from a regional mutual insurance company for home or renters and auto insurance.

Each agent works with different companies, so talking to more than one will give you a better idea of what is available in your area. There’s no obligation to buy a particular policy through a particular agent just because you get a quote.

Trota: Why should buyers consider going local for home, renters, or auto insurance instead of getting policies through large corporations like GEICO, Liberty Mutual, and State Farm?

Becker: Going local for insurance has similar benefits to buying from local businesses and banking locally:

Divesting from fossil fuels. Almost all of the household names in property insurance both insure fossil fuel projects and invest in the fossil fuel industry. While finding which companies insure a particular project can be difficult, their investments can be found at Investing in Climate Chaos, a resource from the German nonprofit Urgewald.

The numbers are stark. Liberty Mutual insures numerous fossil projects, such as several Gulf Coast LNG export terminals, and invests $1.8 billion in fossil fuels. State Farm has $20.6 billion invested in fossil fuels. Berkshire Hathaway, parent of GEICO, has $95.8 billion invested in fossil fuels, and it is the top investor in Chevron and Occidental Petroleum.

Investing in your community. Local and regional insurance companies have been quietly serving their communities for decades, some for more than a century. They may not be household names because they do not spend millions on advertising, but they are just as financially stable as their larger counterparts.

Saving money. While not guaranteed, going local for your property insurance can often save hundreds of dollars on the annual cost of a policy.

Trota: When evaluating policy options, what are the most important points that buyers should look for?

Becker: In comparing quotes from different insurers, look for:

• Cost. You may not go with the cheapest option, but cost is always a factor. You can cut costs by bundling home or renters’ insurance with auto insurance, paying in monthly installments, and asking for any discounts such as through AARP. Signing up for autopay options can also save on cost.
• Coverage. Make sure the quote covers the cost of rebuilding your home and/or replacing personal property, as well as temporary living expenses, medical payments, and liability claims. Keep in mind that the cost of building materials, furniture, clothing, and electronics is increasing. In addition, most policies do not cover floods or earthquakes, which require separate insurance.
• Financial stability. Look up the company’s rating on AM Best (you will need to create an account). Steer clear of companies with a rating below A-.
• Safety ratings. Weiss Safety Ratings indicate an insurance company’s ability to meet obligations to policyholders. Any A or B rating is acceptable.
• Denial rates. Weiss Ratings also has a list of property insurance denial rates. Steer clear of any company denying 40% or more of claims.
• Coverage requirements. Some insurance companies now require property updates that relate to climate and energy use, such as updated windows, roofing, and heating and/or hot water systems. Be sure to ask what, if any, requirements must be met and how much time you have to complete them to obtain coverage.

Trota: If it’s not possible to switch to an insurance company that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels, how can policy holders advocate for insurers to invest in their communities and the environment?

Becker: Find out how much your insurance company has invested in fossil fuels at InvestingInClimateChaos.org/data. Then call the company and tell them as a policyholder you expect them to do better and are canceling your policy because of their investment in fossil fuels. Insurance companies that must cover damage from the climate crisis should not be actively making the climate crisis worse. In most cases, fossil fuels are a small part of their investment portfolios. There’s no reason they cannot move that money elsewhere.

You can also call your state insurance commissioner to express your concerns. Insurance is regulated on the state level, but state commissioners rarely hear from the public. Your call can make an impression. Find your state insurance commissioner by going to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ website.

Find a green insurance company at Green America’s Climate Smart Insurance Directory!

When deciding on what to make for dinner—maybe grilling burgers or making chicken with a side of veggies—many of us think about how to balance making something affordable, delicious, and healthy. We’re less likely to consider whether child labor is involved in our meals. But increasingly, it likely is.

In recent years, numerous federal investigations have uncovered children working in dangerous conditions to create the food we eat from grocery stores to fast-food chains. Tyson Foods, Perdue, and McDonalds have all been found to have children working in their operations or franchisees. Many of these children are immigrants in precarious positions and unlikely to speak up when they are in danger. They need these jobs to survive, but these jobs put their lives at risk.

Children all over the country, some as young as 10, are working in industries like agriculture, roofing, restaurants, and meatpacking. Their jobs can be so dangerous that some children go to school with chemical burns from cleaning meatpacking facilities or burns from restaurants. In the last two years, at least three children have died on the job. There are an estimated 300,000-500,000 children working in the U.S. agricultural sector alone.  From 2015 to 2022, the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws rose by 283%.

Politicians attempting to roll back child labor restrictions insist that children will benefit from these “opportunities to work,” but the truth is that child labor involves work that is harmful to children’s development or health. The risks include working so many hours that a child falls behind in school and may end up dropping out, cleaning dangerous machinery in a slaughterhouse overnight, or being exposed to hazardous chemicals. Far from preparing young people to have bright and productive futures, child labor hurts children’s potential to live healthy, happy, and successful lives.

And child labor causes harm beyond the children who are directly involved by negatively impacting their future families and communities. It increases the costs of local healthcare, education, and social services, institutions that are inevitably involved in caring for kids who are injured and failing to keep up at school. It also harms the labor market by depressing wages and puts businesses that actually abide by labor laws or ethical practices at a competitive disadvantage. For example, businesses can take advantage of loopholes in federal and state laws, such as “youth wage laws,” that allow businesses to pay children and teenagers less than adult wages for the first 90 days of employment, to increase their bottom line at the expense of children and community well-being.

In recent years, the Department of Labor issued multi-million-dollar fines and carried out investigations that were widely covered in the media, which served as a deterrent. But the new administration, which has vastly different priorities from its predecessor, remains unclear if enforcing child labor laws is a priority and if there will be enough dedicated resources to adequately enforce child labor laws.

States are also backsliding on child labor restrictions enforcement and legislation. In fact, many states are actively working to undermine child labor protections. These states are lowering the ages that children can work in unsafe jobs and increasing the hours they can work each day. According to the Economic Policy Institute, since 2021, 31 states have introduced bills to weaken child labor protections.

Comparatively few states are working to enhance child labor regulations.

Time and time again we have seen companies violate laws and basic rights when they know they can get away with it. While the new administration is sending a clear message that respecting human rights is nowhere on the list of priorities, we can ensure that corporations still feel pressure to prioritize human rights in their operations and supply chains.

Individuals can and have worked together to successfully hold corporations accountable in the past and force them to change their practices. At Green America, our collective work has led to some of the largest corporations ending abusive or harmful practices. Because of our Toxic Textiles campaign and the actions of thousands of consumers speaking up, Carter’s, a leading children’s clothing brand, is adopting a Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) to protect workers and communities in its supply chain. And we have seen major wins in our Hang Up on Fossil Fuels campaign thanks to consumer pressure—T-Mobile is now the leader in the industry in the use of renewable energy, reporting 100% renewable energy usage, and AT&T and Verizon are entering into significant contracts for renewable energy.

It is essential that we actively oppose injustices, make our voices heard, and demand change to the harmful status quo. Together, we can ensure that multi-billion-dollar companies, like McDonalds, don’t profit from the exploitation of children. Green America is pressuring JBS, Perdue, Cargill, and Tyson Foods to do their part in stopping child labor.

Making sure you and your family can enjoy delicious meals shouldn’t come at the cost of other children’s lives and futures. While others are trying to make child labor a permanent part of our lives, we can change reality for the better. Together, we can fight for a food system that isn’t built off exploitation but one that creates good and safe jobs.

Off the coast of Northern California, there is a swath of land bustling with ecosystems—redwood forests, coastal prairies, oak savannas, rivers. Crisp marine air blankets the Petaluma Gap, which runs from Bodega Bay, an inlet off the Pacific Ocean, to the tidal estuary of San Pablo Bay. Right in the middle lies Petaluma, California, chartered in 1858 and considered one of the state’s earliest cities, boasting a rich cultural and environmental history. I can still recall the sharp, briny taste of the sea air when I visited Sonoma County, where Petaluma resides, nearly a decade ago.

As a passionate environmental advocate, I’m thrilled that the city’s natural beauty and features remain sacred. The town created a Climate Action Commission in 2019, successfully converted over 4300 city lights to LEDs, and now limits urban expansion to preserve the surrounding environment through its Urban Growth Boundary policy.

In the growing climate crisis, local teamwork could be the key to securing a greener future. For its next eco-venture, Petaluma set its sights on reducing waste, and its weapon of choice was a purple cup.
The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project is the first of its kind in the U.S., involving residents and more than 30 local and global businesses to circulate over 200,000 reusable cups in lieu of landfill-headed single use cups. Spearheading the Reusable Cup Project is the NextGen Consortium, a collaboration managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy that aims to reinvent food packaging and reduce waste.

I was drawn to its ambitious scope, which reflects my eagerness—perhaps even impatience—for the sustainability movement to meet people where they are, however imperfect the initial actions may be.

Reuse Programs are Accessible and Inclusive

Use a metal straw, drive an EV, compost organic waste—the advice on how we can lead more sustainability-driven lives is endless. It can be confusing, overwhelming, and frustrating to navigate sustainability as an individual. Everyone is somewhere different in their lives, with different needs and resources at their disposal—there is no one-size-fits-all green living solution. For a problem as expansive as single-use waste, accessible solutions and support for people to adopt new habits are key.

Identifying challenges that prevented previous waste minimization projects from succeeding was a crucial first step for NextGen to implement the reusable cup project. What they found was that many of those issues revolved around accessibility, inclusion, and motivation. The impact report commissioned by the project (available for download at returnmycup.com) singled out potential barriers like higher price points for sustainable pursuits, the pressure of adopting a new habit, desensitization to single-use packaging, health and cleanliness concerns about reusable food and beverage items, or even innocent unawareness.

“It was important for us to ensure that there is no cost to the customer to participate,” explains Carolina Lobel, Senior Director at Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, the managing partner of NextGen Consortium and a leader in the circular economy space. “While deposit and penalty schemes have [been] shown to work for certain reuse systems, our previous tests have shown that they could add friction or pose both accessibility and operational challenges.”

The cup itself was also a challenge. After all, tossing things in trash bins is habitual and keeping a free cup is tempting, but that defeats the purpose of the program. NextGen also wanted to create a more environmentally friendly cup that was still affordable for the program. Using customer feedback, NextGen created the purple cup with a simple direction to remind people of its use: “Sip, Return, Repeat.”

“The Petaluma project is critical to identify which factors support customers in returning their reusable cups,” Lobel says. The project’s focus on ease of access, with no cost to the everyday person, is what excited me the most about its potential. In a world rife with greenwashing and bottom lines, a program designed to provide a community with the means to live a less wasteful life without any drastic changes to daily habits is very welcome.

The idea is simple:

• At your favorite restaurant, cafe, or other establishment (ice cream shops and milkshakes definitely count), get your delicious drink of choice in a purple reusable cup and go about your day.
• When you’ve downed the last drops, toss the cup in any of the 60 return bins placed around the city—whether in participating locations, or public areas like schools and parks.
• Returned cups are collected from the citywide bins and taken to be cleaned, inspected, and then sent back to vendors for use again. For any cups that don’t pass muster, they are recycled at Recology in Santa Rosa, CA.

Public outreach efforts ensured that Petaluma residents were well-informed about the project by the time it launched, and responses showed that users found it easy to partake in and understand (fig.1). According to Lobel, the project reached over 100,000 returns just six weeks after its launch.

Collaboration and Consideration are the Keys to Change

Caring for our planet is a monumental task, making it crucial we demand action from legislators, corporations, and others in power. However, it’s also important to provide incentives and resources for individuals to shift our habits as consumers. Change must also come from within communities themselves, and NextGen’s approach highlights the importance of creating buy-in through collaboration and consideration for the concerns of both consumers and local businesses.

“For some businesses in Petaluma, this was their first time offering reusable cups, while others built upon previous learnings,” says Lobel. “What they all had—and still have—in common is a goal of reducing waste.”

In addition to stressing the need for the food service industry to source, purchase, and use reusable packaging, the consortium directly offered businesses and individuals the resources and pathways to enable those changes.

Lobel points out that working in partnership with the project meant businesses didn’t shoulder the burdens of experimenting with waste reduction solutions on their own. The project spent a year and a half building up to its launch in August 2024 because, as Lobel explains, “a full city take-over required collaboration among a range of stakeholders across the value chain.”

Perfection Cannot Be the Enemy of Progress

In every conversation I’ve had with members of the Green Business Network®, their advice for entrepreneurs adopting sustainable practices is always the same: don’t strive for perfection, just start.

Too often, especially when something feels as high stakes as shifting daily habits out of environmental concerns, shame and fear of making mistakes can keep us from taking any action at all. But the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project had a vision and made it happen, including viewing any initial success not as stopping points but as opportunities for future improvement.

For instance, while the ideal is to strive for a plastic-free life, the project’s purple cups are still made of food-safe plastic, a decision that was informed by thorough research. The material was chosen for its recyclability in nearby facilities, compatibility with washing infrastructure and light weight—which ultimately reduces greenhouse gas emissions in transport. Cups for hot beverages were made of 100% lightweighted PP (polypropylene), which is used by similar reusable cup programs in Denmark and the UK. For cold beverages, the project used virgin HDPE (high-density polyethylene).* Both designs were BPA and phthalate free. Ultimately, the program relies on trusting customers to consistently return the cups after single use for proper sanitization and safety.

*Editor’s Note: While polypropylene is one of the safer known plastics, some studies have shown it can still leach plastic particles into food or beverages, especially when exposed to high heat, so putting any cups made from these materials in a microwave to reheat drinks is not advised.

A Note on Plastics and Heat:

To avoid any risk of plastics leaching harmful chemicals into hot food and beverages, here are some quick tips:

• Transfer frozen food or leftovers from plastic containers to glass or ceramic dishes before heating in a microwave or an oven. “Microwave safe” is a misnomer, there is no standard for microwave safe plastic packaging.
• Don't put hot beverages in plastic cups or water bottles or reheat beverages in plastic cups in a microwave.
• When in doubt, use glass or ceramic instead.

Given the project’s first wave of success, future iterations and growth are now more likely. Currently, Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy is taking the results from Petaluma, including the enthusiastic response from consumers and businesses alike, to develop even better long-term, permanent reuse programs in various cities across the country. So, I’m hopeful the project will evolve away from plastic cups entirely based on developing technologies and education, too.

In the meantime, programs looking to replicate the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project’s efforts can consider safer and more environmentally friendly alternative materials for their own reusable cups. Materials like stainless steel or silicone are more ideal than lightweight PP or virgin HDPE plastics and using them will avoid the risk of plastic particles leaching into hot or reheated beverages and food.

What I truly found inspiring was how the project showed it’s possible for us to create pathways, however initially imperfect, that allow communities to mitigate how consumer waste fuels climate change. Providing programs that anticipate known difficulties and offer resources for both consumers and businesses puts partnership at the forefront so we can solve problems together.

Trying to achieve a top-tier sustainable lifestyle is wonderful to aim for, but sometimes progress happens in steps, not leaps. We need to dream big and support each other through every failure and success.

Switching to reusable cups is just one way to start adopting sustainable habits—there are plenty of options to cut down on single-use waste and encourage your neighbors to do the same.

• Bring your own mugs or to-go cups and reusable straws to your favorite coffee, tea, or boba shop if they allow it. Often, they’ll even provide discounts for doing so!
• Getting takeout or bringing home leftovers? Provide the containers yourself by bringing BPA-free food storage and have the restaurant put your meal in those instead of typical Styrofoam and plastic.
• Invest in reusable utensils, straws, and cloth napkins for things like takeout, picnics, and more.
• At home, ditch the plastic wrap for beeswax wrap, plastic bags for reusable sandwich and shopping bags, and use your reusable containers to stock up on bulk items.

Check out the Green Business Network® directory to get started!

The environmental movement’s fight against plastic goes back decades. It has fueled everything from the push to curbside recycling in the 1970s, to the straw bans of the 2010s, to documentaries highlighting how much of the plastic water bottle industry is a scam, and much more.

I joined the anti-plastic movement around 2015. It started simply: I asked for paper bags instead of plastic at the grocery store. Soon after, I started carrying a reusable Nalgene water bottle. I learned about the zero-waste movement and began purchasing sustainable alternatives for everything from ear swabs and menstrual products to straws. I bought from bulk stores with my own cotton cinch bags to avoid plastic packaging. It became a daily puzzle to figure out and, at the time, an exciting challenge.

Ten years later, some of those changes stuck while others didn’t. After the isolation period of the covid-19 pandemic, I had to give up some of my habits. Eating inside a restaurant became risky. Bulk stores, with their barrels of rice and candies and oats, felt like a playground for contamination. So, I gave up on these habits—and after a year and a half, it was hard to pick them up again. The zero-waste ideology became less of a brain game and more of a burden.

Yet the plastic industry manufactured and manufactured and manufactured, regardless of my motivation. Microplastics—tiny plastic pieces sometimes the width of a human hair—entered public health and environmental conversations. Research studies discussed the prevalence of microplastics in everything. Water, soil, air, and even human bodies. And knowing that plastic can contain BPA, PFAS, and other under-researched chemicals, I could not help but be reminded of the mesothelioma commercials from the early aughts…

“If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma you may be entitled to financial compensation.”
Mesothelioma is a fast-growing and deadly cancer that results from asbestos exposure. Asbestos was a popular insulation material because of its nonflammable properties until its toxicity was made known in the 1970s.

Recent studies have shown that people under 50 are contracting cancers of the digestive tract more frequently and earlier than previous generations. Microplastics have been found in human placentas, colons, and the blood brain barrier. And while studies haven’t found definitive evidence that microplastics are carcinogenic, the correlation of increased cancer rates to the abundance of microplastics is one that gives me pause.

Just to be safe, I am now on a journey of eliminating microplastics from my life.

Unlike plastic packaging, microplastics are harder to sniff out and harder still to eliminate. But there are some golden rules: if something is made from plastic—whether that be soft, crunchy plastic packaging or hard, durable plastic—it probably sheds microplastics.

This rule has been enough to get started. I began in the area that felt most concerning: the kitchen. This is where I heat up plastic (spatulas and containers) and store things that go into my body (water bottles and utensils).

I swapped my plastic reusable water bottle for an insulated stainless steel one (which is vastly superior in keeping my drinks cold, too). I purchased glass Pyrex containers to store my leftovers. I acquired wood and silicone cooking utensils. I switched out my plastic scrub brush with a bamboo one and my plastic cutting board for a wood one.

The other major culprit of microplastics in our homes lies in our closets. Clothing made from polyester, acrylic, viscose, nylon, elastane—anything synthetic or a synthetic blend, really—are guilty of shedding microplastics every time they are agitated in the wash. I’ve made it my mission to acquire new clothing made from natural materials such as cotton, bamboo, silk, leather, and hemp. And if that’s not available, I shop at thrift stores so that I don’t spend my money in support of new, synthetic fashion. One day, I hope to install a microfiber filter in my washing machine to keep any microplastics from escaping to the wastewater streams—until then, I try to hand wash or gentle cycle my synthetic clothing, which releases less microplastics.

These individual steps give me a sense of control over my realm. And it didn’t start overnight—I began acquiring slowly to fit my budget. You can start here, too, by visiting the different rooms in your home to determine where you can eliminate or reduce plastic usage. And instead of buying items wrapped in plastic or made with plastic at the store, try choosing items that are naked or in cloth or paper wrapping.
When grocery shopping, I like to follow an 80/20 rule: I try to purchase 80% of my produce and groceries naked or without plastic. The 20% I do allow myself to purchase wrapped in plastic—such as toilet paper or frozen foods—leaves room for flexibility so that I can still get what I need. After all, I don’t have control over how the things I need are packaged and I refuse to be shamed by that. This kind of economic activism—conscious consumerism—puts power in my hands.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the plastics industry from churning out more and more. What is necessary for large-scale permanent change is policy.

Policy change starts locally. Talking with neighbors, friends, and family about the issue of microplastics creates the necessary awareness to grow community action. In Colorado, my home state, 100% of Colorado water bodies tested positive for microplastics. In 2022, the Colorado Plastic Pollution Reduction Act went into effect, banning Styrofoam food containers and plastic bags in food establishments and grocery stores. The legislation was a huge win for our state and was made possible with the collective support of advocacy groups and individuals talking to their representatives about plastic and microplastic concerns.

This can be possible in your state, too, simply by increasing awareness amongst your peers and talking to your representatives about the environmental and health concerns of microplastics. It can start as small as your city and county elected officials, who are responsible for recycling and waste management programs in your neighborhood.

Creating regulations to reduce plastic at the top of the production chain—and thus keeping plastic producing companies accountable to their waste—is a job for Congress. In 2024, the Biden administration released a strategy to reduce plastic pollution. Various bills have been proposed in the House and the Senate regarding the reduction of plastic pollution and plastic toxicity, but Congress, backed by the Trump administration, has halted a lot of legislation that would work to remedy these issues. It is as important as ever for individuals like you and me to keep the pressure on our representatives to continue supporting new and existing legislation, including landmark legislation like the Clean Water Act and PFAS standards in drinking water. You can find your Congressional representatives’ contact information online or by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and asking for your representative by name. There is also an app called 5 Calls which helps you stay on top of changes in legislative priorities and make calls.

There is a long way to go. Every action and voice counts.

A light goes out in the ceiling, but you can’t reach it without a ladder. You head to the hardware store to buy a ladder, but even the smallest four-step folding ladder is $265. You don’t have a garage, so there’s no point in buying the eight-foot ladder, even though it’s the same price…and are you even going to use it enough to justify the $265 sticker price?

This is a situation Jessa Wais, Director of Library Services at Station North Tool Library in Baltimore, Maryland, has seen again and again. The Station North Tool Library is a library that lends tools—from drills to mowers and everything in-between. In fact, Wais says that “it’s really common for first [time lenders] to borrow a ladder just to reach that one thing one time.”

Tool libraries are a manifestation of the sharing economy, a concept built on the philosophy that there is more than enough stuff to go around. Little free libraries, free stores and markets, community pantries, and BuyNothing groups make it possible for people to share equipment and resources with each other, preventing waste, clutter, and overconsumption while redistributing goods for public need. Tool libraries make it possible for people of all skill levels and income ranges to access and use tools.

Loans and Learning

Tool libraries exist all over the country—from Atlanta to Boise and Cincinnati to Phoenix. The Station North Tool Library offers 3,000 tools for lending, 30 educational classes, and dedicated workspaces for woodworking, repair, and DIY projects. It began as a volunteer-run project in 2013 and has since grown into a 501(c)3 with roughly 2,200 members.

“We are all about decreasing barriers to tool access,” says Wais. “We really believe you don’t have to buy everything that you use. There are many items that lend themselves really well to sharing.”

While many people come in to borrow a tool for one-time use—like a ladder, for example—others come to take an educational class. For Wais, that introduction was woodworking. They enjoyed the space so much that they applied for a job at the tool library and have now been there for five and a half years.

Across the country in Denver, Colorado, Tyler Hurula is the tool library manager at the Denver Tool Library. Hurula says that many folks hear about the library’s class offerings—such as Auto Basics, Wood Turning, and Sewing 101—through word of mouth. Once they arrive, they soon learn that the library offers more than classes and tool lending. It offers a community.

A Safe Place for Community

The parfum of workshop spaces is a motley aroma of oil, grease, metal, solvents, and burning fuel. Garage workspaces, mechanic shops—these spaces are perceived as masculine, places that society assigns to men in the “provider” and “fixer” roles, whereas women are assigned “domestic” responsibilities like housework and childrearing. But spaces don’t have genders, and any person can handle these responsibilities—women can work a lawnmower or a drill, and men can wash laundry and put the baby to sleep. Tool libraries counter the narrative of gendered societal roles by creating an open space for learning with built-in communities and classes.

If a member has a question, tool librarians are there to help without judging anyone’s skill level. Clarifying the process, increasing access to expensive tools and workspaces, and collaborating on ideas are all part of the allure of the tool library.

“No gatekeeping here,” says Hurula. “We get a lot of women and a lot of queer folks. We get a lot of people who don’t know where to start and have felt intimidated coming into a typically [masculine] space. And then they come in here and it’s not scary.”

Wais says that “people view the tool library as this third space.” Third spaces are important social environments outside of home and work where people interact with each other, learn, and play. Social media is a digital third space; physical third spaces can be commercial or public facilities, such as parks, coffee shops, bars, and public libraries. These venues make it possible to meet new people, learn new ideas, and grow a community.

Every year, the Station North Tool Library hosts the Fix It Fair, a free community repair event. It’s one of Wais’ favorite events.

“People bring in broken items—it can be a wobbly chair, clothing that needs mending, instruments that need restringing—and we have a team of fixers who not just try to fix your item but try to demystify the process,” says Wais.

In 2024, over 280 people attended. Over 300 items were repaired and usable again. “A cool part of engaging with a local tool library is it [offers a] community for you,” says Wais. “That human-to-human interaction is super valuable and fun.”

Tool Libraries Are for Everyone

The ethos of tool libraries is built on sharing. Unlike the competition-mindset of hardware stores, tool librarians want more tool libraries around the world. Both the Denver Tool Library and the Station North Tool Library started as volunteer-run projects, with people donating tools, time, and knowledge. The Denver Library celebrated its 10-year anniversary in April, demonstrating that tool libraries are needed today as much as ever.

Hurula says that a great way to support tool libraries is firstly, through being a member, and secondly, through donating. Whether that is donating tools, time, or dollars—it all helps. Additionally, financial donations help subsidize membership to folks with financial needs or barriers.

If you don’t have a tool library near you, start one! You can take a note from the Station North Tool Library and the Denver Tool Library and start out of an alley warehouse, garage, or a work with a local space willing to host. Eventually, through grassroots funding and volunteers’ elbow grease, these became the tool libraries we know today in Denver and Baltimore.

Even then, it doesn’t have to be a fully fleshed out organization—informally sharing tools amongst friends and neighbors counts. There are lots of ways to participate, whether you are next door to a tool library or live states away.

“Come up with community spaces, talk to people about projects they’re working on,” Hurula says. “Find ways to be in community with people. Trade tools and knowledge and experience. That is all in the spirit of the tool library also.”

Picture this: a school gymnasium, alive with basketball games, pep rallies, and… an abundance of fresh food coming from the roof? It’s a future many want to see become reality—our community spaces reimagined and transformed to serve us better, like a sprawling garden on top of a school gym.

No matter where you live, growing fresh food is possible. Yes, even in urban areas, where people garden on balconies, in rec centers, and, of course, rooftops.

Urban gardens have many benefits. One is helping areas that suffer from heat island effects like increased energy consumption to counter higher temperatures, negative health impacts, and air pollutants. According to the EPA, green roofs can make surface temperatures 56°F lower than conventional roofs and reduce nearby air temperatures by 20°F, thereby opposing the buildings, roads, and concrete absorbing heat to create heat islands. Another is that they teach gardening fundamentals—and everything that goes along with gardening, like nutrition and climate—to anyone and everyone, especially at public buildings. Plus, they’re great for people living in apartments, condos, or other housing without much outdoor space.

In some places, in fact, the benefits of green infrastructure like green roofs are even making their way into legislation, like the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act of 2025, a bill that has been introduced in the Senate and House directing the government to “establish an urban heat mitigation and management grant program” for eligible projects like green roofs. In San Francisco, the ordinance "Better Roofs: Living Roof Alternative" mandates certain new buildings’ rooftops install energy-saving systems like solar panels and living roofs.

Additionally, both cities and states like New York City and Oregon offer grants and incentives for green rooftops (any rooftop covered with vegetation, including gardens, grasses, and flowers), while in 2009 Toronto became the first city in North America to require green roofs for certain new buildings.

And crucially, growing fresh food in a community can be an empowering way to decrease food insecurity while providing more opportunities to strengthen ties among neighbors.

In 2023, more than one in 10 U.S. households experienced food insecurity. On average, 47 million Americans face hunger, including one in five children. For one of the wealthiest countries boasting over 300 million acres of cropland, this is unacceptable—and something green roofs, urban gardens, and other green infrastructure can help fix.

Aren’t There Grocery Stores Everywhere?

For those who have never had difficulty accessing a wide variety of food, it can be easy to assume that no matter where someone lives, there must be a grocery store nearby, including access to fresh produce and other healthy options.

Yet in the United States, more than 23 million people, most of them low-income, live in communities that are under-resourced and regularly denied easy access to nutritious, affordable food. Just as safe water is crucial in any environment, so too is the availability of food wherever someone calls home.

“Food security requires addressing not just immediate hunger but also the systemic issues that cause it,” says Erin Meyer, Founder & President of Basil’s Harvest, a nonprofit that engages the power of local, regenerative food systems to promote human and planetary wellbeing, and member of the Soil & Climate Alliance, a program within Green America’s Center for Sustainability Solutions.

Commonly referred to as “urban food deserts,” the USDA defines these areas as places with “no ready access to a store with fresh and nutritious food options within one mile” and a rural food desert as somewhere “10 miles or more from the nearest market.”

However, the term “food desert,” first officially used by the Low Income Project Team of the UK’s Nutrition Task Force in 1995, is not entirely accurate. Many activists and community organizers instead prefer the term “food apartheid,” to make clear that the lack of access to healthy, nourishing food is not a naturally occurring phenomenon, but rather a consequence of racist and discriminatory systems.

“Food insecurity disproportionately affects certain populations,” Meyer says. "Communities of color experience disproportionate levels of food insecurity due to the continued impact of systemic racism and discrimination."

This is to say nothing of nutrition. In low-income areas, stores like Dollar General and local bodegas offer the easiest access to groceries, but they stock cheaper items, which tend to be processed foods with very little nutritional value.

Meyer describes food access and nutrition as “deeply connected.” Food insecurity at all is linked to higher healthcare costs, while nutritional access and quality is crucial for physical and mental health, with studies showing nutritious foods playing a role in alleviating symptoms of depression and mental health struggles.

Communities Can—and Should—Have Multiple Pathways to Food

Food access depends on a complex system affected by many things. Climate change impacts the very soil of our planet, while global conflict can disrupt supply chains and trade agreements, destroy farmland, and displace farmers. These issues, happening both abroad and at home, impact the affordability and accessibility of nutritious foods throughout the U.S.

Fortunately, there are many ways to get involved with food access in your community. Meyer details six ways anyone can start acting (fig. 1), including volunteering at a food pantry or advocating for legislation that promotes nutrition and food access.

“Legislation creates the framework that determines food access for millions of Americans through strategic funding mechanisms and policy implementation,” says Meyer. Until recently, legislation supported programs like the Farm Bill and SNAP, which provided food assistance to low-income people. With the passing of the Trump Administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” however, $186 billion in funding will be cut from SNAP by 2034 and critics warn it could worsen food insecurity across the country.

You can also take a hands-on approach to feeding your friends, family, and community, and solutions to food access aren’t limited to rooftops.

Climate Victory Gardens are personal and communal gardens prioritizing regenerative practices, like restoring soil health to draw down carbon, that can radically improve a community’s intake and access to fresh foods. Green America’s Climate Victory Gardens program has over 30,000 gardens registered nationwide, including private gardens and public ones, like school and community gardens, and each new garden is a new source of food and planet health.

“Climate Victory Gardens strengthen communities both literally and figuratively,” says Emma Kriss, Food Campaigns Manager at Green America.

Kriss notes how the gardens can help protect human and environmental health when tended without the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Gardening provides the opportunity for light exercise, forging connections among neighbors, and can bolster mental health. The gardens themselves help reduce flooding by creating healthier soil that can absorb more water and offer safe havens for pollinators.

“One of my favorite stories comes from one of our gardeners who is also a beekeeper,” says Kriss. “When his neighbor observed that his own crops were doing better once the bee colony was established, the [gardener] was able to convince [the neighbor] to change his pesticide use to help protect the bees!”

Building a brighter future requires creativity, innovation, and partnership. Although food insecurity is a global and profound affair, we can still make a lot of progress at local levels. Our efforts can help ensure that our neighbors have food on their table, kids have access to healthy school meals, and every community can easily obtain nutritious and affordable groceries.

Think about the different ways you can help feed your neighbors, or advocate for those most at risk of food insecurity, and then go tell the local high school’s principle and city council that it’s time for an abundant garden space, wafting with the smells of fresh soil and ripening berries in the sun, to grace the school gymnasium’s roof.

The constant stream of small-minded, xenophobic, and greedy orders coming from the White House is exhausting. Which, as several Trump advisors have said, is exactly the point—their intent is to keep us so overwhelmed that we have little to nothing left over after making it through our day to day lives. They want us to feel like we have few, if any, options to fight for our rights, our health, an equitable economy, and a healthy, sustainable planet.

But the current administration and the big corporations and billionaires who back them aren’t the only ones capable of wielding economic power—we, the people, have both considerable individual and collective power, too. Most of all, investing our time and money in the welfare of our neighbors, local businesses, and community institutions builds vital bonds of trust and care, which is itself a revolutionary act. Especially in the face of selfish public figures and predatory corporations whose success depends on cultivating our mistrust of and unwillingness to work with the world around us.

This is what Green America’s community does best—your collective actions encourage responsible corporate policy and the adoption of economic solutions that benefit us all. Together we are making a real difference for people and the planet when it comes to renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and fair labor. Your support has helped us save crucial forest acres in California from biomass logging efforts, expanded our guides for climate-friendly banking and climate-smart insurance options, grown the Climate Victory Gardens program, and much more.

The articles in this issue of Your Green Life explore the various ways we can use the power of our money and efforts to strengthen our own communities in ways that can reverberate beyond the borders of our daily lives. Whether it’s a waste reduction program that worked to meet both consumers and businesses where they are, a personal journey to remove microplastics from use, protesting eased restrictions on child labor in supply chains, encouraging the expansion of tool lending libraries, shifting your money away from megabanks, or exploring regional property insurance providers, this edition of Your Green Life is dedicated to the idea that there are myriad ways for everybody to use their money, time, and energy for the betterment of their communities and the planet within their own means.

The public backlash against companies that dropped their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments after the current administration issued executive orders dismantling federal DEI programs are a stark reminder that our choices and actions matter. When we work together, we can ensure that corporations and powerful people still face consequences for their actions. Just look at how Target was subjected to multiple boycotts after it backed away from its corporate DEI initiatives in January—the company was forced to cut its financial outlook for the year after anticipating further declines in sales.

Our American economic system relies on constant generation of profit and growth at the expense of communities and the environment, so making intentional choices to put our money and energy to work for us is an important way of encouraging collective action that can benefit the planet. Using our economic power in service of our principles and for the common good is especially impactful under a federal administration—not to mention state governments— aggressively gutting social supports and services in favor of tax breaks for the rich and relaxed regulations on corporations.

When we put our money, time, and energy into building strong local economies, we create resilient, sustainable communities that build momentum for sweeping global actions. In times of economic, social, and political uncertainty, choosing to trust each other and support local businesses, organizations, and institutions can have positive impacts that extend far beyond the people and places we see every day.

One of my favorite writers, Charlie Jane Anders, wrote in her newsletter about how the stories we see in pop culture often paint the struggle for justice and a better world as one that relies on a final proverbial straw to trigger a massive collective action that makes everything fall into place in the end. It makes for heart-pounding storytelling, but Anders argues that it ignores how in real life, our reaction to a single, overwhelming crisis alone isn’t what brings change. It’s also the thousands of individual choices to do better and strong community bonds among people who might otherwise have been strangers that provide the momentum for success and fertile ground for justice to take root.

Everyday actions in our own neighborhoods and townships—from where we choose to bank to how we spend our money, the ways we participate in civic life, the causes we volunteer for, how we manage our consumption and waste, and the ways we care for each other—are vital to creating a safe, healthy, and sustainable future for ourselves and our planet.

Leveraging communities to create a vibrant and healthy world.

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 22, 2025 – Green America and the Child Labor Coalition launched a new anti-child labor campaign focused on fast-food companies with a track record of child labor violations from the U.S. Department of Labor. The campaign will organize thousands of consumers urging McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Baskin-Robins, Jersey Mike’s Subs, and Sonic to address child labor violations, citing specific instances at franchise locations across the country.   

Charlotte Tate, Labor Justice Campaigns Director at Green America, said: “We’re seeing patterns of DOL Child Labor Violations – thousands over recent years – and it’s egregious that major fast-food chains are allowing it to happen. These companies must engage in a productive dialogue and take leadership roles in eradicating child labor and labor violations in the food production industry.” 

Child labor in the U.S. is a growing problem. From 2015 to 2022, the number of children employed in violation of child labor laws rose by 283%. There have been nearly six times as many child labor law violations in the food service industry in the last ten years. 

Reid Maki, Child Labor Advocacy Director for the Child Labor Coalition and National Consumers League, said: “For many teens, working in fast food is their first job. It is critical for it to be a good experience, free from exploitation and work dangers, like operating fryers. Their hours must be restricted to ensure that they are not damaged by working too many hours. We know from academic research that teens who work more than 20 hours a week during the school year, see their grades drop and their chances of graduating go down significantly.”  

McDonald’s 

• McDonald’s  had more than 2,300 child labor violations at more than 13,000 restaurants since 2013.  

• One franchise operator “employed 24 minors under age 16 to work more than legally permitted hours”, including “two 10-year-old children who were employed -- but not paid -- and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m.”  

• Another franchise operator “allowed 242 minors between age 14 and 15 to work beyond the allowable hours.” The Department of Labor assessed the employer with $143,566 in penalties for the violations.  

Baskin-Robbins 

• Baskin-Robbins locations across Utah violated federal law by “allowing 64 minor employees, ages 14- to 15-years-old, to work too late in the day and too many hours in a week while school was in session.”  

• The eight locations were in American Fork, Bountiful, Clearfield, Layton, Salt Lake City, Sandy, West Jordan and West Valley.  

Sonic Drive-In 

• “An Atlanta-based private equity firm that operates 60 Sonic Drive-In locations, including eight in South Carolina -- employed 36 children, ages 14 and 15, to work illegally.”  

• Another operator with “locations in Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia — employed 55 children, ages 14 and 15, to work outside of legally allowed hours.” 

• Six Nevada locations illegally employed 14- and 15-year-old teenagers to work beyond allowable hours, and “assigned them to operate manual deep fryers, a task considered a hazardous occupation.”  

Chick-fil-A 

• In Utah, investigators determined  two franchises illegally employed 237 minors, allowing “14- and 15-year-old employees to work past permitted hours, and for too many hours in a day.”  

• Investigators found a North Carolina operator “allowed three workers under the age of 18 to either operate, load or unload a trash compactor, all violations of federal child labor regulations that prohibit employing minors to perform hazardous jobs.”  

Jersey Mike’s Subs 

• In Northern Virginia, four locations employed “more than a dozen employees under the age of 16 to perform dangerous tasks and work longer than permitted in violation of federal child labor regulations.” 

• In four different locations in South Carolina, a franchise allowed “14 minor-aged children to operate power-driven meat slicers, a hazardous occupation under federal law.” That same franchise operator also had children working longer hours than allowed.  

Green America is a non-profit organization representing over 250,000 individual members and 2,000 small businesses. Our mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. 

The Child Labor Coalition (CLC) represents millions of Americans through 37 organizations that fight to protect worker rights, human rights, and child rights. CLC members include the nation’s largest union, the National Education Association, the National Consumers League, Human Rights Watch, and the Fair Labor Association, as well as numerous groups that are also concerned about the welfare of vulnerable children at risk of child labor exploitation. 

In April, the two groups launched a separate anti-child labor campaign aimed at four top U.S. meat processing companies (Perdue Farms, JBS, Tyson and Cargill) including launching a consumer petition and engaging a network of allied grassroots groups on the ground across the country. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: Parke Qua for Green America, (216) 276-2476 or pqua@hastingsgroupmedia.com. 

ABOUT  

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org  

WASHINGTON, DC — July 14, 2025 — Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) has officially released its Commitment & Verification Standard, Version 3.0 – a game-changing framework that revolutionizes how regenerative agriculture is measured and verified. The enhanced standard builds on SCI’s proven success working with over 160 farms across 350,000 acres in 27 states. 

"Our Standard bridges the critical gap between farm realities and marketplace confidence," said Kristen Efurd, SCI Verification Director. "Version 3.0 simplifies requirements while maintaining scientific rigor, making regenerative agriculture accessible to diverse production systems while giving consumers confidence in their food choices." 

The revamped standard centers on seven essential regenerative pillars: 

1. Minimizing soil disturbance 

2. Maintaining living roots in the ground year-round 

3. Keeping year-round soil coverage 

4. Maximizing diversity above and below ground 

5. Reducing synthetic inputs 

6. Continuous learning 

7. Appropriate integration of livestock 

SCI’s innovative four-tier verification system requires farmers to progressively advance their practices every three years, acknowledging regenerative agriculture as a journey of continuous improvement rather than a fixed destination. 

SCI’s independent verification program, administered by internationally recognized third-party verifier SCS Global Services, delivers a practical, science-based framework incorporating both in-field and laboratory soil testing to monitor improvements over time. For food and fashion brands, this creates credible product claims when sourcing ingredients from verified farms. 

"We meet farmers where they are," said Adam Kotin, SCI’s Managing Director. "By establishing clear milestones and requiring measurable outcomes, we're helping farmers build healthier soils and resilient operations while giving consumers and brands confidence in their regenerative choices." 

The SCI Commitment & Verification Standard Version 3.0 is now available at www.soilclimateinitiative.org/standards. 

SCI, a nonprofit, farmer-first program, was originally launched in 2019 (formerly the Soil Carbon Initiative) in collaboration with farms, companies, NGOs, and soil scientists. Its mission is to accelerate the transition of agricultural acres under regenerative management by supporting and engaging every link in the supply chain. SCI offers a holistic suite of services, such as farm planning and agronomic support, soil testing, supply chain engagement, reporting, and third-party verification. These efforts help drive measurable improvements in soil health outcomes, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality, climate resilience, food security, farm profitability, and the overall well-being of rural communities. 

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ABOUT 

Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) is a not-for-profit, farmer-first regenerative agriculture transition program with options for third-party verification. SCI empowers farmers, suppliers, food and fashion brands, investors, and landowners to scale regenerative agriculture management and maximize soil health outcomes, biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality, climate resiliency and farm economics. www.soilclimateinitiative.org   

Green America, founded in 1982, is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Green America provides economic strategies and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s most pressing social and environmental problems. www.greenamerica.org 

SCS Global Services (SCS) is a global leader in third-party certification, auditing, verification and standards development for over 40 years.  Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, food and agriculture, green building, product manufacturing, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. SCS is a California-chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. www.scsglobalservices.com 
 

MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin, (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com 

We can help you move your money to support your community

By Cathy Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director

Earlier this year, Green America released its expanded and upgraded Get A Better Bank map, with 17,000 branches of 3,000 mission-driven banks and credit unions. These banks and credit unions invest in affordable housing, sustainable agriculture, small green businesses, lending to minority communities, and many other community-building activities.  

Our bank map is needed now more than ever, after the publication of Banking on Climate Chaos Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2025. The report spotlights how the largest banks in the world are profiting from fossil fuels that are driving us off the climate cliff. 

In its 16th edition, this year’s Banking on Climate Chaos report analyzes lending and underwriting by the world’s 65 largest banks for corporations involved in the extraction, transportation, transmission, distribution, combustion, trade, or storage of fossil fuels. The report is authored by Rainforest Action Network and seven other environmental nonprofits. 

The findings are stark:  

• These 65 banks committed $869 billion to fossil fuel companies in 2024 -- $162 billion more than the previous year.  

• Of that amount, $429 billion went to companies expanding fossil fuel production and infrastructure.  

• Over 2/3 of these banks (45 of 65) increased fossil fuel financing from 2023 to 2024. Even more (48 of 65) increased finance for fossil fuel expansion. 

As in previous years, U.S. banks play a key role in fossil fuel finance, with 10 among the 65 highest fossil fuel financers.  

The longer-term numbers are even worse: 

• The 65 largest banks have committed $3.3 trillion in fossil fuel financing since 2021 -- the year the International Energy Agency published its Net Zero by 2050 roadmap, which found no room for any expansion of fossil fuels. 

• The 65 largest banks have committed $7.9 trillion in fossil fuel financing since 2016 -- the year the Paris Agreement went into effect, when all nations of the world committed to keeping global heating to no more than 1.5° C (2.7° F).  

Last year, 2024, was the world’s hottest year on record, with the 10 warmest years occurring in the last decade. Last year also saw 27 climate disasters costing $1 billion or more in the United States.  

This year, 2025, has already seen the deadly Los Angeles wildfires estimated to cost $250 million in damages and economic loss. Climate change made these fires 35% more likely, according to an attribution study .  

How Wall Street banks see our climate future 

Yet the world’s largest banks are not only knowingly financing this destruction, they are looking to profit from it.  

Recent reports from Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase show that top Wall Street financial institutions think the world will blow through the 2°C upper limit set by the Paris Agreement. “We now expect a 3C world,” the Morgan Stanley report states.  

At 3°C (5.4°F) of global warming, scientists predict 600 million people will be forced to migrate due to flooding from rising seas, food production will drop by half, and wildlife habitats will suffer devastating loss.  

As Gunther Thallinger of Allianz Insurance says, at 3°C “risk cannot be transferred (no insurance), risk cannot be absorbed (no public capacity), and risk cannot be adapted to (physical limits exceeded). That means no more mortgages, no new real estate development, no long-term investment, no financial stability. The financial sector as we know it ceases to function. And with it, capitalism as we know it ceases to be viable.” 

Yet Morgan Stanley sees 3°C as a business opportunity, predicting the growth rate for the $235 billion air conditioning market from 3% to 7% by 2030.  

Whether due to market predictions or the well-funded and coordinated anti-ESG campaign, Wall Street banks are walking back their previous climate commitments. 

This year, all six US members of Net Zero Banking Alliance, founded in 2021 to unite banks on climate action, left the alliance – even after it had weakened its goal from 1.5°C to 2°C of warming. Wells Fargo went the furthest, abandoning its 2030 and 2050 climate goals entirely. 

One thing is clear: We can no longer rely on voluntary action by big banks to address the climate crisis. Nor have they responded to years of customer pressure.  

As this year’s Banking on Climate Chaos report says, “Banking regulators, supervisors, and policymakers must take measures to align financial activities with climate goals for economic stability in the face of the worsening climate emergency.” 

Unfortunately, US policymakers and regulators are not likely to require these banks to change anytime soon 

What can you do?  

Fortunately, you don’t have to participate in a system that feeds global destruction. If you have a bank account in or credit card issued by one of the 10 US banks or another bank tracked by Banking on Climate Chaos, you can move your money.  

Green America’s Get A Better Bank map lists community development banks and credit unions across the United States. Wherever you are, you can find one near you.  

These banks and credit unions have a mission to serve their communities – whether that’s helping first-time home buyers obtain a mortgage, supporting local entrepreneurs to launch a new business, or financing a city park or community center.  

Making the switch is easier than you think. Our 10 steps to Break Up with Your Megabank shows you how – and stories of people who have made the switch offer inspiration.  

If you have already made the switch to a better bank or credit union, please tell us about it!  Fill out our Share My Story form.  

If you have not already broken up with your megabank, the time to make the switch is now. If it seems daunting, start with one account and then move the others over time. Allowing Wall Street banks to continue using your money to knowingly and deliberately destroy people and planet is not an option.  

On the frontlines

Among the frontlines of fossil fuel financing is my home state of Ohio, the only state to lease its state parks and public lands for oil and gas extraction. So far thousands of acres of the state’s largest and most iconic park, Salt Fork, have been leased for fracking, along with six wildlife areas: Valley Run, Zepernick, Keen, Leesville, Egypt Valley, and Jockey Hollow. In many cases these lands were donated or purchased with the understanding they would be protected in perpetuity. All 10 US megabanks finance the oil and gas companies given leases to frack Ohio public lands, including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Truist, PNC, US Bancorp, and Capital One.  

Photo: Aftermath of the Groh frack pad explosion near Salt Fork State Park, Guernsey County, Ohio.

Thanks to opposition from Green America and our members joining with local and national allies, two industrial-sized biomass plants proposed for California were defeated in late June 2025. The two plants, that would have been run by the international wood pellet company Drax, would have destroyed up to 1.3 million acres of forests, polluted communities and exacerbated climate change while doing nothing to mitigate wildfires.  The wood pellets would have been burned overseas to generate electricity that was marketed as renewable.  

Facing immense community opposition and financial uncertainty, Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR), the entity trying to get the plants approved, canceled their plans. This is a historic victory for forests, the climate, and the residents of California.  
  
A coalition of grassroots, national, and international groups used public engagement, earned media, and social media to fight the plans to build destructive wood pellet plants in the central Sierras in Tuolumne County and in Northern California in Lassen County, as well as a a storage and export terminal in Stockton, California.   These plants would have threatened important forest ecosystems and polluted local communities. 

While this is a major victory, we are not completely out of the woods yet. GSNR is considering large-scale wood chip production which could still irrevocably harm California forests, communities, and climate, and could increase air pollution, particularly around sensitive communities. But for now, it’s a victory for the planet and communities. 

SACRAMENTO, CA (June 25, 2025) – Facing immense community opposition and financial uncertainty, Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR) today canceled plans to build two industrial-scale wood pellet plants, a historic victory for forests, the climate, and the residents of California. 
 
A coalition of grassroots, national, and international groups fought the plans to build destructive wood pellet plants in the central Sierras in Tuolumne County and another in Northern California in Lassen County, as well as a storage and export terminal in Stockton, California. 

Today, GSNR announced plans “to explore alternative approaches for implementing their project” at its board of directors meeting, effectively canceling plans to build the controversial wood pellet facilities and export terminal. The company cited: 

• The amount of input received during the California Environmental Quality Act Process with the draft environmental impact report (DEIR), which reached 50,000 comments in opposition 

• Current biomass market conditions, which have weakened after governments turned away from subsidizing the industry and accompanying facility closures 

California communities in the impact zones of the proposed pellet facilities and the export terminal as well as campaigners have sounded the alarm on GSNR and its false solutions for over two years.  

GSNR’s board voted on three options and chose to pursue wood chip production, which effectively means it will go back to the drawing board, recirculate a revised impact statement, and give the public another opportunity for comment. 

Large-scale wood chip production could still irrevocably harm California forests, communities, and climate, and could increase air pollution, particularly around sensitive communities. For years, the biomass industry has deceived customers about their sourcing and climate impacts, destroyed forests, and polluted communities. At this time, it is apparent that GSNR’s wood pellet plans are shelved no matter what. The wood pellet biomass industry has been stopped from getting a foothold in California. As GSNR reimagines its product development from wood pellets for export to domestic wood chipping, the company’s history of shoddy public involvement provides strong warning to Californians. 

The coalition will be waiting for GSNR to recirculate its DEIR and look forward to reviewing and commenting.  

Here is what coalition members are saying:  
 
Gloria Alonso Cruz, Environmental Justice Advocacy Coordinator with Little Manila Rising in Stockton: “There’s absolutely no room for false climate solutions at the only inland port in California’s Central Valley: Stockton. For generations, industrial activity and the ongoing failure to seek community input on environmental compliance have worsened socioenvironmental conditions for South Stocktonians. We’re the 35^th asthma capital in the world! We see the cost of industrial pollution firsthand when our loved ones experience the devastating impacts of chronic respiratory conditions. With this announcement, vulnerable communities in South Stockton can breathe a sigh of relief knowing we’ve protected our community from GSNR. We remain committed to supporting and standing in solidarity with communities that could be impacted by GSNR’s shift. While our port missed this opportunity to say ‘no’ to this harmful project, we now turn our attention to its leadership—to demand commitment to development that values advocates’ input and does not threaten our community’s health.” 

Megan Fiske, Environmental Advocate at Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch in Tuolumne County: “Rural communities like Tuolumne and Calaveras counties have made it clear they want businesses that support the local economy, not big boom and bust industrial pursuits like those posed by GSNR’s project. It is a shame so much time and taxpayer money was wasted waiting for GSNR to realize what rural Californians already know - big biomass is a boondoggle. Fire resiliency starts at home, and we could’ve spent millions of dollars far more effectively protecting homes and neighborhoods in our communities instead of ignoring the voice of the public and allowing GSNR to pursue this oversized, counterproductive business scheme.  Yes, we need different forest management to protect our communities but it should be driven by the community, not corporate interests looking to make a profit off rural communities’ hardships.”  

Shaye Wolf, Ph.D., Climate Science Director at the Center for Biological Diversity: “Stopping this dirty, dangerous wood pellet export project is a big victory for communities, the climate and our forests. Our forests shouldn’t be fed to the woodchipper for polluting biomass pellets shipped overseas. Unfortunately, the new proposal to sacrifice forests and communities to make dirty biomass products here in California is still bad for the climate, public health and wildlife. We’ll continue to fight to protect our forests from being industrialized for corporate profit.” 

Matt Holmes, Project Director for Valley Improvement Projects: “California's Environmental justice communities are worried that GSNR will now seek allies among the tidal wave of new energy projects ravenously applying for federal and state carbon capture credits. Those carbon credits are predictably propping unnecessary industrial facilities promising unproven results, categorically increasing pollution almost exclusively in our most vulnerable communities.”  

Nick Joslin, Policy and Advocacy Director, Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center: “We have watched for decades as the dirty biomass industry has been buoyed by taxpayer subsidies and then collapsed once this corporate welfare runs dry. We are not surprised to see GSNR pivot away from their colossal pellet scheme as planned that required subsidies at every step of the process and left our communities with more pollution, greater fire risk, and our forests ravaged by increased logging.”  

Gary Hughes, Biofuelwatch, Americas Program Coordinator: “As Golden State Natural Resources pulls the plug on their poorly conceived proposal to bring global wood pellet industry villains like Drax to California, our organization Biofuelwatch celebrates the results of an amazing statewide, nationwide and worldwide campaign that has successfully put a spotlight on the threats that the dirty biomass energy sector represents to forest ecosystems and local communities."  

Mary Elizabeth, M.S., R.E.H.S., Delta-Sierra Group Conservation Chair, Sierra Club: “Having to learn more about biomass collection, pellet production, and international markets for a project that would increase harm to the Stockton community, I learned about how words can be twisted such as calling the project “Golden State Natural Resources Forest Resiliency Demonstration Project.”  We hope that any revised draft environmental document will fully consider the greenhouse gas emissions (pollution) and harms to ecosystem resilience, along with more open collaboration to discuss local and regional efforts that will reduce wildfire impacts.”  

Dan Howells, Climate Campaigns Director at Green America: “Californians exposed the false solutions of biomass and have hopefully put an end to the industry coming for our forests. Today’s announcement that GSNR is no longer considering biomass for export comes after tens of thousands of people told GSNR and Drax that California’s forests and communities are better off without industrial scale biomass destruction and the pollution that comes with it. Now, we need to ensure that California doesn’t pursue in-state biomass energy and instead pursues true renewable energy and wildfire mitigation for homes and communities.”   

Maya Khosla, Sonoma County Climate Activist Network (SOCOCAN!): “We have objected to the GSNR project from its inception and our voices have been heard. Using wood from forests as source material for bioenergy or biofuels is the dirtiest form of energy. Using forest wood also results in the opposite of forest resiliency – dried-out soils and depleted forests – creates massive emissions from the processing, transportation and smokestacks, leads to health and safety risks to communities near and far. The emissions from extractions far exceed wildfire emissions (by a factor of 5 or more) and include greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are not being counted as emissions. Inevitably, the emissions worsen the climate crisis and create conditions for even worse wildfires. To deal with the emissions, industries are now proposing to pump the carbon dioxide underground, a process called “carbon capture and storage” (CCS), which is potentially dangerous, has resulted in serious accidents and injuries, and comes with no guarantee that the carbon dioxide will remain underground. The efficacy of CCS has been questioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and others. We need to move away from bioenergy and biofuels.”  

Esther Mburu, Carbon Policy Analyst, Restore the Delta: "The Delta begins in the Sierra Nevada forests, and what happens upstream directly affects water quality downstream. We're relieved that the export terminal appears to be off the table, but shipping wood pellets overseas was never about clean energy. It was about propping up dirty coal plants abroad while degrading the watershed that feeds California's water supply. As GSNR considers domestic alternatives, we'll continue advocating for real solutions that protect both our interconnected waterways and the communities that depend on them."   

Mary Booth, Director, Partnership for Policy Integrity: “Scientists and advocates keep trying to explain to policymakers that burning trees isn’t going to help the climate. Advocates will continue fight this multi-million-dollar climate con in its new incarnation.” 

Rita Vaughan Frost, Forest Advocate at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council): “We spelled out the writing on the wall: GSNR’s biomass boondoggle is not welcome in California communities. Californians raised their voices to show they want real clean energy and real solutions to wildfires, not to see their forests ransacked, and communities poisoned just to export climate-busting wood pellets overseas. As GSNR reinvents itself, NRDC remains steadfast in our commitment to stand by communities that have won this hard-fought victory over the wood pellet biomass industry. While they may be donning the new clothes of wood chip production, we are ready to analyze the climate, forest, and community impacts of this newest iteration." 

# # # 

Little Manila Rising (LMR) serves the South Stockton community, developing equitable solutions to the effects of historical marginalization, institutionalized racism, and harmful public policy. LMR offers a wide spectrum of programs that address education, environment, redevelopment, and public health. LMR values all people’s unique and diverse experiences and wishes to see the residents of South Stockton enjoy healthy, prosperous lives.   

Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch (EPFW) works to protect, promote, and restore heathy forests and watersheds to maintain the quality of life in the Sierra Nevada. Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch supports responsible forest management and logging methods. 

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.   

Valley Improvement Projects (VIP) strives to reach-out to low-income and working class communities, communities of color, immigrants, Spanish-speakers, LGBTQ community, religious minorities, indigenous communities, youth, elders, people with disabilities, houseless community, and many others who carry the extra burdens of our society.   

Since 1988, the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center has played a pivotal role in preserving the integrity of Mount Shasta and its surroundings. Our bioregional perspective encompasses not only natural interconnected systems but also their cultural layers that constitute the human relationship to the land. We work through public education, science-based public policy and advocacy, legal challenges, restoration, watershed monitoring, forest stewardship, building partnerships and alliances, and engaging the local community to connect with and protect our bioregion."  

 Biofuelwatch provides information and undertakes advocacy and campaigning in relation to the climate, biodiversity, land and human rights and public health impacts of large-scale industrial bioenergy.  We are a small team of staff and volunteers based in Europe and the USA.   

The Delta-Sierra Group of the Mother Lode Chapter is a regional unit of the Sierra Club that organizes outdoor activities and focuses attention on environmental issues. We all agree to practice the Sierra Club motto that you should "Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet."   

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems.   

SOCOCAN (www.SonomaCountyCan.ORG), is an umbrella for 50 organizations and 300 individuals.    

Restore the Delta works in the areas of public education, program and policy development, and outreach so that all Californians recognize the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta as part of California’s natural heritage, deserving of restoration. We interface with local, state and federal agencies to advance this vision.  

The Partnership for Policy Integrity (PFPI) uses data-driven advocacy and litigation to fight for forests, communities, and the climate. 

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).     

In 2021, Juneteenth became a national holiday- and for many this was their first time hearing about the holiday. But this day isn’t about a free day off work or no school. This holiday has been celebrated by Black Americans for years. The legacy of Black Americans is often overlooked by this country which is why July 4th is not the day that marks their independence - June 19th is! 

Juneteenth marks the 19th day in June 1865, when Black people in Galveston, Texas were informed — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation — that slavery was abolished, and the civil war ended. This brought liberation to Black Texans (and Black Americans everywhere). The significance of Juneteenth is more relevant now than ever, because “freedom” is represented in Black communities through their influence, art, music, and cultural foods.  

We hope the information, events, actions, and suggestions of Black-led organizations to support will strengthen your commemoration of Juneteenth. 

History/ Community /Social Justice

History of Juneteenth  

History of Juneteenth: Information for kids  

From Juneteenth to Reparations: Reclaiming Our Stolen Stories 

Juneteenth Virtual Toolkit – Smithsonian  

Juneteenth Foods and Traditions 

Juneteenth: Teaching Outside the Textbook 

Celebrating Juneteenth: Books from Penguin Random House 

Economy:

How Systemic Racism Keeps Black Americans Out of Investing 

Shop Black Owned: Green America  

How One City Beat the U.S. to Making Juneteenth an Official Paid Holiday 

Realizing Reparations – YES Magazine Series 

Environment:

8 Black Leaders Who've Revolutionized the Climate Movement 

Black Americans’ Connection to Land Leads to Serenity 

Maine Public Radio – Living on Earth Juneteenth Special 

Events:

Search “Juneteenth” and your city or state to find celebrations and ways to volunteer near you 

Juneteenth Festival 2025 – Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission 

Central Park Conservancy – Celebrate Juneteenth 

A Guide to Philly Juneteenth Celebrations 

10+ Uptown NYC Events Celebrating Juneteenth 

How to Celebrate Juneteenth 2025 in Chicago 

Juneteenth Events in Virginia 

NBC – Honoring Juneteenth in Los Angeles 

Black Women for Wellness – Juneteenth Boots on the Ground Celebration in LA 

MFA Boston – Juneteenth Open House 

Header photo: Three young women celebrate Juneteenth in Grant Park, Chicago on June 19, 2020. Photo by Antwon McCullen.

Comcast may entertain but all those streaming programs and entertainment comes at a cost – climate change.

Walmart has a huge climate problem. Refrigerators in the companies’ stores are using potent super-pollutant gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), that are leaking and accelerating the climate crisis.

529 savings plans

The cost of college has more than doubled in the 21st century. Currently the average in-state student at a public university spends over $27,000 per year, while the average private university student spends over $58,000 per year.  

Educational savings plans, known as 529 plans after a section of IRS code, are tax-deferred savings plans that can be used to pay for educational expenses. The District of Columbia and all states except Wyoming offer 529 plans.  

While 529 plans are usually used to pay for college costs, recent legislation allows them to cover K-12 education and apprenticeship programs, student loan repayments, and Roth IRA contributions. 

There are two types of 529 plans: college savings plans and prepaid tuition plans.

College savings plans 

By far the most common type of 529 plan, college savings plans allow anyone – but typically a parent or grandparent – to establish a savings and investment account for a beneficiary – typically a child or grandchild.  

The account holder contributes to the plan and chooses what to invest in. Investment options vary by state, but most states offer mutual funds including target-date funds and index funds. Some but not all states also offer socially responsible funds. 

Anyone including friends and extended family can contribute to a 529 plan. You can open a 529 plan in any state, not just the state where you live, but tax benefits vary.  

Maximum contribution limits also vary by state, from $235,000 in Mississippi and Georgia to over $500,000 in Pennsylvania, New York, and California. 

College savings plans can be used to pay for any qualified expense, including tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Because funds are contributed post-tax, withdrawals are tax free. 

Prepaid tuition plans 

Prepaid tuition plans allow you to lock in college or university tuition at the current rate for a beneficiary who will not be attending for years. Only nine states participate -- Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, and Washington – and the money can only be used to pay tuition. 

Prepaid tuition plans are a great hedge against the rising cost of tuition if you live in one of the nine states and your beneficiary knows they want to attend college in state. However, unlike college savings plans, the money cannot be used to pay for books, fees, room or board; nor can it be used for K-12 education or repay student loans. 

Socially responsible 529 plans

Investing for a child's education means investing in the future -- and you can use your investments to help create a better world for the children of today to inherit when they grow up.

Unfortunately, socially responsible funds are not available in every state 529 plan -- so you may have to look for an educational savings plan outside your state.

Fossil Free California lists several states that offer fossil-free or nearly fossil free options through three funds: the Parnassus Core Equity Fund (PRBLX), the Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund (VFTAX), and the Fidelity Climate Action Fund (FCAEX).  

Many 529 offer age-based "enrollment date" funds that shift from aggressive to more conservative portfolios as the child nears college age. California offers the only age-based ESG fund made up of several Nuveen and TIAA mutual funds. However, these funds are not fossil free. You can find out what a mutual fund or ETF holds by using As You Sow's Fossil Free Funds.

Your investments can be used to build a more sustainable and equitable world. Racial justice investing can help.

Next: Racial Justice Investing

Green America is not an investment adviser, nor do we provide financial planning, legal, or tax advice. Nothing in our communications or materials shall constitute or be construed as an offering of financial instruments or as investment advice or investment recommendations. 

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