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Hours: Full-Time (4-days, 32 hours/week)
Salary: $68,000 - $72,000/Grant Track Position
Benefits: medical, dental, sick days, holidays
Supervisor: Managing Director, Climate Safe Lending Network   

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 and environmental problems facing society today.

The Center for Sustainability Solutions builds on Green America’s work over the years, where we’ve brought together industry groups across supply chains to create major shifts in such areas as solar, banking and investing, sustainable agriculture and fair labor. The Center supports Innovation Networks, focused working groups of stakeholders with the objective of making significant, industry-wide system change.

The Climate Safe Lending Network (CSLN) is an international multi-stakeholder collaborative of banks, NGOs, academics, investors, and others aiming to accelerate the decarbonization of the banking sector to secure a climate safe world. The network brings together senior leaders and change makers within banks, stakeholders, and influencers (including clients, foundations, and shareholders), policy experts and civil society groups to collectively explore how they can play their optimum role in accelerating change.    

Working closely with the Managing Director, the Program Manager will contribute to the development and growth of the Climate Safe Lending Network and its ongoing Initiatives, which includes stakeholder engagement and recruiting; meeting design, planning and facilitation; communications; and fundraising.

Post-pandemic, this position will involve domestic and international travel for Network meetings, conferences and business cultivation meetings, staff training, and other purposes. CSLN is a virtual Network; therefore, this position may be housed internationally or at Green America’s office in Washington, DC.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Project Management

1. Work closely with the Managing Director to manage the CSLN and its priority initiatives.
2. Identify opportunities for growing CSLN and deepening member engagement. 
3. Participate in the design and planning of CSLN meetings and events in collaboration with the staff team.
4. Deliver CSLN meetings and events that run smoothly and achieve desired outcomes, including meeting facilitation and support, managing logistical arrangements, and preparing meeting reports.
5. Organize and help facilitate CSLN staff, Initiative, and Design Team meetings as well as contribute to the design and development of Network initiatives.
6. Identify new systems, processes, and tools to help the Network grow, stay organized, and achieve desired goals.

Communication

1. Lead the design, administration, and implementation of a communications plan and strategy.
2. Participate in new participant and CSLN member engagement.
3. Lead the design, administration, and moderation of an online communications platform for network members.
4. Conduct outreach to current and potential network members to include preparing a monthly newsletter and other communications materials.
5. Enhance CSLN’s online presence to include maintaining and improving CSLN’s website, moderating CSLN’s LinkedIn group, and regularly posting on CSLN’s social media channels.  

Fundraising

1. Contribute to growing and diversifying CSLN’s sources of funding by identifying potential new funders and helping to prepare grant applications and fundraising materials.
2. Design, manage and administer a network membership program to be developed in collaboration with the CSLN team, including specific revenue targets for membership.
3. Participate in donor stewardship to include tracking the completion of grant deliverables and preparing donor reports.

Participate in Cross-Departmental Teams

1. Provide operational support to the Center for Sustainability Solutions, as needed.
2. Participate in Center for Sustainability Solutions efforts and ensure the collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas, tools, and resources between teams, as needed.
3. Ensure that knowledge gained is converted into “knowledge capital” for the Center for Sustainability Solutions by documenting work processes involved in managing Innovation Networks and successful strategies used in CSL operations.
4. Participate in Green America staff meetings and processes and other duties as required.
5. Participate in Green America Cross Departmental Teams: The success of our organizational work includes the voluntary participation of staff members from all levels of the organization in cross departmental teams addressing a range of issues to strengthen our impact and planning, as time and other work commitments allow.

Qualified Candidates should have the following skills and qualities:

• Demonstrated project management skills, particularly starting up and running a new project and/or managing several projects simultaneously
• A passion for and strong knowledge of banking, sustainable finance, and/or environmental sustainability
• Experience making sense of and synthesizing information across diverse perspectives
• Strong written communication and research skills; able to effectively communicate complex ideas and concepts
• Strong verbal communication and inter-personal skills
• Adept at building and maintaining collaborative relationships, especially in sustainable finance, banking, and environmental sustainability; robust professional network desired 
• Strong technology skills, including videoconferencing and website platforms, CRM, newsletter email software, etc.
• Able to work remotely with minimal supervision; intrapreneurial skills desired
• Bachelors degree required in banking, sustainable finance, environmental sustainability, or a related field; MBA or Masters degree in a related field preferred
• Experience working with networks or having previously worked in more than one organizational sector (e.g., business, non-profit, government) desired.
• Presentation and group facilitation experience desired
• Experience with business development or fundraising a plus

How to Apply:

Please email your resume, cover letter, and writing sample (preferably 2-5 pages that has not been professionally edited) to connect@climatesafelending.org. Please note in your application where you learned of this position.

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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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Green America’s Green Business Network is launching an open comment period to collect informed feedback on a new certification standard for hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) products that are legally compliant. The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GBN_CBDstandard_opencomment. The comment period will remain open until May 1, 2021.

The draft standard addresses a wide range of social and environmental issues facing CBD businesses and includes two tiers of certification – Standard and Gold.

Once finalized, this new hemp-derived CBD certification standard will play an important role in affirming for consumers that the businesses providing CBD products are operating in accordance with practices that support people and the planet.

The Green Business Network is a national network of small to mid-sized companies that work to integrate strong social and environmental commitments into their business operations. The Network is home to both rising social and eco enterprises and to well-established green businesses. The Network provides the tools, information, and – for certified members – access to consumers to help green businesses thrive in today’s competitive green marketplace.

The Green Business Network certifies businesses across 38 different industry sectors, including apparel, banks and credit unions, cleaning products, housewares, travel and more.

For more information about the open comment period contact: certification@greenamerica.org.

by Ayate Temsamani, Former Green America Climate Fellow
 

The last seven years have been the warmest on record as the climate crisis continues to rapidly drive up global temperatures and intensify storms and seasons. As the world warms, access to cooling has become increasingly critical for public health.

Yet over one billion people still lack access to cooling worldwide.

Sustainable cooling can safeguard from heatwaves, preserve food and vaccines, and maintain societal productivity. Cooling equity is necessary to promote healthy communities, stable energy supplies, and inclusive prosperous economies.

Heat equity is the development of policies and practices that mitigate heat islands and help people adapt to the impacts of extreme heat in a way that reduces the inequitable distribution of risks. Higher temperatures caused by the climate crisis will only exacerbate the growing global demand for cooling equipment.

The countries that produce the most emissions will experience less extreme heat than countries that produce far fewer emissions. As a result, the cooling technologies and fossil fuels used in wealthier countries are making life unlivable for the rest of the world. And people living in poorer and hotter countries are much less likely to be able to afford cooling technologies to protect themselves from rising temperatures and extreme heat days.  

Cooling Inequity, a Global Problem

Today, more than half of the world's population lives in cities, and by 2050 an additional 2.5 billion people are expected to live in urban areas. Rapid urbanization contributes to the sharp increase in the frequency of heatwaves and makes populations across the globe more vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

The increase in population, urban densification, and climate change will only amplify urban heat islands, which experience significantly higher temperatures than other areas. The EPA estimates that heat islands will result in a 1-7°F rise in temperatures and the CDC reports that heatwaves are the deadliest of the climatic disasters facing cities.

An estimated 699 million people have little or no cooling to protect them in a heatwave primarily due to the lack of access or affordability.

The top 10 countries with the largest urban populations at risk from the lack of cooling include China with over 207 million urban poor, India with more than 110 million, and Nigeria with nearly 50 million people.

Most low-income households around the world either cannot afford cooling appliances or live in inefficient homes that are costlier to keep cool.

Roughly 3.6 billion cooling appliances are used globally today. Estimates suggest that if cooling is provided for all who need it – not just those who can afford it – up to 14 billion cooling appliances will be needed by 2050.

Sustainable cooling is crucial to achieving many Sustainable Development Goals including ending global hunger, access to affordable and renewable energy for all, and making cities inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

How It Affects the U.S.

Cooling inequities are evident across the U.S., putting low-income and marginalized groups at risk. Climate change is burdening New York City with more acute heat island effects. Summers are hotter and longer, leaving many marginalized communities suffering and even dying.

According to WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Black residents make up 50 percent of the heat-related deaths in New York City, despite  making up 25 percent of the city’s population.

The EPA attributes lack of air conditioning or the inability to afford it as factors in the higher death rates of low-income residents.

Lack of cooling access in public housing, poses health risks to many low-income and communities of color as poor insulation and old infrastructure holds heat. The Harlem Heat Project in New York City shows that marginalized groups suffer during the hot summers since the homes rarely have an air-conditioning unit.

And unlike heating in the winter, there are currently no legal provisions to make cooling a public housing requirement.

WE ACT for Environmental Justice is working to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat and advocate for better state policies to allow the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) funds to be used for increasing access to more efficient cooling.

Innovative Solutions 

Innovators are working to develop radiative cooling technology that follows practices used for centuries in North Africa, India, and Iran. At night, people in desert areas would pour water into shallow pits insulated with reeds and by morning the water turned to ice. The water transformed overnight by radiating its heat out into space, despite the air temperature not dipping below freezing point.

New technology follows this ancient practice using thin film to send heat into space and lower temperatures of objects, even in daytime. This innovative technology reportedly releases no greenhouse gas emissions and can save energy and lower electric bills. After solar panels, cooling panels may be the next solution for sustainable cooling, and ultimately allow us to cool entire buildings just with the sky.

For current practices, governments can invest in efficient cooling through green roofs, reflective pavements, trees, and proper building design to significantly reduce heatwave risks.

Affordable and sustainable cooling has the potential to restore environmental health and justice in communities around the world as well as improve the overall quality of life and well-being. 

The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for countries to increase access to efficient cooling to low-income and marginalized communities as part of their economic recovery plans and improve energy efficiency, cooling technologies, as well as improve cold chains to reduce global food waste and provide communities in remote areas with access to vaccines and other temperature-sensitive goods.

How Refrigerants Contribute to the Climate Crisis

The appliances we use to keep cool are leaking gases that warm our atmosphere at a shocking rate. The most common refrigerants used in these appliances are greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have thousands of times the warming power of CO2.

Eliminating HFCs and adopting climate-friendly refrigeration is a top solution to address the climate crisis that can prevent nearly half a degree of global warming. There is a range of refrigerant options that are available with ultra-low global warming potential to curb these emissions.

Policymakers and companies in wealthier countries have the obligation to reduce emissions from cooling and lower the climate impacts on poorer countries. Adopting better cooling now can also drive down costs so that the millions of people worldwide who need these technologies to address extreme heat can adopt them. 

To learn more about cooling equity in the U.S. and worldwide, we urge you to explore the following resources:

• Heat, Health, & Equity  - WE ACT for Environmental Justice
• Sustainable Recovery: World Energy Special Report - International Energy Agency
• Heat Islands and Equity - Environmental Protection Agency
• Map of Climate Friendly Supermarkets - Environmental Investigation Agency
• Take action with Green America’s Cool It campaign urging supermarkets to adopt sustainable refrigeration.

The following is excerpted from a new report by Community Capital Management (CCM), a certified Green Business Network member. CCM manages impact investing portfolios to promote community development and contribute to positive environmental outcomes. Read CCM’s full report on the Black homeownership gap here.

For millions, owning a home remains at the heart of the American dream. Most American renters — 72% — say they want to buy a home at some point in the future instead of continuing to rent, according to the Pew Research Center. But many Black Americans have been left out. Black Americans struggle with a deep wealth gap, in fact, recent research shows that only 44% of Black Americans own a home compared to 74% of white Americans. Homeownership is important for accumulating and passing on wealth, which means the trailing homeownership rate further impacts Black Americans’ ability to build generational wealth over time.

Mending the Black homeownership gap in America is not going to happen overnight. It is going to take years to make a profound impact on this serious issue, and the pandemic has only hurt an already fragile situation. In 2019, the National Association of Realtors laid out a five-year plan for how the real estate industry can step up to provide support in increasing the number of Black American homeowners. It included building more homes to increase supply, increasing access to down payment assistance, strengthening the Federal Housing Administration’s loan program, and expanding alternative credit scoring models.

In 2019, The Urban Institute also published a five-point framework for reducing the Black Homeownership Gap calling for:

1. Advancing policy solutions at the local level

2. Tackling housing supply constraints and affordability

3. Promoting an equitable and accessible housing finance system

4. Accelerating outreach and counseling for renters and mortgage-ready millennials

5. Focusing on sustainable home ownership and preservation

End the Black homeownership gap will take commitment, coordination, and efforts from a variety of resources, including the capital markets, public and private partnerships, government agencies, developers, and more, along with a shift in our views of how every American deserves fair housing.

What is CCM’s role in Black Homeownership?

CCM’s Minority Community Advancement Racial Empowerment Strategy (also known as Minority CARES), launched in June 2020, allows investors the opportunity to direct their fixed income capital to advance racial equality, tackle social disparities, and help build an economy that provides opportunities for everyone from affordable housing to access to capital. Minority CARES anticipates investing $2 billion over the next five years in market-rate bonds that align with the values of social justice, improvement in the lives of those in historically marginalized communities, and increased economic opportunity for people of color.

CCM also has a new investment opportunity to be launched soon with a focus specifically on affordable homeownership for low-to-moderate income and minority borrowers. Visit ccminvests.com to learn more in the months ahead.

Support a green economy and initiatives like Black homeownership through Green America programs like Get a Better Bank.

Amazon is rapidly expanding its apparel footprint.

When the pandemic struck, Amazon was posed to respond well and even gain more market share. Over the last year, Amazon’s profits have skyrocketed. At the same time, traditional apparel brands have struggled, consumer demand dropped dramatically for many companies, and brick and mortar operations became less profitable as lockdowns spread across the world.

Are Amazon Prime clothes the next big name to dominate the fashion industry?

The answer to that question could have big impacts for workers, and for women since they make up 80% of workers in the garment industry. 

It’s important to note that garment workers have borne the brunt of the apparel industry’s financial struggles over the last year. You can read more about that in our guest blog from the Worker Right Consortium. When large companies dominate a sector, whether it’s apparel, food, or electronics, workers at the bottom of the supply chain have often paid the biggest price, while the corporations at the top often sees the biggest benefits.

Amazon has a history of disregarding the planet and workers’ rights, giving very little reason to think expanding its market share in the apparel space would be good for anyone but Jeff Bezos. Slow and ethical fashion is not his game.

1. Amazon’s apparel impact is rapidly growing! Between 2018 and 2020, Amazon has tripled its private label offerings.
2. Amazon has about 80 private label apparel and accessory brands.
3. Consumers are responding by buying more apparel from Amazon (including its own brands and those from third party sellers), and Amazon is dominating, again. In the last year, “70% of apparel shoppers bought clothing or footwear from Amazon.” When compared to key competitors, Amazon also takes the cake. Only 51% of shoppers purchased apparel from Walmart, and 45% from Target. Further, 80% of Prime members state to have purchased clothes or footwear off Amazon.
4. As of 2020, apparel, footwear, and accessories accounted for 54% of Amazon-brand products.
5. Workers and consumers are not being protected. Amazon’s chemical management policy does not apply to apparel. While Amazon has made progress in a variety of areas over recent years, Amazon branded clothing could have toxic chemicals in it, jeopardizing the health of both consumers and garment workers.  AND this wouldn’t be the first time that Amazon has risked safety of consumers, last year, CNN reported that there were numerous consumer reviews of multiple of Amazon’s products being dangerous.

Amazon is a dominating force and will stop at nothing to increase its market share. There is evidence that it will undersell competitors to push the competitor out of business (see the case of diapers.com), and Amazon has developed similar products to popular brands, like AllBirds which is a B Corp that makes shoes with more environmentally friendly materials than traditional brands – Amazon copied the design but left out the more sustainable materials, not surprising. And the Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon has used 3rd party sellers’ data to develop its own competing products.

Across industries and despite its enormous profits, Amazon has been reluctant to prioritize workers’ rights, environmental justice, and its climate impact. We need to make sure that we are holding Amazon accountable as it moves further into the apparel sector, where millions of workers and their families could be impacted.

That is why over the next year, Green America will further incorporate Amazon’s apparel supply chain within our Amazon campaign, focusing on Amazon’s chemical management for apparel and garment workers’ rights. Take our Amazon action, which includes a call for the company to protect apparel workers from harmful chemicals, and check out these tips for shopping sustainably online.

Tell Amazon to Respect All Workers & End Toxic Textiles

Always remember to shop local, delve into secondhand, and support sustainable business when you go on your shopping sprees, because ethical fashion is the name of the game. While Amazon Prime clothes may be fast, simple, and cheap, like most things it is too good to be true.

By DAVID LAZARUS

BUSINESS COLUMNIST 

MARCH 2, 2021 5 AM PT

There’s a lot to fret over these days. Whether you’re entitled to a paper receipt when you buy something seems like a decidedly small matter, all things considered.

But it can have potentially large ramifications for consumers in terms of their ability to return products, seek warranty protections, maintain purchase records and itemize tax returns.

For those reasons, as well as a general wariness of change, a 2018 survey found that nearly 70% of Americans prefer paper receipts over digital alternatives.

On the other hand, there’s the environment to consider.

A 2019 study by the advocacy group Green America estimated that production of paper receipts in this country requires more than 3 million trees and 9 billion gallons of water annually.

The study also estimated that generating receipts creates more than 4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide and 302 million pounds of solid waste.

I’ve been stewing on this since chatting the other day with a Valencia resident named Karl Strauss. He told me about his recent experience buying something with his credit card at a shopping mall.

After signing the receipt for the merchant, Strauss, 67, asked if his copy was in the bag.

“She said they don’t give out paper receipts anymore,” he recalled. “If I wanted one, I’d have to get it by email.”

That surprised Strauss. “It was the first time I ever encountered this.”

He reluctantly gave the saleswoman his email address, sure that it “will now be part of some big database” and that his inbox inevitably will start getting more spam.

“That’s not what I want,” Strauss said.

Let’s pause briefly to note that he’s by no means opposed to technological progress.

Strauss works for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, these days as a self-described “paper pusher” but in the past as an electrical engineer.

Strauss told me he designed the solid-state data recorder for the Cassini spacecraft, which spent 13 years observing Saturn and its moons, as well as making contributions to numerous other missions.

“My projects have been to every planet in the solar system,” he observed — a boast few of us will ever make. Needless to say, Strauss is totally stoked about the current Perseverance mission to Mars.

So, yeah, the ability to get a paper receipt is kind of small potatoes by comparison. But Strauss takes it seriously.

“I prefer paper receipts,” he said. “They’re nice for record keeping and tracking. Shouldn’t it be my choice if I want one?”

California lawmakers apparently don’t think so. In 2019, they rejected a bill — AB 161 — that would have required stores to ask customers if they want a paper receipt before printing one out.

Supporters of the legislation cited the epic receipts from CVS as a good reason for such a law. The bill stalled in the Legislature amid opposition from the paper industry and some business groups.

While there’s clearly a trend toward paperless transactions — particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic creating boom times for no-contact payments — there isn’t yet a state or federal law that lays down clear rules for such practices.

The current thinking appears to be that if a store wants to go digital-only with customer receipts, it can. Paper-preferring consumers can decide for themselves if they want to shop there.

The environmental considerations are highly compelling. The Green America study concluded that use of paper receipts “has the same greenhouse gas emissions impact as driving over 450,000 cars each year.”

It also cited the presence of chemicals on paper receipts, including bisphenol-A and bisphenol-S, which can pose a danger to children and have been linked to reproductive harm.

At the same time, though, a switch to digital-only receipts probably would be another nail in the coffin of your privacy.

It would spread your email address even more widely among businesses, and would provide yet another way for marketers and data brokers to link your identity with your personal behavior.

For businesses, digital receipts are “a cheap way to get your email address and to build their database to track your shopping habits,” said John Zhang, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

“As a result, firms can do all kinds of targeted promotions on the cheap, and you will receive all kinds of junk emails,” he told me.

Nicholas Gerlich, a marketing professor at West Texas A&M University, agreed that email addresses provided by consumers for digital receipts “will most likely be used for marketing purposes at some point.”

He suggested that people create special email accounts exclusively for digital receipts so they, and all subsequent spam, end up in one place — the cyber-equivalent of dumping all your paper receipts into a shoebox.

John Deighton, a professor emeritus of business administration at Harvard Business School, told me he wouldn’t be surprised if credit card companies started automatically compiling people’s digital receipts “as a benefit of card use.”

I have no problem with digital receipts being the default, but any consumer who desires paper should be able to get it, at least for the foreseeable future.

Eventually, it seems safe to assume, we’ll make our way to exclusively paperless transactions, just as use of cash, as opposed to plastic and payment apps, probably will come to an end at some point down the road.

Until that time, consumers have a choice to make: Protect your privacy or protect the planet.

I’ve thought a lot about this because, like many people, I take both choices seriously.

I finally decided that my privacy, which I safeguard as best I can, is already so compromised, it’s a given that my personal information is up for grabs.

I’m not happy about that, make no mistake, but I acknowledge that every time I purchase something, every transaction I’m part of, adds more info to the digital dossier bearing my name. The toothpaste, as they say, is out of the tube.

So I come down on the side of Mother Nature. If I had to choose, I’d go with digital receipts.

Your privacy is already to a large extent a lost cause. Let’s give the planet a fighting chance.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 1, 2021, Media Advisory – Green America’s Green Business Network is launching an open comment period to collect informed feedback on a new certification standard for hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) products that are legally compliant. The survey for the CBD certification can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GBN_CBDstandard_opencomment. The comment period will remain open until May 1, 2021.

The draft standard addresses a wide range of social and environmental issues facing CBD businesses and includes two tiers of certification – Standard and Gold.

Once finalized, this new hemp-derived CBD certification standard will play an important role in affirming for consumers that the businesses providing CBD products are operating in accordance with practices that support people and the planet.

The Green Business Network is a national network of small to mid-sized companies that work to integrate strong social and environmental commitments into their business operations. The Network is home to both rising social and eco enterprises and to well-established green businesses. The Network provides the tools, information, and – for certified members – access to consumers to help green businesses thrive in today’s competitive green marketplace.

The Green Business Network certifies businesses across 38 different industry sectors, including apparel, banks and credit unions, cleaning products, housewares, travel and more.

For more information about the open comment period contact: certification@greenamerica.org

Take Survey

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

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA
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, investors, and consumers to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org  

Amazon announced a commitment to power 100% of its infrastructure with renewable energy by 2025, which is 5 years earlier than the company's initial target of 2030. Amazon's corporate offices, fulfillment centers, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers will all be powered by renewable energy.

This announcement would not have been possible without pressure from tens of thousands of consumers who joined Green America and our allies in calling on Amazon to ramp up renewable energy, as well as pressure from hundreds of Amazon's own employees, some of whom were retaliated against by the company.

While this is important progress for Amazon, there are still concerns about where the renewable energy will be coming from and whether the sourcing of renewable energy will benefit workers and communities worldwide.  It is also unclear if Amazon will be using renewable energy credits for a portion of the energy as opposed to ensuring all of this renewable energy will come from new solar and wind installations sited close to where the power is being used.

Green America is also continuing to push Amazon to treat workers in its fulfillment centers as well as supply chain workers who make Amazon products better, and to ensure their safety. 

Green America reports a surge of interest in people gardening for climate reasons.

If it seems like more people are gardening than ever before, you're not wrong. Green America is a non-profit that promotes the creation of Climate Victory Gardens. It tracks these in an interactive online map that just surpassed an impressive 8,000-garden milestone. As a point of reference, there were only 2,400 gardens on the map in April 2020, but that number has nearly quadrupled since, reaching 8,239.

What is a Climate Victory Garden? It's a garden that relies on regenerative methods, particularly those that minimize soil disturbance and improve the soil’s ability to hold carbon. The name acts as a reminder of just how important gardens can be in the fight against the climate crisis. It comes from the Victory Gardens that were planted across the United States during World Wars I and II. By the late 1940s nearly two million gardens produced 40% of produce consumed in the US. 

Read more: Grow Food, Not Grass, to Fight Climate Change

Now we are fighting a war of a different kind. Gardens can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by shortening the number of miles food has to travel from farm to table. If done properly, they can improve soil health, reduce erosion, and sequester carbon. Backyard gardens can produce food without harmful chemical inputs and boost food security, ensuring that families have something to eat when store shelves are temporarily bare. As Green America explains on its website,

"When we grow food at home in a regenerative manner, we purchase less food that has traveled across the country, we keep methane-producing organic materials out of landfills with composting, we increase the water holding capacity of our soil to decrease flooding and runoff, and most importantly we rebuild our soil health bringing back its carbon sequestering potential."

Green America encourages everyone to start gardens and to upload their locations to the map. It has five criteria for gardens to be considered Climate Victory Gardens. These include: (1) Growing food, (2) covering soils, (3) composting and using it to nourish soil, (4) ditching chemicals, and (5) encouraging biodiversity.

There is no minimum size requirement for gardens to be included on the map. Todd Larsen, executive co-director for Consumer & Corporate Engagement at Green America, told Treehugger that the organization encourages people to start wherever they can. 

"If they are living in an apartment we provide them with instructions for container gardening, and help them do it cheaply, utilizing materials on-hand. If they have a backyard, we help them start small (e.g. with a raised bed) and then expand from there. We want everyone to be able to take part, gain a love for gardening."

Larsen described some of the different types of gardens on the map. "[They] range from herb gardens up to gardens that are several acres, and include private gardens in people’s backyards, as well as community gardens. People have planted Climate Victory Gardens in right of ways, at schools – really all over the place."

While food does need to be grown for the garden to be considered a Climate Victory Garden (flowers alone don't count), Green America doesn't care how much is produced. "Some people are growing produce that is hard to get or expensive at the store in a relatively small plot. Others are growing most of the produce their family needs in a larger plot," Larsen explained. "If people want to grow enough produce in their garden to feed themselves year-round, they would need to allocate at least 200 square feet per person." Not everyone has access to that kind of space, nor the time and skill required to maintain it. 

Green America isn't concerned about those details; it just wants people to get their hands dirty, to become familiar with the miraculous process that is growing food, and to understand the connection between doing so and fighting for the climate. You can learn more about Climate Victory Gardens by watching the short video below or visiting Green America's website that has plenty of resources for getting started. (So does Treehugger's Gardening category, so be sure to check that out.)

Please tell the companies in the communications industry to make 100% clean energy a high priority. And urge the industry to do much, much more to address energy equity and a just supply chain.

Amazon, Nike, and Next: It’s Time to Pay Your Workers

Millions of textile workers worldwide are losing their jobs without compensation, or receiving even less than their normal poverty wages. Most of these workers are women. Hunger forces those who still have jobs to put their lives at risk in unsafe workplaces.

With #PayYourWorkers, we demand that Amazon, Nike, Next and all other apparel brands and retailers:

• Pay the workers who make their clothes their full wages for the duration of the pandemic;
• Make sure workers are never again left penniless if their factory goes bankrupt, by signing onto a negotiated severance guarantee fund; and
• Protect workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively.

This many people have signed the petition:

Share the petition:

What is this petition about?

Globally, 60 million people sew our clothes, they are paid some of the lowest wages in the world. Pre-pandemic this was a desperate situation, now it is a crisis. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, garment workers have lost at least three billion dollars in income, a figure which continues to rise. Approximately 10% of the apparel workforce may have already been laid off. Millions more are at risk of being fired and have not received their full wages for months. Of the workers who still have jobs, many work in factories without proper Covid-19 protections in place, having no choice but to risk their health each day. The vast majority of these workers are women.

Many of them report skipping meals, borrowing money to buy food, and struggling to afford vegetables or meat for their families as the pandemic’s economic crisis rages on. Garment brands must take immediate steps to ensure the workers who make their clothes are paid in full or receive the full severance money they are owed. They must give these workers back their futures. It would take the equivalent of just ten cents per t-shirt for clothing brands like Amazon, Nike and Next to make sure garment workers have the income they need to survive the pandemic, and to strengthen unemployment protections for the future. Tell brands: It’s time to #PayYourWorkers

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the deep injustices in the garment industry, now is the time for change! Sign the petition to brands and retailers and join us in campaigning for a just garment industry where people and planet take priority over profits. 

Green America has joined in with over 200 NGOs and trade unions on this campaign. To read more about the campaign, go to payyourworkers.org

What are garment workers experiencing?

Hulu Garment

Hulu Garment, a sewing facility supplying Amazon, Adidas, Walmart, Macy’s, and LT Apparel Group located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, suspended its entire workforce of 1,020 workers at the beginning of March 2020.

As the end of the suspension period neared, management called workers in and told them on April 22nd that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the factory had no orders and may need to lay off workers. Management also told workers to “sign” a document with their thumb print in order to receive their pay, explaining: “you have to sign; otherwise, we cannot wire your last wage.” All Hulu Garment workers signed the document that day, without realizing that buried in the document was a sentence stating they were resigning. Management hid the word “resignation” appearing at the top of each letter by affixing the worker’s most recent payslip to cover it.

“The workers did not resign at all, but the company said the workers have resigned. The company did this to avoid paying seniority pay to the workers.”

— Ry Sithyneth, president of Independent Trade Union Federation (Khmer Times)

The day after, when it became clear to the workers that their employer had hoodwinked them into signing resignation letters in order to avoid paying $3.6 million dollars in severance, hundreds of them protested to demand reinstatement. A month later the factory reopened but at least 500 of the workers were never rehired. A year later, these workers continue to demand payment of the severance they would be legally owed if they had been fired, because they had been scammed and had not voluntarily resigned.

To learn more, visit payyourworkers.org/hulu.

Global Garments

In a blatant union-busting move, Global Garments, a garment factory in Chittagong, Bangladesh, supplying Amazon and Kohl’s, closed in October 2020 leaving 1,200 workers without an income.

Global Garments had been unionized since 1984; the factory-level union is part of the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation (BIGUF), an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union. The union and management have concluded four collective bargaining agreements in the factory and the union was collecting dues through a check-off system.

Global Garments laid off workers for a total of 79 days during March to October, paying them half their regular wages for those days. To avert permanent closure of the factory, the union has requested the factory management continue with the temporary lay-off, to safeguard the workers’ jobs and to help the factory survive. However, management rejected the union’s request and is using the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse to bust one of the longest established unions in the country’s garment industry.

Since 2014, Azim Group, the parent company of Global Garments, which also does business with Asda, C&A, and Zara, has gradually closed all five of its factories that were unionized.

This is not the first time that workers at Global Garments have faced repression of their basic rights. A U.S. Congressman spoke out about an earlier episode of violence inflicted by managers on workers at Global Garments, which was also covered by The New York Times in December 2014 before a resolution was reached in February 2015.

To learn more, visit payyourworkers.org/globalgarments.

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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 18, 2021 – Climate Victory Gardens, promoted by the nonprofit Green America, have reached a new 8,000-garden milestone according to the group’s interactive map that allows members of the public to register their own gardens. COVID-19 triggered a surge in new Climate Victory Gardens, which nearly quadrupled in under a year, from 2,400 last April to 8,239 now.

Climate Victory Gardens help to combat climate change by restoring soil health to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Jes Walton, food campaigns director at Green America, said: “Climate Victory Gardens have the power to change the world. Gardening is closely tied to the classic American value of self-sufficiency, and when the principles of regenerative agriculture are applied, it can be part of the climate solution. We’re excited to hit this milestone and we’re eager to continue building on this great progress.”

Inspired by the “Victory Gardens” campaigns during WWI and WWII that drove the creation of nearly 20 million gardens and produced 40 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S. at the time, Climate Victory Gardens empower Americans to grow their own produce while incorporating regenerative agriculture techniques that help fight climate change.

Green America estimates that current gardens are offsetting the equivalent of 36 million miles driven.

To plant your own Climate Victory Garden, start by following these five steps:

1. Ditch the Chemicals
2. Keep the Soil Covered
3. Encourage Biodiversity
4. Grow Food
5. Compost

For more information on planting your own Climate Victory Garden this spring, visit ClimateVictoryGardens.org.

Climate Victory Gardens are being tracked through Green America’s searchable map. To register your own Climate Victory Garden, visit: https://greenam.org/garden.

Over 100 organizations urge home and garden giants to reject toxic weedkiller during Valentine-themed week of action.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over 100 consumer and environmental groups delivered letters to Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) and Home Depot (NASDAQ: HD)  this week, urging the retailers to protect pollinators, human health and the environment by ending the sale of toxic weedkiller Roundup and other glyphosate-based products. The letter was part of a Valentine-themed week of action in which activists delivered messages to store managers and took to social media to urge the companies to “show us love and #RejectRoundup”. Ads were also placed in Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Charlotte Observer in the headquarters cities of the companies.

This national week of action (February 8^th-14^th) is a part of an ongoing campaign led by a coalition of environmental and consumer organizations, including Friends of the Earth, SumOfUs, Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides, Green America, Herbicide-Free Campus, Toxic Free North Carolina, and Kids Right to Know. As the largest home and garden retailers in the U.S., Lowe’s and Home Depot can play a huge role in ending the use of this toxic weedkiller in our backyards and across the country. The coalition delivered over 157,000 petition signatures to the companies in 2020.

“Home Depot and Lowe’s can make a significant difference in reducing the use of this toxic weedkiller,” said Kendra Klein, Senior Staff Scientist at Friends of the Earth. “Research shows that homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops. It’s reckless to sell consumers products linked to cancer and pollinator declines when safer organic alternatives exist. These retailers must build on their earlier commitments to phase out bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides by taking decisive action on glyphosate.”

“Lowe’s and Home Depot are well-aware of the research that shows glyphosate is linked to an increased risk of cancer. And yet these dangerous pesticides still line their shelves,” said Lacey Kohlmoos, U.S. Campaign Manager at SumOfUs. “It is time for the two largest hardware store chains in the world to show they care about their customers’ well-being and stop selling products containing glyphosate.”

“The youngest members of our communities — children who play outside — and essential workers of our communities — landscapers and groundskeepers — are those most at risk to the carcinogenic impacts of Glyphosate,” stated Katelyn Mann of Herbicide Free Campus. “It is imperative that companies such as Home Depot and Lowe’s prioritize public health with their product sales, especially as they focus on home gardeners who usually do not have the training and awareness necessary to avoid the health risks of Glyphosate-based products. We are calling on Home Depot and Lowe’s to take precautionary measures to protect public health by stopping the sale of Roundup and other Glyphosate based products.

“Consumers want glyphosate out of pollinator habitats and waterways, away from their families and pets, and off the shelves,” said Green America’s Food Campaigns Director Jes Walton. “It’s time for Home Depot and Lowes to wake up and see that this dangerous chemical is bad for business and the communities they serve.”

“Organic products and practices can address weed and pest problems while ensuring people, pets, and pollinators are not harmed by toxic chemicals. We urge Lowe’s and Home Depot to stop stocking toxic pesticides like glyphosate in favor of this safer, natural approach,” explained Drew Toher, Community Resource and Policy Director for Beyond Pesticides.

“It’s time for corporations like Lowe’s and Home Depot to stand up and take responsibility for their actions and the wellbeing of their customers. They know of the expansive research that links glyphosate to cancer and yet regardless of the consequences they continue to sell it to unsuspecting customers who spray around their homes; areas that pets walk through and children walk barefoot in. With so many organic and non-toxic options available it’s time for change, because poisoning people in the name of profits is simply not acceptable,” said Rachel Parent, Founder of Kids Right to Know.

The main chemical ingredient in Roundup® — glyphosate — is the most widely used pesticide in the world. Glyphosate is a probable human carcinogen. Research has linked glyphosate to high rates of kidney disease in farming communities and to shortened pregnancy in a cohort of women in the Midwest. Animal studies and bioassays link it to endocrine disruption, DNA damage, decreased sperm function, disruption of the gut microbiome, and fatty liver disease.

After a spate of high profile lawsuits linking plaintiffs’ cancer to glyphosate exposure, manufacturer Bayer agreed to pay $10 billion to settle an additional 95,000 cases out of court. Under the terms of the agreements, Roundup would continue to be sold for use on yards, school grounds, public parks, and farms without any safety warning.

Glyphosate is also linked to environmental damage. The EPA warms that glyphosate can injure or kill 93% of U.S. endangered species. It is a primary driver of the decimation of monarch butterfly populations because it destroys the milkweed plants their young depend on. Recent research has also shown that glyphosate can disrupt honeybee gut microbiomes, affect larval development, increase colony vulnerability to pathogen infestation, reduce productivity, and impair honeybee navigation, linking the herbicide to declines in bee populations.

Guest post from Casper Ohm of Water-Pollution.org.uk, an outlet intended to raise awareness of the alarming levels of water pollution in our planet’s oceans.

With 1 million extra tons of trash per week being thrown away by Americans around the holidays, it’s better not to contribute to the already overfilled landfill on Valentine’s Day as well. In fact, creative gift wrap ideas can show a person how much you care. Take your time to come up with eco-friendly alternatives to the traditional gift wrapping that adds to your gift. 

Preserve the aesthetics of the gift and cut down environmental pollution at the same time by using these crafty substitutes:

Cardboard delivery boxes

We all get those cardboard boxes in the mail after ordering something online. If you use them for gift wrapping, you not only reduce your waste and save on purchasing boxes that will wind up in the trash bin anyway.    

Paper grocery bags

Get paper grocery bags out of the stack that’s been piling up in your kitchen corner and pack your gifts in them. For a creative touch, decorate them with a hand-written note to your loved one and an original drawing with your own personalized doodles. 

Old maps and newspapers

Stored away in the attic, old maps and newspapers couldn’t have come more in handy than on Valentine’s Day. Personalize your gift by choosing specific pages from the newspaper and the parts of the maps that relate to your significant other.

Upcycled fabrics

Scarves, shawls, and handkerchiefs you don’t use anymore can be turned into wrapping material too. Learn the Japanese technique of gift wrapping also known as Furoshiki if you want to take gift-wrapping to the next level and really make an impression.

Repurposed old clothes 

Speaking of fabric, you can also reuse the T-shirts and button-downs that are no longer hanging in your closet. Cut-down strips of fabric can be repurposed into bows and ribbons that add character to your gift.

Natural decorations 

Perhaps the most straightforward way to green your Valentine’s Day present is to add to them sustainably-sourced pinecones, cotton buds, leaves, and tree branches. Pick up nature’s decorations from a neighborhood walk. Chances are you’ll have this season’s most original Valentine’s gift presentation. 

Making a positive difference for the environment doesn’t automatically translate to making grand gestures. Changing your gift wrap ideas and habits is a good start to an environmentally-conscious journey you’re embarking on that will account for cleaner and greener surroundings.

Green America and Kiss the Ground hosted a live Q&A about the film Kiss the Ground, where we discussed regenerative agriculture and its game-changing potential to combat the climate crisis and revive the planet’s health, and ours too.

Below are questions from the audience and the panelists’ answers, grouped in these categories:

About Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative Agriculture and Animals

Increasing Regenerative Agriculture Through Government, Education, and Financing

Actions Individuals Can Take

Technical How-To's

Panelists:

Ryland Engelhart, Executive Director, Kiss the Ground
Don Smith, Stewardship Program Advisor, Kiss the Ground
Alisa Gravitz, President/CEO, Green America
Zach Ducheneaux, Executive Director, Intertribal Agriculture Council 
Kellee James, CEO, Mercaris 
Ken Roseboro, Editor, The Organic & Non-GMO Report (Moderator)

Thanks again to our panelists!

ABOUT REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE 

In the short run, how many humans on this planet can regenerative agriculture support? With 6 billion people, is regenerative agriculture productive enough to support us all? 

Zach - I think we need to first breakdown our calorie consumption. The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily – a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. (Business Insider via google.) Given that, and then analyzing the nutrition per calorie, I’m pretty certain that Regenerative Ag can feed the planet. There’s probably an entire panel in that alone! Not to mention food waste. On average, every person in the U.S. throws away over 1,500 calories worth of food each day, a study has found. According to the authors, the findings suggest the problem of waste could be twice as big as previously thought. (Newsweek). In short, the current system of ag, overproduces to make up for a lack of nutrition that our bodies seek to fill with excess consumption, then we can’t eat it all.  

Are some land areas generally "doomed" to be deserts regardless of what we do?  I'm thinking of places such as Saudi Arabia.  I'm primarily interested, though, in the African countries -- is there hope for regenerating them? 

Zach - That's where Allan Savory continues to prove his model. We just need to figure out how to stimulate the biology to grow in the sand. Imagine if we put as much science and research into that and desalination of ocean water as we do into digging through the sand to harvest the solar power that is buried thousands of feet below the surface.  

Where does agroforestry fit into this picture? 

Green America - Agroforestry is an important element of integrating further diversity into agricultural lands. Tree roots are much deeper then crop roots and can further secure soil as well as creating additional nutrition and water holding capacity. Trees can also create an additional source of revenue for farmers, tree crops can take 3-5 years to produce which can be a financial burden for farmers. 

How are the crops harvested with all the cover crops mixed in with them? 

Zach - I think there is probably both a technological, and a biological solution. Technology will develop that will allow for segregated harvest of diverse crops as the movement grows. Look at this video. 

Biological solutions can take the form of human interaction, paying folks a fair wage to harvest, based on a more equitable distribution of the food dollar, or by embracing a multicrop environment and breeding for it. I’ve got a friend that selects his corn variety by choosing for lower ears so the ducks can more easily reach them when he floods the fields in the fall for hunting season.  

What obstacles does regenerative farming face from lobbyists and farmers? 

Zach - The system is working the way it was designed. Cheap production at the expense of nutrition, that allows for corporate skimming of the value in the form of capital. The system of finance is the foundation of all of this, and it serves the operators of the system well. The biggest obstacle is the lie that there isn’t enough capital in this system to do what’s needed. Farmers, who should be our biggest ally, are put in opposition to consumers, by lobbying groups and industry, and told that these things must be funded from the outside.  It’s akin to planting a perennial crop and tilling it up to do the same thing after the first harvest. The money never takes root and has an impact because it’s torn out before it can. 

How significant is the financial penalty for farmers switching to regenerative agriculture before their soil is healed, and is there enough support for farmers to survive until the benefits kick in? 

Zach - Again, it’s a misconception that this has to be a change founded on absence, or penalty. The same amount of capital, deployed in a patient manner, can do this. Our investment model of ag finance is just one. RePlant Capital and MadAg’s Perennial fund are others.  It’s not a penalty, it’s greed that is keeping existing production income from being used for the conversion.  

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS 

There is a debate about putting livestock back on pasture. The average American eats about 220 pounds of Big Meat a year.  Isn’t it better to eat less big meat and transition to eating a smaller amount of small regeneratively raised small meat? 

Zach - This is one of my favorite topics. I harken back to the answer about feeding 6 Billion people. We overproduce and undernourish. It’s the same with meat. Currently, I’m aware of two successful models of meat marketing. McDonalds, where the flavor is all so artificially manipulated that you’re buying consistency. Then there is the Certified Angus Beef model, where you’re buying the concept, and that’s telling you what it’s going to taste like instead of the actual flavor.  

We need to move towards a third model. Nutrition and flavor profile. I would scoff at my mother, (you were right Regina!) when she said she could taste the fish in the Purina Accu-ration fed beef we’d eat. We need to embrace the taste. Let our biology tell us. Our olfactory sense is so tremendously underestimated, but the vintners have decided to embrace it. We need to sell our meat based on improved nutrition and diverse flavor; not commodified.  

It's well accepted that farming with plants can and does improve soil health including carbon sequestration. But, there is a great deal of debate regarding farming with animals, ranching, and its impact. What is your perspective on the movements to open all lands to open grazing? 

Zach - I’m not aware of those movements, however I’d offer that anything that isn’t done thoughtfully, as though your part of the ecosystem, probably isn’t going to work out. Grazing for the sake of grazing, without us embracing our role as a biological creature in the ecosystem isn’t going to do much good.  

INCREASING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE THROUGH GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION, AND FINANCING 

Is it feasible for Big Ag in the US to become regenerative? How can these large farms get support and money to start undertaking this transition, such as government subsidies? Are there ways to encourage larger-scale farmers to adopt this methodology?  

Zach - We first need to convince them it’s worth undertaking, and continue to have the conversations about the investment opportunity that is ag and food, especially in a regenerative sense. Not only is it feasible, it can be profitable in the long term if we stop focusing on short term gains.  

How can we encourage and provide support to local farmers to move to regenerative, when the Ag Bill uses our tax dollars to dis-incentivize farmers? 

Green America - 

• Support local and state initiatives around healthy soils  

• Reach out to brands you purchase from and ask them to source ingredients from regenerative farms 

Is there anyone we can support for new Secretary of Agriculture who will be a proponent? 

Zach - Janie Hipp has our support. I think much like Regenerative Agriculture, we’ll make more headway talking about what, or who, we’re for, than what or who we’re against. Except banks, I’m against banks. ;) 

I work for a local school district and have kids in high school and at university. How can we expose all of them to this message of hope? 

Zach - I recommend the book Indian Givers for any kid that can read. It helps illuminate the origins of many of the “groundbreaking” concepts we aspire to. Long term agriculture, food as medicine, value-added, even freedom and the U.S. governmental structure, all had their foundations in Indigenous practices in the western hemisphere.  

Why is regenerative farming not a bigger part of the political debate? Is it even mentioned in the Green New Deal? Regenerative agriculture seems like such a powerful tool to help rural America AND the planet which would also bring our country together. 

Zach - It behooves those that are currently hoarding the profitability in the ag and food to keep us convinced that the only solution is carbon credits, philanthropy, and hard, hard work that are the key. The successfully pit rural folks against urban folks against each other; and have most farmers and ranchers advocating against environmental concerns. Think about that for a minute. Some of the loudest anti-EPA voices come from cattlemen and farmers. Well played. 

Is it worthwhile to talk to cities about implementing regenerative practices on their parks and city owned land? 

Zach - Not just cities, citizens. Lawns serve no practical purpose but to make work. Might as well be getting some of your fruit/vegetable, or even eggs from your land. 

ACTIONS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE 

What grassroots actions can be taken? Are people working with their state or local Ag departments? What can I do in my area to help out? 

Green America - 

• Support local and state initiatives around healthy soils  

• Reach out to brands you purchase from and ask them to source ingredients from regenerative farms 

• Buy local and get to know your farmers. You can start with these sample questions to ask your farmer about regenerative agriculture. 

• Share the importance of regenerative agriculture with your friends, families, communities. 

• Video on regenerative agriculture with Rosario Dawson and Ron Finley 

• What is regenerative agriculture 

• Start a Climate Victory Garden 

How can I as a consumer purchase products from farms that support regenerative agriculture? It's not so easy to find. Not like organic food that is clearly labeled. Is there a way to find products that would support regenerative agriculture in my local grocery store?? 

Green America - 

• The easiest way to ensure what you are purchasing is to buy local and get to know your farmers. Otherwise, it does require research into companies and products individually. You can start with these sample questions to ask your farmer about regenerative agriculture. 

• Reach out to brands you purchase from and ask them who they source from and that you want them to source ingredients from regenerative farms 

I would love a step by step, simple and user friendly way for those of us that are starting to take action to join the movement. 

Green America - See the advocacy opportunities and trainings offered by Kiss the Ground 

What are some resources that would provide me with talking points that I could use in pushing for composting in my area, where we have available land?  

Green America - A simple google search will give you lots of results – here are two for starters 

https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/compostmulch/community 

https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/growing-local-fertility.pdf 

Is there a main ‘regenerative farms’ map so we can locate farms near us we can buy from? 

Green America - Unfortunately, at this time there's not a lot of aggregated information out there. You might take a look at Regeneration International's map. We also suggest buying local and getting to know your farmers and their practices. Otherwise, it does require research into companies and products individually. You can start with these sample questions to ask your farmer about regenerative agriculture. 

TECHNICAL HOW-TOS 

How do you start this process on the barren fields? Do you put hay out for the cows to eat so they poop on the barren land and that’s how it starts? 

Green America - The first step would be to take some soil samples to see what the soil needs. Then beginning with a multi-species cover crop and let it take hold and begin to improve the soil structure and then allow animals to graze on the crops. After that the land can be planted with a cash crop. 

I live in the Northwest where fires rage every summer so growing grasses and brush which dry out and are tinder for fast moving fires are a problem. So should we grow or mow? Plus, fires put carbon in the air. 

Don - The goal is to grow plants that are perennial and establish deeper roots so they don’t dry out in the summertime. You need to maximize photosynthesis so that the growing plants can pump more carbon into the soil which will help with water infiltration during the rainy season. If your annual grasses are already there and you know they will turn brown, try and graze them regeneratively and then you are setting the system up for success in the future. 

What about covering bare ground that is not part of the garden at home? Should we encourage residents to do sheet mulching?  

Don - Mulch is good, but having a living ground cover is even better, because it helps absorb carbon, feed the soil and keep the temperature lower. There are lots of different plants that can be used including certain herbs that even smell good as you walk on them. 

How can regenerative principles, e.g. no GMOs and no glyphosate, be applied to 1000+ acre wheat production? 

Green America - There are no GMO wheat varietals on the market, so all wheat farmers are already using non-GMO seeds. From there you would follow the process of conducting soil tests to see what the soil needs to be productive and then planting multi-species cover crops and using other natural biologicals to improve soil health.  

Don - Check out what the Haggerty’s are doing in Western Australia.

What do you feel about the use of biochar in building healthy soils? 

Don - Biochar is a complex story, because a lot has to do with how the biochar is created - it’s not all the same quality, just like not all compost is the same quality. How much needs to be used for optimum improvement in a given context, if any. And how much does it cost per acre to use and apply? Can it produce benefits, yes, it’s pure carbon and will generally not go away or get used up. It’s been shown to be best when added to compost or inoculated with a diverse amount of biology than to just be used straight. 

Why did native plants seem like a glaring omission from almost the entire film? 

Zach - Maybe the concept of native species isn’t what we need to be thinking of, maybe soil-friendly. At some point all plants came from somewhere or another, by way of bird, animals, wind, what have you.  

If I started a contest among the farmers I work with, can I use 'worms per cu.ft. as a measure of success? 

Green America - Yes, but you should include additional measures and not just one variable. And you might want to look at soil organic matter, water infiltration rates, nutrient profiles, etc. I could create a worm rich soil, but not be making any money as a farmer. Profit per acre and worms per cubic foot might be a fun metric to track. 

What part do worm farms play in helping regenerative agriculture? 

Don - Generally speaking as your soil carbon goes up and your water holding capacity goes up you can create a better habitat for worms, which do an amazing job of increasing nutrient cycling in the soil, which makes for healthier plants, which means more photosynthesis, which means more carbon flowing back into the soil to feed microbes, which means more worm food, etc. Don’t focus on one organism – yes, they might be obvious and they are generally very beneficial, but we need diversity and you should be just as excited seeing more dung beetles! 

We are starting from scratch, with suger sand/silty sand.  It was farmed in old timey tilling fashion in the 1920s and 1930s, and they grew hay.  How should we start?  Bring in compost and grow on top of the soil we have without tilling into the sand? 

Don – That isn’t enough context, but you could try that. It might be too expensive to add compost, in which case you might be better just growing cover crops and grazing them, if that is an option. You really need to think about the entire farm and what you are trying to accomplish. I would read a few more books before you do anything. Holistic Management, The Reed Warbler, would give you two different ways to start thinking about the land. 

Does non-soil growing techniques such as hydroponic have any impact on carbon sequestration? 

Don - It depends on context. Most hydroponic systems require a lot of plastic and chemicals to run, and really do nothing about getting extra carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil where it can do some good. Now if you can show that your hydroponic system is carbon negative because it is hyper local and using renewable energy, then it could still be a net positive to the amount of carbon in our atmosphere. 

Can raised bed gardens help maintain soil and help regenerative gardening? 

Don - It depends on the context. Why are you making the raised bed? What materials and carbon costs are involved in making the raised bed? Are you importing soil to fill the bed? How are you going to manage the soil once it is in the bed? How are you irrigating your bed and what is the water source? I could go on... 

For someone who wants to go into this field full-on, is it worthwhile to get a PDC and what is your favorite one? There are some online PDC as well as local, and some supposedly more cutting edge than others such as Matt Powers? 

Don - It all depends on your context, every course and each group of teachers has different styles. What country are you in? Do you like online learning or face to face? Part of the course is the community you get thrown together with – in person is vastly different than online. There are plenty of great teachers and systems out there beyond Permaculture, which is really based on indigenous wisdom and not new “cutting edge” info. Yes, you can use a microscope, but an indigenous person didn’t need a microscope to “see” if something was good! 

What efforts are being made nationally and throughout the world to create pollinator corridors? 

Don - not nearly enough! 

Can you speak about the rise of mosquito spraying in the suburbs? Does this harm vegetables and soil? 

Don - Generally I think anytime we are applying something toxic in the environment it has some unintended and unknown consequences. Obviously they say it is a “safe” amount of pesticide, but what does that really mean to a microorganism that comes into contact with it?  

Is anyone in the US converting animal waste to biochar at commercial scale to help regenerate depleted land? 

Don - Generally, I would say no. I do know of some chicken farms that are turning their manure into biochar, but I don’t think they are using it to “regenerate depleted land”. Probably someone is and I just haven’t really looked for them. 

Anyone can garden for the planet, whether you live in a high rise apartment or on acres of rural land. This video will get you started with the basics of where, what, and how to plant and care for a new garden with an emphasis on soil heath and carbon sequestration.
 https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mv3PhydtOVY

Ready for more Climate Victory Garden tips and tricks? Check out these beginner FAQ.

Step One: Start small.

• If you have a yard, grow a small bed that gets several hours of sun.
• No yard? No worries! You can grow food on a balcony or sunny windowsill.

Step Two: Grow What You Love to Eat.

• Look to your favorite recipes for inspiration.
• Choose plants that are suited to your area and easy to grow like greens and herbs.
• Beginner gardeners may have the best luck buying seedlings but growing from seed is more affordable.
• When you can, choose organic and non-GMO.

Step Three:  Plant and Care for Your Garden.

• Water thoroughly when planting… and consistently after that.
• Weed regularly so your plants get enough water, sunlight, and space.

Step Four: Protect Your Soil.

• Cover it with mulch, avoiding chemicals, and using compost.
• Every acre of soil we restore can capture 25 to 60 tons of carbon!

Step Five:  Learn more!

• Ready for more Climate Victory Garden tips and tricks? Check out these beginner FAQ.

Back to Climate Victory Gardens home.

Have a question that’s not answered here? Or, have advice you’d like to share? Let us know: ClimateVictoryGardens@GreenAmerica.org.

Live Life Every Day ® is an inspirational and eco-friendly clothing brand, made in the USA.  Our mission is to inspire the world to never take life for granted and to take advantage of every opportunity that life throws at you.  The Live Life Every Day ® motto is: “Do what you gotta do. Live Life Every Day.”

All Live Life Every Day ® products are produced using various eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, bamboo and recycled polyester.  We use water-based inks to print our designs and use 100% recycled paper for our hangtags, letters and promotional materials.  All products are shipped in eco-friendly packaging.  Live Life Every Day ® is not only dedicated to helping our fellow man, but we are also dedicated to helping our environment and our world.

$1 from every Live Life Every Day ® t-shirt and hoodie that is sold, is donated to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  We are proud to say your purchase has a purpose!

Our website is also home to The Live Life Blog which features various original inspirational poems providing yet another avenue for us to inspire!

Live Life Every Day ® is unlike any company or brand you have ever known.  Our success is based on how many lives we change.

Solar Us Shop is an online retailer of premier solar and wind applications for home and business use featuring products such as complete solar system kits, individual solar panels, solar outdoor string lights, solar fence cap posts, solar landscape lights, solar lanterns and flashlights, solar power inverters, wind generator kits, mounts and towers for solar panels and wind turbines, and batteries.

Solar Us Shop's main goal is to provide its customers with affordable renewable energy solutions and promote environmental sustainability. Solar Us prides itself on finding innovative products that can improve the lives of everyday citizens. Additionally, Solar Us maintains a solar power blog featuring topics on solar energy, wind energy, feature renewable energy, climate change, sustainability, electric vehicles, and more!

Yaya Maria’s is a small, family-owned business. We proudly make the highest-quality liquid soap there is using 100% natural ingredients. We do this while respecting animals, the planet, and the well-being of our customers and partners.

Customers trust our products because, unlike other “natural” soap, Yaya Maria’s contains:

• Zero toxins.
• No greenwashing.
• Only good ingredients that anyone can understand.

Our soap is made with just 6 ingredients everyone understands:

• Distilled water
• Vegetable glycerin
• Coconut oil
• Potash
• Castor oil
• Lavender essential oil

That’s it – and it really works. That’s why healthy lifestyle consumers love Yaya Maria’s, and buy it again & again.

Quality certified:

• Top-rated by EWG for non-toxicity
• Certified cruelty-free with Leaping Bunny
• Certified vegan with PETA
• Green America certified
• Naturewatch Foundation endorsed

Feel free to send us any questions you might have. Looking forward to working with you,

Andy at Yaya Maria’s

……We've learned that quiet isn't always peace

And the norms and notions

of what just is

Isn’t always just-ice

And yet the dawn is ours….

                Excerpt from Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb”

Green America congratulates President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their historic inauguration. We thank President Biden for his calls for unity and the crucial, positive leadership he demonstrated within hours of assuming the presidency to get our nation on a better course for the sake of all people and the planet, and build back greener for all.

The President’s first actions respond to many of the urgent needs that have been building for years and that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, growing inequality, and the racism embedded in our society. The President’s priorities reflect a new federal commitment to key issues that Green America and our allies have been championing, especially on the climate emergency. The following steps are just a few of the initiatives that will help repair our nation:

Anti-Racism and Supporting Vulnerable Communities

• Launching a Governmental Racial Equity Review to ensure the equitable use of federal resources
• Urging Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hour
• Supporting economically vulnerable communities by extending moratoriums on foreclosures, evictions, and student loan payments
• Supporting economically vulnerable communities by extending moratoriums on foreclosures, evictions, and student loan payments
• Reversing the Muslim country travel ban
• Addressing immigration reform as a priority

Climate

• Rejoining the Paris Agreement on the climate crisis
• Cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline and drilling leases in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge
• Strengthening standards on methane emissions that harm human and environmental health
• Requiring review of fuel economy and emissions standards which were significantly weakened under the previous administration
• Re-assessing the ability of retirement plans to adhere to investors’ values and provide socially and environmentally responsible investment options so investors can accelerate system change for the climate, anti-racism, the pandemic and other issues for people and the planet.

Pandemic

• Prioritizing the pandemic and empowering a White House coronavirus response coordinator for vaccine dissemination
• Strengthening health protections by rejoining the World Health Organization

The new administration’s actions reflect an integrated approach to solving for the intertwined crises our nation faces, including the need for racial and environmental justice, which must go hand-in-hand.

President Biden cannot address all the multiple crises that we face with Executive Orders alone. We call on Congress to work with the Biden Administration to quickly pass legislation to boldly address the challenges of COVID-19, income inequality, racial injustices, and the climate crisis. 

And we each have a role to play, by providing ideas and responses to the White House and Congress; holding our leaders accountable while providing encouragement, persistence, and patience for addressing how difficult it is to address the deep crises facing us; finding ways to work together in our movements without fracturing; and healing the divides in our country and communities.

Here at Green America, we promise you we will continue to accelerate our economic action on climate and renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, responsible banking and investing, and labor justice, with a priority on combating systemic racism across all this work. 

We celebrate the opportunity that new national leadership represents and look forward to advancing the hard work ahead. The recognition that we must Build Back Better than the so-called “normal” is an essential truth to embrace and guide our nation’s progress.

For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it

Excerpt from Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb”

Where do you want to go? We'll get there – together. 

Our vision is to provide customized sustainable financial planning
for the good of all people, communities, and our Earth.

Our mission is to help people set and meet financial goals in alignment with their values.
We specialize in socially responsible, impact, and environmentally conscious investing.

Our priority is helping you take care of yourself and your family in ways that align with your values. We want to learn more about your values, identify your dreams and goals, and understand your risk tolerance in order to provide you with a customized, comprehensive financial plan.  Relationships are the cornerstone of our success.

BFA™ The importance of Behavioral Financial Advice and understanding the Emotions of Investing is a key component of comprehensive financial planning. The brochure linked above addresses the process we use and why Dave became a Certified Behavioral Financial Advisor™.

Campaign Update: Falling Short on Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Campaign Update: Kroger said that it would address the issue in its latest Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Road Map which came out in January of 2023. Well, let’s just say the road doesn’t go very far. In fact, its own projections show HFC emissions going up before plateauing in 2025 onward. Not going down. Kroger must do better.

Kroger is a crucial time for Kroger to get the message! The company’s shareholders are meeting June 22 and HFC reduction needs to be part of the conversation. At last year’s meeting, 35 percent of Kroger’s shareholders voted to encourage the company to take action on refrigerants. Join Green America in showing Kroger that customers also want the grocery giant to act fast.

Kroger's Inadequate Action on HFCs

Kroger is the largest grocery chain in the US and is failing to take action on HFCs. HFCs account for a staggering 63% of Kroger’s direct climate emissions, but Kroger is only committing to install non-HFC refrigerants in 7 out of their 2,800 stores.

These HFCs have thousands of times the warming capacity of carbon dioxide, and supermarkets are leaking millions of tons of them every year.

Some major chains like Target, Aldi, and Whole Foods are taking steps to reduce HFCs and use refrigerants with ultra-low Global Warming Potential (GWP) in their stores.

However Kroger still is not.

Take Action for Urgent Change

The climate crisis is here, and we need Kroger to take action to cut these dangerous emissions on a more aggressive timeline.

Kroger needs to hear from consumers. Whether you've taken action before or not, please take action now. Kroger needs to hear from us again.

Coming soon.

Whether it is on a patio, windowsill, or balcony, the Climate Victory Gardening movement is putting down roots across the country that are not confined to the traditional backyard garden. Every day, we are inspired by the creative ways people are growing food and giving back to the planet. If you’re interested in joining the fun but daunted by limited cash or space, we have a few tips to jump start your regenerative journey with this Gardening for Beginners Guide. 

It All Begins With A Seed 

It is wise to research what crops thrive in your local climate before planting. Beginners might start with easy plants that do not need a lot of space like radishes, salad greens, and herbs. The Turtle Tree Biodynamic Seed Initiative {GBN} sells a variety of vegetable seeds. All Turtle Tree seeds are certified by the US Demeter Association, ensuring their chemical-free and mineral-rich properties. You can also often find organic seeds under $5 at a local food co-op or hardware store. 

Choose Your Soil

Gardener’s Supply’s {GBN} Eco-co Coir Seed Starting Mix ($5.95) is made from renewable coconut husks that fluffs out to over two gallons, giving plenty of mix to work with. The company also sells Square Biodegradable Pots ($4.95) made from sustainable wood that roots can grow through when it is time to move to a bigger pot. You can also re-purpose small containers like yogurt cups and water bottles. 

Seed starting mixes are great for seedlings, but once the plant matures, it will need added nutrients. See p. 24 to learn how to make your own compost. 

Find Your Pot and Start Planting

Most likely, you already have something in your home, like old buckets and plastic trash bins, that can be used for the transplanting stage. This is when plant sprouts outgrow their smaller containers and you re-pot them into bigger ones. 

“I have a couple of big, deep cake pans that I don’t bake in so I use them for planting,” says Turtle Tree 
co-general manager, Lia Babitch. “To use the light efficiently from a window, you can even plant into a washed hanging shoe rack.” 

Once you know what you’ll be planting in, the only things left to do is choose a spot with maximum light, start watering, and let the journey begin.

Gardening isn't reserved for the expert horticulturists or life-long green-thumbed. Even if you are a beginner, gardening is a great way to help the planet and spend time in nature, no matter how big or small your garden is. Join our Climate Victory Garden cohort and get dirty!

Campaign Update: Falling Short on Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Campaign Update: Kroger said that it would address the issue in its latest Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Road Map which came out in January of 2023. Well, let’s just say the road doesn’t go very far. In fact, its own projections show HFC emissions going up before plateauing in 2025 onward. Not going down. Kroger must do better.

Kroger is a crucial time for Kroger to get the message! The company’s shareholders are meeting June 22 and HFC reduction needs to be part of the conversation. At last year’s meeting, 35 percent of Kroger’s shareholders voted to encourage the company to take action on refrigerants. Join Green America in showing Kroger that customers also want the grocery giant to act fast.

Kroger's Inadequate Action on HFCs

Kroger is the largest grocery chain in the US and is failing to take action on HFCs. HFCs account for a staggering 63% of Kroger’s direct climate emissions, but Kroger is only committing to install non-HFC refrigerants in 7 out of their 2,800 stores.

These HFCs have thousands of times the warming capacity of carbon dioxide, and supermarkets are leaking millions of tons of them every year.

Some major chains like Target, Aldi, and Whole Foods are taking steps to reduce HFCs and use refrigerants with ultra-low Global Warming Potential (GWP) in their stores.

However Kroger still is not.

Take Action for Urgent Change

The climate crisis is here, and we need Kroger to take action to cut these dangerous emissions on a more aggressive timeline.

Kroger needs to hear from consumers. Whether you've taken action before or not, please take action now. Kroger needs to hear from us again.

**********************************************************************************

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.

One of the philosophies our firm has adopted is the adage, "A rising tide lifts all ships." We incorporate that into our company culture and ethos to mean that it is our responsibility to make all reasonable efforts to not just adopt and demonstrate moral, ethical, and socially conscious business practices, but to become advocates and changes agents in our sphere of influence to see our neighborhoods, city, industry and society change and leave the earth better than we found it. Our most prominent and visible expression of that belief is in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Since the founding of our firm we have been engaged on all four levels of advocacy to promote change: at the individual level with our clients through our business practices, at the agency level supporting other advisor and practices through education and workshops, industry level through our association memberships volunteering as leaders on every diversity committee and council we can support, at the societal level through national and international outreach and engagement. IF by our efforts we can get the tide to rise, then everyone's ship will sail!

Solar Us Shop specializes in providing small-scale renewable energy applications at affordable prices for every day people.

Climbing out of the potential well of starting a company-wide, individualized environmental/human health safety improvement project may seem daunting: doing the research to identify candidate projects, selecting and defining a target project, getting buy-in and support from other internal — and external — organizations, and obtaining funding from management and doing this all while juggling existing projects and responsibilities is indeed quite challenging.

One approach to reducing, if not entirely eliminating, the challenge is to join an external, industry-wide project. While this will still require obtaining some level of buy-in and support from other internal organizations, funding from management and taking on more responsibility, it may not be as steep a hill to climb and can enable you to leverage others’ work. So what opportunities exist for you to get involved in industry-wide actions, such as they are? Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN) and The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI), as mentioned last month, offer the opportunity to work with peers to influence and drive safety improvements in the manufacturing process itself and products, respectively.

The Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN) is a multi-stakeholder innovation network, launched in 2016 by Green America’s Center for Sustainability Solutions to address complex workplace health and safety challenges in the electronics supply chain. The goal of CEPN is to “move toward zero exposure of workers to toxic chemicals in the electronics manufacturing process.” While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA in the USA and similar government agencies in countries around the world) sets the baseline requirements for these chemicals and their exposure to workers, CEPN sees its role as “raising visibility of these issues in the supply chain, focusing on safer substitutions and developing tools to build worker engagement and participation in their workplaces,” says Pamela Brody-Heine, CEPN’s Director. CEPN members have operations and supply chains that extend globally, beyond any individual country or region.

CEPN has developed a Process Chemicals Data Collection Tool available for free that you can use to gather information from suppliers about process chemicals. While effective use of this tool requires plenty of prep work, it benefits the industry by creating a common format for consistent collection of information across the supply chain. Including a solid explanation of why you are requesting the data will increase the likelihood of your being able to get useful information. Understanding what you are looking for and what actions can be taken based on the data received is also another consideration.

“Joining CEPN provides Network members a framework, credibility and public recognition for voluntarily improving worker chemical safety in the electronics supply chain” and “enables progress on a complex issue no individual leader can solve alone, proactively moving the electronics industry to a safer supply chain,” says Brody-Heine. While CEPN membership is by invitation from existing members, the group continues to grow adding multi-stakeholder innovators and leaders. CEPN is an important organization to be aware of.

iNEMI is apparently the electronics industry’s sole remaining independent research and development entity. The breadth of projects done by iNEMI over the decades cuts across a wide and exciting variety of technical challenges. One area they have focused on over the past few years is Sustainable Electronics.

While some projects in this space have these have been very helpful to the industry in general, they have primarily been point projects. But now a new, more broadly applicable project is in development that more generally addresses circularity. “Eco-Design Best Practices for a Circular Electronics Economy” is focused on understanding how thought leaders go about implementing eco-design — what are the drivers and where do ideas come from? How do they define the requirements? How are these decisions made?

These are great questions — and this presents an opportunity to get in on the ground floor, participate, share knowledge and learn. Circularizing product lifecycles is not an area I believe we should be competing on: the better the industry’s environmental footprint is, the better it is for all stakeholders — and there will still be plenty left to compete on. iNEMI is also a member-driven organization and to get the most out of it your company should be a member. Visit the link above and get in touch with Mark Schaffer at iNEMI to learn more.

When we talk about our climate crisis we don’t often mention refrigeration, and yet climate scientists rank refrigerant reform near the top of their list of climate action priorities. Consequently, Americans are beginning to seek more information about the ongoing battle for safer refrigeration and cooling. As emissions increase, wildfires rage, storms grow in intensity, and our oceans, fresh water bodies and glaciers are all in trouble – we must demand faster action.

It’s critical that we act now, because refrigerants contribute to both climate change and ozone damage. They are greenhouse gases, assigned with a GWP or Global Warming Potential rating. For all these reasons Green America’s Cool It campaign focuses on quickly eliminating harmful refrigerants.

History of Global Action

Environmentalists and progressive refrigeration professionals have been trying to work on this problem since before the Montreal Protocol in 1989. As with so many of our environmental challenges, we have made positive progress in isolated cases, but the needed momentum is seriously lacking.

The Montreal Protocol was a response to the discovery of a breach in the earth’s atmospheric ozone layer (“the hole in the ozone above the Antarctic”) caused by hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) refrigerants. The treaty was signed by most of the nations on earth, 197 in all.

It resulted in some slow but positive action, and although new problems have emerged, it shows that countries can indeed come together on important climate accomplishments. The hole in the ozone layer has shrunk, but improvement stalled during 2019, which scientists think may have been caused by violations in China and fracking complications in the US.

While HFCs don't harm the ozone layer, they negatively affect the climate. For this reason the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol was created, and came into effect in January of 2019. It calls for 80% reduction in the use of HFCs by 2050. Sixty-five of the 197 global signatories to the original protocol have ratified the amendment. The US should pass detailed ratification legislation and provide leadership to benefit both its own clean energy industries and all countries suffering from severe and growing climate crisis impacts.

The most recent development is a bi-partisan agreement in the US Senate during September 2020 for new legislation to guide the country’s phase-down of HFCs. The phase-down will occur over a 15-year period from when the legislation is passed, but this is unlikely to happen before 2021.

What are the Solutions for Refrigerant Reform?

Ideally, HFCs will be replaced by natural refrigerants, and also unfortunately, with blended products. Blended products are costly half measures designed by profit-minded chemical companies who are lobbying governments to make rules that will help them sell more chemicals. Natural refrigerants are well proven, less expensive and a much better choice, however, their introduction has been delayed by these political efforts.

There are now numerous case examples of natural refrigerants doing the job in all the necessary realms: cooling for buildings, retail store refrigeration, deep freezing in food plants, refrigerated warehouses and transport vehicles.

Three natural refrigerants in particular can cover most of the refrigeration and air conditioning needs that affect Americans and our organizations. None of them are new and they have been used extensively in the past 100 years. Innovative modern equipment and processes have been evolving to help solve contemporary challenges, including flammability and high pressure, and bring the three natural products back to the forefront.
 

Natural Refrigerants are Available

The three main refrigerants are Ammonia, C0₂, and Propane, which have been designated as having Global Warming Potential (GWP) ratings of 0, 1 and 3 respectively. For context, most of the products in our systems today have been ascribed GWP numbers exceeding 3000, and most of the blended products fall roughly in the middle between these two extremes.

Large companies are proving that natural refrigerants can meet the scale of cooling demands. Pepsi and Coke have reportedly installed thousands of retail refrigeration cabinets that use natural R290 propane refrigerant. Target has deployed such cases in more than 1,000 of its 1,800 U.S. stores, while Whole Foods has them in 500+ stores, according to the Energy Information Administration of the US Department of Energy. These alternatives have also been adopted by chains like McDonald’s and Starbucks.

The ALDI U.S. supermarket chain operates more than 320 stores using transcritical C0₂ refrigeration.[2] Whole Foods, Albertsons and Raley’s are also operating successful ammonia/C02 systems. 

It may seem counter-intuitive that C0₂, widely known as a greenhouse gas that causes global warming (in excessive concentrations), is described as a sustainable, natural refrigerant. However, new C0₂-based heat pumps and other refrigeration and cooling equipment provide the greenest, safest, most economical solutions.[3]  This is the nomenclature of the industry, and it is the same element, just much better managed and in far lower concentrations than the fossil-fuel driven C0₂ emissions wreaking havoc on our climate.

One of the key by-products of these systems is that they recapture heat from the refrigeration system and use it for space heating in the store. In many regions, including some cold places in Canada, the result is an abundance of heat available, and no other heating system is needed, so these modern systems also save energy and reduce space heat emissions.

Making the Economics Work

Just as economics play a negative role in the questionable motivation of chemical companies, they also can play a positive role in changing refrigeration. To defeat climate change, we must find ways to create good-paying jobs while building better buildings and installing less harmful technical systems.

Although both sides in the Senate seem to agree on refrigerant action, it’s unclear when new legislation will actually be passed. In the absence of national leadership, regional governments have implemented their own guidelines. This is a problematic outcome, because though similar, they are not identical, creating a regulation patchwork that can be difficult for design work by manufacturers, for training of installers, and for efficient equipment supply by distributors.

Within the US refrigeration industry, trade organizations and equipment makers (but not chemical companies) are eager for this long overdue regulation to be enacted, and to contribute to essential national and international standards. America is coming late to the effort, and technology manufacturers are concerned that they have already given up market share to European and Asian firms, as the disruption manifests in the refrigeration marketplace.

Energy is much more expensive in Europe and densities in both homes and businesses in Asia are very high. These two regions have been working with more efficient alternative equipment for decades, and have a head start on research and development, supply chains and regulatory frameworks.

I’m predicting that natural refrigerants will win the fight against blended chemical products in the end, but the current pace of progress is far too slow and we must demand faster action. Although natural refrigerants are in use by large brands mentioned in this article, and by many lesser known companies, obstacles have been created by vested interests every step of the way.

We need to celebrate and promote natural refrigerant success stories, and press our governments to move quickly on the needed regulatory framework, especially at the federal level.

In addition, Green America's Cool It campaign promotes some important short-term refrigerant management goals. These include better leak repair and proper end of life refrigerant and equipment disposal. We can improve the world together by pressing for faster, more positive change. Let’s all Cool it for Climate!

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About the Author: Bruce (BF) Nagy is a sustainable technologies columnist for the American Society of Engineers Plumbing Engineer magazine (Chicago), and writes also for the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), and other technical and government journals. He is the Author of The Clean Energy Age (2018 Rowman & Littlefield, Washington DC) and more than 190 feature stories on climate solutions.

[1] Danfoss wins: http://www.r744.com/articles/9389/danfoss_introduces_co2andnbsp_condensing_unit_for_outdoor_installation_at_euroshop?mc_cid=f12af279f7&mc_eid=d7d3ab5122
[2] https://www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/
[3] Policy planners seek case examples, success stories, technical explanations, and comparative climate impacts. Please contact the author at bfnagy1@gmail.com for detailed information or for more information see https://www.phcppros.com/articles/10406-natural-refrigerants-effective-safe-and-affordable or https://www.achrnews.com/articles/143601-pandemic-may-shift-grocery-des…;

As the pandemic approached its peak, so did sales of the aromatic material.

In March 2020, the US EPA issued a controversial memo stating that it would suspend enforcement actions for violations of environmental regulations when the agency assessed that the Caronavirus was to blame.  Failure to enforce regulations provided polluters with permission to pollute at a time when air pollution was linked to increased risks for people contracting the Caronavirus.

Green America joined environmental, environmental justice, and health allies in protesting this memo, and our members sent over 10,000 messages to Congress, asking elected officials to intervene.

In June, the EPA announced that it would terminate the memo and re-start all enforcement actions by September 1, 2020.

This is an important victory for people and the planet.  Thanks to everyone who took action to protest this egregious suspension of enforcement. 

Trader Joe's needs to answer for its poor labor and climate practices and lack of transparency. Join us in holding them accountable!

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 10, 2020 – Trader Joe’s ranks poorly among U.S. grocery stores when it comes to both ethical chocolate (in terms of child labor and deforestation concerns) and super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used as refrigerants. A new push by Green America and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) tackles both issues in a bid to hold the popular food retailer accountable.

The new Don’t Discount Our Future, Trader Joe’s campaign urges the national grocery store chain to improve its sourcing for cocoa products and use of HFCs. The retailer received one of the worst scores on Green America’s Chocolate Retailer Scorecard, and the lowest score on the EIA’s Climate-Friendly Supermarket Scorecard on refrigerants.  

Trader Joe’s shares little information about how it is addressing the risk of child labor and deforestation in the chocolate from which it profits. The campaign calls on Trader Joe’s to publicly disclose its chocolate supply chain; require all cocoa suppliers sourcing out of West Africa to use a child labor monitoring and remediation system; disclose how it is supporting efforts to pay cocoa farmers a living income; and commit to no deforestation by 2022 throughout its entire supply chain.

“There are over one million children in West Africa experiencing child labor in cocoa growing, and cocoa farmers make less than $1 per day,” said Charlotte Tate, Green America’s Labor Campaigns director. “In order to end child labor in cocoa, ALL companies, including grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, must demonstrate that they are taking action to address the injustices in cocoa supply chains.”

This announcement also builds on Green America’s Cool It campaign and EIA’s Climate-Friendly Supermarkets platform, which tackle the super-pollutant HFC greenhouse gases, used as refrigerants. HFCs have thousands of times the global warming potential of CO2. 

“Trader Joe’s has made a fortune off its ‘wholesome’ branding but continues to fail to do its part on addressing the threats of climate destruction and labor abuse,” said Avipsa Mahapatra, EIA Climate Campaign lead. “Our climate is in crisis and Trader Joe’s not only has no sustainable cooling policy, but also refuses to engage with those of us who can help. Trader Joe’s must prioritize swift action to eliminate the use of HFCs in all new stores and establish company-wide programs to reduce their overall cooling footprint.”

The Green America/EIA campaign is calling on Trader Joe’s to phase out HFCs from all its locations by 2030 and to use only ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in new builds and retrofits, as well as issue annual sustainability reports detailing progress, among other refrigerant management actions.

The U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency entered into a 2016 settlement with Trader Joe’s over the company’s alleged Clean Air Act violations related to refrigerant leaks that impacted the climate and depleted the ozone layer, and there is no information from the company about making improvements on this issue.

“Companies must be held accountable for their emissions that are escalating the climate crisis, and improving refrigerant management is a crucial part of that process,” said Beth Porter, Green America’s Climate Campaigns director. “Trader Joe’s has a dismal record on leaking highly potent gases and neglects to follow the most basic practice of releasing an annual sustainability report – this doesn’t inspire confidence in the company’s progress behind the scenes.”

EIA’s scorecard shows other major supermarket chains, such as ALDI US and Target, have demonstrated progress on reducing climate impacts of refrigeration. In contrast, Trader Joe’s has not disclosed whether they have installed any HFC-free refrigerant systems, nor has it shown progress on reducing its historically high leak rate of refrigerant gases.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin for Green America, (703) 276-3255, or mkarlin@hastingsgroup.com; and Lindsay Moran, for Environmental Investigation Agency, lmoran@eia-global.org.

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

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, investors, and consumers to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org  

ABOUT EIA

Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an independent non-profit campaigning organization dedicated to identifying, investigating, and implementing solutions to protect endangered wildlife, forests, and the global climate. EIA Climate campaign is working to eliminate powerful greenhouse gases and improve energy efficiency in the cooling sector, and expose related illicit trade to campaign for new policies, improved governance, and more effective enforcement. www.eia-global.org.

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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.

Companies have a vested interest in your opinion on their products. At Green America, we refer to the act of purchasing from companies you share values with as “voting with your dollar.” This action is only one part of conscious consumerism—writing letters to companies to demand accountability is a crucial strategy in getting big corporations to do better for people and the planet.

To help you write the most effective letters to companies, here’s an example letter with notes and suggestions. Ask your friends and family if they’d like to sign onto your letter or write one themselves—there is power in our collective demands for corporate accountability.

Tips on Writing a Letter to a Corporation

Do Your Research

When writing your letter, do your research to address it as specifically as you can. Do you need to reach the CEO? Head of manufacturing? Use their name when possible.

Use Facts, Name the Problem

In the beginning, state the problem. Use facts to back up your statements. Here, we talk about the climate impact of the fast fashion industry. Other problems you can highlight for the specific company you are talking to may include: toxic chemicals, worker rights, pollution, and livable wages, to name a few.

Call for Action

Lastly, finish up with your call to action. What is it you want the company to do? Develop a measurable climate plan? Transition to compostable packaging? Respect workers’ right to freedom of association or prioritize sourcing from unionized suppliers? Speak to what is important to you.

Set a Deadline

Set up a time frame. This makes the goal measurable and acts as a tool to hold the company accountable.

Sample Letter Using Best Practices:

Dear President and CEO,

The fast fashion industry produces 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes more energy than both the aviation and shipping industry combined. Additionally, the textile sector accounts for 20% of industrial pollution, and fashion retailers make clothing in excess and burn millions of unsold products, which contributes to emissions and poor air quality. As a longtime customer of your company, when I learned about these issues, I looked to see if your company had developed a plan to address its social and environmental impacts. I was disappointed to see you had not. 

It is important, more now than ever, that your company takes responsibility to eliminate your carbon emissions by 2030—the timeline recommended by IPCC scientists to avoid the catastrophic effects of climate change. As a major retailer of men and women’s clothing, your company has the potential to lead industry-wide changes in climate responsibility.

I am writing to ask your company to commit to climate goals. I want to see your company become carbon neutral by 2030 and transition to organic cotton because healthy soil is crucial to capturing carbon emissions. For polyester, I want to see you use reclaimed fishing nets since virgin polyester is made from petroleum, a fossil fuel responsible for the climate crisis. For all clothing, I want to see your company adopt a strong chemical management policy and eliminate the most toxic chemicals from your supply chain. Lastly, I want to see your company offer a take-back and recycling program for used clothes and repurpose them into new clothing items.

I would love to keep buying from you, but my continued support will depend on your taking action and reporting what you do to me and the public. As a leader in fashion sense and sales, your company should prioritize becoming a climate leader, too. 

Thank you,

Your Name
 

When we envision a fully-fledged climate emergency, scenes of ferocious wildfires, flooded streets, and monstrous weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes commonly come to mind. Writer Mary Annaïse Heglar coined the term “climate vision” to describe this commonly-shared sense of impending doom, and in so many ways, the crises of COVID-19 and climate change are revealing to us the world that we don’t want to see. But through the insights of landmark research and the tenacity of everyday people on the frontlines, both crises are also showing us the world that we want. It is in that spirit of transformative power that we share four lessons to take from the COVID-19 pandemic that can make the climate movement even stronger. 

Climate Change is A Public Health Issue 

Like the COVID-19 pandemic, overcoming climate change requires both collective behavioral changes on the part of everyday people and bold government policy. One way to move people to action on both fronts is explaining how climate change not only damages the planet’s health, but ours too. 

“When we think of policies for solving climate change, it is really important that we put human health at the center. As a society, we don’t talk much about the human toll associated with unmitigated climate change, but it’s projected to get worse if we don’t rise to the challenge,” says Dr. Vijay Limaye, epidemiologist and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) climate and health scientist. 

A pioneering model by climate scientist Dr. Jonathan Patz shows how high temperatures, rising sea-levels, and weather extremes can stir the intensity for a variety of illnesses. For example, relentless heat can lead to increased rates of cardiorespiratory failure and unchecked sea-level rises and subsequent floods can provide havens for water-borne diseases like cholera to thrive. In addition, the strain that extreme weather events like wildfires and hurricanes can have on mental health can lead to increased risks of unhealthy coping mechanisms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

COVID-19 shows us our current opportunity not only to respond to current challenges but also to invest in preventative healthcare. For example, air pollution is linked to more than 7 million premature deaths worldwide annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Implementing aggressive policies that cut potent greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, methane) derived from fossil fuels can help stabilize the climate and save lives, especially amid COVID-19, when people with pre-existing conditions are more likely to have fatal outcomes from the virus. 

The historic 1970 Clean Air Act is proof of the radical change possible. In the year 2020 alone, the act will prevent an estimated 230,000 premature deaths and since its passage, it has delivered roughly $2 trillion in benefits to the public, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

“The Clean Air Act has been a monumental achievement for this country and it can serve as a blueprint for solving climate change,” says Dr. Limaye. “Just as we’re wearing masks and socially distancing, we need to take steps to reduce the underlying burdens of disease, and climate policy plays a huge role in that.” 

If It’s Not Just, It’s Not Sustainable

Following the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in the spring, cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C.—and others with high populations of people of color and deep financial disparities—emerged as hotspots. Native Americans, African Americans, and Latin Americans all have experienced higher rates compared to white Americans for COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, some cities with lingering legacies of segregation like Chicago, Detroit, and Milwaukee, report the starkest contrasts of the pandemic’s harm across racial lines. In Milwaukee, for instance, African Americans represent only 27 percent of the population but 51 percent of COVID-19 cases and 57 percent of deaths, according to the Brookings Institute. 

“Those disparities don’t just come out of nowhere, they’re the cumulative effect of numerous factors whether it is environmental exposures such as air pollution, reduced quality of care in a hospital, or reduced likelihood of receiving care,” says Limaye. “We’ve also seen high rates of people of color being turned away from facilities because their symptoms were discounted disproportionately.” 

The data confirms what leaders in the environmental justice movement have said for decades. Like COVID-19, climate change is slamming communities that have already been marginalized by centuries of systemic oppression, highlighting the urgency for a truly intersectional climate movement. 

“It is no accident that the environmental justice movement emerged out of the civil rights movement; it is the same pursuit of equal protection under the law. And it is no coincidence that COVID-19 hotspots are in the same redlined districts mapped out in the 20s and 30s,” says Dr. Robert Bullard, professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University. 

In his seminal 1990 book, Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality, Bullard led a historic study that revealed that toxic sites like landfills, oil refineries, and chemical plants are largely located near communities of color and communities with lower incomes. Amid this year’s back-to-back news stories of Black men and women being recklessly killed by police and the global protests that followed, many environmental organizations join a chorus of voices that seeks true justice for Black and Brown lives. Bullard, who is also a co-chair of the National Black Environmental Justice Network, says that green groups need to go further by amplifying the call for resources to grassroots, POC-led organizations. 

“We have to fight not just on the federal level, but at the local level, in the city councils, county commissions, the school boards, the state legislatures, and the governor’s office and do it 24/7. In order to do that, local groups need to be funded properly,” says Bullard. “White-led environmental groups should make every stride they can to diversify their boards, staff, and agendas, but they must also stand with smaller groups who are calling for green dollars to be diversified, so that resources flow to those on the frontlines.” 

A Green Economy Is More Resilient Amid Crises

Amid COVID-19, occasions that would normally draw large crowds have become micro-celebrations and online gatherings. As our lives change, big corporations and small businesses alike have no choice but to keep up with the times. In April 2020, the US unemployment rate soared to a historic 14.7 percent and while those numbers have leveled off, many Americans are still trying to bounce back from job loss while struggling to pay for regular expenses. 

Green businesses are being affected by the pandemic too, but many are proving that we do not have to choose between prosperity and sustainability or “growth vs. green.” In fact, eco-friendly and fair labor practices build inherent sustainability and resiliency into a business, and if more companies adopted them, we would see better outcomes for consumers, workers, and families. 

Green Plate Catering{GBN} is one of many small businesses that has made a major pivot through the pandemic by switching to a delivery meal business. Owner Kit Wood says people are not catering events much anymore, but she is now able to serve those struggling with food insecurity and seniors by partnering with the Montgomery County Food Council, a community organization advocating for a local and sustainable food system in Montgomery County, Maryland. 

“For food businesses, there are always weather disruptions that can make sourcing difficult, but since we work with local farmers and that have more sustainable practices than conglomerates, we can get what we need and mix up the menu when necessary,” says Wood. 

Wood is continuing to cut waste by offering biodegradable bamboo packaging. These type of direct climate actions serve as examples to restaurants and big corporations who reach more people and can have an even greater impact.

From Lessons Learned to Taking Action

Research by cognitive scientists Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber shows that the way to move people to action isn’t through facts alone but emotion. We can create change from the bottom-up by realizing the power our words, stories, and actions have to inspire others. Take these actions for a stronger, more just, and healthy world. 

Push Politicians Further 

The people in Congress, the White House, and courts across the country are meant to represent the people who elect them. Tell the public officials who represent you at the local level and in Congress to become champions for strong environmental health and environmental justice legislation including the Environmental Justice for All Act, Health Equity and Accountability Act, and BREATHE Act today. At usa.gov/elected-officials, you can find (and save) your Representative’s contact information.

Get Involved in Local Organizations 

When we understand the scale of an issue, it’s only natural to become overwhelmed. But we can overcome those feelings by dealing with what’s in front of us. Plug into a grassroots organization near you that is addressing the issues you care about most. Facebook and Google are great places to start your search.

Be an Ambassador for Small and Green Businesses 

Brand ambassadorships are a necessity for internet-savvy companies, but you don’t need a large following to be influential. Supporting neighborhood stores with purchases, online shout-outs, and spreading the word to family and friends can go a long way in helping businesses sustain through COVID-19 and beyond. Visit GreenPages.org to find certified green businesses who offer a wide selection of products.

Above: Robin Rue Simmons at a press conference about equity in education in Evanston, Illinois. Photo by Heidi Randhava.

Over the past four years, the Trump administration has unraveled decades of progress in environmental protection: pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, weakening regulations on air pollution, and implementing rollbacks which favor fossil fuels and disproportionately harm communities of color. 

In response, Green Americans across the country are taking up environmental and social justice policies as a local matter—pursuing reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans, working to pass local Green New Deals, and furthering their communities’ commitment to an equitable future for all. 

Robin Rue Simmons is the alderman of Evanston, Illinois’ 5th Ward. In 2019, Simmons led the effort to establish a fund for reparations for Evanston’s Black residents. 

Simmons says the power of local government—and community organizations—can play a key role in creating change outside of federal government. 

“Local government is more nimble, we have more access to leadership and partners at a local level, we are more informed by our neighbors,” she says. “As a local government leader, I live next door to those that I serve. And I serve along them while managing life and many of the barriers that we all share.” 

Evanston: A First in Racial Justice

In November 2019, Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, became the first city in the United States to establish a fund, with public tax dollars, allocated entirely to reparations for African Americans. Simmons’ proposal established a three percent sales tax on marijuana, which will then go to the reparation fund for Black residents. Marijuana was legalized in Illinois Jan. 1, 2020, and the funds became available on a municipal level in October. 

Evanston’s first focus is affordable housing. Simmons says that once the housing policy is passed, it will provide Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969, and their direct descendants, up to $25,000 of direct assistance if they qualify for home purchase or need assistance sustaining their home purchase. The policy also applies to Black residents who can prove housing discrimination after 1969. 

From 2000 to 2017, the Black population in Evanston decreased from 22.5 percent to 16.9 percent, according to US Census data. 

“Black families are leaving Evanston at an unsettling rate because of [a] lack of access to affordable housing and having a sense of place and homeownership as a way to build wealth,” Simmons says. 

Outside of reparations, Citizens’ Greener Evanston, a local nonprofit, has had an operating Environmental Justice Committee for five and a half years. 

The committee, which recently put out an environmental justice resolution, has worked on a number of initiatives over the years, including advocating for the removal of a waste transfer station—a site where waste is temporarily held before transportation to a landfill—from a historic community of color. The committee even followed the fight to court, where it worked to ensure that the $1.2 million settlement was invested back into the neighborhood. 

The committee secured the funds for an air quality study, and in a court battle over the waste transfer station, the committee worked to ensure that the $1.2 million in settlement money the city received was reinvested in the neighborhood.

Ithaca: The Easy Part is Done

In June 2019, the City of Ithaca, New York, passed a Green New Deal resolution, setting ambitious goals for the city to be carbon neutral by 2030. The Town of Ithaca—a separate municipality surrounding the city—passed a similar resolution, and in early 2021, a green building policy will be considered for adoption by both the Town and City of Ithaca. The policy will require new buildings to produce 40 percent fewer emissions than mandated by state code.

By 2021, policy addressing how existing buildings must meet emission standards will be enacted, and by 2030, a net-zero emissions policy for new construction will follow. 

Local government is very important in climate protection, says Nick Goldsmith, sustainability coordinator for the town and city of Ithaca. 

“The federal government is really focused on tearing down environmental regulations and reversing climate progress, but local governments have the authority to pass local laws, and that’s what we’re trying to take advantage of with our energy codes,” says Goldsmith. 

For many communities, including Ithaca, COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in the city plans to proceed with Green New Deal measures, a localized version of a congressional resolution to tackle climate change and inequity. The resolution, which was introduced in 2019, focuses on transitioning from fossil fuels while creating jobs in the renewable energy sector. With decreased funding, Goldsmith says progress on a local level has been slow.

However, as the world seems to be on hold, community organizers continue their work in ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table. 

Marisa Lansing is the Climate Fund Coordinator for Sustainable Tompkins, a local nonprofit, and is a leader in Ithaca’s chapter of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led political movement which played a key role in pushing the agenda on Ithaca’s Green New Deal. 

“In all of the big movements that we’ve had in our history, there’s just been such a strong youth presence, and that’s how we really get it done,” Lansing says. “Youth have such strong power.” 

Lansing is also a part of the Ithaca Green New Deal Advisory Board, a joint task force of city officials and community members which makes recommendations to the city, and participates in a Green New Deal community engagement group through Building Bridges, a community-based initiative which works toward a socially just economy. 

The community engagement group has been hiring members who hold marginalized identities to act as Community Educator Organizers, creating conversations about what their communities want to see in a local Green New Deal. 
Lansing says a just transition to a green economy is what she wants to see in Ithaca’s official Green New Deal Action Plan. 

“Fossil fuels are just another way that we just continue to enact white supremacy and racism,” Lansing says. “It’s kind of like a control mechanism over people, because if groups of people aren’t healthy, if they’re fighting for survival, how can they? How can they organize and rise up?” 

What can you do to affect local policy?

Climate change and racial injustice can be overwhelming issues, but by starting where you are, you can help change your community for the better. 

Communicate with Leaders 

Show up to city council meetings—likely virtual now—and advocate for local Green New Deal plans and policies promoting racial justice. Many organizations, including Green America, also offer templates for reaching out to local government such as calling scripts, email templates, and sample social media posts. 

Join a Community Organization 

Many grassroots movements put pressure on local governments to implement progressive policies. Contributing your time and/or money to a community organization is a way to make a direct impact. 

Vote in Local Elections 

Our country has a history of low voter turnout in local elections, but local politics still matter. Electing leaders who prioritize the climate, and environmental justice, is a part of the battle to pass progressive policy.

Above: RMG workers held a protest rally against the retrenchment and forced resignations of workers and firing of pregnant women caused by factory closures during COVID-19 pandemic in Dhaka on June 26, 2020. Photo by Mamunur Rashid.

Across the world, workers are standing up for their rights; speaking out against injustice; and fighting for democracy in their workplaces through organizing. Following workers’ leads may sound like a passive task, but it’s the opposite. Listening to workers requires community members to actively listen and respond. 

“Consumer and investor pressure on Amazon’s climate emissions is working, with the company pledging to go carbon neutral by 2040,” says Green America executive co-director, Todd Larsen. “Now we need to ramp up the pressure and get Amazon to act on labor injustices in its warehouses and supply chains.”

Workers, like any other group, know and understand their own situation better than those outside it can. Factory workers, warehouse employees, farm workers, and other workers in the supply chain are those most impacted by problems and those most likely to come up with effective solutions. As a member of the global community, there are still many ways to support workers and empower companies you buy from to do the same. 

Amazon’s US Impact

America’s largest employers are some of our worst, starting with retail behemoths Walmart and Amazon. Walmart’s poor record on labor—hourly wages so low its workers turn to food stamps, failure to promote women, and union busting—is so well known that many of us avoid shopping there.

After successfully pushing Amazon to adopt clean energy, Green America incorporated workers’ rights into our campaign advocating for Amazon to become greener, by not only taking less of a toll on the planet but also respecting workers.

Amazon is one of the most powerful and profitable companies in the US, where an estimated $1 out of every $2 spent online is spent. Amazon’s speedy deliveries rely on warehouse and delivery drivers working long hours in dangerous conditions. In the first six months of the pandemic, nearly 20,000 of Amazon’s over one million US employees contracted COVID-19, according to Amazon. By not taking worker safety seriously amid the pandemic, Amazon threatened the health and safety of local communities. 

Amazon workers are pushing back—the worker-led Awood Center is organizing Amazon employees to fight for better and safer working conditions at a facility in Minnesota, in addition to creating community spaces for East African employees. The Awood Center is just one example of Amazon employees throughout the country and the world refusing to accept unjust power dynamics. 

Amazon is customer-obsessed and due to its size and reach, even if you don’t online shop, you likely use services that are hosted on Amazon Web Services. 

“If people care about the safety and security of workers, then they can pressure elected policymakers to pass legislation to guarantee worker protections,” stated Tyler Hamilton, Amazon worker in Minnesota. “But also they can be smart about what they buy. If you have to buy on Amazon, remember there are multiple human beings on the other end. Many of us in different parts of the process have to handle items like dog food or kitty litter, which exacerbate injured backs and knees. Buying your heavier and bulkier items yourself at the local level has direct impact on our working conditions.”

Take action because this company cares what you think! 

Individual action: Amazon can be a great tool for finding the products you need. Then buy them directly from the sellers, instead of from Amazon. Take a look at these alternatives: greenamerica.org/sustainable-alternatives-amazon.

Community action: Shop from local businesses. When you shop local, $68 out of every 100 dollars goes back to local communities, according to the nonprofit Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. You can uplift your neighborhood, instead of CEO’s bank accounts. 

Corporate Action: Sign Green America’s petition to demand that Amazon use clean energy and treat its workers fairly: greenamerica.org/amazon-build-cleaner-cloud. Contact Amazon directly (see our sample corporate letter) and share your concerns about how workers are treated. When worker and consumer voices come together, our collective power and impact is amplified. 

Beyond Amazon

Millions of workers throughout the US are earning a minimum wage, often in dangerous and difficult jobs. The minimum wage has not kept up with inflation for decades, and is far below a living wage in many parts of the country. Join Green America and our Green Business Network in taking action with the Fight for $15 campaign (fightfor15.org), in a nationwide effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 state by state. 

Supporting International Workers

For decades, Green America has helped our members take action to oppose labor abuses in apparel, cocoa, and electronics industries—pushing companies to respect workers in their supply chains.

As we highlight in our Toxic Textiles Campaign, the apparel industry is bad for people and the planet. In addition to textile manufacturing accounting for 20 percent of industrial water pollution, workers in apparel supply chains can experience dangerous working conditions, union busting, wages that keep people in poverty, and chemical exposure that can cause lasting health impacts. 

The pandemic has exacerbated injustice in apparel supply chains. Multi-billion-dollar brands cancelled orders, knowing there would be lessened demand. Then, suppliers that operate on small margins were not able to pay employees for the hours that had already been worked. Workers were and are being pushed to the point of starvation. But thanks to consumers signing petitions, taking action, and reaching out to brands, over 20 brands that cancelled orders have now paid up on those orders. 

Take action to support workers

Individual action:

• Buy less clothing and shop secondhand! This is the most sustainable action you can take when voting with your dollar. 
• Check out our Toxic Textiles Scorecard and find out more about the companies you buy from.
• If you must shop new, choose brands that are prioritizing issues you care about. Find a wide variety of products that are union-made.

Community action 

• Word of mouth is a powerful way to create change. Talk to your friends and family about labor abuses in supply chains, the unfair power dynamics that so many industries are built upon.
• Share our Toxic Textiles report.

Corporate Action 

• Call on Carter’s to end toxic textiles. As the largest US retailer of children’s clothing, Carter’s must improve their chemical management policy.
• Don’t let companies use the pandemic as an excuse to cheat workers. Demand US apparel companies pay for their cancelled orders.
• Take it a step further and reach out to companies directly. Write a letter to a company and ask about worker-driven initiatives and what the unionization rate is in its supply chain. 

No matter how much or little money you are able to save, if you use a bank, credit union or 401(k) plan, you can be a socially responsible investor. 

There are different names for this approach to saving and investing, such as socially responsible investing (SRI); environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing; impact investing; and sustainable investing. Whatever the name, the key point is that investments have not just financial returns but social and environmental benefits and costs as well. Investing with a broad definition of “returns” will deliver the best outcomes over the long term for the investor, company, communities, and the environment. 

What Is Socially Responsible Investing? 

There are several strategies for SRI: screening investments in or out based on specific criteria; shareholder action; community development investing to support economically marginalized populations; and divestment when one no longer wants to hold investments because of their impacts on people or the planet. 

Probably the best-known example of investor activism was the movement to divest from apartheid South Africa, in which individual and institutional investors withdrew assets from companies doing business in South Africa so as not to support the apartheid regime. 

Investors have also screened out, or divested from, industries such as for-profit prisons, the weapons industry, and increasingly, fossil fuels. Academic, faith-based, philanthropic, and other institutions world-wide have screened out or divested from fossil fuels, representing more than $14 trillion. In 2019, corporate accountability organizations and shareholders successfully pressured the big banking industry to stop issuing loans to CoreCivic and GEO Group, the nation’s two largest private prison operators. 

Shareholder action, including filing resolutions at corporations, aims to improve companies’ conduct. Shareholder pressure has resulted in progress on issues including increased attention to human and animal rights, CEO compensation, and disclosure of corporate climate impacts, and other issues. 

Sustainable Investing Is Under Attack 

Over the decades, SRI has become more sophisticated in its approaches and widespread in its successes. Sustainable investing assets have expanded to $17.1 trillion in the US, up 42 percent from $12.0 trillion in 2018. As a result, SRI is now facing its greatest attacks from those who have yet to accept its long-term value for portfolios, people, and the planet. 

The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Labor (DOL) have joined the Trump administration’s agenda to decrease corporate accountability by weakening the shareholder resolution process.

“This is an anti-democratic strategy. It’s a strike against the ability of shareholders to improve the companies in which they invest, by limiting the resolutions put before corporate management, limiting who can file resolutions, and discouraging fiduciaries from performing all their duties,” said Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director for business, investing & policy. 

Ten thousand Green Americans signed a petition to the SEC in opposition to its rule to weaken the shareholder resolution process. On September 23, 2020, the SEC officially approved restrictions on who can file resolutions and the level of required support for re-filing resolutions. We also sent over 12,000 messages in opposition to the DOL’s two rules against SRI strategies. 

Weeks before the 2020 general election, the DOL approved a rule that undermines the ability of 401(k) plans and pensions to include socially responsible investments. The rule that undercuts shareholder action by 401(k) plans is expected before the inauguration in January 2021. 

“Recent rules proposed by the Department of Labor and enforced by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission constitute an assault on shareholder rights and sustainable investing,” said Leslie Samuelrich, president of Green Century Capital Management{GBN}.“The new SEC rule, pushed by corporations and their front groups, is a straightforward attempt to muzzle the voice of shareholders for the benefit of tone-deaf corporate executives who do not believe in corporate accountability.” 

Individual actions 

If you own company stocks, make your voice heard by voting your proxies every year. Find information on shareholder resolutions at ProxyPreview.com 

Make sure your own investment portfolios are fossil fuel free and invest in initiatives to bring clean energy to scale by working with an SRI-dedicated advisor. You can find them at greenamerica.org/green-businesses-products-service. 

Government action 

Pressure your local leaders and demand that your city divest from harmful industries like fossil fuels and private prisons. At prisondivest.com, you can find divestment strategy tool-kits for cities, universities, unions, and faith groups. 

Community Banks Step Up 

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are financial organizations that strengthen local communities by offering loans for individual borrowers and small businesses, financial literacy programs, and other crucial services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDFIs supplied emergency funds and helped small businesses and nonprofits access Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans to avert shutting down. 

In the spring of 2020, Oakland based CDFI Beneficial State Bank{GBN} worked with the Small Business Administration to provide over 1,300 PPP loans to small businesses and organizations hit by the pandemic, ensuring a paycheck to over 18,000 workers. One of the organizations that received a PPP loan is Green Plate Special, a Seattle nonprofit that teaches environmental science and agricultural skills to young students, largely from families of color and lower-income households. A megabank would have been unlikely to have provided the support the Green Plate kids needed. 

As the conventional banking sector is confronted about its role in perpetuating racial and economic injustice, CDFIs are reflecting on their own histories and steps.  

“In collaboration with our partners, we have to ask ourselves what an anti-racist bank looks like; how do they measure themselves, hire, and promote, how do they communicate to and serve their communities, and define that criteria,” says Lynn Marie Auzene, chief marketing officer of Beneficial State Bank{GBN}. “I think that’s our calling and opportunity at this time.” 

Individual action

Move your money to a better bank. Our Get A Better Bank searchable map is updated with more better banking options. Find one at greenamerica.org/get-a-better-bank. 

Government action

Tell your senator to support the HEROES Act and allocate $1 billion to the CDFI Fund. 

Corporate action

Green America thanks all of our members who joined our campaign calling on JP Morgan Chase to divest from the fossil fuel industry. In 2020, JP Morgan Chase announced several climate commitments, but it is still the largest financier of fossil fuels in the world. Tell Chase CEO Jamie Dimon to divest today: jamie.dimon@jpmchase.com 

Communities worldwide are facing relentless wildfires, powerful hurricanes, and devastating flooding — the climate crisis is here, and it will worsen unless we act. Fossil fuels combustion is heating global temperatures and energy use causes 73 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting emissions is possible as we urgently transition from fossil fuel industries to socially just, renewable, clean energy and transportation systems.

Fossil fuels disproportionately harm Black and Brown communities inundated with power plants, oil wells, and other polluting facilities. Transitioning to renewables is critical for the climate and communities, and we need to look deeply at how energy is produced, consumed—and who benefits.  

Plug into Clean Energy

In 2019, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that over 11 percent of energy in the United States came from renewable sources, including wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower. Solar and wind have seen major growth in the past decade and renewable energy consumption has surpassed coal for the first time in over 130 years (burning wood and using hydropower were surpassed in the 1850s)—but we still have work to do.   

Electricity generation causes the bulk of emissions from the energy sector and over 62 percent of our electricity comes from fossil fuels. Nuclear energy generates 20 percent and renewables produce nearly 18 percent. COVID-19 has slowed supply chains and new installations for renewables, but demand has held strong and the EIA estimates that renewables are the fastest-growing source of electricity in 2020.   

Residential solar grew by over 50 percent between 2010 and 2016, but not across all communities. Racist housing policies have resulted in insufficient public infrastructure for many Black and Latin American communities and rooftop solar access is another extension of that historic injustice.   

Community solar projects provide an alternative to rooftop—in this option participants buy shares in a solar facility and receive credits to lower their bills (based on how much that facility sends to the grid), but some areas have enrollment costs which can present barriers for low-income residents. Access to solar can be a benefit particularly for residents who face disproportionately high energy burden—meaning their energy bills cost more than five percent of their income.   

Individual Actions 

Going green at home can save 1.5 tons of CO2 per year. You can find a database of incentives for installing solar panels and a calculator to estimate your home’s potential savings at dsireusa.org. Green America Business Members CleanChoice Energy and Arcadia Power are both great clean energy provider options that don’t require installations or changes to your utility. Switching to an electric vehicle saves over two tons of carbon emissions per year and going car free can save can save three tons—the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by four acres of forest per year.   

Community Actions  

Support community solar, where solar panels are concentrated at one location and members each get a share of the clean power produced. Community solar allows for equal access to solar power at a cost that is often discounted from the standard utility rate. Get involved with groups like Solar United Neighbors and Vote Solar to advocate for community solar nationwide.  

Advocate for Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), which means municipalities are allowed to purchase power on behalf of all their residents and businesses. This allows for purchasing renewable energy for the entire community at a reduced cost . If you live in the states where it is already allowed (NY, MA, RI, NJ, OH, IL, and CA) you can encourage your area to purchase renewable energy for everyone. In other states, you can join with advocates pushing for CCA.  

Fight Dirty Energy and So-Called “Clean” Energy   

While wind and solar are the fastest growing energy sources in the US, we’re still one of the world’s leading producers of petroleum and natural gas. Communities are being devastated by fracking and pipelines nationwide. And the Trump administration has rolled back crucial environmental protection regulations  subjecting frontline communities to greater risks from methane and coal ash leaks and the impacts of fossil fuel drilling and transportation.  

Unfortunately, there are some dirty industries pretending to be renewable. In particular, biomass and waste-to-energy plants often get included in states’ renewable portfolio standards, even though these forms of energy are far from green.  

Biomass power, or burning wood or other organic material for energy, is touted as “renewable,” because new trees can be planted. But the clearcutting of hardwood forests in the Southeast destroys ecosystems, and releases huge amounts of carbon. Reforested areas may take decades to sequester the same amount of carbon and turning whole trees into wood pellets for fuel emits CO2 and particulate pollutants, which unjustly burdens nearby frontline communities with noise and air pollution, and threatens the economic sovereignty of local communities. 

Waste-to-energy means burning solid waste (trash) to generate energy. It’s classified as “renewable” by twenty-three states, yet the expensive facilities pollute communities, release greenhouse gases, and destroy materials that could be recycled, conflicting with zero-waste efforts. Eighty percent of incinerators are placed in low-income and/or communities of color. 

Fighting Dirty Energy Means Joining Your Voice with Individuals Nationwide  

Take action with Green America and our allies to oppose pipelines, methane emissions from fracking, and regulatory rollbacks. The Biden-Harris administration will work to reinstate regulations of pollutants and will need strong public support to succeed.  

Tell elected officials to adopt 100 percent clean energy commitments, support policies that build local ownership of utilities, and prevent companies from charging customers for fossil fuel infrastructure. See “A Beginner’s Guide to Activism” for tips on how to talk to your elected officials and local candidates.   

Power in Numbers: Join local chapters of groups like  350.org , Moms Clean Air Force, Dogwood Alliance, Sunrise Movement,  Sierra Club, or local groups fighting fracking, incinerators, or biomass power. These organizations coach their members on how to take part in public hearings, rally support in their communities, and take other actions.  

Economic Action: Tell Companies to Use Clean Energy  

The four major US telecoms companies–AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile–collectively use more than 30 million MWh of electric power each year—enough to power all the households in New York City! Since we launched our Hang Up on Fossil Fuels campaign in 2017, telecoms have gone from using less than two percent renewables to nearly 50 percent in clean energy contracts and commitments.   

As Green America pushes these companies to reach 100 percent renewables, we will advocate for solutions that push for truly clean energy, and diversity and inclusion in clean energy jobs.   

Sign our Hang Up on Fossil Fuels petition and our Cleaner Cloud petition.

Writer letters to companies in any sector and tell them to adopt truly clean energy.