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The Climate Crisis is an Insurance Crisis 

Just as where you bank and what credit card you use play a role in the broader financial system, so too does where you get your home, renters, and auto insurance. The role of property insurance has become painfully clear in recent years, as large insurance companies cancel or limit policies for people in climate-vulnerable areas while raising rates for the rest of us.  

Yet even as they push climate losses onto policy holders, the nation’s major insurance companies continue to support the chief cause of the climate crisis -- the burning of fossil fuels – by issuing insurance policies for fossil fuel projects and investing our premiums into fossil fuel companies.  

Check out the resources below to learn how the largest US insurance companies are insuring and investing in fossil fuels – then look for better insurance in Green America’s first-of-its-kind Climate Smart Insurance Directory. Finally, see our guide on how to make the switch.  

Insurance on the Front Lines

Climate Smart Insurance Directory

How to Make the Switch

Ready to find better insurance? Check out Green America’s new Climate Smart Insurance Directory.

How Credit Cards Work 

Take a look at the front of your credit card. What you’ll likely see is the branding – maybe a bank logo, store brand or nonprofit organization. Now turn your card over and look at the back. What you may find in small print is the issuer of your credit card. That’s who you send your payments to each month.

Sometimes the brander and issuer of the card are the same, but often they are not – and the issuer is who determines whether the fees associated with using the card align with your values.  

Those fees include: 

• Annual fees you pay to use the card (not all credit cards have this). 

• Interest fees you pay if you carry a balance from month to month (often quite high). 

• Transaction fees that merchants pay (usually around 3% of the purchase price). 

This means that even if your credit card has no annual fee, and you pay it off in full each month, your purchases are still responsible for transaction fees that go to your credit card issuer. 

How can you make sure these fees are used in a way that aligns with your values? Find a socially responsible issuer for your credit card, usually a responsible bank or credit union. 

Learn more by clicking on the resources below. 

Does Your Credit Card Fund Fossil Fuels?

Responsible Credit Card Guide

How to Make the Switch

Where You Bank Matters 

When you open a bank account, how do you choose what bank to use? Maybe it’s the one with ATMs close by, or the one your family has always used, or the one that offered you a good deal on a product. But green financing is crucial to an ethical economy, and better banking, aligned with your values, is always possible.  

Here’s how it works: When you put your money into a bank account, it doesn’t just sit there. The bank uses the money to make loans. Community development banks and credit unions use the money to finance community needs such as small businesses or mortgages. But the biggest banks use the money to finance major projects -- including disproportionately the fossil fuel industry. 

Learn more by clicking on the resources below. 

Why Megabanks are Bad News

Get a Better Bank

How to Make the Switch

These are challenging times.

Our freedom to invest our retirement and college funds in companies that align with our values is under attack. Politicians and companies funded by Big Oil are running campaigns to obstruct our ability to find a company’s greenhouse gas emissions, support companies that prioritize diversity and equity, or bring and vote on shareholder resolutions. 

Now more than ever, it’s critical that we use every tool available to protect people and the planet. 

We often think of using our power as activists, community-builders, voters, and as green consumers, to make change in society. We don’t always think of our power as bank account holders and investors. 

You might wonder, “Can my finances make a difference to struggling communities, corporate conduct, and the environment?” Yes, they can! Through Green America's Responsible Finance campaign, we will show you how. 

Strategies to vote with your dollars can be used by anyone, no matter where you fall on the spectrum of wealth. Even if you have only $50 in the bank, it can be in an account that supports the world you want to live in as a Green American.  

Learn more by clicking on the resources below. 

Get A Better Bank

Take Charge of Your Card

Find Responsible Insurance

Socially Responsible Investing

Shareholder Advocacy

Responsible Finance Action Center

Guide to Socially Responsible Investing and Better Banking 

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Green America’s Guide to Socially Responsible Investing & Better Banking can help you use your money – no matter how much or how little – to build a more sustainable and equitable world.

Your money has the power to create significant, positive change -- or contribute to the destruction and exploitation of people and planet.

Even $100, put in the right place, can make a difference. In the Finance section of this website, you can find resources to help you:

• Get a better bank
• Take charge of your credit card
• Find climate smart insurance
• Invest in socially responsible companies
• Use your power as a shareholder

Take the pledge to Align Your Money with Your Values in our Responsible Finance Action Center!

You can also find Fossil-Free Products and Services and financial planners and advisors who are members of our Green Business Network.

Ready to get started? Click any of the boxes or links above.

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

By Cathy Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director 

In September, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a pair of bills targeting investing that considers environmental, social, and corporate governance, or ESG, factors.  

These two bills rolled together eight previous bills that attacked all aspects of responsible investing, including disclosure requirements, shareholder advocacy, banking regulations, and retirement plans.  

HR 4790, “Prioritizing Economic Growth over Woke Policies Act,” would in part: 

• Require disclosure only on “material” factors and allow companies to decide what is material 

• Create an “advisory committee” for the SEC made up of corporate executives but not shareholders 

• Allow corporations sole discretion on whether to include a shareholder resolution on their proxy ballots 

• Significantly increase requirements to resubmit a shareholder resolution within five years 

• Require banking regulators to submit extensive reports to Congress, including any interaction with an NGO on climate-related risk 

HR 5339, “Protecting Americans’ Investments from Woke Policies Act,” would in part require retirement plans to: 

• Separate “pecuniary” and “non-pecuniary” factors, which legal experts say is impossible 

• Vote on shareholder resolutions based only on profit 

• Label certain fund options as “prudently selected” and others as “not prudently selected” 

HR 4790 passed 215-203, on a party line vote with three Democrats – Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Jared Golden (ME-2), and Marie Perez (WA-3) -- joining Republicans in favor. HR 5339 passed 217-206 with three Democrats – Jared Golden (ME-2), Mary Peltola (AK-at large), and Marie Perez (WA-3) -- joining Republicans in favor. 

Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-4), leader of the House Republican ESG working group, claimed in a press release that HR 4790 “corrects the misguided social policies that have been weaponized by rogue regulators and liberal activist investors at the expense of financial returns." 

However, the fact is that anti-ESG legislation is based on the false premise that climate is not a "material” factor and investing with climate in mind will lower returns. Nothing is more material than hurricanes and wildfires destroying American homes and cities, making large swaths of the country uninsurable and raising insurance rates on everyone else. Such legislation is designed not to help American families prosper, but to prolong the profits of the fossil fuel industry while stymieing the transition to a clean energy future. 

Fossil fuel agenda 

Although these bills are not expected to pass the Senate – and would face an almost certain veto from President Joe Biden if they did – their floor vote in Congress shows that attacks on responsible investing are not going anywhere.  

Why? Because the people and organizations behind these attacks have close ties and large amounts of funding to carry out the fossil fuel agenda.  

Take the two key witnesses in a House subcommittee hearing held the week before the vote titled “The Fall of ESG: Scrutinizing the Failed Use of Environmental, Social, & Governance Standards and the Influence of Proxy Advisors”: 

• Charles Crain, vice president at National Association of Manufacturers, whose board of directors includes representatives from ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Shell, Continental Resources, Devon Energy, Koch Industries, Energy Transfer, Dow, Southern Company, Dominion Energy, and Ariel Corporation. 

• Tim Doyle, founder of Doyle Strategies, who has worked for organizations funded by the oil and gas industry, including the American Council for Capital Formation, a free market think tank that has taken $1.6 million from ExxonMobil, $600,000 from Koch foundations, and $350,000 from the American Petroleum Institute.  

In addition, right-wing judicial activist Leonard Leo told the Financial Times he is behind these attacks, launching a $1 billion crusade to “crush liberal dominance” across corporate America.  

“Expect us to increase support for organizations that call out companies and financial institutions that bend to the woke mind virus spread by regulators and NGOs, so that they have to pay a price for putting extreme leftwing ideology ahead of consumers,” Leo said. 

State legislation 

These legislative attacks on sustainable investing aren’t limited to the federal arena. In discussing the two anti-ESG bills that passed the House, Rep. Sean Casten, co-founder of the Sustainable Investment Caucus, pointed to similar legislation which has cost billions of dollars in several states.  

“If states are the laboratories of democracy, then we are taking the wrong lessons from the anti-woke agenda,” Casten said at a press conference organized by Unlocking America’s Future.  

• In Texas, legislation blacklisting certain companies for their supposed boycott of fossil fuels could cost the state as much as $821.1 million and 8,800 jobs by the end of this year, according to a report by the Perryman Group.  

• In Oklahoma, a law prohibiting pension funds and cities from doing business with financial firms accused of boycotting fossil fuels cost over $180 million. Judge Sheila Stinson issued a permanent injunction barring enforcement of the law in July. 

• In Indiana, the state budget office found that a bill forcing pension funds to divest from asset managers who consider ESG factors would cost $6.7 billion over the next decade in sub-par returns.  

• In Kansas, the budget division found that an anti-ESG bill could cost public service retirees up to $3.6 billion in lower returns over 10 years.  

Due in large part to these material costs, states passed many fewer anti-ESG bills this year than last year, according to research and advising firm Pleiades Strategy.  

• In 2023, 165 anti-ESG bills and resolutions were proposed in the states; of those, 31 ultimately passed.  

• In 2024, 161 anti-ESG bills and resolutions were proposed in the states; of those, only six passed. 

Sustainable investing is financially sound 

The failure of anti-ESG laws in the states highlights the importance of taking climate risks into account, especially for long-term investments such as retirement and college funds.  

Sustainable investing performs as well or better than conventional investing, especially over time, while fossil fuel stocks have underperformed for the past decade.  

Perhaps this is why voters overwhelmingly oppose efforts to limit ESG investing and disclosure. For example, a poll by Penn State and ROKK Solutions found 63% of voters do not believe the government should set limits on corporate ESG investments.  

Another poll by Public Citizen found voters oppose limiting the information corporations must disclose to retirement fund managers and would reward politicians who support requiring corporations to disclose ESG information to investors and the public.  

What can you do? 

While the onslaught of anti-ESG state and federal legislation may feel overwhelming, there is a lot you can do to push back: 

• Tell your House representative to join the Sustainable Investment Caucus 

• Use the Green America Get a Better Bank Map to move your money from big banks that finance fossil fuels to a community development bank or credit union 

• Use our guide to find a credit card issued by a bank that doesn’t disproportionately finance fossil fuels 

• Use our Climate Smart Insurance Directory to find home and auto insurance from a provider that doesn’t insure or invest heavily in fossil fuels 

• Find out where your retirement funds are invested, and if you don’t have access to fossil-free options, use our guide to ask your employer for sustainable funds 

By aligning our money with our values, we can signal to financial institutions that it’s time to move the money pipeline away from fossil fuels and toward building a more sustainable and equitable world.  

A birthday party, a movie night, a Halloween party, game night, a day that ends in “y.” Pizza nights are always in (yes, even if you like pineapples on your pie) and they’re made even better when you use sustainable kitchen products, including your food and kitchenware! 

All these products come from our certified Green Business Network {GBN)} members. 

Are You Cheese Only or Piles of Toppings? 

Let’s start with the base. Because the crust is one of the most important parts. Do you prefer thin crust, cheese-filled, or something else? 

Whatever crust you like is great, including pre-made ones, check out your local farmer’s market, CSA, or grocery co-op for organic dairy and baking ingredients. If you’re in or around Montgomery County, Maryland, check out Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op! 

Next come toppings, and there are so many to choose from! 

If you’re someone who likes meat on pizza, look no further than Kol Foods. They produce “the only regenerative, 100% grass-fed, kosher beef and the only heritage kosher chicken in the United States”. You can also get experimental with your toppings and try their lamb, turkey, duck and salmon. 

Okay, okay, fine. You can put mushrooms on your pizza. Northwest Wild Foods has mushrooms three ways—dried, fresh, and frozen fresh. If you want lox pizza-style, the smoked salmon is perfect. 

Add a little crunch to your ‘za with various nuts from Braga Organic Farms.  

Don’t forget to jazz up your slice with seasonings and drizzles. Online green retailer What’s Good has a generous collection of oils and vinegars that will be perfect for your pizza, no matter the flavor profile. 

Then check out Foods Alive for every kind of seasoning, including sesame seeds or Himalayan salt. They also have a variety of nuts you can toast and sprinkle over your pizza. 

To finish off your pizza feast, enjoy some bottles from Frey Premium Organic & Biodynamic® Wines, from reds to whites and beyond. 

Don’t Stop with Food for Sustainable Pizza Night 

It also matters what you’re cooking with and the products in your kitchen, including cookware and tableware. 

bambu is your one-stop shop for bamboo products, which are especially useful for pizza nights outside in the summer air. But bambu doesn’t stop with plates and utensils. They also offer serving products, like the Classic Bamboo Cutting & Serving Boards and cork bowls. 

On top of that, you can also find camping and compostable products, as well as cleaning items like bamboo pot scrapers. 

If you like the wood aesthetic, then Maple Landmark is your go-to. 

For the cooking process, try the herb stripper, made of maple and finished with teak oil, or the oven rack push-pull. 

To avoid damage or burns from those piping hot pies, check out their wooden trivets made of high-quality birch plywood and a water-based finish and lazy Susans with non-toxic ink for serving. 

We all know dishes and clean-up are the worst part of dinner, but these products will make it easier by knowing you’re doing well by the planet and not contributing to waste. 

Food Huggers are 100% FDA food grade silicone to keep your leftover produce and cheese fresher in the fridge. 

What’s Good also boasts a broad selection of kitchen products, including composting items, unbleached and recycled parchment paper and foil, and stainless-steel food storage. 

For all your fabric needs, like Swedish dish cloths and napkins, Hill+House has a variety of items to perfectly round out pizza night. 

And don’t forget to tell your friends all about having a sustainable dinner party themselves using certified green products. 

The Green Business Network is the first and most diverse network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses in the country, home to both rising social and eco enterprises and the most established green businesses around.      

Coming soon.

Impress everyone with your culturally relevant and sustainable Halloween costumes this year! From the hottest songs of 2024 to the biggest global sporting event, you don’t need to stress over your costume, because there are no tricks here, just treats. 

Try to use what you already have in your closet, but if you need help, shop green. All parts of the costumes come from our certified Green Business Network {GBN)} members. 

Be The Tennis Trio 

Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers was one of the buzziest films of the year and perhaps one of the easiest costumes—effortless but iconic. 

For the trio’s first night spending time together, the PJ looks also have the added benefit of being comfy. 

To channel Zendaya’s tennis prodigy-turned-coach, check out the lounge shorts at Faerie’s Dance. There’s the Paradise Short or the Latex Free Organic Unisex PJ Shorts, which are free of chemicals, synthetics, and toxins. 

Then don a cute hoodie, like the Striped Hoody in Cardinal Red, and some Merino Urban Hiker Sock from daiseye. 

If you’re dressing up as Art or Patrick, then some basics are all you need. 

Find the perfect heather grey shirt from Dash Hemp, made entirely from organic cotton and hemp or fair trade certified 100% organic T-shirts from The Good Tee. 

A pair of patterned organic boxers—specifically the Men's Organic Cotton Boxers - White Flores—from Natural Clothing Company completes the look. 

Patrick, meanwhile, dons a simple button down and black shorts, and Faerie’s Dance has both items ready for Halloween with the Senna Stripe Shirt and Black Latex-Free Drawstring Boxers, with no elastic and colored with non-toxic, low-impact dye. 

That’s That Me Espresso 

The song of the summer, perhaps even the year, was Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” heard everywhere from the grocery story to the clubs and radio. 

You’ll want to be in a warm climate (or at least inside!) for this costume, a beautiful and classic white one-piece bathing suit and pink silk scarf. 

Faerie’s Dance has the lovely Jolie One Shoulder Swimsuit, which you can pair with Soul Flower’s Printed Crystals Sun Scarf in Coral. 

Rep Team USA as Pommel Horse Guy (aka Stephen Nedoroscik) 

We couldn’t take our eyes off Team USA’s high-flying gymnasts, including Stephen Nedoroscki who dominated the pommel horse event. 

All you need is a dark blue tank top, like the Organic Cotton Fitted Cropped Tank Top – Navy from Soul Flower and bright red leggings, like Texture Clothing’s Gusset Leggings in Ruby Red. 

You can also don your own gold medal at least somewhat convincingly with the Labyrinth with Lapis Necklace from Faerie’s Dances. 

On Halloween, We Wear Pink 

Two movie musicals with fierce protagonists and signature colors?! Sign us up. 

Grab your besties and get ready to go as Glinda from Wicked or the Plastics from Mean Girls. 

Faerie’s Dance has a lot of cute pink clothing, like the Halter Dress in Strawberry and the Bianca Peek-a-boo Top. 

If you want to elevate your costume game to the next level you’ll have to accessorize. Fair trade business Just Creations has gorgeous, handcrafted pink earrings like Pink Clam Shell Elongated Teardrop Earrings or Pink Mother of Pearl Hearts Earrings. 

25 Years of Britney 

This year marked 25 years since Britney Spears released her iconic single, “...Baby One More Time.” 

Dress up like the pop star’s album cover with three simple pieces starting with Natural Clothing Company’s Linen Sleeveless Blouse with Collar in Salmon. 

Then, pick your preferred white shirt like Fair Indigo’s Organic Reversible 2 in 1 Tank Top and pair it off with Texture Clothing’s Comfy Skirt® – Mini in black. 

Now you’re ready for All Hallow’s Eve—the sustainable way! 

The Green Business Network is the first and most diverse network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses in the country, home to both rising social and eco enterprises and the most established green businesses around.     

Whether you’re enjoying time outdoors or relaxing on the couch, leisure wear plays an important part in our day-to-day comfort. But as the scale of fast fashion’s detrimental environmental impacts grows, it can be difficult to find and afford green clothing. Here are a few things to look out for to reduce your carbon footprint and keep your wardrobe sustainable.

Shopping Secondhand

Before looking for something new, consider shopping pre-owned leisure gear from thrift shops, consignment shops or other resale outlets. 4-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the fashion industry. According to the 71 Percent, it takes about 400 gallons of water to produce a cotton T-shirt, and 1,800 gallons for a pair of jeans, resulting in a large amount of energy, labor, and natural resources expended for the sake of new products. Buying secondhand reduces the demand for new products that require more energy, resource depletion and pollution. It also eliminates excessive packaging that comes with purchasing new clothing items.

Go Natural

The production of synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and spandex are energy intensive and require large amounts of petroleum and other fossil fuels. They do not decompose, taking 500-1,000 years to degrade, and shed microplastics throughout their lifecycle that can enter waterways, oceans, and even animals and humans. Swap synthetics for clothing made with natural fibers like cotton, wool, and linen. These fibers are biodegradable and more easily recycled and reused. Natural-fiber clothing can also be more breathable, durable, and gentler on the skin. Find organic natural fibers from companies with fair labor practices through the Green Business Network®.

Econscious Clothing offers classic, comfortable, and long-lasting outdoor pieces made from recycled fabrics and natural fibers gathered from organic farming. The brand works with factories committed to creating quality products and an ethical, healthy work environment for employees.

Beckons Yoga Clothing has manufactured with organic cotton and sustainable fibers locally in Idaho since 2006. The company donates all end-of-season merchandise to charity organizations to ensure reuse, and donates to the Samburu Tribe of Africa and Women’s Resource Network.

Find organic cotton T-shirts, bags, headbands and plus-size clothing at Soul Flower. This “Earth-loving, hippie” brand uses
organic and recycled fabrics to create its pieces. The pieces are unique, ethically made, and fair trade certified.

Quality Over Quantity

Once textiles are discarded, they are incinerated, releasing harmful greenhouse gases like methane, or sent to landfills, where they will take hundreds of years to decompose. Instead of overbuying clothing to fit in with the latest trends, shop for pieces you like and will wear for several years. High-quality clothing lasts longer, is easily repaired, and requires less frequent replacement, thus preventing overconsumption. It is also often produced with more sustainable materials and ethical labor practices. Investing in well-made, durable clothing will save you money in the long run and discourage wastefulness.

Shop Sustainable Brands

Eco-friendly fashion brands promote natural resource conservation, carbon footprint reduction, and fair labor practices. Shopping sustainable brands help support the environment and the people creating your favorite products. Keep an eye out for green certifications, like Green America’s Green Business Network Certification, assuring the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Large retailers like REI and Patagonia also sell used gear.

I have been fortunate enough to have yearlong access to fresh fruits and vegetables from the grocery store, but I have rarely questioned how they’re sourced. Stuck in the weekly routine of grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking, I tend to forget how the food that nourishes my mind and body does not originate in the neatly stacked aisles of a chain grocery store.

The summer berries and stone fruits that I cherish are grown through extensive labor and love, which is easy to overlook in the isolated environment of grocery stores. In fact, it can be difficult to pinpoint the specific origin of produce when shopping at large grocery stores, because it is sourced from different suppliers all over the world. American supermarkets rely heavily on complicated supply chains, industrial farming practices, high-emission cold storage, and carbon-intensive transportation facilities year-round. Our food system currently emits over 30% of global greenhouse gases, while large-scale farming ventures threaten the displacement of natural ecosystems and local communities. In the process, we are steadily disconnected from the land and the community that grows our food.

But there is a way to go straight to the source and munch on delectable, organic fruits in season while connecting with your community—pick-your-own-produce farms! If you live in an area where local farms allow the public to pick their own fruits and vegetables, then don’t miss out on the fun. Grab a cute, handwoven, fair-trade basket from Baskets of Africa, put on a hat, and lather on some sunscreen before heading out to a local farm to do the right kind of cherry-picking. Children can enjoy running around in an open space, picking fruit, and learning more about how our food is grown. It is also a great activity for a date or a day out with friends. Bring a bottle of wine, some cheese and sandwiches, fill up your basket, and have a picnic!

I will forever savor the memory of the first time I had a blueberry fresh off the bush—the layered, complex flavor, the deep purple color, and the bursting, juicy texture was unlike anything I have ever tasted in plastic-packaged fruits that have been sitting in the cold storage. I gained a renewed appreciation for blueberries from that experience, especially since I also got to learn about the science of growing berries. Each type of berry grown at the Appalachian farm I visited peaked at different times—blueberries were available all summer, but blackberries were at their best in July, and raspberries could be harvested in late summer. As a lover of plants, I had a great time noticing differences between the bushes (blueberry bushes are tall and do well on top of hills, while blackberries are thorny and trailing). This whole experience was made even better with the company of my friends and other community members of all ages buzzing about.

Not only does picking your own produce at a farm minimize your involvement in carbon-intensive supply chains, it also brings you closer to your community and supports local agriculture. For your next weekend activity, pay a visit to your local farm. Enjoy a day in the sun, frolic in the fields, and get to know the land and the people involved in growing the food you consume. You will leave with a renewed appreciation for the labor and love that goes into growing the food that nourishes us. It is a true farm-to-table experience as you can collect a large inventory of produce to cook, bake, and make into jams and jellies, and share with your friends and family.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 23, 2024, the final rule to further reduce potent greenhouse gases called HFCs. This new rule establishes the Emissions Reduction and Reclamation (ER&R) program and sets requirements to reduce leaks of gases in refrigerators and improve practices to curb emissions of refrigerants at end of life, including at supermarkets. 

According to the EPA, this rule will avoid emissions equivalent to 23.7 million homes’ electricity usage for one year (120 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) by 2050) and at least $6.9 billion in net incremental benefits from 2026-2050.

Huge supermarket chains – like Kroger and Safeway – are primary sources of these emissions, with large refrigeration systems prone to HFC leaks. Hence, Green America has been pressuring supermarkets through our Cool It campaign for the past few years to switch to not only repair the leaks in all their stores but also switch to climate-friendly gases in their refrigerators.

Thanks to Green Americans taking action with us, Kroger announced making the switch to natural refrigerators in its new stores.

Green America and our colleagues will continue to pressure major chains like Kroger and Safeway to phase out of the use of HFCs, which are a major contributor to the climate crisis.

Prepping for travel often includes buying things you need: an international wall adapter, a tent, packing cubes, puffy jackets, or beach dresses. And while many of these items can continue to have a purpose after your trip, others end up collecting dust.

When it comes to decluttering, it’s important to be honest with yourself about where you are in life. Were you an avid camper ten years ago, but now you’re more of a homebody? Did you buy a ski outfit for a trip to Mt. Hood, just to learn that skiing is not for you?

When an item is no longer serving you, and you don’t foresee it serving you in the future, it’s time to pass it along to someone else who will use it and love it.

Clothes

Clothes may be one of the easiest places to start when it comes to decluttering—not because it’s easy to choose what to give up necessarily, but because the change is tangible. Picking through items one by one and sorting them into different piles can make a big dent in the haphazard mess of a closet bursting at the seams.

For clothes, start by making four piles: keep, donate, sell, and toss (or upcycle if you’re willing to get crafty). That ski jacket that you’re not ever going to use again as a beach-loving Floridian? Or that old pair of skinny jeans that are not your style anymore? It might be time to donate, sell, or swap if they’re in good condition.

Gear

Depending on the type of travel adventure you like to embark on, it might be time to consider decluttering your gear closet. Outdoor recreation sports often require specific gear—ropes and harnesses for rock climbing, paddles and life vests for kayaking, bike racks for mountain biking. If these sports don’t call to you anymore, it might be time to pass gear along to another.

For gear that is in good working condition, try selling it on online marketplaces. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are common options for local trading. If you’re an REI Co-op member, you can return your purchase to the store, where it will join the REI Garage Sale area for used gear. If you’re not a member, try selling it to an outdoor consignment shop. The shop will take a percentage, but you won’t have to deal with the stress of selling it yourself.

Timing is an important part of selling gear since lots of outdoor sports are tied to the seasons. For instance, in states that get snow, mountain biking peaks during summer months when the trails have dried. Don’t try to sell your bike in December—it will take much longer to get a bite.

Travel Souvenirs & Home Decor

One of the fun things about traveling is getting souvenirs and home goods to remember the trip. Souvenirs can be cute knick knacks, a bottle of regional wine, shoes, earrings—anything under the sun, really.

When decluttering these items, similar rules apply: Does this item still bring me joy? Does it still serve a need or want in my home? Or is it taking up space and doesn’t belong anymore?

Lots of travel souvenirs and home goods are cute in the moment, but if you’ve walked into any Goodwill, you’ve probably seen the rows of kitschy knick knacks from bygone vacations. While thrifters will often walk out with functional items—like glassware and clothes—many souvenir décor items may gather dust on secondhand store shelves.

For items you already own, try to find a home for them by passing them along to other people in your life. Does your uncle or nephew really like birds? They could be a good candidate for that bird tchotchke from that vacation five years ago.

If you’re tired of looking at your souvenirs on a shelf and can’t bring yourself to declutter, try giving them new life as something else. Perhaps your uncle or nephew has enough bird knick knacks already. Can you add a little string and make that small bird tchotchke into a Christmas tree decoration? Getting creative can help declutter your shelf without ridding you of that precious memory.

Additionally, if you have a crafty disposition, try reworking that souvenir blanket into a new item. Not only will you have a one-of-a-kind dress, shirt, or purse, you’ll be creating new memories out of something old. Let your imagination run wild!

Traveling is a popular choice for people looking to relax, but leisure time doesn’t always have to involve leaving the comfort of your own home. As a bonus, staying in means you can relax without expanding your carbon footprint—and maybe take the time to plan responsible travel options. In the meantime, here are some suggestions for games, puzzles, and creative kits you can enjoy either solo or in good company while giving your brain a bit of a workout, no travel required.

Card and Board Games

The gaming industry has seen a proliferation of games that combine education and enjoyment in high quality sets. Wingspan (Stonemaier Games) takes the basic “build and collect” model and mixes lovely renderings of different bird species with facts about habitats, diet, and behaviors. It’s more appropriate for older children and up (especially given the game uses smaller pieces), but younger players might enjoy following along just for the bird facts and art.

For younger players, Fish ’n Flip (Helvetiq) challenges participants to save ocean animals from trawling nets. Notably, players can choose whether to play competitively or cooperatively, where everyone works to free all the fish, not just their own. The game even includes information about overfishing and ocean life conservation.

Block Puzzles

Puzzles can offer opportunities for both solo play and sharing among multiple people. Block puzzles are especially fun for young children and can help with developing fine motor skills, problem solving, and pattern recognition, although adult puzzle collectors will also find a lot to appreciate about their craftmanship. For instance, Hazelnut Kids offers a variety of wooden building block sets and simple nesting puzzles that are durable, easy for little hands to handle, and often brightly colored.

For players with a little more hand to eye coordination, Staka (Helvetiq) is a building block set and game in the vein of Jenga. With multiple stacking options and different levels of difficulty, it can be enjoyed alone or with other players.

Craft Kits

Not all at home activities need to be competitive. Simple DIY craft sets offer a chance to create with your own hands and produce unique items to keep or share as gifts. Bella Luna Toys has a variety of options appropriate for young children to adults, whether you’re interested in painting, embroidery, sculpting, or other crafts.

For instance, their DIY Screen Printing Kit provides you with all the basics you need, including five stencils, five acetate sheets, and three vibrant paint colors, to print your own tote bags, clothing, and other items. And if handmade jewelry strikes your fancy, Bella Luna Toys offers a Crafters Clay Jewelry Kit appropriate for ages 7 and above. The kit includes forms for earrings and a necklace, and crafters can experiment with six colors of polymer clay to make your own unique pieces. And by shopping with a certified Green Business Network member like Bella Luna Toys, you can rest assured that the materials are nontoxic and safe to use as directed for developing children.

Consider planning trips that intentionally cut out the carbon when you move from point A to point B. If you are able, choose options that move you from place to place on calorie-power, rather than carbon-power, and give you a chance to slow down, observe, and appreciate the world around you when you travel. For example:

Walking Tours

Active-travel companies reported a surge in bookings of hiking and walking trips following the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic. Walking tours are low-carbon and offer a way to get exercise and experience the great outdoors, while also allowing covid-careful travelers to remain safely socially distanced. You can plan your own hiking adventures along long-distance routes like the Appalachian, Continental Divide, or Pacific Crest Trails, or book group or guided tours through companies like backroads.com, rei.com, and wildlandtrekking.com.

You can find shorter planned walking tours within cities from companies like Washington Walks, which offers walking tours of historic neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., or consult with your destination’s local visitor’s center on how to plan a walking tour of your own. If you’re looking for tours tailored for vegan diets, Green Earth Travel can help.

Biking Tours

“There are already more than 40,000 miles of multi-use trails across the U.S., including the developing Great American Rail-Trail, the nation’s first cross-country route that will one day link Washington, D.C., and Washington State. With some preparation, it’s never been so easy to get out and explore America by trail,” says Kevin Belle, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Great American Rail-Trail project manager.

To plan a long-distance bike trip, find resources from Rails-to-Trails, American Trails, and the Adventure Cycling Association. Consider joining Warm Showers, a free global cyclist community that helps long-distance cyclists find convenient overnight home-share lodging. You can even bring your bike with you on an Amtrak train to cover more ground and scenery.

Paddling Tours

Two of the oldest forms of water transportation, canoeing and kayaking, offer a carbon-free way to experience the natural beauty of the nation’s waterways. Among the top US destinations, Paddling Magazine recommends the Northeast Forest Canoe Trail in New England (the longest mapped water trail in the US), the Salmon River in Idaho, the Everglades in Florida, and the Lake Superior Coast in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Local paddling companies can help with planning.

BONUS: Train Travel

If safety concerns or physical constraints make the above options less possible for you or your travel companions, consider climate-friendly train travel instead. Trains offer you the chance to relax and enjoy your free-time traveling down the tracks without the stress of being behind the wheel, or the hassle of the airport. You can traverse the entire country via train and the West coast routes are scenic.

A 2022 Department of Transportation study compared the real-world carbon emissions of several trips within the United States, demonstrating the amount of carbon that could be saved by avoiding cars and airplanes. For example, train travel from St. Louis to Chicago produced nearly one-quarter of the emissions of driving or flying, while train travel in the even more efficient Northeast corridor between Boston and New York produced less than one-fifth of the emissions.

While not every part of the country is currently served by trains, Amtrak’s proposed 2035 expansion plan would bring service to previously unserved cities like Columbus, OH; Nashville, TN; Wichita, KS; and Las Vegas, NV. If you would like to see these expansions and more become a reality, contact your representatives to voice your support.

Whatever a website might claim, your best bet is always to ask your own questions before booking, and to look for the greenest independent options first. Try these steps the next time you travel:

Choose a home-exchange instead

Save money and develop connections within the communities you visit when you join a home-exchange service. You offer your own home as lodging for others in exchange for the opportunity to stay in someone else’s home at your destination. Popular home-share programs include homeexchange.com, livekindred.com, and homelink.org.

Look for local options

Keep more of your travel dollars circulating within the communities you visit when you choose a locally owned-and-operated bed-and-breakfast or inn. Green America’s greenpages.org specializes in small, locally owned businesses. Here are some examples of green choices you will find in the Green Pages:

Montfair Resort Farm; Crozet, VA: A family-owned cluster of lakeside cottages in the Shenandoah Valley, Montfair invests in its local utility’s green-power program, uses all energy-efficient appliances and low-flow plumbing, and is a member of the Virginia Green Travel Alliance. “We encourage our guests to get outside and explore nature,” says owner Leora Vicenti. “Canoe along the lake’s edge, identify native plants, and experience the joy of the outdoors and land preservation firsthand.”

Shadowcliff Mountain Lodge; Grand Lake, CO: Located along the route of the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado, Shadowcliff can serve as a way station for hikers who left their car at home. “We maintain a ‘Laws of Nature’ trail on-site,” says Kimberly Carmitchel, Shadowcliff General Manager, referring to a Shadowcliff trail marked with signposts reminding hikers of nature-based wisdom, such as “Nature Favors Diversity,” “Nature Rewards Adaptation,” and “Nature Uses Only the Energy It Needs.”

Thyme in the Country Cottages; Hudson, NY: “We never touch plastic, we use solar panels to heat water and for electricity, and our water comes from our well,” says Mary Koch, owner of Thyme in the Country, a farmhouse inn with outbuildings that Koch is converting into cottages. Other sustainable features include composting toilets, in-season fruits and vegetables for guests, and Koch’s latest addition, a new fence so she can bring in sheep and goats to replace her gas-powered mower.

Ask questions when you book a conventional hotel

To start, check whether the workers at the hotel in question have access to a union, indicating that they enjoy workplace representation and the opportunity to collectively bargain for living wages and improved conditions. Find a unionized hotel by reviewing the listings at fairhotel.org, maintained by UNITE HERE, the US/Canada hospitality union. Then, ask to learn more about the hotel’s environmental sustainability practices when you book. If you can, ask and pressure the hotel to go beyond practices that save them money—such as not laundering sheets and towels daily—and take more ambitious steps like switching to clean energy.

Keeping such questions in front of hotel management not only helps you make your informed decision about where to stay, but also reminds companies that their guests care about the sustainability choices they make.
Safe travels to wherever your journeys take you!

• Does the hotel derive any portion of its energy from renewable sources? Has the company invested in any energy efficiency measures, or follow a long-term plan to reduce its energy-use or shift to renewables?
• Does the hotel offer single-use disposable plastic toiletries? Does the company have a plan to reduce plastic use, manage food waste, or reduce its output of waste overall?
• Does the hotel offer single-use disposable plastic toiletries? Does the company have a plan to reduce plastic use, manage food waste, or reduce its output of waste overall?
• Are any of the hotel’s furnishings upcycled, are any organic or regenerative fibers used in towels or linens, are the walls painted with low- or no-VOCs paints, and are any of the on-site food choices organic or local?

Waves crest and crash in echoing booms as the morning mist floats over the water. In wetsuits and boards under arm, surfers step on to the beach, anticipatory exhilaration burning in their lungs. The power of the ocean beckons—loud, massive, and inviting. Walking deeper, their bodies disappear into the depths as they take part in a centuries-old art form connecting Pacific Islanders to the oceans surrounding their homes.

Over the years, surfing as an art form has weathered many storms. Its cultural origins have been diluted to serve corporate interests and appropriated to titillate Western fantasies of “island life” while surfing related tourism and competitions damage local ecologies and economies. In recent years, however, surfers, largely from Pacific Islander communities, have actively worked to restore the original connections between people and planet, fusing modern sustainability practices and ancient relationships with nature to protect the art and the oceans it depends on.

Surfers like Michael Stewart, cofounder of Sustainable Surf, are passionate about dispelling the ways surfing has been distorted by commercialism and cut off from its origins in Pacific Islander culture.
“Most brands have been using [surfing’s] undeniable attraction globally for the last century to sell us everything under the sun,” he states.

He calls it “the real tragedy of the history of modern surfing culture,” lamenting how people have lost sight of what riding the waves truly means.

“Native Hawaiian culture that gave the gift of surfing to the world, originally infused sustainability and regeneration into all facets of surf culture,” Stewart says. “It was simply another expression of their own deeply sustaining cultural traditions that truly valued the health of the land, the sea and their own communities.”

The Origins of He’e Nalu

Early evidence of surfing dates to 12th century Polynesia, in cave drawings depicting people riding waves. Polynesians brought surfing to Hawai’i and the sport became deeply integrated with Hawaiian life.

But as white American settlers and Christian missionaries began forcibly occupying the islands, they shunned and oppressed Hawaiian culture and religion, including the art of he’e nalu, or “wave sliding.” It wasn’t until the turn of the century, and the explosion of tourism and birth of Duke Kahanamoku in 1890, that surfing began making its comeback.

“The Duke,” as he was nicknamed, was an accomplished surfer and Olympic swimmer. In the early 1900s, after retiring as an Olympian, Kahanamoku toured a swimming exhibition. From Australia to California, he showed off his prowess, and began adding surfing to his exhibitions.

For many Asian and Pacific Islander surfers, however, this art was always a part of their lives. Filipino surfer and writer Camille Pilar refers to the balangay, a wooden canoe-like vessel originating in the Philippines, that a person could ride over waves, not unlike a surfboard.

“I believe that Filipinos have always been wave-riders and voyagers,” Pilar says. “Building a surfing community therefore involves reviving this narrative so that Filipino surfers can remember that wave-riding is in our blood.”

Following America’s illegal annexation of Hawai’i and co-opting of the sport, systemic racism stamped out the fire of its cultural history and surfers’ intimate relationship with nature, including caring for the waves they rode. Millions watched surfing during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games amongst the islands that originated surfing—in Tahiti, colonized by France during the 19th century and still part of the overseas collective known as French Polynesia.

The Western world’s commercialization and co-opting of surfing—like the Olympic spectacle that hasn’t recognized surfing’s cultural origins or history of conservation—has led to a surge of negative effects.

Surfing’s popularity can pose environmental risks like “impacts on local flora and fauna due to trampling over sand dunes or encroachment on bird nesting areas,” according to a 2022 study in Science of the Total Environment. Additionally, a 2021 study in Front Sports Act Living by Tommy Langseth and Adam Vyff revealed most surveyed surfers (51%) bought a new surfboard and/or wetsuit every year, or every other year. Modern boards and wetsuits are made of non-biodegradable materials like plastic and neoprene, a synthetic rubber, which are not environmentally friendly.

Due to the resulting damage, advocates within surfing communities are using their love of the sport to change the tide.

Going Back to the Depths

When Stewart co-founded Sustainable Surf in 2011, his goal was to create a nonprofit that could harness the “unstoppable appeal” of surfing to heal the oceans.

Sustainable Surf heads two global projects: SeaTrees, which plants and protects coastal ecosystems; and ECOBOARD, which certifies the creation of high-performance surfboards.

Sustainable Surf’s self-produced World’s 1st Life Cycle Assessment study for surfboards revealed it’s not just materials that have a negative impact on the environment, but the building process, too. According to its 2023 report, poly boards pose numerous environmental pitfalls. Each produces twice its weight in waste (anywhere from 12-30lbs), create a significant carbon footprint, and are made to be disposable.

Using a list of 20 Qualified Materials and third-party documentation, Sustainable Surf works with both manufacturers and surfboard builders to certify environmental claims and determine if a board meets the qualifications to be an ECOBOARD. Since its inception in 2012, around 500,000 boards have been manufactured and certified as ECOBOARD.

Pilar thinks it’s the perfect time for this conversation: “We need to educate the young surfing community about alternatives to the surf craft and accessories we use.”

For example, Pilar notes how there are now local surf wax makers who produce organic wax as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional waxes that contain harmful ingredients like paraffin, a by-product of petroleum, and carcinogens like acrolein.

Stewart agrees that educating surfers about the environmental costs of commercially manufactured surfing equipment and gear is pivotal.

“The real sense of community, all based on a shared love of riding waves in our one global ocean, can be harnessed to not only enjoy the ocean, but to restore and protect it,” he says.

Building Community in the Swell

Gentrification and the pursuit of profits at the expense of community well-being and environmental justice doesn’t just threaten the beaches and coastal waters of the surfing world, they put our entire co-existence with the natural world at risk. Pilar says that without developing an intimate relationship with nature and giving oneself over completely to the raw power and impartiality of the ocean, humans “cannot develop a relationship with nature.”

For Pilar and others, surfing provides that opportunity. Thanks to their efforts, surfing is on the precipice of reclaiming its rightful place amongst its history and culture, proudly shared and properly attributed. By rebuilding the connections between surfing, culture, and environmental stewardship, Pacific Islanders are exploring their personal relationships with their identities, communities, histories, and the world at large.

“Last year, Rogelio ‘Jay-R’ Esquivel Jr. Became the first Filipino to qualify for the World Longboard Tour,” Pilar says. “He awakened a community of Filipino surfers in the diaspora and they realized they were good enough to surf globally and win.”

She continues: “Beach cleanups have become a welcome addition to many event programs in La Union. Before, only a few local players would take up the initiative (La Union Surf Club, Project curma). Now, just about anyone can organize a beach cleanup in line with their brand activations, bar promotions, and other related beach events. (Learn how to organize your own beach clean up on p. 24.) And to look outside of La Union, this practice is also being practiced more in other surf spots and beaches around the Philippines.”

It represents the hopeful future of this sport, and people’s interest in the honest nature of surfing, including our relationship with the planet.

Truth be told, I did not touch grass until my late twenties. Being in nature felt unnatural—I grew up in the world’s fourth most densely populated city, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. With over 60,000 people in each square mile, there is not much room for nature to thrive in the megapolis. There are trees, shrubs and bushes, even a couple of grassy fields strewn around the more planned areas of Dhaka, but none of it was for me—I spent my childhood stuck in the concrete walls of my family home.

If I wanted to take a walk, my mother told me to do laps along the long hallway of the house, under certain conditions. I had to wear modest clothes and remain alert so that I would not bump into the many male guests visiting my grandfather for business. I was taught to hide myself and my body, for safety, modesty, religion—all placeholders for misogyny and patriarchy. The teachers in my P. E. class were only concerned if every girl had their uniform ironed and their nails trimmed. Sometimes we were divided into groups of ten to race in the parking lot. I was chubby, unathletic, and I was laughed at whenever I attempted to run. I ended up with an underdeveloped sense of spatial awareness and extreme feelings of shame about my body, and I retreated into books and computer games.

My relationship with nature and movement—two core facets of hiking—was fraught. The thought of being in nature, struggling in nature, made me uncomfortable. Then I went to graduate school in a sleepy little college town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Surrounded by vast, uninterrupted forests and very few people, I felt like I was on a different planet.

Learning to Live Within Nature

A day after I arrived in Blacksburg, VA, I went to the neighborhood bank to open an account. The manager asked me how I liked the place. “I am in shock… it’s so empty and silent,” I said. Having lived in Chicago, he understood my shock and gave me a few recommendations for things to do around town. “It’s not a big city, but when you live in Blacksburg, you learn to appreciate nature,” he assured me, and I let out a huge sigh. Enjoy nature? Step on mud? Get poked by thorny branches? Trip on a rock? A city slicker like me could never!

I remained a hater during my first year in Blacksburg and spent my weekends missing the cacophony of Dhaka’s streets. By my second year, I had grown accustomed to the silence, and I began taking walks around my neighborhood—an unfamiliar luxury. I was surrounded by mountains that changed colors at different times of the day. There were little critters hopping by—a squirrel here, a ladybug there. I heard birdsongs more clearly than ever. I noticed things. The oddballs and strange occurrences that I loved to observe in my hometown of 20 million people were replaced by the calm and beauty of, dare I admit, nature. I was in awe of the Appalachian Mountains and for the first time in my life, I wanted to get closer. I wanted to know what lay hidden inside the old growth forest that hugged Blacksburg.

From Hater to Hiker

This desire to level up my walks could only be satiated if I took a hike, but I was still scared and made excuses. I am not fit enough! I have asthma! My lungs will dry out! I walk weirdly and everyone will laugh at me! In reality, the main obstacle was that I did not have a car (it is ironic that hiking can be inaccessible without a car). So, I acquired my Hyundai Sonata from Facebook Marketplace, and drove out to Pandapas Pond, a recreational nature reserve bordering Jefferson National Forest.

I took baby steps to accustom myself to hiking, literally and figuratively. At first, I would follow the flat boardwalk around the pond. Then I decided to try the easier trails inside the forest, and I was enthralled by the rhododendron groves and little creeks. After that, I attempted hikes with higher elevation gain and caught some breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was not easy. I panted, cussed, turned red, almost cried—but I persisted. The crisp mountain air gave me new life instead of triggering my asthma. No one laughed at me, no one cared what I was doing. I was free! I felt safe in the embrace of nature, frolicking in the meadows, jumping over creeks, experiencing the beauty of the world like I never had.

Nature Is For Everyone!

Hiking seems much more intimidating than it is. There is no shame in opting for easy and/or short hikes. There are trails of all difficulty levels, and I do not expect to trek Mount Everest. The beauty of hiking, as opposed to running a race in my school parking lot, is that there are no winners or losers. To me, hiking has been about observing, being mindful, and taking things slow. It has been about falling in love with nature and appreciating my body for doing its best. Over time, hiking has allowed me to develop a healthier relationship with exercise. It can be intense, but once you reach the top, the feelings of satisfaction and triumph are unmatched.

If you are a hiking hater like I was, then I hope my story inspires you to attempt a short hike. I will leave you with some advice:

First, stay hydrated. I recommend opting for a reusable, cute water bottle from Elemental Bottles instead of plastic bottles.

Second, ditch your tote bag for a backpack, because it is much more comfortable and does not restrict your movement. If you are planning to invest in a backpack, Lux and Nyx has sturdy, functional pieces that are perfect for rough use.

And finally, keep pushing through. Remember, hiking is not a sprint. You can and should take your time to smell the rhododendrons on your way to the top.

Green America's largest magazine covering the issues important to traveling and living sustainably, and advocating for rest and joy.

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 9, 2024 – Green America launched a first-of-its-kind searchable directory to connect consumers with insurance companies that do not underwrite fossil fuel extraction projects or invest heavily in the fossil fuel industry. With options in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the Climate Smart Insurance Directory lists local and regional home and auto insurance providers that offer competitive pricing and opportunities for policy-bundling, but without contributing to the climate crisis that is raising rates and limiting coverage options.The Directory provides consumers with climate smart insurers that:

• Offer home, renters and auto insurance (with very few exceptions), so consumers can save by bundling.
• Do not insure fossil fuel projects (per publicly available information).
• Have no indication of direct investments in the fossil fuel industry (Grade A), have investments under $200 million (Grade B), or investments under $500 million (Grade C), as listed in the Investing in Climate Chaos database by Urgewald, a German environmental and human rights NGO.
• Have a rating of A- or above for financial stability from AM Best.

Most states have at least four climate smart insurers listed that consumers can compare. Many of the companies are regional insurers or mutuals that do not spend large amounts of money on advertising. The announcement comes as the online real-estate marketplace Zillow rolls out new climate risk data so home shoppers can view flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality risks, for considering specific insurance needs and costs in risk-prone areas.   

Bill McKibben, founder of Third Act and 350.org, said: "No one really enjoys buying insurance—but this new tool helps make it both easy and constructive. This is the industry that should really understand risk; let’s support the companies that are using their knowledge to help not hurt."

Cathy Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director at Green America, said: “As the U.S. continues to see a record-shattering onslaught of extreme weather disasters fueled by climate change, insurance companies are seeing the most immediate impact through increased claims. So the fact that the very largest insurance companies are also investing billions of dollars in fossil fuels is a puzzling example of an industry directly funding its own downfall. Consumers are taking note, and they’re taking their business elsewhere.”

The insurance industry stands on the immediate front lines of the climate crisis. Every time a climate-related fire, flood, or storm damages or destroys property, policyholders expect their insurance policy to help foot the bill. But as natural disasters become more common, major insurance companies have begun to cancel or restrict coverage in climate-vulnerable states like Florida, California, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona and others. Hurricane Helene is just the latest multibillion-dollar superstorm to test the already-battered private insurance industry.

Despite increasing climate risks, the nation’s major insurance companies continue to support the chief cause of the climate crisis: the burning of fossil fuels. By insuring risky fossil fuel projects and investing billions of dollars in fossil fuel companies, major insurance companies are financially entangled with an industry whose interests conflict with the interests of its own customers.

Below are the U.S. insurance companies with the most total fossil fuel investments:

Michael Richardson, co-founder of Rivers & Mountains GreenFaith, which co-sponsored the project, said: “The scientific and moral imperative is clear: climate scientists have issued a clarion call to immediately stop all new fossil fuel projects if we are to avert critical tipping points in the climate system.  So, we must ask why the insurance industry continues to insure and fund new projects. At long last consumers have the Climate Smart Insurance Directory to connect them with insurance companies that are contributing the least possible into the money pipeline leading to climate chaos. This tool is one more way to mobilize people to take environmental action by making something we all have to do just a little easier – shopping for insurance.”

In 2023, the United States experienced a record number of weather- and climate-related disasters, causing $95 billion in damages. Meanwhile, average property insurance premiums increased 21% nationwide, even in places without heightened risk. Some states were hit harder than others. Homeowners insurance premiums increased the most in Florida (35%), Idaho (31%), Colorado (30%), South Dakota (28%), Louisiana (27%), Texas (27%) and Oklahoma (27%).

According to a recent report by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), 7.4% of all homeowners in the country are currently uninsured, resulting in $1.6 trillion in unprotected market value, with many forced to go without insurance because they can’t afford rising premiums. Known as “going bare,” CFA warned that the problem of uninsured homes will worsen without significant investments in climate change adaptation and stronger oversight of the insurance industry.

Fourteen organizations have endorsed the Climate Smart Insurance Directory, including: Third Act, GreenFaith, American Sustainable Business Network, Stand.earth, Rainforest Action Network, Oil and Gas Action Network, Intentional Endowments Network, BankFWD, Center for International Environmental Law, Climate First!, Rivers & Mountains GreenFaith, Environmental Advocates NY, 350 Conejo San Fernando Valley, and Divest Washington.

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ABOUT

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

Third Act is a growing community of Americans aged 60 and older determined to change the world for the better. Third Act harnesses an unparalleled generational power to protect our climate and safeguard our democracy. Using our life experiences, skills, and resources, we unite to tackle the unfinished work of our lifetimes and ensure a safe and stable planet for generations to come. https://thirdact.org

Rivers & Mountains GreenFaith, based in the Hudson Valley of New York, acts in coalition with Third Act and GreenFaith to mobilize climate and environmental action to end the era of fossil fuels and transition to a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. It participates in national, regional and local coalitions in forums, rallies, demonstrations and other actions directed at financial institutions to stop funding climate chaos. https://www.rivers-mountains-greenfaith.org

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

Founded in 1895, PSBA is a private, nonprofit membership association dedicated to serving Pennsylvania’s elected school board directors. We provide our members with services, support and counsel as they lead their districts, navigate relationships and promote public education across Pennsylvania.

Hours: 32 hours/week, flexible 4-day work week (full time)
Salary: $95,000-$105,000 depending on experience
Benefits: Excellent benefits package, including health insurance, dental and vision coverage, paid leave, socially responsible retirement plan, and a friendly and collaborative work environment with an option to work remotely.
Supervisor: Director of Development & Organizational Advancement

Organizational Background

Green America harnesses economic power – the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace – to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.  Our niche is economic action, and we work to shift our economy to one that works for all people and our planet. Our economic strategies deploy solutions to our society’s most pressing problems – from climate change to social injustices.

We direct our efforts within three strategic hubs: 1) our Consumer & Corporate Engagement Programs where we activate individual consumers and investors to create change within corporations and economic systems; 2) our Green Business Network which was the first network of businesses in the US focusing on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit; and 3) our Center for Sustainability Solutions which brings together diverse stakeholders through Innovation Networks that aim to shift entire industries towards sustainability and solve for supply chain and other economic system issues that no one business or organization can solve alone.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The Director of Fund Development will play an essential role in raising new funds from foundations, businesses, and major donors to support Green America’s Consumer & Corporate Engagement Programs (C&CE) and Green Business Network (GBN), with a keen focus on our Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) initiatives. We are searching for a dynamic senior level development professional with an entrepreneurial spirit, program development experience, and demonstrated success in raising new revenues to support JEDI, environmental, and social justice programs.

Responsibilities will span the entire spectrum of grants, partnerships, and major gift management – from identifying new funding and partnership opportunities, to participating in the development of project concepts and plans, to submitting proposals and impact reports. The Director of Fund Development will create and manage a portfolio made up of mostly foundation and business supporters, with some major donors as well. Specific duties include:

• Research and identify new grants and business partnership opportunities to support existing and nascent programs and projects within C&CE and GBN hubs
• In concert with the Program Directors, assist team with developing new programs and initiatives as relevant funding opportunities are identified, moving from basic concept to full plan and proposal
• Craft and submit grant proposals and letters of inquiry to new foundations and business partners for general operations support, as well as program-specific support
• Ensure the timely submission of reports, financial updates, and renewal proposals for active funders
• Manage a portfolio of major donors, including solicitations, gift acknowledgements, and stewardship (in-person visits, online video meetings, event invitations, publications, etc.)
• Maintain and build on relationships with active funders via tailored outreach, update meetings with program Directors and staff, and impact reports
• In partnership with the Director of Development, take a lead role in producing Development events, meetings, and small gatherings
• Attend C&CE, GBN, and Development team meetings, and lead fundraising-focused meetings
• Participate in cross-departmental teams [such as our Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) team, May Retreat planning team, Holiday Party team, etc.] as time and interest allows.

Desired Skills and Experience

• You have an entrepreneurial and curious spirit
• You thrive working with continuously evolving and growing programs that spawn new initiatives on a regular basis
• You can play a leading role in program strategy discussions and develop detailed action plans and funding proposals
• You have exemplary communications and interpersonal skills, and experience building long-term relationships with senior foundation executives, business leaders across a range of sectors, major donors, nonprofit allies, and other potential partners
• You possess a Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of foundation and corporate/business  fundraising experience
• You can demonstrate a track record of meeting 6-7-figure annual fundraising goals
• You always meet deadlines, have strong project management skills, and possess competence in working with constituent relationship management (CRM) software
• You can craft compelling, effective messaging for letters of inquiry, proposals, sponsorship requests, and progress reports
• You possess funder research skills and the ability to effectively identify, segment, and prioritize prospective supporters
• You are able and willing to travel (this position involves travel time of up to 20% for funder/donor meetings, conferences, annual staff retreat, and other purposes)
• You have a passion for creating a more socially just and environmentally sustainable society, including personal interest and/or experience in Green America’s issue areas
• Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification a plus.

How to Apply:

Email your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to: partnerships@greenamerica.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.

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Green America harnesses economic power — the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace — to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Together, we can protect our beautiful planet and all its people!

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As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, there’s no better time to celebrate the sweet and sticky wonder of honey. September is National Honey Month, a perfect moment to highlight honey’s diverse benefits and appreciate the importance of honeybees and their contribution to agriculture and biodiversity. This fall, Green America encourages you to make mindful honey products that support both your health and the environment.  

Celebrate National Honey Month with these products from our certified Green Business Network {GBN)} members.  

Raw, Sustainable Honey Products  

Raw honey is valued for its natural properties, health benefits, and versatility in culinary, medicinal and cosmetic uses. It’s unprocessed, nutrient-rich, antibacterial and can soothe stress and inflammation in the body. See more benefits at the National Institutes of Health. 

Find totally unprocessed honey at Really Raw Honey Inc. A company committed to advocating environmentally sound beekeeping, it packs honey straight from the hive at beekeeper’s homes and farms.  

Indian River Bee Company offers 100% raw honey from the Indian River area of Florida, famous for some of the best honey, grapefruits, and oranges in the world. 

Bath Products and Soaps 

A popular ingredient in hair and skin products, honey is a natural moisturizer. According to Vogue India, it is soothing, healing and non-irritating, keeping skin and hair healthy and soft. Incorporating honey into your daily self-care routine promotes natural cosmetic health.  

4 Elements Bath Products creates products made from primarily organic or wild harvested ingredients. Artisan crafted bar soaps like its Harmony Oat and Honey Soap are a great product to take care of your body with honey.  

Many of Soap For Goodness Sake LLC’s organic soaps and skincare are made with honey in small batches with top-quality sourced honey. The Oatmeal and Honey Goat Milk Soap is made with local honey. 

What’s Good, an online market for eco-friendly and socially responsible products, offers locally-sourced honey skin balms, shampoos, and conditioners.  

Beeswax Products 

Beeswax is a popular sustainable alternative to toxic ingredients in candles, sealants, cosmetic products, and much more.  

Essential Wholesale & Labs offers natural and organic hair and body care, including balms containing beeswax and honey in its lotions.  

Daddy Van’s creates all-natural beeswax furniture polish and finishing wax. These wood and countertop care products are non-toxic, chemical free, and safe for both people and the planet.  

If you’re looking for more environmentally friendly candle options, try out beeswax candles. They produce clean fumes with little smoke and are completely biodegradable.  

Big Dipper Wax Works makes handcrafted beeswax candles produced in small batches. Committed to sourcing from ethical farms, beeswax is collected from Northwest beekeepers, an area where crops rank the lowest in exposure to pesticides in North America.  

What’s Good also sells pure beeswax candles, including birthday candles, and beeswax tapers. 

 As you’re shopping for your favorite Fall products this season, remember to add some sustainably sourced honey into the mix!     

The Green Business Network is the first and most diverse network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses in the country, home to both rising social and eco enterprises and the most established green businesses around.   

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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.

In the wake of the home mortgage crisis of 2008, Green America launched its Get A Better Bank map, listing hundreds of community development banks and credit unions as alternatives to the megabanks that tanked the economy and heavily finance fossil fuel projects.  

Now in the wake of the home insurance crisis, Green America is launching a similar tool: its Climate Smart Insurance Directory to connect consumers with insurance companies that do not underwrite fossil fuel projects or invest heavily in the fossil fuel industry while leaving homeowners in the lurch when climate disasters strike. 

With options in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, this first-of-its-kind directory lists local and regional home and auto insurance providers that offer competitive pricing and opportunities for policy-bundling, but without contributing to the climate crisis that is raising rates and limiting coverage options nationwide. 

The directory provides consumers with climate-smart insurers that: 

• Offer home, renters and auto insurance (with very few exceptions), so consumers can save by bundling.  

• Do not insure fossil fuel projects (per publicly available information). 

• Have no indication of direct investments in the fossil fuel industry (Grade A), or have investments under $200 million (Grade B), as listed in Investing in Climate Chaos by Urgewald, a German environmental and human rights NGO. 

• Have a rating of A- or above for financial stability from AM Best. 

Most states have at least four climate-smart insurers listed that consumers can compare. Many of the companies are local and regional mutuals that have been serving their communities for decades but do not spend large amounts of money on advertising. 

Why this directory? 

In 2023, the United States experienced a record 28 climate-related disasters, causing a total of $95.1 billion in damages. So far 2024 has seen 20 such events, including tornadoes, hail storms, winter storms, wildfires, and a major hurricane, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  

The insurance industry stands on the front lines of this crisis. Every time a climate-related fire, flood, or storm damages or destroys property, policyholders expect their insurance company to help foot the bill. Unfortunately, as climate events become more common, major insurance companies are canceling or restricting coverage in Florida, California, Louisiana, North Carolina, Iowa, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Utah, Texas, and other states. 

Despite increasing climate risks, the nation’s major insurance companies continue to support the chief cause of the climate crisis: the burning of fossil fuels. By insuring risky fossil fuel projects and investing billions of dollars in fossil fuel companies, major insurance companies are financially entangled with an industry whose interests conflict with the interests of its own customers. 

Here are fossil fuel investments for nine major U.S. insurance companies: 

Information about which companies insure fossil fuel projects is more difficult to find, but is available from organizations like Insure Our Future. For example, eight Gulf South LNG terminals, each the carbon bomb equivalent of dozens of coal plants, are insured by Liberty Mutual, AIG, Chubb, The Hartford, Travelers, Lloyd's of London, and more. 

Premium price increases 

Meanwhile, average property insurance premiums increased 21% nationwide, even in areas without heightened risk. Some states were hit harder than others. Homeowners insurance premiums increased the most in Florida (35%), Idaho (31%), Colorado (30%), South Dakota (28%), Louisiana (27%), Texas (27%) and Oklahoma (27%). 

According to the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), 7.4% of all homeowners in the country are now uninsured, resulting in $1.6 trillion in unprotected market value. With so many people “going bare” -- forced to go without insurance because they can’t afford rising premiums -- CFA warned that the problem will worsen without investments in climate change adaptation and stronger oversight of the insurance industry. 

While companies in the Climate Smart Insurance Directory were not vetted for price, several people have experienced saving hundreds of dollars by switching from a major national insurance company to a local or regional mutual that doesn’t pay advertisers. 

What else can you do? 

Take Action! Tell over 70 executives at Berkshire Hathaway/Geico/Guard, State Farm, AIG, Nationwide, Allstate, Liberty, Mutual, Travelers, and The Hartford to insure our communities, not fossil fuels! 

Seek out regional mutual insurance companies: The best option for consumers seeking home and auto insurance is to shop in your local area. Call three independent insurance agents and ask them to quote costs and coverage for policies at regional mutual insurance companies, or speak with companies directly. Different agents work with different companies, so talking to more than one will give you a fuller picture of what is available in your area. Regional insurance companies are no more risky than large insurance and could save you money on your premium for the same coverage. Be sure to ask about a company’s holdings and policies before purchasing an insurance plan. 

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles are key for a just financial and sustainable future. They are a tenet of the free market, ensuring individuals have all the necessary information before making decisions about where to invest their money. Across the country, however, state legislators and executives are risking a safe future for people and planet by pushing anti-ESG bills across the country. 

“Research shows that returns on socially responsible investing are on par or better than investing not based on ESG principles, especially over the long term,” says Cathy Cowan Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director at Green America. 

With clear and proven benefits of ESG principles, Green Americans understand how important this fight is. And across the country, anti-ESG bills and resolutions are failing from the pressure of this understanding. 

There have been a lot of victories in stopping anti-ESG actions, but Republicans continue to paint investing freedom as a threat to profits—specifically the profits of the fossil fuel industry. And they’re not wrong. Using your voice, and your dollar, is a great way to fight for a greener future. 

Crushing Anti-ESG Bills and Resolutions 

In 2023, political critics of ESG investing introduced 198 bills and resolutions in 38 states attacking investors’ freedom and prohibiting considerations of things like fossil fuels, firearms, agriculture, timber, and animal products, according to researching and advising firm Pleiades Strategy. State officials issued a further 44 executive actions targeting ESG investing. Overall, 31 laws and resolutions passed. 

In 2024, politicians have introduced 108 anti-ESG bills across the country. There have also been 27 executive actions, comprising orders, letters, issuing rulings, and lawsuits. 

What’s to account for the 10% drop in anti-ESG success rate? People are fighting back. 

In Texas, a 2024 report from The Perryman Group showed anti-ESG legislation could cost the state $821.1 million and nearly 8,800 job-years by the end of the year. Since these laws’ introduction in 2021, Texas has lost $700 million in local economic activity. 

North in Oklahoma, a district court judge Sheila Stinson issued an injunction on an anti-ESG law prohibiting “pension funds and localities from doing business with financial firms accused of boycotting fossil fuels.” 

The people testifying against anti-responsible investing legislation and resolutions are “everyday investors, local bankers, local insurance, state retirement plan officers, city administrators, etc.,” says Becker. “They say these bills would cost them a lot of money, and indeed they have.” 

Inside the Crusade for Anti-ESG Bills 

Pleiades Strategy’s reports for 2024 shows the continuation of targeted attacks on ESG investing. Most anti-ESG bills fall into specific categories, such as: 

• Limits on Public Pensions: 13 bills in 2024 seek to ban consideration of “non-pecuniary” factors, or “fiduciary commitment,” particularly the consideration of long-term investment risks posted by hazardous industries. 

• Bans of ESG Scores: 4 bills seek to prohibit the private sector from using ESG scores in risk assessment for loans and insurances. 

• Contracting Bans: These bills, 23 from this year, would block state and local governments from contracting with financial institutions that consider ESG factors, mostly through blacklists. 

State executives like attorney generals and state treasurers do their part to stop ESG investing in its tracks. Their strategies include federal opposition to pro-ESG laws and nominees, threatening the private sector’s freedom to “guide their own business strategies” through withdrawn funds and canceled contracts, and bullying and regulating the private sector with legal interventions. 

Many bills are evolving from previous iterations. 

The 2023 “Fair Access to Financial Services” bill failed in every state in which it was introduced, so this year Republicans replaced it with the “Equality in Financial Services Act.” 

This bill promises the “threat of widespread civil litigation, significant fines and damages, and harassment from state attorneys general to coerce companies into ignoring risk when offering financial services.” The justification is the “discrimination” against select industries, despite their proven harm. 

What You Can Do, Right Now  

Only six states have active anti-ESG legislation at play, but the bills could do a lot of harm. 

If you live in one of the states currently considering bills and resolutions that would limit responsible investing, the most effective thing you can do is contact your state legislator to voice your disapproval. 

• Find your state legislators by inputting your address at openstates.org  

• You may also be able to find your state representatives on your state legislature’s website, which you can find at congress.gov/state-legislature-websites 

You can also support responsible investing by: 

• Checking out our guide on adding socially and environmentally responsible investment options to your employer’s retirement plan.  

• Checking out our 10 steps to breaking up with your megabank and switching to a community development bank or credit union.   

• Checking out how you can use your own investments to create a greener world by engaging in shareholder activism such as voting your proxy ballots. 

• Supporting bills protecting ESG investing, like Oregon’s COAL Act, making the Beaver State the third in the US (after Maine and California) and fourth in the world (after Ireland) to pass fossil fuel divestment legislation. 

• Reach out to GBN members who assist with socially responsible investment strategies, including but not limited to: 
  • Athens Impact Socially Responsible Investments
  • Natural Investments
  • Longwave Financial
  • Your Best Path Financial Planning
  • Horizons Sustainable Financial Services
  • Transformative Wealth Management

Conservative anti-ESG strategies, Becker says, encompass the “third stage of climate denial.” Through varying levels of legislation and Congressional resolutions, ESG investing faces an onslaught of pushback. 

By actively preventing people from investing based on their morals, politicians are effectively picking winners and losers, supporting planet-harming industries like gas, oil, and fossil fuels. The priority is and will remain lining the pockets of corporate executives, with no consideration for a safe and healthy future. 

Since money talks, investing is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against the climate crisis and deserves protection. 

Your bank is more than a place to put your money. Banks can use the funds you deposit to create loans or make investments. And in some cases, that may mean using your money to invest in fossil fuels that can harm the environment. Sustainable banks are working to change this model, giving consumers the ability to deposit their money with a company that doesn't engage in unsustainable practices.

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This year is an important election, with many important issues on the line that Green Americans care about. So make sure you vote and help others vote too!

1. Ensure you're registered to vote at I Will Vote. In some states, you need to be registered 30 days prior to take part in the election so do it now.

2. Encourage others to check their voter registration at I Will Vote.

3. Find opportunities to assist with voter registration both virtually and on the ground with Vote Riders. With Vote Riders, you can also sign up to help individuals secure the identification they need to vote in states with stricter voter-ID laws.

4. Volunteer to drive voters to the polls on Election Day with Ride Share 2Vote and Carpool Vote.

5. Train to become a poll worker. Learn more about the requirements from the United States Election Assistance Commission and sign up with your local election office.

6. Take action with the League of Women Voters. Find information on the League’s website on efforts to expand voter access, fight voter suppression, support fair redistricting and a popular vote for president, and more. Join your state-wide LWV chapter, or sign up for LWV digital advocacy updates.

7. Find local "get out the vote" (GOTV) events near you at Mobilize.

Green America, as a 501 c(3) nonprofit, does not endorse candidates, but we recognize the importance of government and regulations on the climate crisis, fair labor, clean food, responsible finance, social justice, and green living. Voting in an election is one way you can stand up for the values you believe in. And in between those elections, we vote with our dollars!

Tell these megabanks to finance clean energy for people and planet, not fossil fuels that cause climate chaos.

Vanguard is lagging on climate: It’s the top fossil fuel investor and is failing to hold companies accountable on their climate and sustainability impacts.

U.S. agriculture is becoming increasingly toxic to pollinators – the very creatures so much of our food system relies on. Toxic pesticides are a big reason for this unfolding tragedy. Yet millions of crops every year are still treated with toxic pesticides.

Now is the time to break up with your megabank. Find a community development bank or credit union on our Get a Better Bank map. 

What if you found out the money in your bank account was being used to fuel fires and floods, leading to contaminated water from fracking or coal mining, or air pollution where you live?  If you bank with one of the large Wall Street megabanks, that’s likely the case, according to the annual Banking on Climate Chaos report.  

This year’s report – the 15^th annual version – shows why it’s imperative to get a better bank or credit union if your account is at one of the megabanks highlighted in the report as a major lender or underwriter of fossil fuels. This includes switching from a credit card issued by one of these banks to a new card.  

Here’s how it works: When you put your money into a bank account, it doesn’t just sit there. The bank uses the money to make loans. Community banks and credit unions make loans for community needs such as small businesses. The biggest banks make loans to large customers – including disproportionately the fossil fuel industry.  

According to this year’s Banking on Climate Chaos report, the world’s 60 largest banks have plowed a total of $6.9 trillion into fossil fuel companies and projects – almost half of which has gone to fossil fuel expansion, despite warnings from scientists that the world can hold global warming to 1.5°C only with no new coal, oil, or gas projects.  

In 2023 alone, these banks committed $705 billion to the fossil fuel industry, of which $347 billion went to companies actively expanding their coal, oil, and gas operations.  

Among the dirtiest American banks are: 

Sector-based data, frontline stories 

A key feature of the 2024 Banking on Climate Chaos is its League Tables listing the lending and underwriting of the 60 largest banks not just for the entire fossil fuel industry, but also for selected sectors with high environmental, social, and climate impacts. 

These sectors include: 

The report also contains numerous stories from people on the frontlines of the climate crisis worldwide, such as the Mountain Valley Pipeline, heavily funded by Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, PNC, and BNP Paribas.  

This pipeline is slated to run from West Virginia to Virginia with a proposed extension into North Carolina. Grassroots groups such as Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights (POWHR) and 7 Directions of Service have been fighting it for years – yet its approval was legislated by an amendment to the debt ceiling bill signed by President Biden in 2023 despite over 400 water quality violations so far during the pipeline’s construction. Learn more 

Of special note are stories from the frontlines of methane import and export in Southeast Asia, where 29 gigawatts of methane gas power plants have entered operation since 2016 with 139 GW more in the pipeline – resulting in a surge of methane import terminals being built. These projects are funded heavily by two Japanese banks that have climbed the rankings of dirty banks: Mitsubishi UFJ, now at No. 4, Mizuho Financial, now at No. 6. Both banks are also funding LNG export terminals on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Learn more 

Even worse, instead of taking steps to clean up their lending, megabanks are backing away from their already weak climate commitments. For example: 

• Bank of America and US Bank quietly changed language prohibiting funding of extreme oil and gas projects to a much fuzzier “due diligence” framework. 

• JPMorgan Chase – the world’s top funder of fossil fuels -- is now calculating its financed emissions through an “energy mix” target that includes renewable energy – diluting the impact of its fossil fuel financing and making it harder to trace.  

• The largest four U.S. banks – JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citi, and Wells Fargo – have all left the Equator Principles, developed 20 years ago to set minimum standards on risks to environment and local communities in countries where they finance oil, gas, coal, and mining projects. Green America was part of the original coalition that pressured these banks to adopt the Equator Principles. 

New information, new methodology 

This year’s Banking on Climate Chaos report has significantly expanded its data to include information about hundreds of oil, gas, and coal companies compiled in Urgewald’s Global Oil and Gas Exit List and Global Coal Exit List. The data is cross-checked against listings in both Bloomberg LP and the London Stock Exchange Group.  

The new methodology also allowed report authors to count bank contributions to fossil fuel companies even if they were not the lead bank lending to or underwriting a project. 

The result is a treasure trove of information that allows users to drill down to detailed listings of which banks are funding virtually any oil, gas, or coal operation and by how much each year since 2016. If you know of a fossil fuel operation, you can use the listings at the bottom of the Banking on Climate Chaos website to find out who is bankrolling it.  

For example, where I live in Ohio the state legislature recently mandated fracking in our state parks and wildlife areas. By searching the Banking on Climate Chaos data, I was able to find out which banks fund the companies that want to frack these public lands – and, no surprise, the top 9 American banks are prominent on these lists. 

Through the Banking on Climate Chaos data, we found that Southwestern Energy has received over $24.6 billion from the largest banks since 2016, Antero Resources over $11.4 billion, Gulfport Energy over $8.3 billion, Ascent Resources over $7.6 billion, Hilcorp Energy over $6.9 billion, EOG over $6 billion, and Encino Acquisition Partners over $3.6 billion. Each of these companies has bid on leases to frack public land in Ohio.  

What can you do? 

The Banking on Climate Chaos report lifts the hood on funding for fossil fuel companies and projects worldwide. Reading it is eye-opening – but can also be overwhelming. This system is so huge and so entrenched – what can one person do to counteract it? 

The answer is simple: Just say no by moving your bank and credit card away from any of the megabanks disproportionately funding fossil fuels and to a mission-driven bank or credit union that builds your own community.  

Getting a better bank 

1. Start by identifying a better bank or credit union. You can use Green America’s Get a Better Bank -- which maps almost 17,000 locations of 3000 community development banks and credit unions nationwide -- or another tool such as Mighty Deposits, Bank.Green, Bank for Good or Better Banking Options.  

2. Open an account at your new financial institution, then slowly transition your auto deposits and auto payments to your new account. For detailed guidance, check out our 10 Steps to Break Up With Your Megabank and our FAQs.  

3. Close your old account and let them know why – here's our Sample Break-up Letter to Send to Your Megabank.  

For more information, check out our Better Banking webinar.  

Taking charge of your credit card 

Credit cards are issued by banks or credit unions. The card issuer may not be the same as its brand name. The issuer is who you send your payment to each month. You can usually find the issuer name on the back of the card, sometimes in small print.  

If your credit card is issued by one of the megabanks that disproportionately funds fossil fuels, we encourage you to switch to a different card. Even if your card does not have an annual fee and you pay it off in full each month, transaction fees paid by the merchant for each purchase you make go to the bank that issued the card.  

If you have switched to a better bank or credit union, your new financial institution may offer a credit card. Be sure to ask who the card issuer is – hundreds of small banks and credit unions issue credit cards through Elan Financial, which is owned by U.S. Bank, a major funder of fossil fuels.  

If your better bank or credit union issues its own card, you can use it knowing you are not supporting the fossil fuel industry. But if your new financial institution does not issue its own card, or uses a card issued by a fossil bank, you’ll need to look elsewhere.  

Two credit card issuers that are not major investors in the fossil fuel industry are First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) and TCM Bank, a subsidiary of the Independent Community Bankers of America, which issues the Green America credit card. You can find Green America’s list of Socially and Environmentally Responsible Credit Cards here.  

As with better banking, if you switch to a new credit card, be sure to let your old card issuing bank know why.  

For more information, check out our Take Charge of Your Card webinar. 

Kroger is one of the nation’s leading grocery chains, with over 2,700 stores operating under many brands, including Pay-less, Ralph’s, and City Market. But Kroger is far from a leader when it comes to dealing with the climate crisis.  In fact, the company is a laggard when compared to Aldi, Target, and Whole Foods when it comes to addressing refrigerant gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a major cause of climate change. 

That’s why Green America and our ally Environmental Investigation Agency have been pressuring Kroger to move fast to address super-polluting HFCs. And thousands of Green Americans and investors have joined us in urging the company to shift to low-polluting natural refrigerants. 

Finally, at the start of July 2024, Kroger announced that all its new stores will use CO2 refrigerants in 2025, which are much better for the planet than conventional HFC coolants.  

“Consumer and investor action definitely raised awareness at Kroger regarding planet warming refrigerants – the news Kroger announced that all new stores will use more environmentally friendly refrigerants is a significant step,” says Dan Howells, Green America’s climate campaigns director. “Still, Kroger is well behind leading grocery chains like Aldi, Target, and Whole Foods on climate-friendly refrigerants. We’re calling on Kroger to retrofit its over 2700 existing stores to use ultra-low Global Warming Potential refrigerants.”

In the coming months, Green America will be calling on its members to take action to urge Kroger, Trader Joe’s, and other major grocers to end their use of refrigerants that are a significant driver of climate change in all of their stores. 

Learn more about our Cool It campaign pressuring Kroger and other supermarkets as well. 

Generations of families have harvested and tended to the same thick-trunked olive trees for thousands of years, sharing their fruits with people around the world through liquid gold: olive oil.

Canaan Palestine now cultivates this heritage for small-scale farmers in Palestine, selling their Fair Trade and soon-to-be Regenerative Organic Certified olive oil to help them reach international markets. Canaan Palestine and the Palestine Fair Trade Association founder Nasser Abufarha, PhD, was inspired by the burgeoning Fair Trade coffee movement’s efforts to bring fair wages to coffee farmers, create more transparent supply chains, and educate US drinkers on their daily cup of joe. Dr. Abufarha wondered how he could bring this concept back to Palestine—and the answer was Canaan Palestine.

Twenty years later, the company has grown to export to over 12 countries. It has also been a member of Green America’s Green Business Network since 2007, working with over 2,000 family farms across 52 different villages to bring delicious olive products to market.

Fatin Zahra, business market manager at Canaan Palestine, says that the cultivation of the olive groves is a wisdom that has been passed down for generations—of course it is organic and regenerative, because it is older than industrialized forestry.

“The majority of trees are hundreds of years old—and those are the youngest trees! I’ve seen many that are two thousand, three thousand years old. It’s beautiful to think that these trees continue to feed families and people around the world every single year,” says Zahra.

Canaan Palestine cares for these ancient trees and produces their olive goods while navigating significant barriers, however. Settlements are encroaching on the olive groves, sometimes taking them over entirely or erecting checkpoints that prevent farmers from accessing them.

“Many olive trees are being chopped and destroyed to make way for expanding and new settlements, bypass roads, and ‘security zones,’” says Zahra.

While Canaan Palestine is headquartered in the occupied West Bank, the effects of the ongoing hostilities and violence in Gaza have been disastrous. Traditionally, the olive harvest starts in October, but last year’s celebration of Palestinian heritage and food was cut short by renewed armed conflict between Hamas and the Israeli military, resulting in an immense loss of life and threatening livelihoods throughout the region.

Dr. Abufarha told Al Jazeera that since October, the ongoing assaults on Palestinian communities beyond Gaza have led to the worst olive harvest in living memory. Farmers have faced more restrictions on their movements from Israeli occupation forces, he says, along with threats and harassment from settlers themselves.

Zahra says that Green Americans can support Canaan Palestine by purchasing products online from Canaan Palestine or through their 500+ retail partners across the US like Whole Foods Market and local artisanal shops. Zahra also stresses the impact of supporters speaking out for an end to the conflict. Actions such as calling elected representatives to demand a permanent ceasefire and advocate for humanitarian aid can both affect policy and also show those like Canaan Palestine that they are heard and supported.

“Everybody I talk to is just feeling so much hope that people in the US, especially the young ones, are so open-minded and aware and understand the truth of what’s happening,” Zahra says. “All of us are incredibly thankful for it.”

This past January marked 14 years since the Supreme Court’s consequential ruling in the “Citizens United” case, the case that essentially removed all limits on corporations’ spending to support candidates for elected office, so long as they do not officially coordinate with campaigns. But political contributions from companies have serious consequences for communities and the planet, for which they need to be held accountable.

Fortunately, several organizations have stepped up in recent years to increase transparency around corporate political spending and help their customers, the media, and others hold companies accountable for their actions. Open Secrets, which tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and corporate lobbying, is one of them. Their deputy research director Brendan Glavin says that, traditionally, companies focus primarily on their business interests when it comes to political contributions. “They’re thinking about bills pertaining to a specific business; telecom or wireless or cable or whatever it might be.”

But those contributions to lawmakers that may benefit the business side of a company may also be actively harming a community that the company claims to care about. For example, Amazon has earned perfect scores on its internal practices and benefits related to LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion, as measured by the Human Rights Campaign’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index. At the same time, it is one of the largest contributors to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians in Tennessee, which has passed several anti-LGBTQ+ bills since 2023.

In a way, companies are hedging their bets—stating to their consumer audience and their employees that they support issues like LGBTQ+ equality, the right to choose, and protection of our democracy, while donating thousands of dollars to organizations that work against these goals. For example, 13 corporations, including Amazon, AT&T, Citi bank, Walmart, Verizon, and Wells Fargo, have spent millions of dollars since 2016 supporting politicians who are working to rollback reproductive freedom. And AT&T is also among one of the biggest anti-democracy spenders, making numerous contributions to politicians who objected to the 2020 election results and state officials who support anti-voter legislation.

Still other companies rely on trade associations or corporate lobbying groups like the American Legislative Exchange (ALEC) to do their lobbying for them and keep their names at a further remove from their political spending.

Alongside Open Secrets, The Center for Media and Democracy and Accountable.us also help people connect the dots between what companies say and what they do. They aggregate contribution data into reports, blogs, and searchable databases for citizens to access. Their work makes it easy for people to follow the money.

David Armik, research director at the Center for Media and Democracy, says that overturning Citizens United would be a way to bring integrity back to politics and “get back to a situation where politicians actually listen to their constituents and visit with their constituents, rather than those that give them a bunch of money.”

You can also play a role in ending corporate influence in politics by supporting candidates that advocate for a constiitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. If you own stock, you can also support shareholder resolutions calling for corporate disclosure of political donations at the companies in which you invest. Still other resolutions call for companies to report on how their political spending aligns with their stated corporate goals around issues like the climate crisis.

Armik also reminds individuals that we can always simply ask a candidate where they get their campaign dollars and what companies back them. Every state maintains a campaign disclosure website, although some are harder to navigate than others. Open Secrets’ database covers federal disclosures.

None of this means that all companies act only in their own interests. Thousands of mission-focused businesses are doing all they can to improve situations for marginalized communities and the planet. Green America’s Green Business Network is made up of over 3,000 businesses that lead with integrity, social responsibility, and planetary care.

Using the power of your vote at the ballot box, with your shareholder proxies, and at the cash register are all effective ways we can enact change.

On the evening of June 12, 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers pulled into his driveway in Jackson, Mississippi with a box of T-shirts printed with the slogan “Jim Crow Must Go.” The shirts referred to his work to overturn such Jim Crow-era laws as charging poll taxes, imposing literacy tests, or lifetime voting bans for those convicted of a felony that had suppressed Black voters in Mississippi for generations. Before Evers reached his front door that night, an assassin shot him through the heart, and he died within the hour after being refused at the hospital because he was Black. While Evers did not live to see the passage of the 24th amendment to the Constitution in 1964, or the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the outlawing of poll taxes, literacy tests, and other voter-supression tactics led to massive increases in voter registration in the Black community, a priority of Evers’ life’s work.

At the same time. Mississippi’s lifetime ban on voting by convicted felons persisted until just last year, when it was struck down by the US Court of Appeals—and voter suppression of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people remains to this day in all but two states. This ongoing voter-suppression tactic, alongside others, such as restrictive voter-ID laws, demonstrates how, despite the progress made in the 60 years since Evers’ murder, there remains work to do to ensure voting in the United States truly reflects the will of the people. The suggestions presented in this article provide ways to strengthen our voting rights, by addressing ongoing systemic issues within the US electoral system.

Voting is Not Equitable

Voter suppression is nothing new, but it has become “more sophisticated and targeted,” as Virginia Kase Solomón, President and CEO of the watchdog nonprofit Common Cause has said. Officials employ several tactics, including but not limited to registration restrictions, felony disenfranchisement, and strict voter ID laws, requiring physical travel and expenses to obtain the required government-issued identification.

There are also subtler tactics, as Solomón explains: “We want to create more access and vote by mail, but we are constantly fighting back against signature matching requirements. And if you think about people who are older or people living with disabilities, they can literally eliminate the ballot if the signature doesn’t match.”

Voter suppression, further, predominantly affects voters of color, and always has. Take felony disenfranchisement, for example—in the US, Black men are incarcerated at four times that of their white counterparts, while Indigenous and Latinx people are imprisoned at 4.2 and 2.4 times the rate of whites, respectively, according to a 2022 study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Moreover, strict voter ID laws disproportionately affect transgender and gender-nonconforming people if their identification does not match their gender and because it can be difficult for this community to obtain accurate and accepted ID. People in low-income and rural areas, people with disabilities, and the elderly struggle with physical access to voting, like the aforementioned signature verification, or a lack of access to polling locations and accessible voting machines, highlighting the need to protect less restrictive mail-in ballots.

Legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act, reintroduced last summer by Rep. John Sarbanes (D, MD) seeks to fix these and other voter-suppression issues. The Act would require states to alert voters about signature verification discrepancies and provide a chance to fix them. It would make Election Day a federal holiday, expanding working voters’ access to the polls, and would enshrine the right of formerly incarcerated citizens to vote, among other provisions.

Additionally, you can follow in the footsteps of those like Evers’ and engage in efforts prioritizing voter registration, especially of marginalized communities or those who may not have a consistent history of voting. You can double-check your registration and help others check theirs (and find their polling places) at iwillvote.com.

Time to Put an End to Gerrymandering

The systemic racism seen in various voter suppression tactics rears its head again in racial gerrymandering, or the manipulation of redistricting. “Packing and cracking” are terms voting-rights activists use to describe the two most common techniques of gerrymandering. The first involves drawing maps to put certain types of voters into as few districts as possible, minimizing the number of preferred candidates they might elect. “Cracking,” on the other hand, is the opposite: splitting up voters with similar characteristics across multiple districts to weaken their overall collective power. Both techniques have been used to target communities of color, specifically, and lessen their power as a voting bloc.

In 2018, the Supreme Court dealt a blow to the anti-gerrymandering movement by ruling in Rucho v. Common Cause that while partisan gerrymandering may be “incompatible with democratic principles,” federal courts ultimately could not review these allegations. Solomón further says: “It turned on the green light for racial gerrymandering and made lawsuits challenging racial redistricting more complicated by disguising it as political.” Currently, there are 53 active redistricting litigation cases, according to The American Redistricting Project.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, if passed, will mandate federal approval of all changes related to voting in jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voter suppression. The Act, reintroduced by Rep. Sewell, Terri A. (D, AL), would also strengthen other areas of the original Voting Rights Act like ending discriminatory voter ID laws and ensuring multi-lingual voting materials.

It’s All About Popular

Ensuring the right and access to voting for all is critical and is only one step toward improving voter-equity in the United States. The use of the Electoral College in Presidential elections reinforces this country’s history with systemic racism and the institution of slavery. When writing the Constitution, delegates from slaveholding states bristled at the idea of a national popular vote for President because enslaved people within their borders were denied the vote—diminishing the size of their electorate compared to free states. Thus, the Electoral College was born. Some defend the Electoral College on states-rights grounds, arguing that it helps less populated states have equal representation to more populated states, but this, as Solomón says, is a fallacy.

“The reality is that the minority should not be able to suppress the will of the majority,” she states. “But twice in the past 20 years, the will of the majority has been suppressed and the presidential candidate who won the popular vote lost the election. What ends up happening is that candidates running for office are courting Electoral votes, not individual ones.”

While there have been numerous attempts at abolishing the Electoral College outright, with the most near successful in 1979 (it failed in a 51-48 Senate vote), Common Cause is advocating for, at the very least, a compromise. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among states and the District of Columbia to award all electoral votes to whoever wins the popular vote. So far, 16 states and DC have adopted the NPVIC, amounting to 205 electoral votes. For the compact to have legal force, it needs to reach the threshold of 270 votes, which is the absolute majority in the Electoral College. In a system where many feel their vote doesn’t matter, or is taken away from them, this would put the power back into the people’s hands.

Your Vote is Your Power

Green America urges all of its members to become fully engaged in our democracy, which depends on our participation in everything from attending informational town halls to contacting your elected officials and volunteering with voter registration drives. Find “get out the vote” resources inside the front cover of this magazine. Voting is an important way we all can have a say in our country’s future—it represents each individual’s voice and power.

For example, consider this year’s primary season. Even without a competitive primary on either side of the 2024 presidential election, voters have found effective and historic ways to make their voices heard. As this magazine went to press, multiple state primaries were considerably impacted by campaigns urging Democrats to cast votes for “Uncommitted,” or “No Preference,” write-ins, and similar stances to signal their disapproval of President Biden’s handling of what the International Court of Justice has termed “a plausible genocide” in Gaza. At press time, “Uncommitted” voters had earned 27 delegates to send to the Democratic National Convention. On the Republican side, even more voters—1 in 5—did not vote for the leading candidate, Donald Trump. These efforts demontrate how voting can be used to communicate why candidates haven’t earned voters’ support and that voters aren't afraid to take a stand.

Activists like Evers fought and died for the right to vote and by encouraging everyone to engage in different methods of voter resilience, we can honor their sacrifices. This is especially meaningful at a time when voter suppression efforts are using such tactics as eliminating polling places and ballot drop-off boxes, initiating AI-generated disinformation campaigns, and even passing state and local laws curtailing rights to civil assembly and public protest.

What’s at stake is our ability to collectively “radically reimagining what’s possible,” as Solomón says, whether it’s the investment of public funds into green energy sources and distribution networks, labor protections that prioritize people over profits, or equitable access to safe housing amidst a changing climate. Protecting our democracy and ability to build a just future is an immense task, and we can’t achieve it alone. Evers was one of thousands who gave their blood, sweat, tears, and for some, their lives, to ensure everyone had the right and access to vote. It is imperative we continue that work.

In a world where our system works for the people, where we all have the ability and encouragement to vote authentically, our votes could change the world.

When as you sow CEO Andrew Behar testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s legal counsel on March 28 of this year, he brought with him letters from 16,265 Green Americans and others demanding the freedom to invest responsibly.

As You Sow’s work is being investigated by the Republican-led committee, alongside 13 other shareholder organizations, pension funds, banks, and others who use environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria in assessing companies’ sustainability risks and long-term profit potential. Behar says the committee’s investigation is part of a coordinated crackdown on ESG investing nationwide, telling Democracy Now that “it’s a very orchestrated campaign,” financed by right-wing groups that also fund organizations like the Federalist Society.

The organizers of the letter-writing campaign—led by Green America and As You Sow, along with the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN), Americans for Financial Reform, Stop the Money Pipeline, and Third Act—are taking on the backlash against responsible investing not just at the federal level, but in statehouses across the country.

“The climate crisis, driven by burning fossil fuels, is now starting to affect people’s finances—insurance and investments being prime examples,” said Cathy Cowan Becker, responsible finance campaign director at Green America. “But instead of changing their business model, fossil fuel interests are trying to ban people from considering environmental and social issues in financial decisions. It’s anti-free market, and we must stand up to it.”

In addition to providing committee testimony, on his trip to Washington, DC, Behar took the time to visit congressional offices and explain why ESG investing is good for business, as well as for people and the planet. He said the support of individual investors and outspoken Green Americans was valuable in convincing congressional offices to pay attention to the threat responsible investing faces nationwide.

“I want to send huge amounts of gratitude to the folks who signed each letter [in favor of protections for ESG investing],” said Behar, “I can tell you firsthand it made a huge difference to how we were received and how we’re going to be working with each of these Congress people going forward…This is what democracy looks like.”

State-Level Rollbacks on Investor Freedom

As of April, Green America and its allies were tracking the progress of 151 state-level anti-ESG bills in 28 states, including 58 bills carried over from 2023. These bills are in addition to the more than 20 initiatives that succeeded in 2023 in restricting investor freedom in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

Pleiades Strategy, an advisory service for mission-focused organizations, maintains a tracker of all ongoing state-level anti-ESG legislation. Their 2023 report on state-level legislation outlined three broad categories that encompassed most state-level bills passed last year:

1. Restrictions on state financial contracts:

This legislation forbids states from contracting with financial-services companies that limit their work with certain harmful industries, such as fossil-fuel companies and weapons manufacturers. Even minor limitations on some investments have been enough to land large financial-services companies like BlackRock and JP Morgan Chase on state blacklists, despite their overall huge investments in fossil fuels. These initiatives often cite “discrimination” against such industries by ESG-practitioners among their rationale and passed in six states in 2023.

2. Restrictions on state pension funds:

This legislation restricts state investment managers from using ESG factors to control for risks in state-managed retirement funds. Initiatives passed in ten states.

3. Restrictions on state business contracts:

Similar to bills restricting state contracting with ESG-focused financial-services organizations, some state-level bills seek to ban contracting with companies that use ESG criteria in their operations. Legislation in this category passed in five states.

States that have instituted blacklists or other ESG restrictions on state-sponsored financial products have experienced diminished financial performance, harming their own state finances through these initiatives. For example, a study conducted by the consulting group TXP for the Texas Association of Business found that a Texas ban on contracting with banks that consider ESG criteria ultimately cost the state an extra $270 million in annual excess transaction costs.

Continuing Federal-Level Threats

At the federal level, the most recent threat to responsible investing comes from a bill re-introduced by Rep. Greg Murphy (R, NC) at the end of March that largely follows the pension-fund restriction model (#1) cited above.

Murphy’s bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Mike Kelly (R, PA), Claudia Tenney (R, NY) and Beth Van Duyne (R,TX), was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. The misleadingly named “Safeguarding Investment Options for Retirement Act” would threaten tax-advantaged retirement plans with loss of their preferred tax status if plan managers consider ESG priorities when making investment decisions.

Murphy has described his goal as “eliminat[ing] ESG from investment retirement plans,” and has accused investment managers of allowing responsible retirement planning to be used as a “pawn in the left’s environmental and equity agenda.” Murphy’s bill would require managers to consider only “risk and return” factors when making investment decisions.

However, as Behar explained following his recent testimony on Capitol Hill, responsible investors do focus on risk factors relevant to the businesses in which they invest—including long-term environmental and equity risks that Murphy and other ESG opponents claim do not matter.

Behar cited a 2023 study by IBM of 5,000 company executives across 22 industries that found nearly three-quarters of surveyed companies viewed ESG priorities as “revenue enablers,” meaning that managing ESG risks could help them maximize profits. Behar described the anti-ESG movement as fundamentally “anti-business and anti-freedom,” emphasizing that companies and investors should have the right to review risks from the perspectives of all a company’s stakeholders.

“That means that you take care of your employees, you take care of your customers, the communities where you operate, and your supply chains” Behar told Green America. “And that leads to greater competitive strength and long-term sustainable growth for your shareholders.”

When Brenda Alvarez-Lagunas was nine years old, her mother’s job in the packaging department of a Florida factory came to an end. Brenda’s parents—Mexican immigrants looking for a way to support their young family—turned to farm work to make ends meet.

With the harvest coming at different times for different crops in different parts of the United States, the family’s farm work put them on the move, traveling north from Florida to North Carolina, and then back to Florida, following the seasons and the availability of the work. From the age of nine to 13, Brenda traveled with her family, joining her parents in the fields, helping to pick oranges, strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, and other crops, along with her younger sisters.

When the family was outside of Florida, they often stayed in migrant farmworker camps attached to the fields. While this eased the complication of finding new housing at each new worksite, Brenda told Green America that conditions in the camps were harsh.

“My family of five was in one bedroom of a four-bedroom house where there was a family of four or five in each bedroom,” Brenda said. “I lived in other homes where the walls and floor didn’t connect, and you would have critters coming in, or wake up in the morning with flea bites all over your body.”

Brenda said that as a child, she didn’t fully comprehend that this way of life was a hardship, or that immigrant children, including unaccompanied minors, are prone to exploitation on US farms and other worksites.

US Child Labor: A Growing Problem

Brenda was just one of the estimated 500,000 children who work in agriculture in the US, according to the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, as the prevalence of US child labor continues to rise—not just on farms but also in meatpacking, slaughterhouses, fast food, and other industries. Many child laborers are the children of immigrant parents, like Brenda, or unaccompanied migrant children.

In 2023, the US Department of Labor (DoL) investigated 955 illegal child labor cases nationwide, involving nearly 6,000 children. This represents an almost 50% increase in individual child-labor violations detected by the DoL over the previous year—and a whopping 472% increase over violations detected in 2015.

So far in 2024, the DoL has uncovered child-labor violations committed by a Pennsylvania Wendy’s franchise operating 21 restaurants, a Virginia Jersey Mike’s franchise operating four restaurants, a Tennessee Bojangles franchise, a Michigan Popeye’s franchise, two different Utah ice-cream parlors (a Cold Stone Creamery and a Baskin-Robbins franchise), a local Idaho restaurant, a New York water park, a Tennessee power equipment company and janitorial services company, an Ohio house-painting company, and an Alabama roofing company that illegally employed a 15-year-old who died after falling from a building during his first day on the job.

Despite the successful enforcement of these cases, they likely represent only a fraction of the children exploited by US employers, given that only cases detected by the government are counted. Other cases may remain hidden, and some forms of child work in the United States remain legal, outside of DoL oversight.

US Law: Out of Step with International Standards

Nationwide, child labor in the United States is controlled by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, which outlined the first standards restricting “oppressive child labor” in US workplaces. Individual states may choose to impose stronger standards than the FLSA, but as the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) has pointed out, no US state “currently complies with the minimum standards set forth…by the United Nations [UN] Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

This is largely due to agricultural exemptions in the FLSA that fall afoul of UN minimum working-ages provisions, allowing children like Brenda to work on US farms at younger ages, for longer hours, and in more hazardous conditions than in other industries. Child-labor opponents point out the racist origins of the exemptions in the FLSA, which were drafted at a time when Black Americans were overrepresented in agricultural labor, and now disproportionately affect Latin American asylum seekers.

Meanwhile, 176 other countries around the world follow stronger child-labor standards in agriculture, having ratified the international standards that the US has not.

Brenda urges Green Americans to support stronger legislation to protect child farmworkers. She specifically recommends an initiative championed for many years by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D, CA)—the first Mexican American in Congress—that would close child-labor loopholes in agriculture. Roybal-Allard retired in 2022, but her bill, the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety (CARE) was reintroduced in 2023 by Rep. Raul Ruiz (D, CA). The Act would bring age and work-hour standards for children in agriculture up to the standards of other industries, provide children with greater protection against pesticides, and increase corporate penalties for employing children illegally.

States Pursuing Even Lower Standards

Beyond the US agriculture loophole, state legislators have proposed or passed laws weakening state-level restrictions on child labor in at least 21 states since 2022. In general, these efforts involve legalizing longer work hours for younger children, with less parental oversight, or in industries previously forbidden to minors. Most efforts have been led by Republican legislators and governors, though the New Jersey law expanding work hours for children was signed by its Democratic governor. At least seven states are considering changes in 2024.

For example, current bills in Indiana would remove hourly restrictions entirely from 16-and-17-year-olds and make it easier to employ children as young as 14 on farms during school hours. A current bill in Nebraska would lower the minimum wage for minors to $1.50 per hour less than the standard minimum wage for all workers. And bills in Kentucky would ban the state from enacting any laws stronger than federal standards and allow 12-and-13-year-old children to work in non-profit ventures, potentially leading to similar exemptions for other industries.

To check whether your state is involved in any child-labor rollbacks, and find sample letters to your representatives, check the legislative map maintained by the Campaign to End US Child Labor, of which Green America is a part.

Not every state that has considered weakening child labor laws has followed through. For example, Republican legislators withdrew a bill in Georgia that would have eliminated the need for work permits for children, and a bill in South Dakota that would have extended work hours for 14-year-olds until 9 pm. Your voice is important to show your state legislators that you care about protecting children.

Brenda Today & Her Advice for Voters

Brenda’s story doesn’t end with her farm work as a child. As she grew older, Brenda began to understand that not all children have to go to work, and she began to yearn to prioritize her schoolwork over her farm work. When she was in eighth grade, Brenda was pulling down straight As, and decided to talk to her mother about staying in Florida for the entire year to focus on her studies.

Brenda moved in with an aunt and uncle, completed high school, graduated as valedictorian, and earned a full scholarship to college. She graduated from Stanford University in 2023 and will soon be moving to take a job in New York City. For now, she is back in Florida, working for the RCMA Mulberry Community Academy, a dual-language charter school that provides an after-school program for the children of the migrant farmworker community.

“We understand the issues intimately and that makes us a very strong support system for our children,” says Brenda. Among other initiatives, Brenda started a chess club for the students, a soccer club, and scouting program. The overall program offers assistance to families in accessing essential services and provides children with a safe space while parents are working.

Still, she points out that without stronger legal protections for children, after-school services can only go so far. She urges voters to speak with candidates about child-labor issues across all industries, noting that she has spoken to politicians who were unaware of the scope of the problem, or the gaps in US labor law.

“Candidates need to be exposed to this issue,” Brenda says. Children are some of our most vulnerable population, that’s why we need to protect them.”

Farmers feed us. From the fresh apples we buy to the popcorn we toss in the microwave, our access to nutritious food is all made possible by the daily efforts of farmers across the nation and around the world.

But here in the US, farmers say bureaucracy makes it hard for them to grow food in a manner that is restorative for the environment. They say federal and state programs can be suffocating in their standards, and that applying for assistance programs and grants can be a difficult and lengthy process for farmers who are already managing the day-to-day tasks of the farm.

Green America’s Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI) program works to remedy some of these issues by helping farmers apply to programs that can support integrating regenerative and organic practices into their existing operations. Helping farmers transition to regenerative agriculture improves soil health, water quality, and biodiversity—and ultimately grows more nutritious food and sequesters carbon, combatting the climate crisis. Farmers accomplish this through techniques like planting cover crops and running “no till” operations that prevent erosion and increase their soil’s biodiversity, among other techniques.

Brian James in Nebraska is a fifth-generation farmer who is transitioning his operation to run on regenerative agriculture practices. His family operates farmland in southeast Nebraska and northwest Kansas, growing a wide variety of crops like corn, soybeans, wheat, and milo (grain sorghum), and raising cattle.

North of James, John Strohfus of Minnesota spent most of his career in the IT industry before returning to the family farm. He uses his land for a little bit of everything—horse boarding, cattle grazing, growing hay and crops, and hemp production for his company Field Theory Hemp. Both Strohfus and James are enrolled in SCI, restoring healthy soils to their land and pursuing regenerative agriculture. They’re acting now— not waiting around for help from Washington.

We interviewed both farmers to get a read on whether government policies help or hinder farmers on the forefront of the regenerative transition. Taylor Herren and Julie Davenson, Green America’s SCI farm program specialist and farm finance specialist respectively, also offer their expertise in agriculture policy to illustrate what Green America is doing to improve the agriculture industry.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Farm Bill comes up for renewal every five years and 2024 is the year it gets reviewed again. But this time it's an election year. Is that cause for concern?

Herren: Because it’s an election year, it’s not going to get pushed through until the very last minute. Government payments are a normal part of a farm’s revenue stream, and without renewal by the fall, many Farm Bill programs will stop.

Strohfus: It’s going to be a really bad year for farmers [in terms of uncertainty about continuing federal programs and incentives. Legislators don’t want] to put a policy in place for someone to be critical of ahead of the election.

Davenson: For example, some Republican members of Congress have proposed cutting the provisions in the Farm Bill that ensure recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can use them at farmers’ markets to access healthy regenerative and organic food. This could reduce farmers’ income, but it’s not something we’ll likely know about until the last minute.

How are current US farmer-assistance policies affecting your ability to transition to regenerative agriculture?

Strohfus: As a new farmer coming from the IT industry, it was astounding to me the amount of paperwork, overhead, and bureaucracy that is involved with farming. Today’s farmers have to be technologically smart, excellent managers, excellent risk/reward takers, and good communicators to talk with lenders and salespeople.

I have a lot of ways that I would use grant money really well to develop markets and work in this food supply chain resiliency side of our food company. But I don’t have time to find the grant, formulate a proposal in the right language, and get it done. And there’s a lot of bigger companies, that have those resources, that are glomming on to millions and millions of dollars.

Herren: This is a problem for lots of farmers. Programs like the Climate Smart Commodities Program through the Inflation Reduction Act are highly competitive and complex grant programs. You essentially need to be a grant writer to get that kind of money. Companies will have those kinds of resources that many farmers don’t. SCI assists farmers in applying for these grants. But ideally, we would want to see the next Farm Bill include provisions that would make these programs easier to apply to.

Davenson: And unfortunately, a lot of the programs that could help farmers like John have been one-time funding opportunities. The Regional Food Infrastructure Grant is one-time for 2024; the Organic Market Development Program was offered one time in 2023. Making both programs permanent would go a long way in supporting farmers like John to build markets for specialty crops.

Do permanent programs, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) [see box above] pose similar challenges? Aren’t lots of farmers using these programs to fund conservation practices, which support regenerative practices?

Herren: Many SCI farmers have been or are enrolled in EQIP or CSP programs. But oftentimes, the most innovative farmers may find their practice or approach is not fully supported by US agricultural policy, meaning their conservation practices are ineligible for funding under the EQIP and CSP programs. And it is a lengthy and bureaucratic process to add or change a practice in the program.

James: With our transition, we’re not enrolled in the EQIP or CSP programs. We’re just doing it off our own dime mostly, because that way we can do it the way we want to, and plant the species we want to, or terminate [processes] when we need to. [The challenge is that] it’s hard to fit regenerative agriculture in a box when you’re dealing with biology and living systems. What works on our farm in Nebraska doesn’t work in Kansas and vice versa—let alone trying to find a program that works across the whole country.

What do you hope for, in the next year or so, for your farm? What do you hope for the nation?

James: For James Farms, in the next five to ten years, I hope to have every acre covered with cover crops [which helps prevent soil erosion; improves soil health; controls pests, weeds, and diseases, and increases biodiversity]. I want to have every field working in a more regenerative manner. I’m excited to keep working towards that.

For the country as a whole, I hope that regenerative practices become more widely adopted. Something as simple as incorporating no-till practices and cover crops. But we can’t have the government just say ‘everybody has to start planting cover crops!’ No one likes to be told what to do.

How do we get through those defensive reactions?

James: Education will be the way that grows the fastest, and just seeing their neighbors have success with it.
In my direct neighborhood, there’s a few guys trying [regenerative]. We were the first ones trying it. I think people thought we were crazy. And then last year, our neighbor told me he did some in his own field. I’ve got two other neighbors that have asked me about it, and they planted some too.

Herren: Farms like Brian’s exist all over the country. They are doing regenerative agriculture meaningfully, with cash crops like corn and soy. The more success they have, the more regenerative practices will ripple throughout their communities. SCI can assist these farmers without the help of Washington. And if good things come out of the Farm Bill, that is great and will bolster our work, but we are moving forward anyway.

How can Green Americans show support for government policies that advance regenerative agriculture?

Davenson: Ask your elected officials what they are doing to pass a Farm Bill that listens to farmers’ needs. We need a Farm Bill to pass this year so programs can continue, and we need that bill to support regenerative and organic agriculture practice and provide assistance that farmers need, like application processes for grants and assistance. Our Soil & Climate Alliance network partner Steven Keleti at Nerds for Earth does an excellent job tracking state-level policy, so people can engage with their state legislators.

With rising global temperatures and an increasing number and frequency of extreme weather events, the toll of the climate crisis can be seen in towns and cities across the globe. As Green Americans, we have adopted our own sustainable habits to cool the planet, from installing energy-efficient appliances to prioritizing walking and biking and more, but for widespread and equitable change that helps all people, elected officials need to be working with us to support sustainable choices for our cities and towns.

Our hometown communities are special and meaningful to us—the locations of our favorite restaurants, our schools, and memories with loved ones—and it’s time to demand more from officials to steward the cities that elected them to a safe, just, and healthy future.

Improve What’s Already There

Buildings are some of the biggest culprits of the worsening climate crisis, trapping heat, and using exorbitant amounts of energy (one-third of all energy consumed by US commercial buildings goes to waste). That’s where retrofitting comes in. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has made popular retrofits like solar panels and water heaters more affordable for individuals. We must also advocate for our city officials to pursue these retrofits in our public spaces—among other solutions for cities overall.

For example, painting buildings—and especially roofs—white will reflect sunlight instead of absorbing it, helping to mitigate urban heat islands, especially in warmer climates. White roofs and buildings also help with energy costs, air pollution, and heat-related illness and mortality.

Albuquerque is one city making energy-efficiency strides. Sandra McCardell, president of Current-C Energy Systems and member of the Albuquerque Energy Council, wants her city’s journey to be a path that other cities can follow, and that citizens can demand. She’s particularly excited about the Balanced Resource Acquisition and Information Network (B.R.A.I.N.), first introduced in August 2022 and created by Saif Ismail, Division Manager for the City’s Energy & Sustainability Division.

“It was designed to integrate all utility information across all of the city’s facilities,” McCardell explains. “You can instantly find…which parts of which buildings are using the most and least energy.” In other words, B.R.A.I.N. uses data from connected devices (lights, water taps, etc.) to alert Ismail’s team immediately and identify an energy leak or other problem. Before B.R.A.I.N, diagnosing an energy problem took months or even years.

Officials estimated B.R.A.I.N. saved the city $355,000 in its first year alone and that it could transform cities across the country.

Green Is the Color of Equity

Dan Howells, Green America’s climate campaigns director, has another idea for improving cities: green roofs.

“Making the top of a roof a park or garden is proven to regulate the temperature of the building, requiring less energy to do so, and also remove pollution and CO2 from the air,” he explains. Howells notes that green roofs are particularly effective for large buildings, such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, or large commercial buildings like warehouses or big-box stores. Green roofs have been found to assist less with a building’s energy efficiency than white roofs (many large buildings may have space to install both), but at the same time provide many other benefits for cities.

For example, green spaces have been linked to myriad health benefits, from better sleep and lower blood pressure to decreases in anxiety and depression. A 2023 study in Science of the Total Environment warned, however, that green spaces alone are not enough to counteract health risks from systemic problems like housing discrimination and segregation, and Howells points out that cities need to prioritize green space for all their residents.

“To improve all citizens’ quality of life and bring justice and equity to our communities, city officials should ensure that climate improvements appear in all neighborhoods, prioritizing healthy access to green space for everyone,” Howells said, adding that green roofs can help mitigate other systemic inequality issues such lack of access to healthy, affordable food in lower-income or BIPOC communities.

“If you take a space that isn’t being used, like a high school gym roof, and you turn it into a garden, we can reduce food deserts and more people will have access to fresh food,” Howells explains. Legislation mandating city-owned buildings develop green roofs, or providing tax incentives or grants for residents to do so, are ways city officials can ensure progress for people and planet.

Less Driving, More Neighborhood Exploration

Recently, in my home-city of Los Angeles, I saw a billboard I can’t forget. It read: “In 2022, more pedestrians died on Vermont Ave. [a major street in LA] than in the state of Vermont.” The billboard was promoting Measure HLA, a ballot measure in the recent 2024 primary.

The measure says when Los Angeles initiates improvement projects (like paving) for city-owned streets, the city must make related improvements to the street’s pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure. The measure fills a gap in the city’s “Mobility Plan 35,” an initiative passed in 2015 to promote greener transportation in theory, but which lacked an implementation plan which prioritizes bike and bus lines, safety, sustainable changes, and more. Angelenos overwhelmingly voted yes on Measure HLA and it will now be implemented in the notoriously car-dense city.

Transportation accounts for 29% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the US, making it the largest contributor overall. Fewer gas and diesel vehicles on the road mean a reduction in GHG emissions and air pollution. Plus, taking time to explore a neighborhood on foot or pedals encourages us all to become better acquainted with where we live.

Even better, the League of American Bicyclists confirmed in its report “Bicycling Means Business” that local businesses benefit from investments made towards safer streets and cyclists, stating: “People who had biked and walked to [a shopping] area reported that they spent more money in the area per month than those who drove there.”

Demand More from Your City

Progress and change require several things: solutions, demand, money. Solutions are plentiful, but the cost can make them prohibitive.

Fortunately, there is federal aid available, such as the Justice40 initiative, which directs 40% of investments from federal programs like the climate-friendly IRA mentioned above into disadvantaged communities.

Launched in 2021 via executive order by the Biden administration, Justice40’s future could be at risk in the next election. McCardell secured some of the first $27 million in Justice40 grants for clean-energy improvements by state, local, and Tribal governments, announced by the Department of Energy in April.

“I was on the team that put the special application together for the city of Las Cruces,” she says, and ultimately Las Cruces received $400,000, to cover at the first phase of their clean-energy work, with the possibility of renewal. “These prizes are distributed through a platform called HeroX, and anyone can search for other prizes their city can apply to. They provide extensive support, especially for those who may not be familiar with grant applications.”

In Las Cruces, the money is going towards Plugged in for Good (PIFG) Energy Alliance and will address matters like reducing energy use, promoting clean energy systems, protecting residents during extreme heat, and retrofitting residential buildings.

McCardell is willing to help anyone who wants their own city to adopt B.R.A.I.N. or get more information on Justice40 prizes. Contact Anya Crittenton (acrittenton@greenamerica.org) for more information.

We may not have originally developed the places we live in to face a climate crisis, but solutions exist and it’s time to put pressure on local officials to make them happen.

Since Green America’s founding in 1982, as a new green-economy organization known as “Co-op America,” US voters have seen ten presidential election cycles come and go, beginning with the contest between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale in 1984.

Then, as now, the stakes were high for many of the priorities Green Americans care about.

The incumbent Republican president was doubling down on issuing leases for fossil-fuel development on federal land and had removed his predecessor’s solar panels from the White House roof. He had fired the coordinator for organic agriculture research at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and eliminated the position, drastically cutting funding for USDA’s organic research. And he had dealt a blow to the labor movement by firing 11,000 members of the air-traffic controllers union who were striking for better pay and working conditions.

When he won re-election so easily in 1984, it could have been tempting to feel hopeless and defeated.

But no single national election can stop our work together on Green America’s areas of focus—climate and energy, agriculture, labor justice, and finance. With or without national leadership that prioritizes people and the planet, Green Americans continue to take action with responsible leaders at the city and state levels, and with our own green-living choices, by patronizing green businesses, and investing responsibly. No one can stop us from voting with our dollars.

That’s why this issue of the Green American focuses on how all our work will proceed whatever the results of this year’s election cycle—and how we can hold political candidates (of any party, and at all levels of government) accountable for their positions on the issues we care about. In this issue, you will find articles that touch on all of Green America’s issue areas (as depicted in the graphic, above and at right), such as:

Clean Energy and Climate Action:

Steps cities are taking to combat the climate crisis and ways to work with local leaders on solutions

Regenerative Agriculture:

A roundtable interview on policy priorities with US farmers who are part of Green America's Soil Carbon Initiative

Labor Justice:

Updates on the alarming rise in child labor in the United States, and the emergence of a new NGO coalition (which Green America has joined) to help reverse this trend

Responsible Finance:

The latest on largely Republican-led efforts to restrict responsible investing

Protecting Voting Rights

Despite the results of that presidential election 40 years ago, we have seen massive shifts toward a more just and sustainable society since then on many green issues.

Both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama restored solar energy to the White House, and solar power is more widespread than ever before. According to the US Energy Administration, the US generated 204 billion kWh of solar power in 2022, compared to only 5 million kWh in 1984. Organic food is readily available and mainstream today (a nearly $62-billion-a-year industry in 2023 according to Supermarket News), with climate-restoring regenerative agriculture on the rise. And while union membership in the US has been in decline since the 1980s, younger workers and workers of color are driving a high-profile resurgence, with Black, Hispanic, and Asian workers accounting for 100-percent of union growth in 2023, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Gallup reports that public support for unions recently reached a 60-year high, and the vote this past April to unionize the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee signals that American electric vehicles will soon be made by union labor.

At Green America, we are encouraged by the progress made, while remaining clear-eyed about the challenges ahead. When politicians—of either party—let us down, we redouble our efforts to create a better world through economic action. Find forward-looking solutions and actions you can take in each of our priority issue areas in this magazine.

My now-wife and I booked our wedding venue in the fall of 2021. We had secured a perfect wedding date: February 3, 2023, aka 2/3/23, with the hopes for a crisp and sunny winter day in Los Angeles, California.

From the start, my wife and I wanted to prioritize sustainability at our wedding, because I knew the stats:

• The average carbon footprint of an American wedding is 56 tons
• The average wedding produces 400 pounds of waste
• There were 2.1 million weddings in the US in 2022 and 2.2 million in 2023
• Do the math with me. That’s 840 million pounds of waste and 117.6 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a single year, all because of weddings.

That couldn’t be our wedding. So, we doubled down, determined for our wedding to have as small a footprint as possible and this sustainable wedding guide shows how we did it.

Ditch the Flowers and Confetti

Though flowers are nearly synonymous with weddings, they’re not the most environmentally friendly choice.

Conventional flower arrangements pollute the planet through greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and refrigerants. In 2018 alone, the International Council on Clean Transportation found that flying imported roses into the US emitted 360,000 metric tons of CO2.

So instead of our wedding party walking down the aisle with flowers, or using flowers as decoration throughout the venue, we thrifted decor and ordered handmade, paraffin-free prayer candles with LGBTQ icons on them from a small business.

Our wedding party got to choose (and then keep!) a candle with which to walk down the aisle. The rest were positioned about the venue, eagerly awaiting new homes with our guests.

If you love florals at a wedding, don’t worry, you have options. You can harvest your own flowers from your garden or a friend’s, or find eco-friendly flower shops like New-York-based Good Old Days Florist, which prioritizes organic growing practices, US-made giftware, sustainable packaging, and other green practices. You can also donate florals to hospitals, assisted living facilities, and places of worship after.

We also wanted that celebratory moment after we said “I Do,” but rice, glitter, and confetti are difficult to clean up, potentially harmful to local wildlife, and often not biodegradable.

Our guests, instead, waved a variety of small pride flags from a small, queer-owned business. Another option is hole-punching fallen leaves or leaves from your herb garden for natural confetti.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Wanting our wedding to have the least amount of waste as possible, we began thinking about the refrain “reduce, reuse, recycle” during the planning stages—and for when the wedding was over.

As we did not use flowers to adorn the tables, we thrifted colored, kitschy, 70s-inspired tableware and encouraged our guests to take home whatever they wanted.

We made a sign and printed it on recycled paper, reading: “Clean the Table, Save the Earth—Take Home Any Decor You Like! (Yes, Including the Tablecloths)”

Yes, even the tablecloths were up for grabs! Knowing many of our guests are talented seamstresses, we dressed our tables in fabric scraps to then get a second life beyond February 3, 2023.

Speaking of clothing, we let our wedding party wear whatever they wanted within a broad 70s color palette, including outfits they already owned, to avoid yet another wedding party outfit sitting in a closet gathering dust.
Finally, our incredibly talented friend offered to make us signs for the wedding, from a welcome sign to advertising our tattoo artist and tarot reader during the reception. We thrifted old mirrors and wood signs, handed them off, and received beautiful, handmade gifts in return.

When the wedding was said and done, we ensured nothing ended up in the landfill. Our gifted signs live on, some hang in our home, the ones for our tattoo artist and tarot reader now live with them to promote their work.
Any decor pieces that went unclaimed we took home to keep in our own space, or we offered them in our local Buy Nothing group. To avoid figuring out what to do with things after the wedding or risking more waste in the landfill, you can also rent decor or outfits.

Compost the Food

Food waste is a huge problem in the United States and weddings represent a microcosm of that. According to the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, an average of 10% of all wedding food goes to waste, resulting in hundreds of pounds of food waste.

So, we decided to compost at our wedding.

We worked with the organization Compostable LA and they made it simple for us. Before our wedding began, members of Compostable LA swung by to drop off compost bins and help our catering staff learn what to compost and what not to. After the wedding, they came by again to pick up the compost, later telling us our wedding saved 77 pounds of food scraps from going to the landfill.

For our compostable dinnerware, we turned to Eco Party Time to supply our bagasse (dry, pulpy material from crushing sugarcane or sorghum) plates, utensils, napkins, and cups.

In general with our food, bartenders, and beyond, we stayed as local as possible to cut down on transportation emissions.

Consider the Venue

Living in LA, we had an abundance of venues to choose from. The one we ultimately chose not only boasted impeccable service and aesthetics, but also shared our sustainability priorities. Marvimon Productions’ SmogShoppe used to be a smog check station and now operates as a 100% solar-powered event space.

While every city won’t have an option quite like this, you can certainly prioritize venues that use renewable energy and other good practices or plant a tree and donate after your wedding.

Just because weddings are events steeped in tradition and have “always been done that way,” it doesn't mean it’s the right way for everyone. A wedding is personal, and should authentically represent who it’s celebrating.

Ensuring sustainability may require more planning, but that’s something you can discuss with a planner, if you’re not putting the details together yourself. And it’s worth the extra steps to make green weddings a new tradition.

I hope you use this guide as a starting point and let your green imagination run wild.