Every September during Climate Week, corporations rush to make new commitments to address the climate crisis. But what do these corporate commitments really mean and stand for? The statements always sound big and impressive, but only some commitments are meaningful, while others give few specifics and action steps. 

Green America is urging corporations to move fast on climate solutions in the food, finance, energy, and materials sectors.  The science it clear, we only have ten years to act.  

Which corporate announcements are truly green and which are just greenwashed?  

Here’s how Green America ranks green corporate promises: 

The nation’s largest retailer and grocer committed to zero emissions, without carbon offsets, by 2040. Getting to zero emissions is an important goal, but 2040 is a long way off, especially considering the company has been working on improving its climate practices for over a decade. Within this commitment, Walmart says it will transition to low-impact refrigerants by 2040. This commitment on refrigerants is concerning, because they are Walmart’s single largest source of direct climate emissions–equal to the emissions of powering all the households in San Francisco. 2040 is too late for a phase down of potent hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), refrigerant gasses that have 9,000 times the global warming potential of CO2. And, Walmart isn’t addressing the significant leaks from current refrigerators in its statement at all.

That’s why Green America’s Cool It campaign and our allies, after mobilizing 100,000 consumers to reach out to Walmart, will continue to push Walmart on HFC super-pollutants until the company releases a much more aggressive timeline on shifting from HFCs, agrees to use substitutions with a low global warming potential, and enacts a plan to address current leaks.  

Take action with Green America to get Walmart to act faster on HFCs.

The telecom giant announced this week that it will be going carbon neutral by 2035 and listed several actions it will take to get there. However, the plan has significant gaps.  AT&T says it will increase its purchases of clean energy but doesn’t provide a timeline or goal of getting to 100 percent wind and solar to power its networks and servers. AT&T is currently using 25 percent clean energy and has a long way to go to get to 100 percent renewables, which is by far the most powerful action the company could take on climate change.   

AT&T also states that it will invest in carbon offsets to cover sources of emissions that can’t be eliminated. This is concerning because many carbon offsets take decades to drawdown carbon and will not be sufficient to addressing the climate crisis, others never materialize at all. AT&T is also reducing vehicle emissions but is not committing to 100 percent electric vehicles. 

Join Green America in urging AT&T to get to 100 percent clean energy by 2025. 

Verizon announced a $1 million grant to We Mean Business, a “global coalition of nonprofit organizations working with the world’s most influential businesses to take action on climate change” that will help small and medium-sized businesses track their carbon footprints. Since Verizon has over $130 billion in revenues, this donation, while helpful to We Mean Business, is not significant for the company.  

Like AT&T, Verizon has committed to being carbon neutral by 2035, which also includes the use of carbon offsets. It has committed to sourcing 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2025.  However, Verizon currently is sourcing less than 10 percent of its energy from wind or solar, which is even lower than AT&T, and 50 percent renewable energy is not enough to reduce the company’s massive emissions.  The 50 percent goal is much lower than that of T-Mobile/Sprint, which will reach 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. 

Join Green America in urging Verizon to get to 100 percent clean energy by 2025. 

Amazon announced a new Climate Friendly Pledge program for Climate Week 2020, promoting 25,000 products that have earned at least one of 18 third-party eco-certifications. Overall, the products are greener than most offerings on Amazon, but represent 0.2 percent of the estimated 12 million products offered on the site. The program also does not address Amazon’s considerable climate footprint from its own operations. 

While CEO Jeff Bezos’ wealth increased by over $73 billion since the start of the pandemic, so far he has not followed through on his pledge to make $10 billion in donations to charities to address climate changes, starting this summer. Amazon’s new $2 billion sustainability venture capital fund did make its first investments in startups, including automaker Rivian, but the amounts of the investments were not disclosed.  

While Amazon announced last year that it will be carbon neutral by 2040, it admits that it does not have a plan to get there. Amazon has committed to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030, but that makes it a laggard amongst tech companies, many of which are already at 100 percent renewable power.  Amazon continues to grow rapidly and is rapidly expanding its use of aircraft for delivery, recently leasing its 80th aircraft, which are passenger planes that were decommissioned due to the fact they no longer met the fuel efficiency standards of airlines. The Increased plane traffic creates pollution in communities surrounding airports as well.  

Amazon is continuing to offer the services of its massive servers to oil and gas companies to expand exploration and drilling. 

Take action with Green America to push Amazon to go greener. 

Since Chase (the name of JPMorgan Chase’s main consumer-facing bank) is the largest bank financer of fossil fuels, Climate Week would be the ideal time for the bank to finally announce meaningful steps to decarbonize its portfolio. But Chase was silent about climate change this week, even after massive wildfires raged in the West Coast, and storms created considerable damage in the Southeast, all made worse by climate change.  Chase did make the news, for being one of the largest funders of fracking (alongside Wells Fargo) 

Chase did issue its first green bond a couple of weeks ago, raising $1 billion for clean energy, green buildings, and other sustainable projects. This is a step forward, but with nearly $3 trillion in assets, $1 billion is only a third of a percent of its total assets. Clearly, Chase has a long way to go. 

Management at JPMorgan Chase received a strong message at this year’s annual general meeting from investors, urging the bank to align with the Paris Climate Agreement goals. JPMorgan Chase probably knows that the tide is turning on climate and they will have to change. The bank needs to be mobilize now on plans to get on the right side of climate history. 

Join Green America in urging Chase to act on climate change. 

Morgan Stanley made an announcement saying that the projects it finances would equal net-zero emissions by 2050, which is a first-of-its-kind announcement among major US banks. Morgan Stanley also agreed to join Partnership for Climate Accounting Financials (PCAF), which is a major step forward but now needs a strategy to underpin how it will make measurable progress in decarbonizing its balance sheet in the next 5-10 years; 2050 is simply too late to get to net zero 

To encourage all banks to decarbonize their lending Green America’s Climate Safe Lending Network has set out a pathway for banks so they can accelerate “Taking the Carbon Out of Credit”  and is working with senior managers in banks to help develop leadership and change within institutions. 

Todd Larsen

Executive Co-Director for Consumer & Corporate Engagement.

In “The Mattress Still Matters,” three Green America certified mattress companies stand above the rest: Naturepedic, White Lotus, Lullaby Baby. Naturepedic ranks number one!

Babies are exceptionally vulnerable to chemicals in their environment as they are undergoing rapid changes in their development. Therefore, the materials in their crib, room, and on their bodies should be chosen carefully to ensure the baby’s healthy development. 

Unfortunately, many baby products on store shelves do not disclose all the materials and their effects on infants. Chemicals of concern can be found in both baby and adult mattresses. Parents should not have to worry about exposing their babies to chemicals that could increase the likelihood of health challenges like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and more. 

In a new report from Clean and Healthy New York and the Ecology Center, The Mattress Still Matters, researchers investigate baby mattresses from a number of companies on their materials and company disclosures. Since babies spend up to 17 hours a day sleeping, the components of their mattress can have an outsized effect on their development. 

The Mattress Still Matters is a follow-up report to the 2011 report, The Mattress Matters. In the newest report, researchers reviewed 227 product webpages from 37 crib mattress brands to determine the materials used. 13 mattresses were analyzed via laboratory testing to compare company disclosures with chemicals detected. The full report includes detailed analysis of potentially toxic chemicals, full laboratory results, and recommendations for parents.

Findings of The Mattress Still Matters

The report notes that there are five key chemicals to avoid in crib mattresses: PFAS, antimicrobials, vinyl, flame retardants, and heavy metals. Polyurethane foam is also a material the report recommends avoiding for the harm it does to the lungs of production workers and for its potential cancer-causing contaminants. Additionally, low VOC tests (volatile organic compounds, which can be found in adhesives, paints, and more) like GreenGuard and GreenGuard Gold does not mean a product is nontoxic.

Out of the companies tested, the report found that 65 percent of companies did not disclose full information and of that, 22 percent were missing significant information. Several of Green America’s Green Business Network members were investigated in the report—Naturepedic, White Lotus Home, and Lullaby Earth were all rated among the best for honesty in product materials and safety of those materials.

Of the mattresses that underwent lab testing, the Classic mattress from Naturepedic scored the best. All components matched Naturepedic's claims, and the mattress is composed of entirely safe materials. White Lotus Home and Lullaby Earth did not have mattresses tested by the Ecology Center’s Healthy Stuff Lab but were ranked among the best for material safety based on labeling. Many big name brands such as Serta, Sealy, and Ikea ranked poorly for company disclosure and material safety.

Unfortunately, the conflicts between what companies disclose and what unsafe materials are actually found in mattresses is troubling for families seeking healthy crib mattresses. When shopping for your baby, watch out for greenwashing claims such as “soy foam”, “infused with plant oil”, and “plant-based foam”, which can actually refer to polyurethane foam, since adding plant oils doesn’t change the other problematic chemicals potentially in the material. Other phrases, such as “nontoxic”, “eco-friendly”, and “organic” do not mean anything unless backed up with a certification logo from GOTS or GOLS—even organic cotton certified by the USDA can be processed with harmful chemicals. Therefore, families should seek companies like Naturepedic, White Lotus Home, and Lullaby Earth that have certifications and verifiably use the best materials in their products.

Additionally, parents can search our GreenPages.org for socially and environmentally responsible mattress manufacturers. It is home to brands like Naturepedic, White Lotus Home, Lullaby Earth, and many more mattress brands that have passed our rigorous certification standard for safe and healthy mattresses.

Along with helping you live green, for over 40 years, Green America has been working for safe food, a healthy climate, fair labor, responsible finance, and social justice. 

By Soyoung Ho, Thomson Reuters, September 25, 2020

Despite strong opposition from investor groups, a divided SEC on September 23, 2020, decided to finalize a rule that makes it more difficult for public company shareholders to bring proposals for vote during annual meetings.

Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as previously set, let investors put forth proposals if they own at least $2,000, or 1 percent, of a public company’s voting shares for at least one year.

Under the new threshold, a shareholder with at least $2,000 of a company’s securities must hold them for at least three years. If a shareholder holds more than $15,000, then the waiting period is two years, with $25,000 it is one year.

Rule 14a-8 was also amended to make it easier for a company to exclude a proposal from its proxy statement if it previously failed to receive support.

The levels of support a proposal must receive to be eligible for resubmission at future shareholder meetings were 3 percent, 6 percent, and 10 percent for matters previously voted on once, twice, or three or more times in the last five years, respectively. The new thresholds are 5 percent, 15 percent, and 25 percent, respectively.

For example, a proposal would need to get support from at least 5 percent of the shareholders in its first submission to be eligible for resubmission in the following three years. Proposals submitted two and three times in the previous five years would need to get 15 percent and 25 percent of the votes, to be eligible for resubmission in the following three years.

The commission said the changes take into consideration the interests of not only the shareholder who submits a proposal but also the rest of the shareholders who bear the costs associated with it.

“These amendments ensure there is an appropriate alignment of interests between shareholder-proponents and their fellow shareholders and illustrate again why retrospective review and, as appropriate, modernization of our rules is necessary,” SEC Chairman Jay Clayton said. “There have been many significant changes in communication methods and technology, as well as the methods investors, particularly retail investors, use to access our markets in the 20 years and 75 years since the initial and resubmission thresholds were last revised.”

But the SEC’s two Democratic commissioners, Allison Herren Lee and Caroline Crenshaw, voted against the revised rule as it curtails small, individual shareholders’ ability to exercise their voting rights.

“The implication of today’s rulemaking is that the wealthy are more likely to possess ideas worthy of corporate consideration,” Crenshaw said. “That is one way to reduce the burden on corporations, but I believe that that is a bad result.”

The final rule is in Release No. 34-89964, Procedural Requirements and Resubmission Thresholds under Exchange Act Rule 14a-8. It becomes effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

The amendments will apply to any proposal submitted for an annual or special meeting to be held on or after January 1, 2022. It has a transition period with respect to the ownership thresholds that will allow shareholders meeting specified conditions to rely on the $2,000 and one-year ownership threshold for proposals submitted for an annual or special meeting to be held before January 1, 2023.

The rule responds to complaints by business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable. The groups believe that the rule allowed a handful of activist investors to easily put forward “idiosyncratic” proposals that relate to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters at the expense of the rest of the shareholders. The business organizations think ESG issues have nothing to do with a company’s financial performance. But it is an extra expense that companies have to address resolutions, for example, on disclosure of the amount spent on political activities or greenhouse gas emissions.

Moreover, businesses said that the rule should be tightened so that a small group of shareholders will be restricted from submitting losing proposals repeatedly.

Investor advocates wanted current rules left intact because, among other things, they believe ESG matters are increasingly material today. They also believe small retail investors will be disenfranchised if the thresholds were raised. Most of all, they believe the current process helps to hold corporations accountable.

“Corporate CEOs are rejoicing in reaction to Trump’s SEC vote to restrict the ability of investors to file shareholder proposals,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka tweeted. “As a result, working people’s retirement plans will be disenfranchised from having a voice in corporate accountability. This will not stand!”

Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director for business, investing & policy, said the SEC may face legal and legislative backlash and investor demand for repeal.

“It’s part of an overall strategy by Corporate America to weaken corporate responsibility and undercut progress on social and environmental issues,” she said in a statement.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce welcomed the SEC’s action, calling it long overdue.

The old rules “allowed special interest activists to push narrow agendas unrelated to the success of public companies and investor return,” Tom Quaadman, executive vice president for the U.S. Chamber’s Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness, said in a statement.

In the meantime, Dave Brown, a partner with Alston & Bird LLP, said “it will be interesting to see what processes and procedures develop regarding the requirement for the shareholder making a proposal to meet with the company.”

“I suspect it will become a check the box exercise but hopefully it will result in meaningful engagement for both sides,” he said. “Given the focus, time and effort that is devoted to shareholder proposals these amendments will be a welcome update to the current system for the corporate community.”

The final rules are based on a proposal issued in November 2019 in Release No. 34-87458, Procedural Requirements and Resubmission Thresholds under Exchange Act Rule 14a-8.

WASHINGTON, D.C.//September 23, 2020//Today the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) voted to undermine the shareholder resolution process and thereby the ability of investors to pressure corporations to be accountable for their social and environmental impacts. Shareholder resolutions have been successfully filed for decades, leading to greater corporate accountability – benefitting all shareholders and stakeholders. The rule change benefits Corporate America at the expense of workers, consumers, communities, investors, and other stakeholders.

The SEC can expect the rule to face legal and legislative backlash and widespread investor and stakeholder condemnation demanding its repeal.

“This is another attack on the ability of shareholders to improve the companies in which they invest by limiting the resolutions put before corporate management – and limiting who can file resolutions. It’s part of an overall strategy by Corporate America to weaken corporate responsibility and undercut progress on social and environmental issues,” said Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director for business, investing & policy. “The rule remains unacceptable even with the elimination of the “momentum’ provision.”

Teplitz added: “Small, individual shareholders will be the most negatively impacted by the rule, including by no longer being permitted to band together to aggregate their shares to meet the required thresholds for submitting resolutions. The SEC is thereby working against its own mission to protect investors of all asset levels. And by raising the thresholds required to submit resolutions, and the number of resolutions allowed per investor representative, it’s clear the SEC wants to shield Corporate America from the resolutions that push companies to clean up their acts.”

SEC Commissioner Caroline A. Crenshaw said, “the implication of today’s rulemaking is that the wealthy are more likely to possess ideas worthy of corporate consideration. That is one way to reduce the burden on corporations, but I believe that that is a bad result.” 

The shareholder resolution process has been used successfully for decades to promote corporate transparency, accountability, and improved practices. No changes are needed to the shareholder resolution process which is strongly supported by individual and institutional investors. During the recent public comment period on the rule, an overwhelming majority condemned the proposed SEC changes. The SEC truncated the public comment period for this rule to a mere 30 days and has rushed to a vote before the November presidential election.

Shareholder resolutions address a wide array of issues affected by corporate conduct, including human rights, worker rights, the climate crisis, agricultural issues, gender and minority pay disparity at companies, corporate board diversity, CEO pay, corporate political contributions and lobbying, and more. Now more than ever, responsible investors need to be able to raise these crucial issues as they have been doing for decades. As our society deals with the scourge of racism, the COVID-19 pandemic, and our planet is imperiled by the climate crisis, any changes to the shareholder process should enhance, not weaken, the ability to urge corporations to address their impacts on people and the planet.

Green America recognizes that society and the economy are best served for the long-term when companies address their social, environmental, and corporate governance impacts. Investors, companies, the economy, and all corporate stakeholders will only be hurt by the new rule. The shareholder resolution process needs no “fixes” and should stand as is.

“This effort to ‘modernize’ the shareholder process actually is a sign of its effectiveness as it currently works,” stated Teplitz.“The SEC wants to let companies off the hook so they can ignore issues they’d prefer not to address, even to the detriment of companies’ long-term value.”

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

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

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

At Green America, all year we say it’s important to “vote with your dollars” – to use your consumer and investor power to drive economic change that promotes social justice and environmental sustainability.

It's also important to vote in the traditional sense – to participate in our democracy on Election Day, November 3rd, or have a plan to vote by mail and make sure that mail-in ballot is received and counted.

We need every strategy available to us to protect people and the planet as never before. The economic strategies we champion can either be strengthened or undercut by the actions of our elected representatives. Let’s make sure we elect people who will truly advance a green economy for all people.

If you are a citizen, please make sure to vote.

And encourage your family and friends to vote as well. Democracy only works when we all participate.

Here are several resources to help you vote in November or enable you to help others with their voter registrations:

Vote.org: register to vote, request an absentee ballot, sign-up for election reminders, urge people too young to vote to pledge to register on their 18^th birthday.

When We All Vote:  Learn how to join the movement of those texting eligible voters to register and vote.

Black Voters Matter: Learn about text banking and access their Voting Toolkit.

Rock the Vote: Focus on mobilizing young voters.

League of Women Voters Educations Fund: Sign up as a poll worker; check your registration status; register to vote; find other voter resources.

US Vote Foundation: Find election dates and deadlines; state voting requirements; and voter registration including for overseas citizens.

Election Protection: Protect voters' rights, stop voter suppression, and sign up to be an Election Protection volunteer.

Power the Polls: Find out how to staff your local polling place.

Hip Hop Caucus: Register to vote and find voting information for your state and guidelines for previously incarcerated people.

American Sustainable Business Council:  Provides election resources for business leaders – and the public – including the location of polling places, registration deadlines, and other resources.

Spread the word to family and friends and make sure they know the voting requirements where they live. Voting procedures and deadlines vary!

And if you haven’t already taken our action to protect the US Postal Service, please do so now. The election and our democracy depend on a well-funded and functioning postal system.

- Fran Teplitz, Executive Co-Director for Business, Investing & Policy

In response to over 100,000 consumers demanding progress from Walmart on refrigerants, Walmart announced that it will be transitioning to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs, and data and distribution centers by 2040.

This is an important first step and acknowledgement from Walmart that it needs to address refrigerants, but the timeline is too slow given the enormous impact refrigerants have on climate change, and Walmart is not addressing refrigerant leaks occurring in their thousands of store world wide.

Walmart currently uses hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a refrigerant that is a major contributor to climate change. This harmful, synthetic gas is the fastest increasing greenhouse gas entering our atmosphere and thousands of times more potent than CO2.  Refrigerants are the largest source of direct climate emissions from Walmart, and are equivalent to the emissions from powering all the households in San Francisco.

Green America will continue to put pressure on Walmart through our Cool It campaign until the company adopts an accelerated timeline for addressing emissions and addresses current HFC leaks from its stores.

New Announcement Waiting Until 2040 to Phase Out HFCs Leaves Walmart Way Behind Competitors – Including Aldi, Target, and Whole Foods – Who Already Have Taken Action

Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2020) – Green America and Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), along with other partners, are urging Walmart to move faster on climate-harming refrigerant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Today, the retail giant announced it would be transitioning to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs, and data and distribution centers by 2040, a deadline that is decades after its major competitors, including Aldi, Target, and Whole Foods started making the switch. Walmart also failed to offer a plan to address current leaks of HFCs from its stores in its announcement.

Walmart's announcement comes after more than 100,000 consumers recently joined Green America, Daily Kos, Greenpeace USA, Friends of the Earth, LeftNet, Progressive Network Reform and additional environmental organizations, in calling on Walmart to reduce emissions from the refrigerants used in its 11,500 stores worldwide. The massive outpouring of petitions to the largest brick and mortar retailer and grocery chain in the US were delivered directly to Walmart over the past month. 

"After mounting consumer pressure and regulatory movement, Walmart has finally announced its new intent to address refrigerants, but offers no specifics on what refrigerants it will use and includes no public goals on its current refrigerant leaks that are fueling the climate crisis." said Beth Porter, Green America’s Climate Campaigns director. “Potent HFC gases make up nearly half of Walmart’s direct emissions and the company has known this for years. It’s past time for Walmart to take action and we need to see clearer details and a more aggressive timeline.”

Green America’s Cool It campaign addresses hydrofluorocarbons, a refrigerant that is a major contributor to climate change. This harmful, synthetic gas is the fastest increasing greenhouse gas entering our atmosphere and thousands of times more potent than CO2.

“It is shocking that despite several supermarkets already adopting HFC-free cooling across America, Walmart is backtracking on its previous commitment to "ultra-low GWP[1]" refrigerants after years of failing to implement that voluntary commitment.” said Avipsa Mahapatra, Climate Campaign Lead, EIA. “Without any measurable near-term targets to transition equipment completely away from HFCs or any strategy to address refrigerant leaks and disposal, today's announcement is grossly inadequate.”

Walmart received a failing grade on the Environmental Investigation Agency’s Climate-Friendly Supermarkets scorecard because the retail giant has failed to install HFC-free refrigerants in any of its stores or join the US EPA’s Green Chill program that works with food retailers to reduce refrigerant emissions. EIA initiated conversations with Walmart around the company’s refrigerant practices in 2015.

Consumers can continue to support the campaign to get Walmart to eliminate refrigerant emissions by joining  Green America’s campaign. They can also support supermarkets that are taking action on refrigerants through EIA’s Climate Friendly Supermarket Map and “thank you” action in partnership with Green America.

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

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

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

ABOUT EIA

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

Washington, DC (September 17, 2020)—Nearly 60 businesses from across the country issued a statement today calling on the US insurance industry to stop insuring and investing in the fossil fuels driving climate change. Signatories include Ben & Jerry’s, Aspen Skiing Company, Burton Snowboards, Patagonia, Bigelow Tea, and Seventh Generation.

This marks the first time that business policyholders have publicly called on US insurers to drop coal, oil, and gas. Amid growing attention to the role of global finance in the climate crisis, US insurers like Liberty Mutual and AIG have come under increased scrutiny from the public sector, Indigenous Peoples, and NGOs for underwriting damaging oil pipelines and coal mines. The statement comes in the lead-up to New York Climate Week during a year of record-breaking natural disasters in the US.

"When you're trying to put out the fires, you don't invest in lighter fluid--but that's exactly what insurance companies investing in fossil fuels are doing. They're accelerating risk, when businesses expect them to reduce it. And financial markets increasingly recognize the contradiction," said Thomas Oppel, Executive Vice President at American Sustainable Business Council, who organized the letter with Green America and Insure Our Future.

"In recent weeks the US has faced severe heat waves, deadly wildfires, and a hurricane bearing likely ‘un-survivable’ storm surges. The climate science is crystal clear: we MUST keep fossil fuels in the ground. US insurance companies must immediately stop underwriting and investing in fossil fuels," said Kate Ogden, Advocacy and Movement Building Manager at Seventh Generation, one of the letter’s signatories.

Coal, oil, and gas infrastructure can’t operate without insurance. While many European insurers have policies reducing or ending support for fossil fuels, US companies largely continue to support them, even though they make up only a small percentage of premiums. For example, coal—the single biggest contributor to global warming—accounted for less than 1% of AIG’s 2019 premiums. The UN has warned that we have less than 10 years to transition off fossil fuels if we are to prevent climate catastrophe, and a recent report from the US government finds that climate change poses a major risk to the stability of the US financial system.

“The decision to continue to support the fossil fuel sector is in direct contradiction to the action necessary to mitigate the climate crisis and to the economy’s long term financial stability,” the statement reads, citing government projections that global warming will shrink the US economy up to 10 percent by the end of the century.

“As insurance customers, we are therefore expressing our desire for insurance coverage in the US market that isn’t tied to supporting fossil fuels and actively supports renewable energy,” it continues. The companies committed to working to align their operations with their sustainability commitments—including through their choice of insurance companies.

“While the financial sector is increasingly aware of the profound risks inherent in the climate crisis, it hasn’t taken the necessary action. Insurance companies need to halt underwriting and investing in fossil fuels and support renewable energy now,” said Fran Teplitz, director of Green America’s Green Business Network.

Dropping fossil fuels makes both environmental and economic sense

“Solving climate change is about starting things and stopping others. We need to start up a clean energy economy. Simultaneously, we need to stop pulling fossil fuels out of the ground. And the way to do that is to restrict both financing and insurance,” said Auden Schendler, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, one of the signatories. “This is not a radical argument, because fossil investments are proving to be financial and moral losers anyway." 

Renewables are increasingly cheaper than coal, and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated losses already underway in the oil and gas industry, putting a growing number of installations at risk of becoming "stranded assets" as demand drops. Fossil fuels are also losing value fast: seven of the world’s top oil firms have downgraded assets by US$87 billion this year. 

Climate change-driven disasters also threaten insurer balance sheets. In 2018, disasters like floods, wildfires, and earthquakes caused over US$160 billion in damages; US$80 billion of this was insured. Cambridge University predicts that losses will triple over the next 30 years if climate change continues unabated.

Businesses call on US insurers to join their global peers in combating climate change 

The statement applauds the 19 major insurance companies, primarily in Europe and Australia, who have limited or ended coverage for fossil fuels, primarily coal and/or tar sands. While four major US companies have policies—Chubb, Axis Capital, the Hartford, and Liberty Mutual—all continue to underwrite fossil fuels. For example, Chubb and Liberty Mutual insure the environmentally disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline over the protests of Indigenous Peoples. 

“We recognize the opportunity this presents for the US insurance industry to join their global peers. We would therefore strongly support similar or stronger efforts from US insurers to address their own underwriting and investments in fossil fuels,” the statement reads.

One of the signatories of the statement is itself an insurance company—Lemonade Insurance—which committed at its founding to never invest in fossil fuels and has called on its industry peers to join them in their efforts to address climate change.

“Back in 2018, Lemonade was the first U.S. insurer to commit to not invest in fossil fuels. Beyond its impact on climate change, to be paying for the damages of wildfires, hurricanes, and other climate disasters while simultaneously funding the very industries that are responsible for some of the worst of those damages, simply didn’t make sense to us,” said Yael Wissner Levy, Vice President of Communications at Lemonade.

“We rely on the insurance industry to help bring about a better, more reliable future for us, lessening the impacts of devastating events, not increasing the incidence of such events and all the trauma and business closures that come with them, by underwriting or investing in fossil fuels,” said Marie Venner, President of Venner Consulting and one of the signatories. “It is utterly immoral and unethical to be underwriting or investing in fossil fuels, for people now or in the future. Our lives depend on stopping this.”

***

The American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) is the leading business organization serving the public policy interests of responsible companies, their customers and other stakeholders. Founded in 2009, ASBC’s membership represents over 250,000 businesses in a wide range of industries. ASBC advocates for policy change and informs business owners, policymakers and the public about the need and opportunities for building a vibrant, broadly prosperous, sustainable economy.

Green America is a national membership organization dedicated to harnessing economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Green America’s Green Business Network includes thousands of businesses s home to both rising social and eco enterprises and the most established green businesses around. We provide the tools, the information, and the consumer base to help you thrive in today’s competitive green marketplace.

Insure Our Future in the US is a campaign comprised of environmental, consumer protection, and grassroots organizations holding the US insurance industry accountable for its role in the climate crisis. We are part of the global Insure Our Future campaign, which promotes a rapid shift of the insurance industry away from supporting and financing fossil fuels to accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy.

Across the country, mutual aid networks have rapidly developed in response to the unique challenges posed by COVID-19.

What is Mutual Aid?

Although mutual aid takes many forms, it is defined by reciprocity. People support each other based on what others need and what they can provide, unlike charity and government assistance, which are one-sided giving. In many cases, mutual aid networks—which are often maintained digitally—have grown from an offer or request for assistance, such as help buying groceries.

The ways in which mutual networks function vary greatly depending on community need. South Boston Neighborhood Aid is driven by the work of the nonprofit South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation and is focused primarily on connecting households with established community programs such as food pantries.

“What we find is that largely, the people that need help with food haven’t had this need before,” says Ami Campbell, community engagement director for the nonprofit.

The Recent Rise of Mutual Aid

Berkeley Mutual Aid Network in Berkeley, California, is a web of approximately 1,300 people which blossomed from a single post on neighborhood connection forum Nextdoor. Helen Marks, chief of operations for the network, says she has witnessed scores of people step up to help each other.

“Right now, as the social safety net is failing people, we are seeing that folks are coming together to shore up the safety net themselves,” Marks says.

Nathan Williams is the director of Town Hall Project: a nonprofit which provides a database of constituent events held by federal elected officials. Town Hall Project also put together MutualAidHub.org, a resource for and map of mutual aid networks nationwide, which Williams says is constantly growing.

Is Mutual Aid a New Phenomenon?

Mutual aid has been a practice of communities of color and Indigenous people for generations. One of the very first US organized efforts, The Free African Society (FAS), was a Philadelphia-based organization established in 1787 that provided monetary support, among other services, to recently freed African slaves in the US. FAS also played a key role in helping residents who fell sick from yellow fever in 1793.

Organizing around COVID-19, and the growing Black Lives Matter protest movement, communities of color have quickly banded together. In May, Raised Roots, a Black-owned urban farm, and Black Earth Farms, a Black and Indigenous farming collective, partnered to feed protesters in Oakland, California, shortly after George Floyd’s death.

Central Valley Mutual Aid & Collective Care Network began in California’s San Joaquin Valley in March and offers cash aid. One of the network’s guiding principles is “Solidarity, Not Charity.”

Tanisha McClain, a member of that network’s Outreach and Communications Committee, says mutual aid has always been a part of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities.

She says she was raised with the very same values.

“I grew up in a southern Black household, and it was the same principle,” she says. “It was, ‘You’re not going to come into my house and be hungry. You’re going to come into my house, and I’m going to feed you, but I’m not just going to feed your body. I’m going to feed your spirit. I’m going to feed your soul.’”

Get Involved

By entering your zip code on MutalAidHub.org, you can find networks near you. A Google or Facebook search with your city name and “mutual aid” can also help you track down networks that aren’t yet on the map.

At Green America, when we say “green,” we always mean both environmental sustainability and social justice. It especially means recognizing that systemic racism was a reality long before the Black Lives Matter era and that the climate emergency isn’t on hold because of COVID-19. History shows us that protesting has the power to pressure government and corporations into buckling to the people’s demands. In addition to taking to the streets, here are some other ways to prtest in a pandemic and stand up for liberty and justice for all. 

Join a Nonprofit  

Officially joining an organization and recruiting a friend or two is a meaningful way to directly support a cause and connect with a likeminded community. Taking action through volunteer work, supporting advocacy campaigns, and donating are all valuable contributions and ways to protest in a pandemic. Start today by signing on to one of our many campaigns.  

Contact Elected Leaders  

It’s our duty to hold elected leaders at all levels accountable to the people they serve. Organizations like the Grassroots Law Project, Color of Change, Action Network, and of course, Green America, provide calling scripts, email templates, and sample social media posts along with their petitions to leaders. Contact information for all US elected officials can be found at usa.gov/elected-officials. 

Express Yourself with Art  

Just wearing a simple t-shirt, mask, or putting up a yard or window sign can make a bold statement. Find an array of punchy protest material from Syracuse Cultural Workers {GBN}, including an “In Our 6 WAYS TO PROTEST IN A PANDEMIC America...” yard sign for $10, (also available in Spanish). Or make your own! 

Be a Resource for Protesters  

If you’re not able to physically join a demonstration, you can show protesters you have their back by donating essential supplies like masks and snacks, offering to drive, and being an emergency contact. The National Bail Fund Network keeps up-to-date lists of funds to support in each state. Be sure to confirm with the fund whether donations are still needed before you give. 

Volunteer Your Time  

Even if you only have a few hours, volunteering for a local grassroots organization can create bandwidth for those on the ground. Volunteering could be anything from writing social media posts, designing posters, providing medical care, organizing or delivering goods, or even legal counsel depending on your expertise. There are so many ways to contribute, even from home.  

Do a Social Distancing Caravan  

If marching or standing with a crowd isn’t an option, consider joining a car or bicycle caravan. You can tape signs, play music, honk horns, and make your presence felt while staying physically distant. 

WASHINGTON – Ten environmental, consumer, and pollinator protection organizations delivered signatures from 157,196 consumers to Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) today urging them to remove Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides from store shelves and online sales and to expand sales of organic and other safer alternatives. This follows a letter to the companies signed by 66 organizations with the same requests. Competitors Costco (NASDAQ: COST) and B&Q have already announced commitments to phase out glyphosate-based products. 

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the most widely used weedkiller in the world. Glyphosate is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization and has been linked to high rates of kidney disease in farming communities and to shortened pregnancy in a cohort of women in the Midwest. Animal studies and bioassays link glyphosate and its formulations to Parkinson’s, endocrine disruption, DNA damage, decreased sperm function, disruption of the gut microbiome, and fatty liver disease.

In the environment, glyphosate is a primary driver of Monarch butterfly declines and has been associated with harm to honeybees including negative impacts on larval development, cognitive abilities, colony parasite load, and gut microbiota.

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

The following organizations collaborated to collect petition signatures: Friends of the Earth, SumOfUs, Sierra Club, Center for Food Safety, Beyond Pesticides, Green America, Herbicide-Free Campus, Toxic Free North Carolina, People and Pollinators Protection Network, and the Ecology Center.

“Home and garden stores can make a significant difference in reducing the use of this toxic product,” said Kendra Klein, senior staff scientist at Friends of the Earth. “Research shows that homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops. It’s reckless to sell consumers products linked to cancer when safer organic alternatives exist. Home Depot and Lowe’s should build on their earlier commitments to phase out harmful neonicotinoid pesticides by taking decisive action on glyphosate.”  

“In the absence of adequate government protections, retailers should step up and act responsibly by ending the sale of products containing glyphosate that are known to have negative impacts on human health and the environment, including pollinators such as Monarch butterflies,” said Rebecca Spector, West Coast director at Center for Food Safety.

“Regulatory agencies have failed to protect us. Young people are taking their health into their own hands and demanding that Home Depot and Lowe’s remove glyphosate-based herbicides from the shelves. We have sufficient scientific evidence to know the adverse effects these products have on our own bodies, as well as on the environment. It is Home Depot and Lowe’s responsibility to protect the many people who still use these products and are unaware of the risks,” said Mackenzie Feldman, Executive Director at Herbicide-Free Campus. 

“The research is clear — glyphosate is harmful to people and the planet. Especially during a year when so many Americans turned to gardening during the pandemic, Home Depot and Lowe’s have a very real responsibility to keep this chemical out of our homes and communities,” said Jes Walton, Food Campaigns Director at Green America. 

“Most home gardeners don’t fully understand the potential dangers of spraying these chemicals on their lawns and in their gardens. And who knows when U.S. government officials will pass legislation banning products containing glyphosate,” said Lacey Kohlmoos, U.S. Campaign Manager at SumOfUs. “It is up to Home Depot and Lowe’s to do the right thing and take this cancer-linked poison off their shelves.”

“As leading retailers of garden pesticides, supplies, and equipment, Lowe’s and Home Depot can continue to contribute to the poisoning of people and environment, or they can help their customers take on the existential crises of pesticide-induced diseases, like cancer, climate change, and biodiversity decline through the sale of products compatible with organic land management,” said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides.

Expert contact: Kendra Klein, 415-350-5957, Kklein@foe.org
Communications contact: 
Erin Jensen, Friends of the Earth (202) 222-0722, ejensen@foe.org 
Shireen Karimi, Green America (202) 872-5337, skarimi@greenamerica.org

Latinx Heritage Month is a month-long celebration to honor the cultures and heritages of peoples of Latin American origin and descent.

Historically, the celebration only included Hispanic origin and descent, but has since adopted language inclusive to non-Spanish peoples of Latin America. Mid-September marks the beginning of Latinx Heritage Month because it is the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries; several more independence days occur through mid-October.

The Latinx demographic is the largest minority in the US and continues to grow.The peoples’ food, music, beliefs, language, and culture have shaped our country over the decades. Latinx-owned businesses contribute $700 billion to the economy each year, according the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and have grown at double the rate of all businesses across America.

The Green Business Network at Green America is proud to highlight Latinx-owned green businesses this month. We support businesses that adopt practices to protect people and the planet through goals of social and environmental justice, sustainability, and community health and development.

Here are some Green Business Network members that support Latinx Indigenous peoples or are Latinx-owned:

Minga Fair Trade Imports

Minga Fair Trade Imports is a small business out to help small businesses by promoting fair trade and intercultural communication. Minga sells all sorts of goods from artisans in Latin America.

INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS offers luxury apparel inspired by the ancient traditions of Peruvian textile design. The eco-fashion company makes organic and fair trade clothing, and pays workers a fair, living wage in safe working conditions. INDIGENOUS also reinvests in community with microloans and grants.

Mayan Hands

Mayan Hands is a fair trade organization that provides economic and educational opportunities to Mayan women, supporting them in their quest to lift their families out of extreme poverty and live within the culture they cherish.

Shamans Market

Shamans Market offers fair trade products that support Indigenous peoples. Their Latin American product offerings come from Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Central America. Shamans Market also supports Amazon rainforest preservation, medical support to Indigenous peoples and preserving Indigenous wisdom by supporting Camino Verde and Amazon Promise.

Verbio

Verbio is a multilingual communications and cross-cultural marketing company. Since 1996, Verbio has developed a full spectrum of services such as: translating written documents and technical training materials, interpreting on-site and remote conversations, plus customizing marketing campaigns, videos, and websites to target global markets in 200 languages.

Browse more certified green businesses that are Latinx-owned or support Hispanic and Latinx peoples by searching with the minority-owned filter on the National Green Pages.

Everyone can take meaningful action on the climate by growing a Climate Victory Garden. This toolkit for beginner gardeners is a jumping off point for learning the basics and starting on a path towards gardening for the planet.

(Too busy for a long article? This short video covers the same information in under 2 minutes!)

To be part of the climate solution, ask yourself these two questions anytime you’re making decisions in your garden.

Am I protecting my soils?  

Maximizing soil protection is important because this is where we’re capturing carbon—pulling the powerful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide out of the air and storing it underground where it feeds our plants and soil microbes.  

Avoiding tilling and keeping soils covered are examples of protecting the soil. 

Am I choosing climate-conscious products? 

This is all about minimizing our climate impacts beyond the boundaries of our gardens and making decisions that help reduce emissions. When possible, opt for natural and organic alternatives to store-bought and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Using sustainably harvested or repurposed materials also puts the planet first. 

For example, instead if using synthetic chemical fertilizers—and their associated pollution and emissions from production and transportation—fertilize your garden with compost that supports soil life and keeps food and other organic waste out of the landfill where they produce the potent greenhouse gas, methane.

Five easy steps for beginner gardeners - Start a Climate Victory Garden today! 

1. Set goals

Think about your dream garden. What do you see? What do you hear? Consider drawing or writing about it. Think about how much time you have to commit to your garden—be realistic and start small. If you have just a few minutes a day, consider a container. If it’s your first time ever gardening, consider a plot ten square feet or less, which requires around two to three hours per week. 

While it will take some time to achieve this dream garden, your vision and goals will guide you through the process. What does success mean to you? Maybe your top priority is growing delicious tomatoes to save money on groceries, getting your kids outside, or creating a habitat for pollinators. 

No matter what your goal, garden planning is essential for success and ensures you're making the right decisions for your Climate Victory Garden to have the greatest impact on the climate, local ecosystems, and the quality of food you grow.

2. Choose what you want to grow

First things first—grow what you love!  

Here are some additional considerations for deciding what to grow: 

• Look at your favorite recipes and grow the ingredients. 
• Plant veggies and herbs that are expensive and hard to find at your grocery store.
• Consider how much space you have and grow accordingly—herbs are great for small spaces, while squash need several square feet for each plant. 
• Be sure you’re growing plants that are suited to your climate—find your hardiness zone and match that to the zone to information on the back of your seed packet. 
• Consider perennial plants—like berry bushes—that don’t have to be replanted each season because they’re great for supporting soil heath and are less work for you. 

Choosing between seeds and transplants

Beginner gardeners will have the best luck with transplants, because they’ve been nurtured past their most vulnerable seedling stage. Transplants are also quicker to mature because they’re several weeks old by the time you get them. However, because of this, they’re also more expensive than starting from seed. When buying transplants from your local nursery or neighborhood farm, choose vibrant, pest-free plants that were grown without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.  

If you’d like to try to start some plants from seed, opt for the easy-to-grow plants like peas, beans, radishes, leafy greens, and sunflowers. This resource will guide you through the steps.. 

3. Decide where to put your garden

Before you get too excited, be sure to check your zoning laws, any HOA requirements, and—if you’re a renter—talk to your landlord about starting a garden. If you don’t know the entire history of your property, consider getting your soil tested for toxins like lead paint. If your soil is permanently damaged, you can still grow food in raised beds and/or containers. 

The easier it is to see and access your garden, the more you’ll be reminded to care for it.

Try to choose a site that’s visible from your kitchen or other room you spend a lot of time in. It’s also helpful to have a nearby water source, like a hose or spigot to fill your watering can—or if you have an automated sprinkler system you might be able to take advantage of that (be sure the water pressure isn’t so strong that it could damage your seedlings). 

If you have strict landscaping rules where you live, experiment with including beautiful edible plants in with your ornamentals. 

Think you’ve found the ideal spot?

Take some time to observe the area to make sure it gets enough sun—most crops prefer 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day. Look for other environmental factors like wind and drainage as well.  

The more ideal location you choose, the happier your plants will be and the less likely you’ll have to revert to chemicals that are bad for your local ecosystems and the climate.  

No yard? No worries! 

If you don’t have a lot (or any) outdoor growing space, it’s time to get creative. Maybe you can grow along fence lines; in the parkways between sidewalks and curbs; at family’s, friend’s, or neighbor’s house; or other open areas in your neighborhood. Or, you might be able to get a plot at a local farm or community garden.  

Have a balcony, sunny windowsill, or even just a little extra space on your countertop? You can grow a Climate Victory Garden in containers indoors or outdoors.  

• Find a big container—the bigger the better, and just about anything can be repurposed so long as you’re able to add drainage holes.  
• Choose your plants wisely—many veggies have varieties that are better suited for containers, look for those with dwarf and bush growing habits. Leafy greens and herbs are good for indoors. 
• Supplement with light if needed—if your location doesn’t get enough sunlight, look for a small, affordable, and efficient LED indoor growing light. 

4. Know when and how to plant

If you’ve purchased transplants, keep them indoors until the risk of frost has passed. When you’re ready to plant outside, help your seedlings adjust to their new home by hardening off—that is, placing them near their future planting site for a few hours each day and increasing the time gradually until they’ve spent a night outdoors in their pot.  

When planting, first water the ground thoroughly. Dig a hole twice as large as the pot, take the plant out of the pot and place in the ground, and lightly pack the soil around the roots. Water thoroughly again and maintain a consistent watering schedule to avoid shocking the plant. 

Planting from seed is more difficult, as they need regular watering and close attention. Look for seeds that can be direct seeded right in the dirt of your garden bed or container. This information is on the back of the seed packet, along with seed depth, row spacing, and dates to plant. 

No matter what you plant, make sure you incorporate pathways into your layout and beds that you can reach the middle of for weeding and harvesting.  

5. Protect soils 

Soils are rich with life that supports nutritious crops and carbon capture. There are many ways to protect and build soil health, and these are a lifelong part of the gardening process.  

• Avoid chemicals that reduce biodiversity 
• Add compost to support soil life 
• Mulch to protect soils from the elements 
• Allow weeds to cover uncultivated soils 
• Minimize digging to reduce disturbance of fungi and earthworms 
• Keep old plants in the ground over the winter for pollinator habitat and to anchor soils 
• When removing old plants to plant more, cut at the soil level, leaving the root underground 

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned gardener, it’s all one big experiment. There will be ups and downs. 

Looking for more information about how to do any of the above steps? Check out these resources. 

This year has been a tough one for teachers and the many students and parents navigating the education system during the pandemic. Josh Mcguire, a program manager at the school gardening nonprofit Big Green, is familiar with this on both a personal and professional level—starting this fall semester with two young children at home and supporting the many schools he works with at varying levels of virtual and in-person learning. 

“This is a time to let our creative streak really shine and innovate right now,” he says. 

No matter whether you’re a teacher or parent or where you’re working with your students this semester—consider bringing a little creativity to your curriculum with gardening. It’s shown to stimulate hands-on learning, tune motor skills, and support stress release. It increases preference and knowledge of healthy foods and ultimately creates connections between kids and the natural world. 

Josh sees a lot of anecdotal proof of this in the communities he works with, “When the student takes a tomato off the vine or eats lettuce right out of the garden for the first time—this creates brand new neural connections, from nature to mouth to stomach, and that’s magic.”

And, Big Green has the data to back it up, with 91 percent of teachers and principals reporting that students who participate in Big Green Learning Gardens are more likely to eat their veggies.

But gardening can go so much farther than food literacy. You can use the garden to teach science, language arts, and even math and sciences. Climate Victory Gardening digs into topics like photosynthesis, ecology, and atmospheric sciences. (Fun fact: Big Green has over 550 Climate Victory Gardens across the country, capturing 53 tons of carbon over the next 10 years). 

“What’s really nice about gardening is that you can do it anywhere and just about any time—if you have a window, you can garden, and it’s so accessible for kids,” Josh reminds us. “Caring for a plant is a great introduction to your student’s first responsibility and taking care of something. Give them a little windowsill plant or have them grow a seed from scratch.” 

Activities to get Your Kids Excited about Gardening 

Looking for safe outdoor activities for students? Homeschooling or attending classes virtually this semester? Or just looking for activities to get your kids off their screens? As a garden educator, Josh has some tips for parents and teachers.

Experiment with Root Viewing Cups

Fill a clear cup with soil and plant a seed right along its side. Place the cup in a sunny window, water every day, and watch the root develop and grow into something you can eat. Peas are great for this activity because they’re fast growing, with large seeds and roots. You can eat pea shoots when they’re just a few inches tall. This is a great activity for all ages—Josh does this with his four-year-old.

Grow Easter Egg Radishes

When gardening with kids, choose plants that are quick and easy to grow. Think there’s no way your child will eat a radish? Josh says the magic of gardening is that kids will almost always try what they grew. He loves watching parents’ and teachers’ surprise at their child enjoying fresh produce straight from the garden. You can grow radishes indoors or outdoors in many places right now because they’re cold tolerant. Easter egg radishes are different colors, which adds an element of fun when picking them. Have your child pick, wash, and do a taste test. 

Plant the Pantry … or a Salad

Look for seeds on your spice rack. Poppy seeds, flax seeds, and coriander seeds might germinate, depending on how old they are—over plant to ensure success. Interested in planting a salad instead? Depending on where you live, it might not be too late to plant spinach, kale, and lettuces, all of which are easy to grow; it’s as simple as sprinkling the seeds on the soil, scratching them in, and watering.

No matter what you choose to plant, Josh says: start small and choose quick growers and hardy varietals—which just means plants that are tougher in the face of temperature fluctuations. And, be sure to create a schedule around watering. “Water is the make or break,” he says. “Be consistent and don’t over water. Moderation is everything. Watering is an opportunity for students to check in on their garden.”

Looking for more tips for kids? Check out Big Green At Home’s newsletter and online open-source curriculum for more great gardening content for students K through 12. 

Gardening with students? Add your garden to the Climate Victory Gardens map and learn more about gardening as a climate solution.

Manufacturer of plant-based bamboo toothbrushes. USDA Certified 100% Biobased bristles. FSC® certified bamboo.

The presidential election is just around the corner. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans may opt to vote by mail. In a move to undercut our democracy, President Trump announced that his administration is deliberately withholding funding from the US Postal Service and is removing mailboxes and vital mail processing equipment to make it harder to vote by mail.

And, Senate Republicans are failing to act on legislation passed in the House of Representatives to provide $25 million for the USPS, while continuing to block the HEROES act, which would also provide $3.6 billion to states to implement mail-in voting and expanded early voting.

At the same time, voter suppression tactics, which impact Black, brown, and young voters the most, are surging across the country.

We all have an enormous stake in a full and fair vote in November. 

Here are 5 actions to take to ensure your vote is counted:

1. Vote early and encourage everyone you know to do so as well.

Make sure you are registered to vote and your registration information is up to date. 

If you want to vote by mail, Vote.org will help you determine the rules in your state. If you are voting by mail, make sure to carefully follow the rules on the ballot and envelope; otherwise your vote may not be counted. Some envelopes may say extra postage is necessary. In that case, add your own stamps.

With slowdowns at the post office, and depending on your state, it might be best to drop off your ballot at a ballot drop box in advance of election day.

Many states will have extended early in-person voting as well, where you vote while avoiding crowds. 

Check your state’s voting rules now. They may have changed since the primary, and make sure to follow them. Voting early can ensure that your vote is counted!

2. Ensure states and the Postal Service are funded to ensure voting by mail is possible.

Call your US Senators (you can reach them through the US Capitol switchboard:  202-224-3121) and tell them to pass the Delivering for Democracy Act to provide $25 billion to the Post Office and restore service to where it was on January 1, 2020.  This bill was passed in the House with bipartisan support.

And, you can tell your senators to also pass the HEROES act with funding for states and the US Postal Service. The HEROES Act, which passed in the House in May, includes $3.6 billion in funds to state and local governments to ensure their election systems are safe during the pandemic.  These funds are essential to ensure a fair election, the cornerstone of our democracy. 

Tell your senators that there is no excuse to withhold these funds and that you will be watching how they vote on these issues when you cast your vote in November.

Phone calls to Congress are working, and they are the reason that hearings regarding the USPS were held in both chambers.  So, make your calls today!

3. Urge the Board of Governors of the USPS to remove Louis DeJoy as postmaster general.  

Dejoy is undercutting the postal services’ ability to deliver ballots on time, which jeopardizes the integrity of the election.  You can take action with Green America and our allies through this Daily Kos petition.  

4. Fight voter suppression.  

The US cannot call itself a democracy when there are widespread practices designed to stop people of color from voting across the US. That’s why it is so important to take action with and financially support the work of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Fair Fight, Respect My Vote, Black Voters Matter, Common Cause, and the ACLU – all organizations at the forefront of securing voting rights for all.

5. Volunteer -- Younger election volunteers are needed.

In most elections, poll workers are often older persons, who may be retired. Since the elderly are particularly susceptible to COVID-19, and many volunteers may choose not to work the polls this year, younger poll workers are needed. If you or someone you know would like to volunteer, go to Power the Polls to sign up. If you  need some convincing, the Daily Show’s Trevor Noah makes a powerful case for young people volunteering.

Fair Tribe is your online destination for artisan made home decor, jewelry and gifts designed to create cherished memories and special moments between friends and family.

My shop offers curated home decor that adds that special touch to the important moments in your life. Shop and discover perfect home accessories and gifts that add extra meaning to those celebratory moments in your life.

I believe in conscious consumerism and believe you should feel good about what you buy. Everything you find in our shop is artisan produced and sourced from Fair Trade certified members guaranteeing fair wages, safe working conditions and sustainable materials. Know that you can trust we are fairly supporting artisans and the putting environment sustainability first with everything I sell.

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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 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 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 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.

by Emma Loewe, mindybodygreen, August 19, 2020

Most of us are up to speed on the dangers of carbon dioxide, but we may not be as well-versed on another greenhouse gas that has the potential to trap hundreds of times more heat in the environment: hydrofluorocarbons. Hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, often fuel cooling systems like refrigerators and air conditioners and are powerful agents of global warming when they leak out into the atmosphere.

According to a new report by the U.N., replacing HFCs with more climate-friendly cooling alternatives could save the world up to 460 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (the equivalent of eight years of global emissions at 2018 levels) and reduce global warming by as much as 0.4°C by 2100.

If HFCs are such an important piece of the climate puzzle, why don't we hear more about them?

Beth Porter, the climate campaign's director for environmental nonprofit Green America, suspects it has to do with the fact that HFC leakage is largely an invisible problem: "It's happening in supermarkets and in our home refrigerators, but it's kind of hidden from us," Porter tells mbg. To increase visibility for the issue, Green America just released the first public-facing campaign on how the average person can "cool it for the climate" and advocate for HFC reform. Here's what to know about phasing out this super pollutant in your own home and beyond.

How to manage HFCs at home:

1. Check your fridge and AC units for a refrigerant code.

Finding out if your home fridge runs on HFCs is as simple as opening it up and looking for a sticker on the inside of the door. Once you spot it, look at the code in the "refrigerant" section.

If it reads R600 or R290, your fridge is HFC-free; go ahead and close the door, do a happy dance, and skip ahead to point 3. If you see any other codes, your fridge more than likely contains HFCs. The same labeling applies to air conditioner units, so look out for stickers on those too.

2. If your fridge and/or AC contains HFCs, monitor them for leaks.

If you have HFC systems in your home, getting rid of them right away and buying new is not the move. Porter says that the more environmentally friendly choice would be to keep them until the end of their life span but monitor them closely for leaks in the meantime.

Your fridge might be leaking if it consistently makes a hissing sound or has a sudden temperature increase. If your AC is dishing out warm air, it might have a leak too. If you suspect a leak, call a technician to patch up the problem but do a little research first to make sure they are section 608 certified.

"It's a specific section from the Clean Air Act that focuses on reducing emissions from refrigerants," Porter explains, meaning that these folks will know how to fix the problem without inadvertently sending more HFCs into the environment.

3. If your fridge and/or AC is a goner, get rid of it responsibly.

When it does come time to dispose of your HFC system, you'll want to be careful who call to help out with that too, since 90% of refrigerant emissions happen at the end of a system's life. If you live in the U.S., you can look up a certified Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) option in your area using this EPA database.

If you're buying a new model to replace the old one, here's a list of HFC-free options to look into. Bonus: They also tend to be more energy-efficient and could save you money in the long run.

How to push for broader HFC reform:

1. Ask your local supermarkets and gas stations to eliminate HFCs.

Supermarkets lose an average of 25% of their HFCs to leaks every year—a pretty staggering amount when you consider the number of cooling units they tend to have. If the world is going to make a meaningful dent in HFC emissions, these stores need to lead the way. A few large chains like Aldi, Whole Foods Market, and Target have committed to phasing out their HFCs or making new stores completely HFC-free moving forward. It's a good start, but more public dialogue on the issue can continue to inspire change.

2. Advocate for policy reform.

Sixty countries have now signed the Kigali Amendment—a global treaty to phase out HFCs. The U.S. is not one of them. In absence of federal regulation on the issue, some states are taking matters into their own hands: California, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Vermont, and Washington will prohibit HFCs beginning in 2023. Advocate for more progress if you live in the U.S. by letting your representatives know that you support the phasing out of HFCs.

While HFC regulation won't single-handedly solve the climate crisis, nixing the cooling compounds could cut a significant amount of warming.

Coming soon.

The fashion industry is the second largest polluter of water globally, produces more carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined, and harms worker health with toxic chemicals. Green America works to reduce that impact by pushing companies to clean up their act through the voices of consumers like you.

Remember, before you do any shopping, look through your closet as maybe you forgot about something you already have that meets your needs! Or ask a friend or family member to borrow something if it's for a single occasion.

1. Shop second hand

The most sustainable clothing option is to NOT buy new and opt for secondhand whenever possible. Every year, Americans generate 16 million tons of textile waste, equaling just over six percent of total municipal waste.

While already popular but exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, shopping online is a main avenue. The great news is that there are more and more options to buy 2nd hand clothing online.

• Thredup: women’s and children’s clothing.
• Swap.com: men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing.
• ShopGoodWill: men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, along with a whole host of other products.
• Poshmark: men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing.
• More and more name brand stores, like REI and Patagonia, are offering 2nd hand clothing.

Many of these companies will also buy your used clothing!

2. When ordering from a major retailer, double check any third-party vendor’s green cred

Big corporations, like Walmart, Target, and Amazon, have online marketplaces, which means other businesses can sell on their site. These other businesses are not held to the same standards that the big retailer holds their own products to – this can be a good and a bad thing, depending on the vendor.

Some vendors may have much higher standards than the retailer, but conversely, vendors may be doing less to protect people and the planet. So, be sure to do your research on the vendor before clicking buy!  If the vendor has no information about sustainability on their website, that’s a really bad sign.  If they are certified by Green America’s Green Business Network, B-Corp, or are a member of the Fair Trade Federation, that’s a positive sign.

Often times, you can order directly from the vendors listed in online marketplaces, cutting out the big retailer and making sure more money goes into the vendor’s pocket.  

3. Buying new? Look for clothing made with organic cotton

We get it – sometimes buying new seems like the best option. Traditional cotton is doused in pesticides and uses more water than organic cotton.

Bluesign, Oeko-tex 100, and GOTS are all good certifications to look for on clothing to ensure that harmful chemicals aren’t present.

Our magazine article unpacks the impact that harmful chemicals in textile manufacturing have on people and the planet. It also features our Toxic Textile Scorecard, which looks at the chemical management policies of leading US apparel brands and can be a useful tool when decided where to buy new clothes from.

4. Watch out for these bad actors

Unfortunately, apparel brands such as Walmart, Kohl's, The Children's Place, Ross, Sears, JC Penney, TJ Maxx, and Urban Outfitters used the pandemic as an excuse to cheat garment workers.

Recent research estimates garment workers have lost up to $5.8 billion in wages during the pandemic; our recent guest blog explains how COVID-19 has impacted garment workers. The Worker Rights Consortium is tracking which brands have and have not paid for cancelled orders.

5. Shop sustainable clothes from green, small businesses

Small businesses are an essential part of our economy and often lead the way in green, innovative business practices. Using your dollars to support green businesses sending signals to big corporations that consumer demand for ethical products and ethical business operations is growing.

In order to transform the clothing industry, we need brands integrating environmentally and socially responsible practices across their entire business model.

Businesses in our Green Business Network are doing just that, and Maven Women, for example, is showing how it's possible.

Our Certified Green Businesses offer a wide range of products, including clothing, and they sell sustainable clothes online.

Shop small and green for people, planet, and communities.

The biggest environmental area we are working on is the carbon footprint of our business air travel.  We participate in Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty (COTAP) and we make an annual contribution based on our carbon footprint.  COTAP's calculator indicates that the vast majority of our impact is due to air travel.  We have clients in various CA cities and until March, we would travel to our clients offices (almost weekly) to conduct site visits.  The pandemic forced us to forego air travel and site visits and it has worked out surprisingly well.  We anticipate some client visits when the pandemic is over, but we are going to think about them sparingly and strategically.  In the meantime, we will continue to run our business entirely remotely.  

Coming soon.

Contact SMB Essentials: Website 

Lotus Moon Skin Care: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Plain Jane Beauty: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

DetoxRx: Website | Facebook 

SON For Men: Website | Instagram

Lake Louise is the proud founder of Skin, Mind, Body Essentials (SMB Essentials), a beauty wellness company that encompasses several brands.

Healthy living has been a long-time passion for Louise. She has been conscious about taking care of her body since high school. Between her interest in health and beauty and research skills, Louise began the process of launching a start-up in skin care.

“It wasn’t enough for me to just use essential oils,” says Louise. “I wanted … vitamin C, amino acids, peptides, and other natural and safe ingredients that would keep the skin looking vibrant and healthy for years to come.”

In 2002, she launched SMB Essentials with the brand Lotus Moon Skin Care. The line is plant-based and uses therapeutic essential oils and active ingredients to achieve long-term skin health. Since then, she has started DetoxRx in 2006 and Plain Jane Beauty in 2011. Her most recent start-up is a men’s brand of eco-friendly grooming, called SON.

“If there is such a thing as an entrepreneurial gene, then I was born with it!” says Louise. “It has been that continued yearning to want to do things my way that has motivated me to never give up on becoming a successful business owner.”

Louise has continued to put the health of the planet and its people first in her business. While profit is important, what matters more to her is how she gets there.

“The fact that my businesses has continued to grow despite a rough economy at times is enough proof for me that I’m on the right track,” she says.

It is also evident in her recurring customers. She has customers that have continued to purchase from SMB Essential brands for over 10 years.

“That makes my heart full,” she says. “And shows me that I created something that works and that people believe in.”

Louise tells aspiring entrepreneurs that perfection isn’t the end goal. There are no shortcuts when starting, owning, and operating a business—but mistakes are only lessons.

“You have to believe in yourself,” says Louise. “Even if it seems impossible and you can’t see the end, you still need to believe.”

SMB Essentials is a certified Green Business Network member at Green America. Find more certified green businesses like SMB Essentials on GreenPages.org.

GreenPrint, a global environmental technology company, offers sustainability as a service with patent-protected programs that deliver environmental impact and bottom-line results. An Inc. 5000 company and a member of 1% Percent for the Planet, GreenPrint’s turnkey offerings help companies meet sustainability goals while increasing brand value and customer loyalty – making it easy for businesses to do well by doing good. GreenPrint, A Public Benefit Corporation, is on pace to offset over 30 million metric tons of carbon by 2025.

Our enterprise programs provide white-labeled and custom branded solutions for customers like Circle K and FLEETCOR. For CPG companies we manage the IMPACT COLLECTIVE® where member brands like Bitsys and Holistik are reducing their carbon, plastic, water, and energy footprints. We are making Fleets carbon neutral through our GreenerMiles™ program.

We are proud to be a certified business member of the GreenAmerica.org and look forward to working with you. To receive a free custom 4-page environmental assessment on your product's impact - Click here -https://greenprint.eco/impact-collective-assessment?utm_source=greename…

I use the app Give and Grow to donate 1% of every sale to a non-profit of the customer's choice. During the holidays instead of a Black Friday promotion I increased the giving % to 10%.

Here is the copy on my website explaining the program. You can also see the chosen non-profits at checkout. I try and vary them throughout the year. 

A SEASON FOR GIVING!

Instead of the Black Friday standard sales madness, today  I am very excited officially launching the Fair Tribe GIVING Initiative!

​All year round when you make a purchase from our store you can choose from 6 preselected, vetted non-profits to donate 1% of your order. 

During Black Friday weekend giving will be increased to a donation amount of 10% on every order!

 Each non-profit has been carefully chosen to represent the things that I believe are important issues to us as consumers and to the artisans. Choose from charities that provide micro-loans, medical care, food security, environmental and wildlife protections. 

When you make a purchase from our store this weekend you will not only be supporting artisans around the globe by creating demand for their goods providing fair, living wages and social improvements, you can also choose the charity of your choice from 6 pre-selected, carefully vetted non-profits to donate 10% of the purchase price. As a thank you to you, I am also offering 10% off your entire order.

Thank you for your support and happy holidays!

Tina, Founder at Fair Tribe

I make sure that I do use environmentally friendly products and follow up to date practices.

Find and connect with other Climate Victory Gardeners in your area. Grow the movement and support one another to be part of the climate solution.

with Liana Foxvog, Crisis Response Coordinator, Worker Rights Consortium

What has happened in the garment industry during COVID-19?

Store closings amidst the lockdowns caused a sharp decline in spending on apparel. In the span of a month, consumer purchases of clothes plunged 89%. Brands and retailers rushed to cancel their orders – on product that suppliers had already produced or were in the process of completing – leaving the suppliers high and dry. All told, these retroactive order cancellations amounted to an estimated $40 billion in refused payments owed to factories.

Corporate purchasers make factories front the cost of cloth, labor, and all operating expenses, and only pay the factories weeks or months after the goods have shipped. During COVID-19, many brands with shorter payment schedules pushed those back to what they are calling “the new industry norm” of waiting until 90 days after their clothing leaves the port to pay the factories. This change has added to the massive financial crisis factory owners are facing, some hit with millions of dollars in order cancellations after buying fabric and incurring labor costs.

What is the situation like for garment workers at the factories with cancelled orders?

When brands refuse to pay for goods already made, this immediately places the typical factory in a state of insolvency. Factories respond by cutting wages or firing workers. The impact of order cancellations, combined with temporary factory shutdowns driven by the pandemic, has left millions of workers without jobs and wages – in countries with minimal social safety nets. Many workers are not even able to feed their families adequately.

How is it possible for brands to cancel these orders?

Order cancellations are a function of the grossly inequitable payment terms that brands have imposed on suppliers, where brands don’t pay for goods until well after the suppliers have produced them and the suppliers have to pay all of the upfront costs. This allowed brands and retailers to renege on their financial obligations to suppliers in order to shore up their own finances and minimize inventory. This was, in some cases, a violation of contractual terms, but few suppliers are going to enforce contracts against customers whose business they need to keep.  

It’s like ordering a delivery pizza but then calling 15 minutes later, after the pizza has come out of the oven, and canceling the order. But, unlike cancelling on a single pizza, these cancellations of massive clothing orders have had very real consequences that make the difference between whether millions of workers have adequate food for their families – or not.

It has been several months since COVID-19 started impacting apparel supply chains. Are things getting better or worse for workers?

Some brands have reinstated their cancelled orders, as shown on our tracker, as a result of strong pressure from worker organizations in the exporting countries and advocacy groups in North America and Europe. This is important progress involving billions of dollars of payments. Where the restoration of orders has translated into garment workers finally receiving the wages they were owed, this means less of an economic struggle for them than three months ago. However, other brands have only partially reversed their cancellations, and some are refusing to budge at all.

Additionally, millions of workers did not receive a regular income during the temporary factory closures, incurring debt and having to significantly reduce their family’s food budget. With the decline in orders for the fall season, there has been a spike in layoffs across the industry and, due to discrimination, union members and pregnant women are disproportionately affected.

There are also cases of COVID-19 spread in garment factories and, in a number of cases, fears over whether workers were sent back to work too soon and whether new social distancing and sanitizing measures are being implemented properly.

Has the effort had any successes so far?

When the Center for Global Workers’ Rights at Penn State University first launched its findings on brands’ order cancellations in Bangladesh at the end of March, only six apparel companies had committed to pay in full for all orders in production or completed. Now, after widespread media attention and consumer engagement, 13 more have made the same commitment, recouping an estimated $22 billion in orders that had originally been cancelled. 

Take Action with Green America

You can support garment workers by signing Green America’s petition to JC Penney, Kohl’s, Ross Stores, Sears, The Children’s Place, TJ Maxx, Urban Outfitters, and Walmart, and speaking out on social media to let the companies know this is an issue that you care about as a consumer.

Take Action

Hours: Approx. 15 hours/week (Monday-Thursday)

Dates: Fall: September to November/December (with option to extend)

Reports to: Labor Campaigns Manager

Compensation: $70/week stipend, course credit possible

Location: Remote

Deadline to apply: August-15

Green America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change. Our unique approach involves working with consumers, investors, and businesses. Our workplace reflects our goal of creating a more socially just, environmentally sustainable economy and world.

This internship is within Green America’s Corporate Responsibility Division, which works to promote greater social and environmental responsibility with larger corporations. The Division works in four main issue areas, with ongoing campaigns focused on food, energy, finance, and labor.

The Labor Justice Intern will support Green America’s Labor Campaigns, which seek to educate the public about labor abuses in international and domestic supply chains, mobilize US consumer to take actions that advance workers’ rights, and provide fair labor alternatives that prioritize both the people and the planet.

The labor campaigns are centered at the intersection of social and environmental harms, working to advance holistic solutions. Intern will work closely with the Labor Campaigns Manager to promote our three active campaigns: ending child labor in cocoa; ending toxic chemical exposure in the apparel industry; and holding online retailers accountable for labor abuses domestically and abroad.

We are looking for an intern with exceptional writing skills, meticulous attention to detail and factual accuracy, and familiarity with Microsoft Office, social media platforms, and internet research.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis this internship is planned to be fully remote. Applicants must plan to work Eastern Time hours.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research and gather data on partners for outreach and promotion of the labor justice campaigns —with a focus on diversity—including social media partners, blogs, groups on social media, nonprofit organizations, alliances, and networks.
• Assist with the analysis and research of corporate policies and survey responses in regard to the cocoa and apparel industries.
• Write blogs on student’s topic of interest, to be discussed and agreed upon with the manager, at least one per semester, focused on either social or labor justice issues.
• Monitor news and current events to inform and share relevant information with the labor team and our audiences via social media.
• Collaborate with communications and editorial teams on writing labor content for publications and website as needed.
• Meet with manager weekly for check-ins to discuss progress, ensure needs are being met, etc.
• Other tasks as needed, with the potential for students to shape their experience based on their skills and areas of interest.

Qualifications:

• 1 year+ writing or editing experience
• Coursework or professional background in international labor and environmental issues
• Experience using a CMS (we use Drupal) is a plus
• Passion for a green economy and social justice
• Experience with corporate campaigns is a plus

To Apply:

Please e-mail a resume, cover letter, and 2-3 short writing samples (news-style articles or blog-style essays are particularly relevant—please avoid sending academic papers if possible) to: ctate@greenamerica.org. Please use the subject line “Fall labor justice intern application.” No phone calls, please.

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

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.

Green America Video Focuses on HFCs from Supermarket Refrigeration With Environmental Impact Equal to 9.5 Million Cars on the Road; Walmart, a Main Offender, Yet to Take Action.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 21, 2020 – There's a dirty secret at your local Walmart and other supermarkets – leaking hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used for refrigeration that are doing immense damage to the climate. Cool It For Climate, a new video from Green America, the nation’s leading green economy organization, raises new awareness to the HFC problem and highlights the alternative refrigerants that can be used now by supermarkets to cut their emissions.

Alternative refrigerants are among the top existing solutions to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The most common gases used in refrigeration are HFCs that are up to 9,000 times more powerful at trapping heat than CO2. Green America is working to change the supermarket sector because U.S. supermarkets leak roughly 45 million metric tons of greenhouse gases from refrigerants every year – the equivalent of 9.5 million cars on the road.

The Cool It campaign has already mobilized thousands of consumers to call on Walmart, the largest supermarket chain in the U.S., to improve its record on the issue.

HFCs make up nearly half of Walmart’s direct emissions, and while the company has publicly noted the importance of refrigerant management, it has yet to install even one HFC-free system in its U.S. stores. Walmart was recently given a failing grade by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) on its recent Supermarket Scorecard for its poor refrigerant practices.

“The climate impacts of refrigerants are staggering, and companies need to be held accountable for their HFC emissions that are rapidly warming the planet,” said Beth Porter, Green America’s Climate Campaigns director. “We hope this new video will inspire even more people to push huge supermarket chains to eliminate these super pollutants from stores.”

There are existing solutions that several stores, like Aldi, Lidl, Whole Foods and Target, have put into place, showing that better refrigerant management is possible. Supermarkets can commit to not using HFCs in new stores and work to phase out HFCs from their existing stores and facilities by adopting sustainable refrigerants that have zero or near-zero warming potential. Stores can monitor and repair leaks as well as commit to responsible disposal practices to prevent emissions.

The release of the Cool It video comes in the wake of a new UN report finding that coordinated international action on climate-friendly air conditioning could save trillions of dollars worldwide and avoid as much as 460 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next 40 years.

“The impacts of HFCs used in refrigeration and air conditioning aren’t usually included in corporate responsibility actions on climate – and we want that to change,” said Todd Larsen, Green America’s executive co-director. “Alternative refrigerants and better management practices are widely available that protect the climate and support energy efficiency in stores. We believe companies like Walmart should embrace these changes for the immense benefits that they provide.”

“Our assessment of the top-grossing U.S. supermarket chains last month revealed that by continuing to irresponsibly use and leak potent super pollutant HFCs, most supermarkets are failing to adequately address the climate crisis they are contributing to,” said Avipsa Mahapatra, Climate Campaign Lead, Environmental Investigation Agency. “It is a shame that they continue to make current and future generations pay the price for their complacency, when HFC-free technology is so widely available and used.”

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

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

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

ABOUT EIA

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

Following is an excerpt from the letter that Fran Teplitz, Green America’s Executive Co-director and Director of the Green Business Network, submitted to the Department of Labor (DOL) on July 21, 2020 in response to the agency calling into question the ability of retirement plans to include socially responsible investing criteria.  Investors have been integrating social, environmental, and corporate governance considerations into their investment decision-making for decades, to the benefit of investors. The DOL is accepting public comments through July 30:

Green America is a national membership organization dedicated to building a marketplace that fully takes into account the financial, social, environmental, and corporate governance factors that contribute to the well-being of our economy, workforce, communities, and the environment.

We represent 200,000 individual consumers and investors as well as 2,000 businesses and investment firms that operate on a triple bottom line, i.e., seeking positive financial returns while supporting social justice and environmental sustainability.

Green America believes that the Department of Labor’s proposed rulemaking released on June 23, 2020 to change the fiduciary standard for retirement plans governed by ERISA is fundamentally unsound and a danger to investors. The proposal represents a retreat from best practices and the fact that social, environmental, and corporate governance issues are financially material and need to be assessed for risk and opportunity.

Nationally and globally, investment professionals and their clients are increasingly integrating ESG criteria into their investment decision-making precisely to achieve the best financial outcomes over the long term. Financial planning for retirement is a long-term endeavor and with the fate of individuals, families, and communities at stake, it requires comprehensive consideration of all factors affecting risk and return. This is the basis for ESG investing, also known as socially responsible investing (SRI).

If the Department of Labor chooses to take action to update fiduciary requirements at this time, the preponderance of research points to the need for the Department of Labor to be requiring, not questioning, inclusion of ESG factors in ERISA-governed plans in order to promote the strongest returns. 

As recently as April 3, 2020, a Morningstar article validated the positive returns of ESG funds in the current volatile market: “Sustainable Funds Weather the First Quarter Better Than Conventional Funds.” Looking over a broader time horizon, a new report issued last month (June 2020), “Sustainable Investment: Exploring the Linkage between Alpha, ESG, and SDGs,” also affirms that ESG-based investments can outperform their benchmarks. The Charles Schwab website also states: “SRI is a widely accepted investment approach that may allow investors to align their investments with their values without sacrificing performance” and Schwab research has found that over the long term, SRI approaches have tended to perform very similarly to non-SRI approaches, and with similar levels of volatility.”

These are just a few of the multitudes of studies over the decades that have demonstrated the ability of ESG funds to match or outperform their conventional peers.  

Given the profound impacts of climate change, the loss of biodiversity, human rights impacts, and a myriad of supply chain issues and other concerns with market implications, it is imperative to continue to allow all financially material information to inform the investment process to ensure the appropriate due diligence.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Since 1998, Owen Wormser has been designing and building landscapes with a focus on sustainability, regeneration, and beauty. His work is rooted in perspective and expertise drawn from landscape architecture, horticulture, permaculture, organic agriculture, and ecology. He is the author of Lawns into Meadows: Growing a regenerative landscape.

Case Study: A Meadow for the Museum

I first visited the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts, with an assignment: to design a meadow right outside its doors. Author and illustrator Eric Carle was hoping to create an ecologically friendly, living memorial to Bobbie Carle, his wife and the museum’s cofounder, who had recently passed away. A landscape architect had designed the cement walkway that looped through the one-acre site, which was essentially a dry lawn dotted with aging apple trees. But aside from the path and the trees, the space looked empty. No children, and no insects, birds, or squirrels either.

As I stood in the shade of one of the more stately trees, I thought about how to turn this unappealing site into a draw for museum visitors, one that could live up to Eric Carle’s dream. I studied the one hundred-year-old orchard that already occupied that space. I observed the ground as I walked . An occasional grasshopper or cricket scrambled out of my away, but in general there was a notable lack of insect life—other than the ants. Thousands of them, their little finely grained homes rising out of the many bare spots surrounding me. If so many ants could dig into the soil, it probably wasn’t as dense as it appeared. 

At The Carle, the tired, hard-packed soil was just one of the challenges I’d have to work through. Another was to preserve as many apple trees as possible, per the museum’s request. Turning the sod would very likely damage the shallow tree roots. This meant we had to figure out how to install a meadow into the existing lawn rather than clear the site, which is the preferred way to prepare a meadow. Removing existing grass and weeds eliminates any competition for sun and space, allowing meadow seeds to establish most effectively. But it’s also possible to seed or plant into existing grass, which is what we ended up doing to create The Carle meadow. I cut the grass close to the ground and spread the seed mix I’d blended for the site’s specific environmental conditions. It took a year to see the results, but the meadow that finally grew is beautiful, and very low-maintenance.

Meadows are Better than Lawns 

Unlike a lawn, meadows require very little upkeep: no irrigation, fertilizers, regular mowing, or maintenance. They certainly don’t require herbicides and pesticides. Lawns on the other hand are a serious burden on the environment. The ‘perfect’ lawn requires significant energy and resources in the form of irrigation, mowing, pesticides, chemicals, and time. 

Mowing, and fertilization in particular, leads to large-scale pollution in the form of fossil fuel use and chemical runoff into our local and national water systems. The excess use of pesticides and herbicides on farms is infamous for producing huge algae blooms that choke off life in oceans. But homeowners use ten times more chemicals per acre than farmers. Treated lawns also emit four times more greenhouse gases than they absorb, while meadows are a carbon sink. 

As a regularly mowed monocrop, lawns also effectively become biological deserts that are mostly devoid of other life. Meadows, on the other hand, support diverse microbial and macro-invertebrate communities, ranging from pollinators like butterflies and bees to vibrant soil life and even birds and small mammals like mice.

While lawns can be useful in certain circumstances, most of the 63,000 square miles of lawn in the United States--an area about the size of Washington State, or the country’s largest irrigated “crop”--are barely, if ever, used.

Turn Your Yard into a Meadow

On any new meadow project, it’s tempting to jump ahead in the design process and start thinking about the flowers and grasses you want to plant. For me, the Carle meadow was no exception. Almost as soon as I arrived, I started picturing the colors, textures, and height of the perennial grasses and flowers I’d like to see in that field. But without first assessing and fully understanding the conditions of your site, you will, for sure, end up picking the wrong plants. 

To turn a lawn into a meadow and cultivate a habitat for birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, there are two important considerations: match your seeds to the existing conditions of the site, and make sure your meadow gets a half day of full sunlight. 

Before choosing your seeds and designing your meadow, consider these conditions: soil quality and type, moisture levels, and hardiness zone, which tells you how cold it gets in the winter. Knowing your site’s environmental conditions allows you to select species that will thrive there. I highly recommend using native meadow seeds like purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) or butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) because they’re best adapted to local conditions and ecology. You can identify what’s native by researching online at sites like gobotany.com or you can buy seeds from companies that focus solely on native seeds like Prairie Moon Nursery.

If your site is large, go with seeds. If small, opt for seedlings and get a head start on the growing process. I always go for a randomized look, which is easy from seed. I also use 30-60% grasses as well as species that grow to a similar height. 

Don’t worry about soil quality. Meadow plants grow just fine in poor soil and will actually improve the soil over time, which is a reason they’re regularly used to reclaim and restore ruined soil in abandoned mining zones.  

If you’ve cleared your site and are planning to seed your meadow, include a nurse crop of fast-growing annuals, like rye grass, to keep the weeds at bay while your perennial meadow plants become established. 

Spread your meadow seeds evenly onto your prepared site (a cleared one is preferable, but not mandatory like the Carle meadow demonstrates) at the same time as seed your nurse crop. There’s no need to rake them in or water them—though moistening them lightly can help keep them from flying away if you live in a windy area. From now on, your job is to mostly just wait for your meadow to emerge.

As your meadow establishes, it will naturally start to sequester carbon in your soil with its deep perennial roots. Studies have shown that even small meadows can be enormously effective at capturing carbon; most of the carbon dioxide drawn down by meadow plants ends up being stored in the soil.  

It can take more than a year for a seeded meadow to fill in, and two to four years to mature and become well established. After that, it requires almost no maintenance, just one annual mowing that helps to keep woody plants down. The photo at the top of this blog shows The Carle Museum meadow in late spring, two years after planting. 

Once your lawn is long gone and your meadow is swaying beautifully in the breeze, you will have successfully turned your yard from an ecological burden to a major asset. Meadows are one of nature’s ways to heal the earth.

Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dismissed a petition by the New England Ratepayers Association (NERA) to end state and local jurisdiction over net metering programs. Ending these programs would have made rooftop solar no longer viable since homeowners would receive far less money for solar power they sell to the grid. The petition received bipartisan criticism across the country.

More than 450 organizations - including Green America and 8,500 of our members, 57,000 individuals and 37 states -- submitted comments opposing the NERA petition that could have upended net metering programs nationwide that helped grow the residential solar industry to over 2 million homes.

For years, Green America and our allies have been fighting for regulations on methane leaks and pollution from oil and gas. In 2016, under the Obama administration, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) created regulations against wasting methane gas from wells and to require upgraded equipment to prevent leaks from oil and gas operators.

Under the Trump Administration, BLM rolled back these regulations to appease the oil and gas industries.

On July 16, 2020, a federal judge ruled that BLM falsely rolled back the regulations, stating BLM's action was “wholly inadequate” and that “In its haste, BLM ignored its statutory mandate under the Mineral Leasing Act, repeatedly failed to justify numerous reversals in policy positions previously taken, and failed to consider scientific findings and institutions relied upon by both prior Republican and Democratic administrations.”

This is a big victory for communities, people's health, and the climate.

Starbucks' chocolate isn't that sweet, failing to pay cocoa farmers a living income, address child labor, or protect forests.

Contact 4Elements Bath: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Charise Cowan-Leroy started 4Elements Bath on a dare.

It originally started with Cowan-Leroy’s struggle to find skin products that were suitable for her and her son. She searched for years to find products that would not worsen their skin allergies, picking out ointments, balms, and lotions from around the world. The last straw was a box of products made in the Amazon with supposedly organic ingredients—two days later, she tossed the entire box in frustration. Her skin was worse than before. 

Her husband reminded her of her years in a research lab and suggested she try and make skin products herself.

“He said, ‘I double dog dare you to make your own products and see what happens,’” retells Cowan-Leroy. “And I’m from Chicago. So, if someone lays a double dog dare on you—as long as it’s not dangerous—you totally have to do it.”

Cowan-Leroy borrowed every book from the library on soap, soap-making, and chemistry to learn how to make products that would nurture the skin. After some trial and error, she sent out an email to friends and family, and 25 signed up to try her new creations. 

“Everybody hated the products,” she says, laughing. “Which was a good thing now because their input was amazing.”

She reformulated the products and sent out a second batch. This time, the feedback was incredible.

"I started getting envelopes from my family,” Cowan-Leroy says. “I had these envelopes with hundred dollar bills that say, ‘can I have two number fives and three number fours and let me know if I owe you more.’”

Excited by the response, she and her husband incorporated, created logos, and found packaging for their new personal care business. For Cowan-Leroy, it was a dream come true.

“I had always dreamed of doing something like this, but I didn’t think I’d ever have the time; I didn’t know if there was going to be a need because there’s a lot of stuff like this already out there,” she says. “I didn’t know how I could be different.”

Eight years later, 4Elements continues to stand out among the rest with their artisan-crafted and environmentally responsible luxury skin care products. They have expanded with a successful men’s line of beard oils, balms, and shaving soap, among others. Cowan-Leroy keeps a close relationship with her customers and listens to their input on all her products.

“It’s nice to be able to meet people and talk to them—they’ll tell you what they love,” she says. “At the end of the year, we look at all the suggestions that we’ve gotten from customers to see what we want to make or what changes we need to make to existing products.”

“It’s all about the customer, for sure,” she adds. 

4Elements newest creation is their line of shampoo bars. For now, the shampoo bars are Cowan-Leroy’s favorite because they create satisfying suds without harsh chemicals and have no plastic packaging. 

4Elements is a certified Green Business Network member at Green America, meaning they have met rigorous standards for social and environmental responsibility. Shop 4Elements Bath on the Green Pages Online and find more personal care products on their website. If you are in the Chicago area, you can meet the Cowan-Leroy team in-person at a farmer’s market or browse their displays in one of several stores—see their website for updated location information.

As a rodent exclusion company we are focused on the non-toxic and non-chemical extermination of pests. We primarily focus on green methods of rodent proofing which includes UV Light sanitation and Fogger steam sanitation for residential homes.

Our company started with one product, the Reduced Emissions Program, targeting one industry, retail fuel/convenience stores with the goal of helping empower consumers to make a better choice by offering a ‘purpose drive fuel’ - where carbon emissions were offset through the retailer.  The positive attribute created brand differentiation for the retailer and the concept grew into a new business category: sustainability as a service. 

Together with our partners, our environmental impact is significant. Since 2015, our programs have offset more than 3 billion gallons of fuel by investing in more than 7.5 million of carbon credits.  The equivalent of carbon sequestered by 10 million acres of U.S. forests in one year

As a  B-corp we have a stated purpose of creating positive environmental impact through renewable energy and green offsets. In light of current events with the BLM movement, we realized we can do better in terms of creating a more positive social impact. Our Corporate Social Responsibility Committee has created three company-wide initiatives to foster relationships with minority communities and support environmental justice:

1. A donation to Campaign Zero, which is an organization working to end police violence.
2. Reaching out to Atlanta’s historically Black colleges & universities to build a pipeline of diverse candidates for positions.
3. Supporting the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice team by offering pro-bono consultation to reduce the environmental footprint of inner cities.

Stories of businesses getting creative during the pandemic haven brought us hope. Times are tough, but these resilient businesses have kept their stores open by doing what they do best—tailoring their product focus to meeting the needs of the community. We share these stories to bring you inspiration and hope that you support them and other small businesses if you are able.

Naturepedic 

For nearly two decades, Naturepedic has changed the lives of their customers through a healthier night’s sleep. Naturepedic makes mattresses from certified organic materials, free from flame retardants and polyurethane foam. Lately, they have pivoted to making face masks from their organic cotton materials.  

“The main driver for us was recognizing that most face masks are made from synthetic, and perhaps even toxic, materials and chemicals,” says Barry Cik, founder of Naturepedic. “There’s no positive value of having these chemicals directly on your face and mouth and nose. So, we just started making face masks from organic cotton fabric. Then we did some marketing, and it sold very well.”

Naturepedic has sold over 100,000 masks and has donated upwards of 5,000 masks to environmental organizations (including Green America) and hospitals.

Be Green Bath and Body

Be Green Bath and Body is an EWG certified skincare business that has seen success during the pandemic, too. The company is a family-owned and operated green business that makes safe, affordable personal care products using organic ingredients that cause no unnecessary harm to the environment.  

“Our soap sales have been way up,” says Karen Roche, founder of Be Green Bath and Body. “A lot of customers have been ordering the foaming soaps and then coming back for the 64 oz refill size.”

Be Green Bath and Body caters to those who are sensitive to scents or have chemical sensitivities. People are washing their hands more often, which can cause skin irritation when using harsh soaps, so Roche finds that the most popular soaps among consumers are the unscented options.

Green Plate Catering

Green Plate Catering began as a vegetarian brown-bag service in 1982 and has since evolved into a farm-to-table menu catered throughout the DC metro region. Founder Kit Wood emphasizes the importance of sustainability in all aspects of the business—from the kitchen to the dishware. As in-person events were canceled throughout the country, Wood rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

“I have been in business for 36 years,” says Wood. “I have no intention of losing it to this pandemic.” 

Green Plate Catering started a contract with the county to provide 133 boxed lunches for five days a week to senior citizen apartment complexes for the food insecure through the Montgomery County Food Hub. The company is also offering catering for micro backyard weddings and collaborating with the Friends Meeting House as well. 

“GPC staff are practicing all COVID-19 precautions and working in shifts,” says Wood. “I was able to hire back all my workers with this contract opportunity. We are very grateful to the county.”

Do you have a story about businesses getting creative?

Green America is continuing to publicize the creative and crucial changes that green businesses are making, including advocacy for small green businesses. If you are a business owner, please sign the American Sustainable Business Council petition to Congress to provide meaningful support to small businesses with respect to healthcare, disaster relief, and expanded unemployment benefits at greenamerica.org/savesmallbusiness.

Previously:

3 Green Businesses Getting Creative During COVID-19

4 Green Businesses Getting Creative During COVID-19

One of the biggest trends of 2019 was green, but not in the circular economy sense—hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) experienced a meteoric rise in popularity, with industry growth surging at 706 percent throughout the year.

What is Hemp-CBD?

The Farm Bill of 2018 legalized hemp and CBD at the federal level for the first time in 80 years, making it easier for farmers to enter the market and for the crop to move across state lines. There are two kinds of CBD: CBD derived from hemp, and CBD derived from the federally illegal cannabis plant. To classify as hemp, the plant must contain less than 0.3 percent THC, a chemical that induces psychological effects. Unlike THC, CBD does not dampen mental acuity. In this blog, we will focus on hemp-CBD, which is legal on the federal level. 

While the chemical is claimed to have a myriad of benefits, it is most widely known to relieve anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation, and epilepsy. The versatility of CBD has made it attractive to the food and beverage industry as well as health and beauty markets in the form of tinctures, balms, oils, and more.

A Popular Plant-Based Alternative

As a plant-based product, hemp-CBD aligns with many health and wellness brands that market vegan lifestyles. The budding industry hit the market at an opportune time since 2019 saw the plant-based alternatives hit the mainstream with Impossible Foods and Beyond Meats products sold in numerous fast-food chains. Between the growing interest in plant-based lifestyles and the consumer acceptance of hemp-CBD, the market is estimated to hit $22 billion by 2022 in the US alone, according to the Brightfold Group.

Additionally, hemp-CBD products have found a niche on social media. Over the last year, Google Trends shows that there has been a significant increase in searches for the word CBD. Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit have communities dedicated to sharing knowledge and views about CBD, where official media accounts and everyday people advertise the purported benefits of CBD products. Demographic studies also show that CBD appeals to both men and women—it is just as popular with older generations as it is with young professionals for its supposed benefits.

More Research Needed

While many entrepreneurs have jumped on the CBD train, the Food and Drug Administration states that it cannot conclude that CBD is “generally recognized as safe” since there is little research and data on the chemical’s short and long-term safety. The agency updated its stance in late 2019 to say that marketing CBD by adding it to food products or labeling it as a dietary supplement is illegal.

These remarks are a warning to be cautious. The FDA is still exploring uses for CBD, including pharmaceuticals, which may affect its standing as an over-the-counter product as research continues. So far, the only FDA-approved CBD oil is Epidiolex, which treats rare and severe forms of epilepsy.

Despite these limitations, most CBD businesses' main source of revenue is tinctures—liquid concentrates administered orally—which are not at risk under the FDA’s statement. Balms and other CBD-infused products are also okay if they do not claim to be a dietary supplement.

"It ultimately needs to be regulated so the end-user knows what they're getting," says Robert Rosania, a consultant to the hemp industry. "When I talk to people now, they're confused, mostly because of marketing."

An Opportunity for Certification

Despite the recent abundance of hemp-CBD products, some consumers report discrepancies between products—some oils would work while others wouldn’t. The market is saturated with different brands, but the industry is missing universal standards.

Today’s consumers are conscious of ingredients and check for certifications. As the hemp-CBD business booms, more people will be on the lookout for businesses that are certified by credible third-party organizations. Some hemp-CBD farms are already starting this process by passing the USDA organic certification. Other businesses are tapping into other innovative uses of hemp, such as Green Business Network member Dama Distributing, which offers hemp-made packaging.

Organizations that are interested in adding hemp-CBD to their business strategy should budget for certification. While Green America does not have a CBD certification, we do certify businesses in the hemp industry for social and environmental responsibility.

Learn more about certification and if it's right for your business.

Join the movement of Climate Victory Gardeners growing food to support their communities and the planet.