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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.

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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.

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.

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.

From how it works to learning specific practices for your own garden, these resources are for you

The COVID-19 crisis has touched every aspect of our society and laid bare the fundamental, unjust problems in many of our systems, particularly in healthcare, agriculture, and housing. The waste system is also one that has been significantly impacted by the pandemic, causing problems for communities and sustainability goals, but has gotten less attention:

• Many communities experienced temporary suspensions of curbside recycling while areas are also reporting residential waste increases up to 35 percent.
• Hundreds of waste management professionals have become ill, stressing the need for greater safeguards including hazard pay and more PPE.
• There have been spikes in demand for certain materials, like recovered fiber for tissue and paper towels, while commercial sources for recyclables have stalled with closures.

Meanwhile, the plastics industry has used the global pandemic to try to improve its image, while fighting efforts to reduce waste and improve the recycling system.

Globally, 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced every year. Demand for plastics is a growing source of greenhouse gases as it increasingly drives the world’s consumption of oil and gas. Plastic pollution has reached crisis levels, with a dump truck’s worth of plastic pouring into our oceans every minute. This threatens over 800 species of wildlife. Microplastics are rapidly filling our water, soil, and even our air. This problem devastating our environment and we’re just beginning to understand the potent affects it can have on our health.

There are many reasons why plastics have such a bad reputation and the industry has seized this time to improve its image and ramp up consumption. Industry efforts have been effective, as some companies report double-digit percentage sale increases.

The bottom line is that single-use plastics are not the solution. And the plastic industry’s arguments will lead to a decrease in recycling and reusables that will be harmful to public health nationwide.

Plastics and the Pandemic

At the start of the pandemic, the Plastics Industry Association sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services, urging it to publicly state single-use plastics as a safer choice than reusable options. Though plastics are a common material in the healthcare industry, there are still efforts in healthcare to replace harmful plastics with non-toxic alternatives and reduce unnecessary plastic waste.

But there is a lack of substantive evidence to back up claims that daily items such as single-use plastic bags and food service ware are less likely to transmit the coronavirus. The industry has commonly cited older studies that only confirm bacteria can accumulate on unwashed bags (and that washing reusable bags destroys the bacteria).

Recently, over 100 scientists from 18 countries affirmed that reusables are safe and don’t increase the chance of virus transmission. They state that single-use plastics are not inherently safer and cause additional public health concerns.

The plastics industry has also taken part in requesting $1 billion from any Congressional infrastructure support due to COVID-19. This request would provide grants for improvement in recycling collection and processing infrastructure. The US recycling system does need infrastructure improvements – for example, we have limited mills that produce recycled paper products and limited glass refineries which contributes to lower glass recovery rates. But simply focusing on infrastructure does not address the fundamental problem: plastic production.

There are global, multi-stakeholder efforts to reduce plastic pollution and improve its circularity that go well beyond infrastructure improvements. But the industry continues to push back on efforts that will achieve these goals. 

Problems with Plastic Recycling

In the 1980s, people and companies were throwing out more trash than ever, and there were concerns that landfills would reach their capacity. Plastic products faced public scrutiny and local officials were considering product-specific bans to reduce waste. The industry fought reduction efforts and instead pushed for recycling, even though it didn’t believe plastic recycling would ever work in a significant, widespread way.

Plastics have yet to achieve significant recycling rates and new plastics production is expected to triple by 2050. A recent World Wildlife Fund report found that five major brands (Coca-Cola, Keurig, Dr Pepper, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and Starbucks) collectively use 4.2 million metric tons of plastic annually. Only eight percent of this was recycled plastic (compare to aluminum cans, which average 73 percent recycled material per container).

The US recycling rate for plastics is a dismal 8 percent, propped up by plastic beverage bottles, jugs, and containers made with PET and HDPE (also known as recycling numbers #1 and #2). These items have recycling rates at around 30 percent. Other plastic resins are a large burden on the recycling system, including plastic film, cups, bowls, clamshells, and to-go containers, which do not have any significant recycling rates.

There are important climate benefits to a functional recycling system that curbs resource extraction. The use of recycled glass and certain plastics instead of brand-new materials cuts environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and energy by more than half. Using recycled paper and aluminum reduces impacts up to 85 percent. To see these benefits, we need to close the loop and use recyclables. But there are challenges to plastic recycling that other materials don’t face.

Glass and metal can be recycled infinitely without degrading quality. Paper fibers can be recycled around seven times before they become too weak and can then be composted. But plastic polymers break down in the mechanical recycling process and can only be recycled once or twice before the material is too degraded for further use. Additionally, up to one third of plastic is lost when recycling products like PET bottles.

Proposed alternatives like chemical recycling present more problems than solutions. This process uses a combination of heat, pressure, depleted oxygen, or solvents to take plastic waste back to a “like new” state. But GAIA reports that chemical recycling is energy-intensive, ineffective, and bad for the climate and communities. It releases air pollutants and more plastic waste gets turned into greenhouse gas emissions than turned back into plastic.

The Association of Mission-Based Recyclers warn against unproven and unregulated technologies like chemical recycling. These recyclers have affirmed that the point of recycling is to protect our human health and the environment, reduce our carbon footprint, strengthen regional economies, and prevent the need for more resource extraction. If a process doesn’t do this, it’s simply not recycling.

Low Demand for Recycled Plastic

According to the Association of Plastics Recyclers, the biggest issue is decades-old technology and collection infrastructure. There is certainly a need for better infrastructure to collect, sort, and process recyclables within the US, but producers have continued to churn out products that our recycling system can’t process.

Brands are flooding our waste streams with single-use plastics and complex packaging and insisting that recyclers make it work. But the plastics industry reportedly does little to nothing to increase recyclability of its products, use recycled materials, or invest in recovery infrastructure.

Many plastic products beyond bottles and jars aren’t accepted in local recycling programs, since the system was not created to process this range of plastics and there’s very low market demand for them. For decades, the market “playing field” between new and recycled materials has been inconsistent and uneven. Plastics are petroleum byproducts from the oil and gas industry. The cost of new plastic changes with the cost of oil and gas, and federal subsidies have long supported these extractive industries. Infrastructure to extract and refine the gas for plastic production has been heavily subsidized by the government.

Some of these antiquated natural resource development policies date back to the 20th century, but industry lobbying efforts have kept them intact, preventing recycled goods from being able to evenly compete with virgin materials. While other materials do have higher market value, plastics continue to drag the entire recycling system with its low value. Additionally, the harmful impacts aren’t reflected in the low cost of new plastics.

Plastics Pollute Communities

Air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and intensive resource use are the impacts not included in the full cost of plastics. This is part of why plastic products have remained cheap and plentiful. It’s past time for this to change.

Plastics pose threats to communities from extraction to disposal. Plastics mostly end up in landfills and incinerators which are disproportionately placed in Black and Latino communities, landfills and incinerators pollute the air and water. Race is the prominent factor in predicting where toxic, industrial facilities are built and operated, even more than income or other socio-economic factors. And as environmental justice leader Dr. Robert Bullard identifies, there are no laws that would prohibit a neighborhood from being saturated with these facilities, compounding historical injustices and health risks to communities where they are built.

One example of a community impacted by industry is the Taiwanese Formosa Plastics plant proposed for construction in the 5th District of Louisiana’s St. James parish, where 87 percent of the residents are Black. The air is among the most polluted in the country due to the high concentration of industrial facilities and this new project is set to be one of the largest plastic plants in the country. The permit allows it to emit 800 tons of toxic air pollutants and 13.6 million tons of greenhouse gases each year. Local residents are fighting the construction, calling for the parish council to rescind its vote approving the permits and urging Governor John Bel Edwards to intervene.

This project is among the hundreds of new plastic plants and expansions that are set to happen in the coming years. The industry clearly has no intent of slowing extraction and production of this polluting material. But a growing movement of activists and organizations are pushing back on the plastics boom and demanding real solutions.

Solving the Plastics Problem

Better infrastructure is needed to make recycling more effective for all materials. But companies must also use recycled content and drive down new resource extraction. This is how recycling can be a better piece of circularity along with reduction, reuse, and repair. We need holistic solutions that eliminate nonrecyclable, single-use plastics, grow reusable options, and close the loop with recycled content requirements.

New policy is one key mechanism to create system change. The Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act would place more accountability on producing companies, put a moratorium on new plastic production sites, restrict pollutant discharge, and require investigation into health impacts of these facilities. It would ban numerous non-recyclable plastics and require recycled materials in containers.

Businesses can take responsibility and begin to make these shifts now by redesigning products and packaging and invest in better recovery systems. Companies are setting commitments to reduce plastic use and reach reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging. But this is only the first step and we need transparency and accountability from these companies to ensure real results.

As You Sow analyzed 50 companies for corporate leadership on packaging design, reusables, recycled content, transparency, recycling support, and producer responsibility. The report gave most of these companies a D or an F. As You Sow advocates that companies should increase transparency, use recycled content, pursue plans for reusables, and invest at least one percent of their annual revenue towards the needed recovery infrastructure to manage their products.

If plastics has any intention of achieving a circular management of its products, now is the time to make aggressive changes to how it engages with policies like extended producer responsibility and systemic shifts rather than devote its efforts to using the pandemic to improve its reputation.

Take Action to Eliminate Plastic Pollution 

• Support the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act in Congress.
• Support the residents of St. James Parish, Louisiana fighting the construction of Formosa Plastics in their community by visiting StopFormosa.org.
• Use email and social media to urge companies to reduce plastic waste and use responsible packaging solutions.
• Avoid plastic when possible and try these tips to reduce waste at home.

Social and Environmental Philosophy

We care about you and we care about the earth. It's not only crucial that we connect to the Earth for its healing powers, but we must also protect it. Source Vitál takes great pride in being as environmentally friendly as we can be. Here's how:

• We only work with partners and vendors that share our philosophy on natural ingredients.
• We practice an internal recycling program for all plastic, glass, paper, etc.
• Our facility is powered by renewable energy
• We practice energy conservation through internal processes and technology
• Our product packaging comes in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles or high-density polyethylene (HDPE), also known by the recycling codes #1 and #2 respectively. These are accepted by most curb-side recycling pick-ups.
• We use Energy Star certified appliances where possible.

And we never test on animals. We are committed to creating cruelty free products and sourcing ingredients in a responsible manner. Additionally, we do not use any animal byproducts in our formulas.

We are a fee‐based, wealth management firm providing comprehensive financial life planning and investment management services to individuals and institutions.  We specialize in transcending traditional wealth management solutions by aligning our client’s investments with their unique goals and values through sustainable, responsible and impact investing.

FairTrade Caravans is a social enterprise believing in people and planet before profit. Our mission is to educate, inspire and give back by demonstrating how fair trade directly helps people in developing countries earn a sustainable living, all while supporting local communities. 

FairTrade Caravans partners with nonprofits and schools, providing an online fundraising platform where their communities can buy ethically made and sustainable products and they receive 25% of sales for their own fundraising goals.

Fair trade products are made or grown with no child labor, fair wages safe working conditions and sustainable practices.

LONDON – 2 JULY 2020 – A new report by the Climate Safe Lending (CSL) Network details the urgent and pivotal role banks around the globe can play in moving economies in time to avert the worst damage from climate change. “Taking the Carbon Out of Credit: An Integrated Approach to Removing Climate Emissions from Lending” details a strategy toolkit outlining 10 approaches that banks should adopt to accelerate their decarbonization.

The report comes as investors, activists and even industry insiders express frustration with the banking sector, its growing commitments to fossil fuels, and the failure to develop strategies for decarbonization. The CSL Network lays out how banking institutions can take more concrete and comprehensive strategies to decarbonize their lending business within the next five years to avert the imminent climate tipping point of a two-degree Celsius global temperature rise, ensure a just transition, and address climate justice.

These are the 10 elements of the CSL decarbonization “toolkit” for banks:

The report also puts forward the new notion of “Triple A” ratings for banks that “Anticipate risk,” “Add value” and “Act now” when it comes to dealing with the challenges of climate safety, sustainability and resilience.

James Vaccaro, report author and interim director, CSL Network, said: “Banks need to understand the imperative to get their climate strategies right - for the future success of their business and to make a demonstrable positive impact for their customers and the economies they serve. Turning positive impact approaches into sustainable business models will be critical as economies emerge from COVID-19 and transition towards a just, sustainable economy of the future.”   

Sandrine Dixson Declève, president, the Club of Rome, said: “The planet and humanity are facing a deep systems crisis rooted in a number of interconnected global challenges. This is the moment to show collective leadership between government, business and citizens to shift our financial and economic systems beyond a growth paradigm and towards a more equitable well-being economy that will ensure resilience to future shocks.”

Geeta Aiyer, founder and president, Boston Common Asset Management, LLC, said: “We have the capital, technology, and scientific knowledge to address climate change. Proactive leadership from financial institutions is required now to make the most of this opportunity.”

Fran Boait, executive director, Positive Money and CSL Network design team member, said: “Taking the Carbon out of Credit lays out how a banking institution can move through target setting into the practical strategies to decarbonize their lending business at a pace that is commensurate with the scale of the challenge.”

Ivan Frishberg, director of Impact Policy, Sustainability Banking at Amalgamated Bank and CSL Network design team member, said: “The banking sector can no longer sit in the world of institutional risk mitigation and think that we will avoid systemic risk. The agenda now has to be about comprehensive action and real pathways for decarbonization, and that is what the Climate Safe Lending Network has outlined.”

Tjeerd Krumpelman, global head of Advisory, Reporting & Engagement, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., and CSL Network design team member, said: “Instead of waiting for a perfect strategy for assessing climate impact, the Three Horizons Approach to Climate Safe Lending described in Taking the Carbon Out of Credit offers banks an iterative process for setting and reporting on targets for reducing climate emissions. This approach helps us to align our portfolio with the Paris Climate Agreement.”

Michael Swack, professor, Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire and CSL Network Policy Initiative advisor, said: “Managing risks is necessary for banks but not sufficient for the planet; Managing impact and innovation is necessary for the planet but needs sound strategy to become a tangible opportunity for banks. Taking the Carbon out of Credit offers a strategy toolkit outlining 10 complementary approaches that banks could adopt to accelerate their decarbonization pathways.”

The Climate Safe Lending Network consists of diverse bank stakeholders from across North America and Europe who are collaborating to align bank lending with a well below two-degree Celsius global temperature rise. The CSL Network brings together senior leaders and changemakers within banks, stakeholders and influencers (including clients, foundations, shareholders), policy experts and civil society groups, connecting with one another to collectively explore how they can play their optimum role in accelerating change. https://www.climatesafelending.org/ 

The CSL Network is part of Green America's Center for Sustainability Solutions, which brings together diverse stakeholders to solve complex systemic problems that no one company, organization or governmental agency can solve alone.  Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s most serious social and environmental problems.  http://www.GreenAmerica.org  http://www.centerforsustainabilitysolutions.org/  

MEDIA CONTACT: Alex Frank for Green America, +1 (703) 276-3264, afrank@hastingsgroup.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  A video recording of the webinar will be available shortly after the live event on the CSL Network’s website: https://www.climatesafelending.org.   

Amazon says it stands with Black communities; Amazon also says it cares about solutions to climate change and climate justice. But here’s the thing, actions speak louder than words.

Last year, Amazon’s carbon footprint increased by 15%. And despite claiming to stand with Black communities, Amazon’s energy usage and warehouses pollute Black and Brown communities disproportionally when compared to predominately white communities.

Amazon continues to disrespect warehouse workers, a quarter of which are Black. Earlier this year, when a Black warehouse worker, Chris Smalls, tried to organize around improving Amazon’s response to COVID-19, he was not only fired; Amazon’s general council called him ‘not smart or articulate’. Demeaning workers who raise concerns instead of taking worker safety seriously demonstrates what little respect Amazon executives have for the workers that make Amazon’s profits possible. 

While Amazon was trying to distract consumers with its statement on police brutality and “standing with the Black community”, it was busy firming up 29 new partnerships with police departments for the use of Ring as a tool of surveillance, which includes a police department just miles away from where George Floyd was killed. As Americans across the country were (and still are) calling to end police brutality, for an end to systemic racism, for accountability for all the Black lives unjustly lost at the hands of police officers – Amazon was working to profit off the situation.  

Additionally this week, Amazon was caught lying about the infection rates in warehouses. On a 60 Minutes interview this spring, an Amazon representative stated that the rates of COVID-19 infections in Amazon facilities are “generally just under what the actual community infection rates are”. But a leaked memo showed that this was not true, and Amazon knew it wasn’t.

This seems to be one of Amazon’s tactics: distract with positive PR all while perpetuating harmful practices.

Let’s look at Amazon’s response to climate change:

Amazon announced a $2 billion climate fund to invest in technologies addressing climate change, which follows on Bezos’ pledge of $10 billion in climate change donations. Amazon even went so far as to buy the naming rights of Seattle’s NHL stadium to name it the Climate Pledge Arena.

While investments and donations are nice, it would be nicer if Amazon’s operations weren’t designed to exploit the planet. For example, while pledging to advance technologies to address climate change, Amazon simultaneously is working with oil and gas companies to use its computing technology to find more fossil fuels.

And, Amazon has failed to make clear if its new $2 billion investment fund or Jeff Bezos’ pledge of $10 billion will address the impact of pollutants and climate change on Black and Brown communities caused by the company’s operations. Air pollution has many harmful health impacts, including increasing an individual’s risk of having a severe case of COVID-19 and was recently linked to serious pregnancy risks.

Amazon Employees for Climate Justice’s (AECJ) research has shown: “the majority of Amazon’s facilities are located in zip codes that have a higher percentage of POCs than the majority of zip codes in their metropolitan area. This indicates that when Amazon builds its logistics infrastructure in a metropolitan area, it’s likely to put them in neighborhoods where a high proportion of the community is Black, Latinx, or Indigenous. In contrast, Amazon’s corporate offices are in zip codes with smaller percentages of Black, Latinx and Indigenous residents..... Amazon’s logistics infrastructure, and its associated pollution, is concentrated in communities of color.”

Racial justice and climate justice are inextricably linked; falling short on one results in falling short on both. Amazon continues to fail the planet and workers while trying to distract us all from what it is doing. Amazon has proven to be an important source for staples for many during this pandemic, but if its operations continue as is, we’ll all suffer as Jeff Bezos rapidly expands Amazon’s reach and even explores ways to colonize space. Its time Amazon is held accountable for its actions that harm people and the planet!

Take action to hold Amazon accountable:

Sign our petition to demand that Amazon step up its efforts to respect the planet and workers. And, check our expanded list of Amazon alternatives, all of which are certified Green Businesses.

By London Gibson, The Indianapolis Star, June 28, 2020

In the midst of World War II, Americans came together to grow fruits and vegetables in their backyards, forming a network of victory gardens that at one point provided as much as 40% of the country’s vegetables. Today, thousands of Americans are turning to victory gardens again, but for a very different fight — the fight against climate change.

In Indiana and across the country, climate victory gardens are popping up as part of a movement from Green America, an environmentally-focused nonprofit.

Much like the gardens last century were meant to rally communities around a common cause, these victory gardens center on environmentally friendly food production and require gardeners to use regenerative techniques.

“It was an incredible household-level movement that just showed that people’s individual actions could really come together,” said Jes Walton, food campaigns manager for Green America. “We’re trying to make that happen again, but we’re doing it for the climate this time.”

Since Green America’s campaign for victory gardens began in 2018, at least 75 gardens have been registered in Indiana, including many in the Indianapolis area.

And as the COVID-19 pandemic has kept Hoosiers at home this spring, the number of registrations for new gardens has blossomed. Since February 1, Walton said nationwide more than 1,000 new gardens have registered — an increase of roughly 50%.

In Indiana, 55 new victory gardens were registered this spring, more than tripling the number that existed before February. Many joined as part of a collaboration with school garden organization Big Green, but others were simply individuals moved to participate.

Walton thinks more people might be gardening during the pandemic because it’s a good way to get outside while staying safe and maintaining social distancing.

“In this time when people are just kind of stuck at home … gardening is really good for your mental health and physical health and provides actually for education opportunities,” Walton said.

Although not part of a war-time effort to reduce food insecurity, the purpose of Climate victory gardens centers on growing food sustainably and capturing carbon in the soil — a more environmentally friendly practice than purchasing store-bought produce that has often traveled hundreds or thousands of miles.

Green America encourages gardeners to use regenerative methods that sequester carbon in the soil, such as using natural fertilizers, composting and not using pesticides or herbicides. Covering the soil with mulch, cover crops and strategically allowing weeds also promotes soil health.

And that’s an important aspect of gardening, as healthy soil pulls more carbon out of the air, Walton said.

“The idea is, if folks are taking care of their soils, then they’re also pulling carbon out of the air,” Walton said. “It’s kind of a win-win situation.”

Bill Ryerson has promoted soil health for years by composting his waste in his garden, which he says makes the soil nice and rich. And after about 48 years of gardening experience, Ryerson grows squash, beets, carrots, potatoes and more in his northwest Indianapolis victory garden.

Gardening can be a step toward more sustainable food production, he said, especially keeping in mind the future that climate change could bring.

“If we change the environment enough, the inhabitants of the planet will change and that may not include us ... It’s getting awfully, awfully late,” Ryerson said. “We’ve ignored it for way too long, and some of these people need to wake up and smell the ozone, I guess.”

In East Indianapolis, Julia Spangler and Mark Clayton are also motivated by the idea of producing more sustainable food. In their garden, which they just expanded this year into 500 square feet. They now grow 62 different species.

“It’s not a product of industrial agriculture,” Clayton said. “It’s not traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to get to you.”

This year, they hope to grow enough produce to have a surplus and create a community food box in their yard for neighbors to come and take what they need.

“You know where (your food) has been,” Spangler said. “You have the satisfaction of having raised it from a seed or a very small plant ... I just think it’s kind of magical.”

Victory gardens offer more than just environmentally friendly produce, Walton said. They also build community.

Much like community gardens that stock food pantries or church services, excess food grown in backyard gardens is often donated, Walton said. Green America has an online database of victory gardens, so that people can look up and reach out to other gardeners in their area.

Many community gardens might not be in full operation as people have stayed home social distancing, but Walton said she’s noticed people sharing their backyard crops and supporting each other.

“You’ll see a box with a little sign on it that says, ‘Take what you need,’” Walton said. “It can be exciting to show that there’s community momentum, and that you’re part of a bigger thing.”

David Ranalli, a victory gardener in North Indianapolis, describes his garden as more of a magical “food forest.”

Complete with fruit trees, a mushroom growing system and vegetable beds, Ranalli’s layered garden has taken on a life of its own and even has become the focus of an Instagram account and website.

Also a magician, Ranalli said he has benefited from his food forest in a myriad of ways, from seeing wildlife return to his property to coming back into touch with his relationship to plants.

“It was sort of a personal satisfaction in being able to take part in restoring these kinds of natural elements in my life,” he said. “But also, as a magician, I’m always looking for a magical thing, a magical experience.”

Victory gardens began in World War I as a way for communities to supplement produce as food was being diverted overseas to the front lines. Now, there’s an opportunity for people to think about modern food supply and how gardening could help in the fight against climate change, Walton said.

Altogether, she said, using calculations based on regenerative agriculture techniques that are being practiced in the registered gardens around the country, these gardens could absorb 92,100 tons of carbon in the next 10 years — the equivalent of taking 70,000 cars off of the road for one year.

But Walton said she believes they can do more: Green America is pushing to double the acreage of gardens currently registered by the end of the year. It’s a lot to ask, she acknowledges.

“A lot of other campaigns and programs are like, ’sign this petition,” Walton said. “And we’re literally asking someone to go outside and have a garden, which is just such different commitment and level of commitment.”

Spangler and Clayton agreed maintaining their victory garden is a time commitment, but it can bring people together to rally around a cause that’s desperate for solutions.

“The climate crisis isn’t going to be solved only through gardening or through regenerative agriculture, so I like the allusion to victory gardens because of the kind of coming together and the community aspect that is suggests,” Spangler said. “But I think it’s important to keep in mind that climate change needs a lot of different solutions.”

Ranalli said he gardens because he believes small decisions should be considered for how they can impact the next generation.

“If we want to create a better world, we have to do it through the lens of, would our kids be proud of the work we did and would they be reaping benefits that we didn’t get to have?” he said. “We can do all of that through the power of plants.”

Aspiration is a financial services firm that makes it easy to help you save while giving back to the community and the planet. With Aspiration’s fossil-fuel free Spend & Save account where deposits are not used for fossil fuel exploration or production, customers can divest their money from big banks funding the climate crisis. Save money and save the planet by earning up to 10% cash back with select mission-aligned merchants, earn interest on your Save balance, and opt-in to plant a tree with every swipe, measuring your personal impact each and every day.

Mogalixe's staff work remotely in order to minimize the company's impact on the environment by not creating a dedicated workspace.  This eliminates daily commuting and the use of additional electricity in an office space, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.  When necessary for face-to-face meetings, we use only shared offices or public spaces like restaurants.  We encourage our staff to use recycled paper for printing and to print only when necessary.  Staff are given employee discounts on Mogalixe products and are encouraged to use these products in their homes to help the environment.  We recycle all paper waste used in the business.  

Plants fall into two categories: annuals and perennials. Many of the most common garden plants are annuals, meaning they have to be replanted every year or season. They have short life cycles and mature and die (or are harvested for you to eat) within the course of a single season. Annuals include crops like peas, corn, basil, and carrots. There’s too many to list here, but the back of your seed packet will tell you whether your plant is an annual or perennial.

Perennials are plants that grow and provide harvests for multiple growing seasons. You plant them once, and depending on the crop, they can live for two years up to decades. Perennials that are commonly planted in and around gardens include berry bushes, rhubarb, rosemary, asparagus, and fruit/nut trees. Depending on where you live, some perennials—like kale—are grown as an annual crop because it’s not able to survive the winter.

While perennials can be more expensive upfront, they can save you money over the years because you don’t have to buy new seeds or seedlings each year. They also require quite a bit of attention the first year, but are quite sturdy and self-sufficient after that.

The added benefits of perennials

Perennials play an important role in the soil health of your Climate Victory Garden. Because they don’t need to be replanted each year, soil disturbance is minimized and soil organisms thrive. These healthy soils hold carbon and grow vigorous crops. The plants themselves take carbon out of the atmosphere and store it in their trunks, stems, and leaves—as well as in their deep root systems that ultimately feed the soil microbiome. Perennials have extensive root systems, with the added benefit of storing carbon deeper in the soil where it is more stable. When above-ground parts of a perennial plant are harvested, the plant sheds its deep roots (and the carbon they’re made up of) but retain enough to grow back the following season.

Beyond carbon sequestration and climate benefits, perennial plants can help increase the water holding capacity and reduce the erosion of soils; reduce time, labor, inputs; and improve habitats for invertebrates and small mammals. 

Diversity above ground encourages diversity in the soil. Growing a variety of crops—a combination of annual and perennial plants—supports healthy, carbon-sequestering soils because it encourages diverse soil communities and distributes carbon at varying depths underground. Diverse gardens are better able to resist weather extremes and are more resilient in the face of droughts, floods, and other impacts of the climate crisis. They have greater ability to withstand some pests, which reduces the need for pesticides. And, having a variety of crops also improves the diversity of diets and food security for consumers and local communities.

Don’t be afraid to ask neighbors or local gardening experts for help if you are struggling with your garden. Check out the Climate Victory Gardening map to see if there are other climate-focused gardeners in your area and let us know if you’d like to connect.

Join our Climate Victory Gardeners Facebook group so that you can connect with a community of gardeners who care about the climate. In this group, you can ask questions, share resources, and stay up to dates with gardens across the country.

For optimum success in your garden come spring, we recommend using the fall to tidy up, do a bit of strategic planting, and protect your more delicate and tender plants from the coming frost and snow.

Preparing your garden for winter can seem like a daunting task, and it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive list to make sure you don’t miss a trick and to ensure that your garden is as healthy as it can be all year round.

10 Ways to Prepare Your Garden for Winter

1. Clean up, but leave important habitat and cover soils

We know it can be tempting to clear everything from the garden before winter. We’ve long been taught to value this neatness, but we invite you to embrace a lower maintenance method that’s also better for the environment.  

Old corn stalks? Flowers past their prime? Leave these roots in the ground to cover and protect soils from erosion and low winter temperatures. 

If you don’t like how it looks, you can push plant material flat on the ground so it’s less visible but still provides the nooks and crannies for beneficial insects to wait out the cold season. If you still can’t stand the look of this, you can trim plants down to within a few inches of the soil, still leaving the roots intact. We encourage you to see the dry plant stems as a way to add a little winter beauty to your garden, especially on frosty and snowy mornings where they can showcase their dramatic shapes.

You can also use dead leaves to cover the soil around plants as mulch, which insulates the roots, provides foraging habitat for birds, and serves a safe space for other small wildlife and pollinators.  Learn more about the benefits and methods of composting leaves from our friends at Greenability.

2. Save for the future

If you’ve allowed plants to go to seed or fruit to stay on the plant, consider saving these seeds. You can preserve excess harvest by freezing, drying, or canning. Or, share with friends.

3. Reconsider your lawn 

Think back to how much time you dedicated to your lawn this year—how much maintenance it required. There are many less time-intensive alternatives to the lawn that are better for you and your family, local ecosystems, and global environmental health. Fall is a good time to replace that turf grass with a carbon-capturing, biodiverse meadow; extend your Climate Victory Garden; or try out a low-maintenance landscaping style like xeriscaping. 

4. Overwinter plants

Some plants benefit from being protected from the cold in a dry, sheltered area. If you’re growing in containers, this is easy! Bring any tender potted plants into your home or greenhouse. 

If you have sensitive plants in the ground, do some research on best ways to overwinter. Preparing your garden for winter includes insulating them where they are, trimming and repotting to bring indoors, and taking cuttings to plant in the spring.

5. Plant perennials 

Perennial plants are those that survive for many seasons and don’t need to be replanted annually. They’re an important part of Climate Victory Gardening, because of their ability to capture carbon and protect soils. 

For perennials that bloom and produce in late spring/early summer, fall is the best time to plant. Get started before the coldest weather to give them a good opportunity to get established.

6. Compost 

Fall is a great time to start composting because of the abundant compost material available this time of year, especially leaves. Pile your leaves—and your neighbors if they have extra—with alternating layers of soil and/or coffee grounds. (Not a coffee drinker? Tea leaves work too!) Water thoroughly and protect the pile from blowing away. By spring, materials will break down into nutrient rich compost.

Already a composter? Move your compost to a sunny area and insulate it with layers of straw, cardboard, or similar organic material. Even if the cold temperatures stop decomposition, continue adding food scraps and other materials, which will continue to break down from freeze-thaw cycles.

7. Regenerate soils

Add compost to soil that grew plants during the past season, especially where you planted heavy feeders like tomatoes. 

Sheet mulching with newspaper or cardboard can provide important weed control and add much needed organic matter to depleted soils. 

8. Update your garden plan 

You might have created a garden sketch or something similar to plan your garden in the spring. Did you stick to that plan? If not, we recommend updating it, as this will help you to rotate your crops the following year.

9. Take care of odd jobs you’ve been putting off

Clean, repair and replace tools. Patch up fences, sheds, pathways, and greenhouses. All this is much easier to do in the cooler weather of fall, and you will be grateful for it when it’s time to get busy in the garden again.

10. Prepare for Spring

Even in the off-peak gardening season, there’s still lots of planning to do.

Want to expand your garden or try out some new plants next year? You have all fall and winter to research new varieties, and many gardeners find great joy in seed catalogs. 

Making lists and diagrams is a great way to keep you excited about the next season while also helping you plan better. Review your garden sketches, notes, and journals to determine what plants and/or methods didn’t work, and plan accordingly for next year. Create long-term goals for your soil and re-evaluate goals for the season passed. Consider what carbon-sequestering methods you used and how to improve upon these and try new Climate Victory Gardening practices next year.

Spring always seems to come around quicker than expected. Fall and winter give you plenty of time to hone-in on what you want to do with your garden next year. So, don’t go into hibernation, take advantage of this time and prepare your garden for winter! 

By Chris Lee, a freelance writer, with writing published about cycling, green living, and ways to make a difference without fundamentally restructuring your lifestyle. Prepared in partnership with Upgardener.

Composting is something that everyone can do, even if you live in an apartment. Every compost arrangement will look different based on where you live and how much waste you have to process, but all can be good for the planet (and your garden).

Why composting is important

Composting is all about assisting in the natural decomposition of your kitchen and yard scraps to create a rich garden fertilizer. It’s good for the planet and your garden. Food and yard waste take up a quarter of municipal landfills, where they release the harmful and very strong greenhouse gas methane.

Instead, these organic materials can be turned into compost to feed soil microorganisms that boost our crop health and sequester carbon. Using compost as a fertilizer also offsets the climate impacts associated with the production and transportation of store-bought fertilizers.

Types of composters

If you live in an urban area or lack outdoor space, vermicomposting (worm composting) might be the best solution, because it can be done in a small space and even indoors in five- or ten-gallon buckets. Compost can be put on indoor plants or shared with anyone who has a yard.

If you have more outside space, multi-tiered composters and tumbling barrel composters are good low-maintenance options that are pest resistant, but they can be costly.

Piles and holding bins are also good options for those with outdoor space. An open compost pile is free, but takes a lot of strength to turn regularly by hand, requires a lot of organic material, and is the slowest to decompose. A holding bin can be made out of repurposed materials, making it an affordable option that’s more contained if you think your neighbors wouldn’t appreciate an open pile.

If you want to redirect your organic wastes but don’t want to compost yourself, chances are there’s a local or even municipal compost service that will take your food and kitchen scraps. This is often fee based. Consider reaching out to local farms and gardens to see if they want this material for their own composts.

How and what to compost

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information out there about composting. Composting is like your gardening journey: start simple and adopt more advanced techniques as you feel ready.

• Start in the spring or summer, as warm temperatures help decomposition.
• Aim for a roughly 50/50 mixture of “brown” and “green” organic waste in your compost to yield ideal results. “Green” waste is moist, organic waste like fruit and vegetable peels. “Brown” waste is dry, papery waste like dried grass clippings or twigs (make sure the yard waste wasn’t treated with chemical pesticides or fertilizers).
• Keep your compost moist, like a wrung-out sponge. Water it and add more green materials if it feels dry. Add more brown waste if it feels too wet (or smelly).
• Turn your compost to speed up the process and give the bacterial air to do their job.
• Keep a small container for food scraps in your kitchen (in the freezer if you’re worried about odors). This will eliminate trips outside to toss scraps into the compost after every meal.
• Do not compost pest waste, meat, or dairy. Also avoid weed seeds.
• Do compost unbleached coffee filters, paper, cardboard, straw, fresh or dry grass clippings, twigs, leaves, wood chips, fruit and veggie scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, and tea bags.

Raised beds are essentially extra-large planters, generally made of wood, brick, or stone.

It may be tough to disassociate gardens with raised garden beds, as this is such a common element in today’s home gardens. But, take a minute to consider whether you really need raised beds. They can be costly to build and are resources intensive, which has impacts on the planet. For many, planting directly in the ground is the easiest and cheapest option.

However, they’re a great option if you’re unsure of the health of your existing soil (as is the case in many urban areas). Because the beds are raised up from the ground, they also help prevent back strain, since you won’t have to bend down far to tend your plants. Their height may discourage some garden pests, and they have excellent drainage by design, making it tough to overwater them (but also tough to keep moist if you live in a dry area).

Although you can purchase ready-made raised beds, making your own can save money—and help ensure that all of the materials are as good for the planet as your garden. There are a number of things to consider when building raised beds such as depth, width, and materials.

Size

Length and width are important elements of designing any garden bed (raised or not), which are covered here.

Depth is a new variable if you’re planting in raised beds. No matter what you’re growing, beds should be an absolute minimum of six to twelve inches deep. This minimum is most appropriate for plants with small root systems like lettuce and other greens. If you want to grow root vegetables, like carrots or beets, consider the final size of these vegetables and ensure your bed is at least this deep, plus a few inches extra. For larger plants—like tomatoes—and more substantially rooted perennial plants, consider providing the same amount of root space as the plant takes up above ground.

Materials

Avoid pressure treated woods. There are a number of chemicals and fungicides used in pressure treated wood—these types of wood are actually prohibited under the organic certification, which means you probably don’t want to use it for the food you are growing at home either! 

Some woods are naturally rot-resistant, which make them the most natural option for building a garden bed frame. Cedar, black locust, and redwood are examples of this, with lifespans up to 15 years once exposed to the elements in your garden. Do your research on the wood’s source and choose sustainable options when possible.

There are many recipes for creating natural wood sealants using beeswax, jojoba oil, linseed oil, and others. Here are some examples. You might also consider other long-lasting materials, like pavers.

You’ll also need to fill the beds with soil. Contact your local garden stores and even local farm and compost operations to find the option that fits your budget and your goals of being part of the climate solution. Soil is often the most expensive material in creating raised beds. Choose organic and local options where possible. If you can’t find local soils, consider mixing whatever option you do have with locally made compost, in a ratio of 1:1. The local compost has rich microorganisms adapted to your area that will thrive to support healthy crop growth and carbon capture in your soil.

Potting soil can also work well for elevated raised beds.

Building garden beds

Every garden bed will be uniquely suited to each gardener’s needs. Those with back issues, will want taller beds. Those worried about gophers will fasten chicken wire to the bottom before adding soil. Some beds will be built right on top of existing soil to extend the root area and welcome native soil microbes into the bed, while others will place beds on impermeable surfaces or need to create barriers to ensure roots don’t come in contact with toxic soils underneath. Still others will incorporate crop covers or insulation for pests and challenging climates. YouTube is full of amazing tutorials for all needs.

If you don’t have access to outdoor space, you can still grow good food indoors. You can find creative solutions for growing just about anything indoors, but some plants especially thrive indoors. Follow the guidelines on growing food in containers, with these additional considerations for growing indoors:

Location

Choose a location that’s easy to access, but also out of the way enough that the containers aren’t in the way or easily knocked over. Windowsills and large countertops are great options, especially if they get at least four to six hours of direct sunlight each day.

If natural sunshine is in short supply, consider purchasing a small indoor grow light. Many local garden stores and online vendors have starter options as inexpensive as $20. With a grow light, you open up a lot of possibilities for location. Because plants also like warmth, which they would naturally get from the sun, some folks keep their plants on top of the fridge (which gives off a bit of warmth and warm air rises). Keep plants away from air conditioning units and strong fans and choose a location with generally consistent temperature and humidity.

Microgreens and baby greens

Microgreens are packed full of nutrients, only take around 10 days to grow, and take up a tiny amount of space. Choose from fast growing radish greens, spicy water cress, or substantial sunflower greens.

Each plant will have different growing requirements (check your seed packet), but many require seed soaking before planting in soil. You can grow them densely in repurposed fast food containers, yogurt cups, or any other vessel that you can add drainage holes to (or there’s lots of trendy kits online). Keep a pair of scissors handy to trim microgreens onto a salad, sandwich, smoothie, or just about any meal.

Baby greens are essentially micro greens that have been given more time (around 2 weeks) and space (space around an inch apart).

Sprouts

Sprouts are younger than microgreens—they’re seeds in early germination and growth. This means they’re ready to eat even faster, as soon as three days after you start them.

Choose a sprouting seed like alfalfa (to make the classic sprouts you see at the grocery store), broccoli, chia, or pumpkin. You can even sprout many raw nuts and beans. Be sure to buy seeds that are meant for eating instead of planting, as they’re treated and processed differently.

You’ll need a large mason jar, repurposed pickle jar, or other clear glass container with a lid. Many seeds are very small, so you need a special lid for draining water from the sprouts. You can purchase a sprouting lid for a few dollars at many health food stores or online, or you can repurpose a piece of screen or mesh secured to the jar with a rubber band.

Soak 1-2 tablespoons of seeds in the jar overnight. After soaking, drain, rinse, and store upside down so excess water can drain out. Rinse at least twice a day until your seeds sprout and store in the fridge in a container lined with paper towel or filled with cold water (change the water regularly).

Herbs

Fresh herbs are expensive to buy at the store but are relatively cheap and easy to grow indoors year-round. They prefer 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day, otherwise may need a grow light.

The herbs that grow best indoors are perennials like mint, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Parsley, basil, and cilantro can also be grown indoors but need to be replanted regularly. Trim off the plant with scissors as needed for adding to meals—this trimming actually encourages the plant to grow more, just like a haircut—but avoid removing more than a quarter of the leaves at any one time.

Grow your kitchen scraps

Foods from the grocery store that still have the root node can be placed in a jar or bowl of shallow water and grown at home. When you’re shopping, choose produce with this root node still intact, like a full head of lettuce instead of loose-leaf lettuce. Other foods you can grow this way include celery, beet greens, bok choy, and green onions.

Mushroom stems, onion ends, and sprouted potatoes can also be used to grow food at home.

Growing at home helps you eliminate food miles and the climate impacts of shipping food around the world. Growing from kitchen scraps takes that one step farther by keeping these organic materials out of the landfill where they produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Some plants need to be started indoors, while others need to spend their whole life outdoors. Some are resistant to frost, and others need cozy soil temperatures in the 70s or higher. This tool from the Old Farmer’s Almanac provides a general planting calendar and information on which plants should be started indoors vs outdoors based on your zip code. Write the details directly on your seed packets or on a list for your future reference.

It’s important to know your local freeze dates too. This will help you determine when to plant in the spring. The back of your seed packet will have language like “plant outside two weeks after last frost” or “start indoors three weeks before last frost.” If you live in an area with a short growing season (i.e. a short summer), avoid plants that may not mature before the first freeze in the fall.

Maturity dates are found on the back of seed packets. Subtract the number of days to maturity from your fall’s first frost date to determine when to plant that specific variety.

As the climate crisis increasingly affects local weather patterns, expect for these average frost dates to vary and plan for possible losses by planting more than you think you might need.

Starting seeds indoors

Depending on what you’re growing and where you live, some seeds will have to be started indoors and eventually transplanted outdoors, especially those that have long maturation periods and need an extended season. If you live in an area with a long winter, you will need to start most of your seeds inside so that they have the ability to mature and grow strong before planting them outside to face the elements.

If your soil quality isn’t that great, seedlings nurtured indoors the first few weeks of their life will have a better chance of survival once planted outdoors. Critters also have a tendency to pull out and snack on seeds, so seedlings may fare better in this situation too.

Starting your seeds inside is also a great option if you live in a region where you have multiple planting seasons. You can get a head start by planting your seeds indoors so that the seedlings are ready to be planted outside as soon as it’s time to transition your garden to the next season.

Growing from seed requires soil, containers, warmth, light, and very regular watering. Choose organic soils and containers that can be recycled—or consider repurposing supplies from your recycling bin like old yogurt containers and egg cartons. Buy or repurpose a spray bottle for watering, so as not to damage the delicate seedling stems. Water at least twice a day during germination; the soil should never feel dry to the touch. Place containers on a sunny windowsill where they’ll stay warm and get 4+ house of sunlight each day. Look into inexpensive indoor growing lights if your home lacks natural light.

Always plant more than you think you’ll need and expect some losses during this fragile phase. Share any extras you have in seedling swaps and with neighbors and friends.

Transplanting seedlings

Transplant your seedlings according to seed packet information or planting calendar.

If you grew your seedlings from seed at home, they’re well accustomed to the relatively consistent temperature, light, humidity levels, and lack of wind and pests indoors. That’s also the case if you’re transplanting seedlings purchased at a nursery or garden store, where your seedlings likely grew up in a climate-controlled, protected greenhouse.

Before you transplant outside, you’ll need to do what’s called “hardening off” or slowly acclimatizing your seedlings to the elements and their new outdoor home. Start with just an hour or two a day and work your way up to leaving them out overnight. When you finally plant in the soil outdoors, water thoroughly to help them settle in their new home.

Seedlings and seeds are extremely sensitive to new environments and can experience shock when planting; make sure to keep to a consistent watering schedule, feed your plants if needed, and cover them from sunlight if it’s particularly hot or sunny when you are planting. 

Remember to minimize disturbance of seedling roots and garden soil during transplanting to give the plants a better chance for survival and to protect microbes so they retain carbon in your soil.

Planting seeds outdoors

Some crops—including root vegetables and fast growers like peas—must be grown from seed outdoors because their delicate roots won’t tolerate transplanting. Seed packets will advise whether it’s best to start the variety indoors or outdoors.

If you live somewhere warm, with a very long (or even constant) growing season, consider planting seeds directly outdoors to disturb plants less in the transplanting process.

Don’t forget to label!

Whether you’re starting indoors or planting outdoors, don’t forget to add labels to your newly planted seeds and seedlings! Weeks or months later, you won’t remember what you planted where. A tiny melon seedling looks a lot like a cucumber seedling, but one needs lots of room to spread out and the other needs to climb up a trellis.

Create labels from repurposed or compostable materials, like popsicle sticks, which can be moved from pot to plot and reused year to year.

Read the beginner gardener toolkit for more about when and how to plant your garden.

There are pros and cons to consider when choosing between starting your garden with seeds or transplants (also known as planting seedlings).

Transplants

This option is easier and quicker than starting from seed, because you’re buying a seedling that’s already several weeks old. It’s past its most vulnerable stage and has been given the resources it needs to grow into a healthy mature plant. Because of this, it’s also more expensive to buy seedlings.

You can find seedlings at your local nursery. Quality may be an issue, so check closely for pests and signs of stress like wilting or damaged leaves. Ask the vendor if chemical pesticides or fertilizers were used on the plants; it’s always best for your health and the climate to buy organic when possible. Support local farms and small green businesses when you can.

Seeds

Starting from seed saves you money and often offers more diversity than what’s available at the plant nursery. You can find seeds at your local garden store or in one of many free seed catalogs. Choose organic and as local as possible for the most climate- and planet-friendly options. Consider buying seeds from local farms or sourcing from local seed libraries for seeds that are adapted to your specific area.

Growing from seed is more challenging and time consuming than buying seedlings. There’s more potential for issues but also more opportunities for experimentation and learning. In addition to seeds, you’ll need soil, containers for growing in, and in some cases lights and heating pads. Some seeds need to be planted directly outdoors, while others need to be started indoors. This information can be found on the back of your seed packets and our resource on how to plant seeds. During germination, seeds need to be watered at least twice a day and the soil should remain moist—a demand that can be tough to meet if you’re not at home a lot during this phase.

If you want to try growing from seeds for the first time, you might want to pick something that’s easier to grow, like lettuce and other leafy vegetables, or sunflowers.

Transplants and seeds

For many gardeners, a combination of growing from seed and buying transplanting is the best option. If you try to start from seed and don’t succeed, you can often find transplants to replace them, even if late in the spring. Plant sales are great ways to support local farms and organizations, and help you diversify your garden. For both seeds and transplants, source is incredibly important. Choose companies that are committed to non-GMO, chemical-free, organic, sustainable, and/or responsible growing.

Grow what you love.

Make a list of what to grow based on what you like to eat. Start simple, with the “must-haves,” just like you would if you were trying to find a new car or place to live. Don’t waste time growing things you think you “should” eat. And check to see which veggies grow well in your area. Ask neighbor gardeners what grows well for them. A lot of time and effort will go into your garden, so grow the veggies you love and those that will thrive where you are.

Plant strategically.

If you have a great homemade salsa or tomato sauce recipe, look at the ingredients to see what you can grow. If you’re particularly fond of a unique or expensive herb, spice, or vegetable, see if you can grow it. Have friends, families, or neighbors also gardening? Plant foods that complement their garden for future trades, when you just can’t eat another zucchini.

Some foods have bigger climate impacts than others. Check to see if your favorite exotic fruits and veggies can be grown in your area. If so, you’ll eliminate countless food miles and the emissions associated with transporting food around the world to get to your plate. Some plants are also better at capturing carbon underground than others. Choose deep rooted, perennial plants that do this best—berry bushes and trees for example.

Some plants are easier to grow than others.

Be sure to include some of these easy starter plants: peas, beans, radishes, lettuce, and sunflowers. These plants all grow quickly and are ready to harvest quickly too—leaving less of a chance for pests, weather, or lack of attention to interrupt. Squash are also great for the beginning gardener, but beware that they need a lot of space. Most herbs are also good options because they can be harvested anytime.

Consider the amount of space you have.

Many plants come in an array of varieties to suit your taste and your space. For example, some beans come in bush varieties (good for small spaces and containers) and vining varieties (good for climbing up trellises and have a small garden footprint).

Find the best veggies for your climate.

The US is divided into zones based on what types of plants grow best. Find your zone on the USDA website. The back of seed packets will tell you which Plant Hardiness Zones are ideal for growing that particular variety—be sure to pick plants that will thrive in your zone, which takes into account temperatures, season length, and humidity.

Choose native varieties and seeds adapted to your area when possible. They’re more likely to thrive without climate-negative, synthetic chemicals and are also more resilient in the face of our changing climate.

Read the beginner gardener toolkit for more about deciding what to grow in your garden.

It’s important to assess your time and availability during this step—be realistic. A container garden is best for those with just a few minutes a day. For those with two to three hours a week, a small raised bed might be the option. Don’t go too big on your first garden, they can be more work than expected (try 10 square feet if you’re a first-time gardener).

Size

The maximum width of beds should be around four feet or narrow enough for you to reach the middle to weed and harvest. Length will depend on your space, but eight to ten feet gives you plenty of room to access the garden from all sides. Square four-foot beds can be ideal for small spaces and gardening with children. Consider how you’ll access all parts of larger beds or garden spaces and add pavers or pathways, so you don’t compact growing areas or inadvertently step on germinating seeds or small seedlings.

Incorporate pathways wide enough to walk down once your plants have grown large. Give yourself more room than you expect—at least two feet wide. Transfer soil from paths to beds to build them up and delineate clear walking areas. Where possible, use permeable materials if you want a “paved” walking area.

If you’re short on space, consider growing “up” with plants that climb trellises and have a small garden footprint to allow you to grow more food in the same square footage.

Layout

When determining the best layout for your garden, start with a simple sketch. Physically measure or estimate the dimensions of your area and get it on the page (it doesn’t have to be pretty). You might use the ratio of 1 square inch on the paper to 1 square foot in the garden. Read about plant spacing on seed packets or online and sketch a layout that works for what and how much you want to grow.

Use your sketch as a guide when planting this year and keep it to ensure you’re rotating plants next year. Consider companion planting in the future, once you feel comfortable experimenting with some more advanced practices. These advanced planning practices help your plants succeed without costly external inputs like fertilizers and pesticides that have negative impacts on the climate—and they all rely upon strategic layout and planting techniques.

Read the beginner gardener toolkit for more about choosing your garden's size and layout.

By guest blogger: Michael Twer, CEO/Founder of Delilah Home and Chairman of the Organic Trade Association Fiber Council. Delilah Home is a certified Green Business Network member.

By now, most people know that organic matters and is the way to go when it comes to food. What we put in our bodies matters. It’s better to have something natural that has been cultivated without pesticides and chemicals. But what you put on and around your body matters too. That’s why you should exclusively use organic cotton bed sheets, bath towels, and other items. 

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. If you’re using blankets and towels that are made from non-organic cotton, you’re letting something filled with chemicals and pesticides sit on your skin. Keep reading to find out more about how harmful non-organic can be and why organic cotton is the way to go.

Non-Organic Cotton is Filled with Pesticides and Chemicals

Despite the prevalence of cotton, it might surprise you to know that this crop is actually extremely destructive. Cultivating cotton damages the environment more than any other crop. Harmful chemicals are used to grow cotton, and the seeds themselves are genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

There are more pesticides that go into growing cotton than almost any other crop in the United States. Cotton is also fourth in terms of fertilizer use, right behind corn, soybeans, and wheat crops. The cultivation process is only the beginning. So many chemicals are used in the production and dying process. These chemicals are pumped back into the environment, harming the planet and everyone in it. 

Thinking about this staggering amount of pesticides might be enough to make you switch to eating only organic food. But it should also make you think about other items in your home. Is everything in your linen closet filled with pesticides and chemicals? Unfortunately, unless you’re using other best bed sheets and towels made from only organic cotton, the answer is yes.

But when you choose organic cotton that’s certified according to Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS), you don’t have to worry about these things. The entire cultivation and production process is audited, verified, and certified by a third-party. There are no false marketing claims. Just honestly good organic cotton!

Non-Organic Cotton Wastes Water

Cotton crops are a huge burden on the environment and not just because of all the pesticides. According to the Organic Trade Association, it takes over 2,700 liters of water to create just one t-shirt and nearly 11,000 liters to create an average pair of jeans. Jeans and most t-shirts are made from cotton. But when you only buy products that are made from organic cotton, you won’t be wasting as much valuable water just to fill your closet.

Non-Organic Cotton Contributes to Climate Change

Cotton that isn’t organically-sourced leaves a huge carbon footprint. For every metric ton of non-organic cotton, 1.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide are produced. When you choose organic cotton, you’re protecting the environment and helping to combat climate change. Every small action makes a difference! You’re also reducing the demand for energy and protecting soil from erosion.

Organic Matters By Protecting Those with Allergies and Asthma

The items that are in your home make a big difference not just on the planet but on you personally. They could potentially cause harm to you or your loved ones. Over 65 million people suffer from allergies or asthma. Both of these conditions can be triggered by the kinds of chemicals that go into cotton production. 

Even if no one in your household suffers from allergies or asthma, at some point, you’ll probably have someone in your home who suffers from one of these problems. As you get older, you could even become more sensitive to harmful chemicals as your body changes. 
The last thing you want to do is make anyone you care about feel uncomfortable. 

When you use organic cotton, you don’t have to worry about your exposure to harmful chemicals and synthetic pesticides. Organic cotton won’t put anyone’s lungs in danger. It’s also good for sensitive skin.

The Best Towels Made from Organic Cotton Don’t Contain Carcinogens

When you start digging into the pesticides that are used in the United States cotton crops, the information is terrifying. Pesticides like diuron, tribufos, and glyphosate are some of the top pesticides used in cotton production. These pesticides (and others associated with cotton) are either known carcinogens or probable carcinogens. You wouldn’t want to put anything like that in your body. So don’t put it on your body.

You may think that finding organic cotton must be very difficult. Otherwise, it would be the most common choice, right? Wrong. Finding organic cotton products is actually pretty simple. It’s one of the easiest ways you can make a tangible difference in the lives of your loved ones as well as the environment as a whole.

Choosing Organic Means You Can Feel Good About Where Your Cotton Comes From

Organic cotton is also safer to grow than traditional cotton. Although there aren’t a lot of regulations for non-organic growing, organic cotton crops are heavily regulated. The ethics of organic cotton extend beyond just those for the environment. Organically-grown cotton is fair trade, so you know the producers have been paid a fair price and are treated well.

Switch to the Best Bed Sheets and Towels

More and more brands are finally catching on to the importance of using organic cotton in their products. But this doesn’t make a difference if consumers don’t actually buy organic products. Vote with your dollar. Make a difference by switching to organic products! 

If you realize you need to completely revamp your linen closet, look no further than Delilah Home. Our products are made from 100% organic cotton and certified to the Global Organic Cotton Standard (GOTS).  And, we are the only textile company that is Vegan certified through Vegan.org. So, they are not only good for you and the planet, they are exceptionally high-quality. 

All our Delilah Home bath towels, bedsheets, and 100% Hemp bedsheets are also incredibly soft! You won’t find cotton bed sheets or towels on the market that are as soft and luxurious as the ones from Delilah Home. Once you start using the best towels and bed sheets available, you’ll never go back to low-quality non-organic ones again. 

Learn more about Delilah and her 62 day adventure lost in the North Carolina mountains here. Sustainability, Impact, and Community brings us all together.

Over the past several years, we have witnessed a sea change in investor votes on climate-related resolutions, culminating on June 11, 2020 in a strong majority vote at Dollar Tree for action on climate.  The resolution filed by Jantz Management, a Green Business Network member, calls on the company to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals, and received a whopping 67% support.

Green Business Network Director Fran Teplitz stated: “This vote is extraordinary as most social and environmental resolutions do not receive majority support and at most, 10% support, is needed for a resolution to be re-filed in the future to keep the issue in front of both corporate management and investors. Clearly investors want Dollar Tree to be part of climate solutions.”

The Jantz resolution was among the dozens of shareholder resolutions featured in Green America’s 2020 Shareholder Resolution Focus List. Christine Jantz, the firm’s CEO stated: “We believe this tremendous vote is a result of community wide activism on climate issues. Shareholders are urging the companies in which they invest to recognize and remedy their contributions to the climate crisis.”

Jantz Management filed the resolution at Dollar Tree because climate change poses an increasing threat to the fate of humanity and the global economy. Action is overdue and we must address the problem now, using every strategy we can – including shareholder pressure to urge companies to change their practices. 

Shareholder Voters at Dollar Tree Make Big Move

While Dollar Tree engages in some energy efficiency enhancement measures, Jantz Management is not aware of company calculations or disclosure of estimated greenhouse gas emissions from its operations.

“Contrary to Dollar Tree's statement that the board and company have implemented the substance of the shareholder resolution, we are not aware that the company has made a commitment to setting long term GHG emissions reduction goals with quantitative targets. The Company has merely proposed to "discuss long-term goals." To our knowledge, Dollar Tree also has not established goals for reducing GHGs based on any time frame,” added Jantz.

Competitors to Dollar Tree, including TJX and Ross Stores, have already adopted strategies consistent with the shareholder resolution and in response to earlier shareholder resolutions brought by Jantz Management at these firms.

Shareholder power can make a real difference – we look forward to hearing about changes at Dollar Tree to address the company’s role in the climate crisis confronting us all.

By guest blogger: Christine Jantz, CEO of Jantz Management. Jantz Management is a certified Green Business Network member.

Sustainability, Impact, and Community

Our Mission:  We manufacturer the highest quality organic, natural and sustainable home use textiles that are safer for your health and better for the planet. 

Our Vision:  We are a company that cares.  Not only do we produce the very best quality products, we live each day to the best of our sustainable ability.  By putting practice into play, we believe in being excellent stewards of our environment and community.

We believe:  In doing things right the first time and without sacrificing the future in producing products that are not harmful for the environment, our workers, or the end users we serve, and in being good stewards of our community we serve. Ten percent of profits go toward causes that make us all better OR that make the world a better place.

At Delilah Home, we care about quality, the environment, and the community we serve.  We manufacturer and partner with factories who are certified to the highest textile standard.  Furthermore, all of our products are made to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) using the highest quality organic cotton and hemp material.  With little to no chemicals used in our entire supply chain, we aim to protect the environment from harsh chemicals that are commonly used in conventional cotton production.  The results, our ”pure” products are the safest and cleanest textiles on the market.  Lastly, we believe in being stewards of our community and partner with local charities (Humane Society, Habitat, Make A Wish, Beds for Kids).

Delilah Home was named after a scared puppy who survived a life-threatening ordeal in the Carolina mountains. She weathered extreme cold temperatures and record winds by living off the land for 62 days. Around her,  an entire community rallied for her return, watching, and searching until she was eventually reunited with her family. Sustainability, impact, community. Her story reflects the fundamental pillars of Delilah Home. The company’s mission statements and visions aren’t just corporate speak.. They are how we live our lives when we are not at work. Our core values weren’t born out of a branding session, they are a part of who we are as humans and are at the heart of every decision we make.

Report Grades AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon on Renewable Energy Sourcing and Commitments; New Sections Detail Diversity Issues in Industry and COVID-19’s Impact on Findings.

WASHINGTON – June 16, 2020 – Verizon is back at the bottom of Green America’s Clean Energy Wireless Scorecard that grades the top U.S. telecommunications companies on their renewable energy usage, with only 3-5 percent estimated clean energy use. Verizon previously ranked above Sprint, which has raced to the number two spot after being the industry laggard.

According to Green America’s updated “Clean Energy is Calling” report, T-Mobile continues to lead the industry through its commitment to reach 100 percent renewables by 2021. Second-place Sprint announced a goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2025 and its first renewables project to provide 30 percent of its total energy use. With T-Mobile merging with Sprint, T-Mobile has committed to release an updated timeline to move both T-Mobile and Sprint to 100 percent renewables. In third place, AT&T has acquired over 1.5 gigawatts of renewables since 2018, an estimated quarter of its total use. However, AT&T is now the only telecom without a public target or timeline on clean energy. In February 2020, last-place Verizon announced a new wind energy project as its first move to use part of its $1 billion green bond to reach 50 percent renewables by 2025. But its current clean energy contracts will only result in an estimated 3-5 percent renewable energy

“Consumers have a clear choice between telecoms when it comes to clean energy, with T-Mobile (now merged with Sprint) still in the lead,” said Todd Larsen, executive co-director of Green America. “While AT&T and Verizon have made important first steps towards powering their networks with 100 percent renewable energy, they still have a long way to go to get to the 100 percent needed to protect people and the planet.”

While the telecom sector already uses enormous amounts of energy – the four largest companies collectively use more than 3 million MWh of electricity each year – the new report discusses the impact of COVID-19, including significant increases in usage since March likely to result in an uptick in energy consumption, which could outweigh the gains of energy efficiency in the networks. The report also includes a new section on social responsibility of clean energy firms and how telecom companies can influence improvements in diversity and equity in the renewables sector.

At a time when the clean energy sector in the U.S. has lost over 500,000 jobs due to COVID-19, increased purchasing of renewables by the telecom sector could also help to re-employ thousands of people in renewable energy. And, the four largest telecommunications companies can use their massive clean energy purchases to encourage the solar and wind sectors to increase their diversity. Currently, women and African Americans are underrepresented in solar and wind jobs.

When Green America launched its “Hang Up on Fossil Fuels” campaign in 2017, the sector used less than 2 percent renewables with hardly any significant commitments in place to increase. Now, Green America estimates that if all current commitments are met, approximately 45 percent of the four companies’ networks overall will be powered by clean energy. AT&T followed by Verizon use the most energy so if they move to 100 percent renewable energy, it will bring the sector much closer to 100 percent renewable energy.

“Ever since people across the country began calling on telecoms to shift to renewable energy, we’ve seen significant changes throughout the industry,” said Beth Porter, climate campaigns director at Green America. “But there’s still more work to be done to reach 100 percent clean energy by 2025 and our campaign will continue to urge for progress and hold these companies accountable to their commitments.”

Each of the companies is graded on current commitments and actual clean energy being used. This is based on direct responses from companies to Green America’s Clean Energy Calling questionnaire and publicly available data through company announcements and the Carbon Disclosure Project, which reflects 2018 energy use.

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

When you grow a Climate Victory Garden, you’re using methods that draw carbon out of the air and store it underground. This action fights climate change, builds soil health, and helps you mimic natural processes that reduce your environmental impact. Growing your own food can reduce your waste footprint as well. 

When you purchase food from a grocery store, there's often unnecessary packaging and pollution generated throughout the food supply chain, from the farm to your fridge. And, as many grocery stores across the country aren't allowing reusable bags during the pandemic, the amount of waste from a single shopping trip can really pile up.

Gardening can reduce your waste footprint, because you're growing food close to home, using the best methods possible, and avoiding packaging--a boon for the planet and an important part of the climate solution. 

Ready to reduce waste in your own Climate Victory Garden? These resources are for you:

• Climate Victory Gardening: How does it work?
• What Practices Make My Garden a Climate Victory Garden?
• I'm ready to start my own Climate Victory Garden.