This week, Verizon announced its launch of the world’s first commercial 5G network initially in four U.S. cities, with plans to expand nationally. 5G is the fifth generation of cellular networking and is the next frontier that promises faster speeds and connectivity. While this is a massive move for the company, its network expansion is built with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

Communities and the climate shouldn’t be compromised in a race to reach faster networks. Join us in urging Verizon to stop being the industry laggard and finally make a commitment to 100% clean energy by 2025.

What is 5G?

A 5G network has been widely anticipated for quite a while and has even been called the “fourth industrial revolution” by some telecom experts. Transitioning from 1G to 2G took us from an era of pagers to the dawn of SMS texting. Progressing to 3G increased connection speed by four times, and 4G is our current stage, where we stream and share live video. This new 5G era promises longer battery life, larger data, and more reliability.

But what about environmental impacts?

4G allows for 1,000 devices to be connected per square kilometer, and 5G brings a drastic increase, with one million devices per square kilometer. These devices include not only smartphones, but a wide range of vehicles, appliances, and other technologies that are all part of the growing “internet of things.” This could pose ethical challenges, because electronic devices create harmful environmental and social impacts from their mining and production to the hazards of disposal. Having space for more devices does not directly mean that production will skyrocket right away, but it’s something to be wary of as more “smart” appliances appear on the market.  

A positive aspect of 5G is that it’s more directional and efficient, and this could result in less energy and power being wasted. Verizon claims 5G can help save cities 70 percent energy usage for networks and has cited that it can unlock benefits for cities in areas of public safety, transit, and utilities. Verizon cites that 5G can usher in more driverless cars, public cameras, and magnetometers to track traffic flows and volumes. The company regularly touts the environmental savings its products can offer, but these calculations are based on a number of assumptions and are hard to verify. What we do know for sure is that Verizon uses almost no clean energy to power its current networks and servers and has no plans to scale up its clean energy to match T-Mobile’s goal of 100% wind and solar power by 2021.

Does this make Verizon a leader in clean energy?

Unfortunately, no.

There is no certainty that all cities will implement the list of ideas that could curb energy usage once they loop into 5G. For years, Verizon’s energy focus has been solely on lowering its energy intensity. However, unlike its competitors, Verizon has yet to make any meaningful movement towards powering its network with clean energy. This means Verizon still continues to use (and demand) power derived from fossil fuels that spur climate change. Verizon is using less than 2% clean energy. By contrast, T-Mobile is already well on its way to 100% clean energy, and AT&T is approaching 30% clean energy. 

Climate change is not a distant threat to worry about tomorrow. It is here, and its effects are already devastating communities worldwide.  Recent studies indicate that the United States is one of the countries that will suffer the biggest economic impacts from climate change.  Alongside intensified natural disasters from climate change, the use of fossil fuels already harms residents living near extraction sites and power plants. We need to reduce emissions and seek efficiency, and we must switch to using the most sustainable resources. This means displacing the need for fossil fuels by expanding clean energy. 

Verizon is missing its opportunity to push for expanding clean energy infrastructure. Despite being the first company to launch 5G, it will be a laggard in its field until it commits to achieving 100% clean energy. Technological progress and a more connected world are important, but it matters how that goal is achieved. Green America urges Verizon to ensure its new progress is made stronger by committing to clean energy now for communities and the climate. Join thousands of others who have called on Verizon to take action today.

WASHINGTON, DC – Green America and Kiss the Ground today premiered a new video on Upworthy featuring actress and political activist Rosario Dawson, and Gangsta Gardener and “Ecolutionary” Artist Ron Finley, touting the “Climate Victory Garden” campaign that encourages Americans to plant “regenerative” backyard or community gardens to help combat climate change. 

The new video, available at www.greenamerica.org/climate-victory-gardens, will be promoted by Upworthy on Wednesday Sept 26th and by Green America, Kiss the Ground, and their partners on Thursday Sept 27th.

“Climate Victory Gardens” were inspired by the “Victory Gardens” planted during the first and second World Wars. By 1944, nearly 20 million victory gardens produced eight million tons of food, equaling over 40 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed in the U.S. at the time. These victory gardens fed Americans at home, to make more farm-raised food available for the troops abroad.

Today’s Climate Victory Gardens emphasize Regenerative Agriculture practices like no-till, cover crops, and composting that help to build healthy soils. These practices can mitigate carbon emissions and even sequester carbon into the soil while growing non-toxic, nutrient-rich foods.

“Climate Victory Gardens are a great way for the 35 percent of Americans with home or community gardens to engage on the issue of climate change. With simple techniques your garden can play a meaningful part in reversing climate change,” said Rosario Dawson. “Regenerative gardening is not about being ‘sustainable,’ it’s about rebuilding and restoring the health of our soils while we grow food. It’s a different way of thinking.”

“We have communities nationwide that are food prisons that could be producing their own organic food while addressing climate change,” said Ron Finley of The Ron Finley Project. “By educating the public about regeneratively homegrown food, Climate Victory Gardens are raising awareness about one of the biggest global challenges of our time and showing Americans how they can make a difference for themselves, their households, and their communities. Soil Equals Life.”

All the resources needed to get started are available here: https://greenamerica.org/climatevictorygardens. Climate Victory Gardens across the U.S. are being mapped here: https://www.greenamerica.org/climate-victory-gardens-map. 

Rosario Dawson is known for her roles in the films Kids, Rent, and Sin City, and the series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Defenders and Iron Fist.

Ron Finley is a Los Angeles-based “Ecolutionary” and proponent of urban gardening around the planet. He travels the world encouraging the planting of edible gardens. He can be seen in the award-winning documentary “Can You dig This?”. He is also known for his TED Talks.

###

Green America is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides economic strategies and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems.

Kiss the Ground, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is committed to inspiring participation in global regeneration, starting with the soil. They work with consumers, educators, farmers, scientists, and business leaders to rethink and restructure agriculture and ecosystem function. They've partnered with Big Picture Ranch, and Executive Producer Leonardo DiCaprio, to release the film Kiss the Ground.

The Ron Finley Project's mission is to change the culture of South Central LA into a healthy well-balanced place to life. And to continue his Horticultural Revolution.

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

Five generations in the making, one lean, green, cleaning machine is shaking up the soap industry. Family-owned soap company Dr. Bronner’s has kept itself busy, constantly working to perfect the craft of ethical, organic soap-making.

The company was founded in 1948 by Emanuel Bronner, a German-Jewish immigrant determined to “unite Spaceship Earth” by preaching religious and ethnic tolerance. By 1950, he frequented San Francisco’s Pershing Square to spout his moral philosophy and sell handmade soap on the side. But after observing onlookers leaving his lectures early with peppermint soaps in hand, he had to find a new way to spread his message: printing his speeches on his soap packaging. By the 1960’s, Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap had become a counterculture icon, known for its wordy labels promoting peace, love, and prosperity for people and the planet.

Fast forward to the present, and the soap visionary has stayed true to its message.

Prioritizing environmental stewardship, Dr. Bronner’s is always looking for opportunities to clean up its supply chain beginning with its number-one sourced ingredient: coconut oil. Around ten years ago, Dr. Bronner’s established its first organic coconut oil project in Sri Lanka. Shortly afterwards, Dr. Bronner’s put itself on the map of environmentally and socially-responsible sourcing with the establishment of first-ever organic and fair trade palm oil project. Having seen first-hand the benefits of close partnerships with smallholder farmers, Dr. Bronner’s currently works alongside suppliers on the ground in Samoa, India, Ghana, and Palestine, and intends to expand.

“What we like to do is have a closer connection with our supply chain and the farmers that supply us, and one of the greatest ways to do that is through fair trade,” organic and fair trade coordinator Ryan Zinn said, phoning from Dr. Bronner’s coconut oil project in Samoa. There are currently 1500 farmers involved with the Samoa coconut oil project alone.

Supplying around 90 percent of Dr. Bronner’s raw materials, this vast network of smallholder farm projects allows the soap company to support and advance responsible agricultural practices globally. Now, Dr. Bronner’s is committed to progressing this model of partnership to achieve its ambition of carbon neutrality by 2020, all while ensuring that farmers receive fair compensation and setting a precedent of supply chain transparency.

There are two chief agricultural methods that Dr. Bronner’s uses to realize its aspiration to be carbon neutral. The first is regenerative agriculture, in which practices like conservation tillage and crop rotation can boost soil health, creating an effective a carbon sink. In order to encourage regenerative practices, Dr. Bronner’s has received a grant from the German government to increase the soil CO2 content by producing and distributing compost at its smallholder farm projects in India. Healthier soil then promotes better healthier crops, which constitute another carbon sink.

“The vast majority of our raw materials come from tree crops, and trees are fantastic photosynthesizers and sequester carbon,” Zinn explained. “My guess is that we will be carbon negative [by 2020]. When you bring together regenerative organic practices with tree crops, you can’t help but sequester tons of carbon.”

The second strategy is dynamic agroforestry, in which trees and shrubs are planted among crops to improve biodiversity and reduce soil erosion. The higher plant density and securitization of soil also results in significant carbon sequestration, while also boosting economic stability for farmers.

“We’re moving beyond the organic and fair trade and focusing in on dynamic agroforestry, which brings together coconut oil, cocoa, and a number of other crops,” Zinn explains. “[This] can diversify incomes and stabilize farms in the face of climate change.”

Dr. Bronner’s has become a leader in today’s soap industry, boasting an annual $120 million in sales, by staying true to its original mission of serving people and the planet. Dr. Bronner’s has successfully pioneered and continues to improve a business model in which social responsibility and environmental consciousness serve as uncompromising components of the its corporate identity, culture, and supply systems.

“One thing I try to constantly communicate to friends in the regenerative space is that it’s impossible to have any type of regenerative practice without farmers getting compensated,” Zinn explained. “Without good partnerships with farmers and compensating them fairly for the amazing work they do, there isn’t a future.”

“We’re always happy to share all of our successes and mistakes we’ve made along the way,” Zinn continued. “There isn’t a whole lot of precedent [for large-scale regenerative agriculture projects], and we’re excited to share skills, resources, consultants, and everything in between.”

SAN FRANCISCO – NEWS ADVISORY –  Carbon Sequestration in Soil: Scaling Investment, a full-day event for investors and project developers, produced by Green America's Center for Sustainability Solutions, will explore how to shift capital at scale to build agricultural market solutions to the global climate crisis.  This invitation-only event is now full.

The event brings together investors, innovative companies and project developers working to promote soil health and carbon sequestration. Investment in climate-friendly agriculture is still in its early stages, so the goal of the event is to identify viable pathways to expand and scale investment to help rapidly utilize agriculture globally as a key part of the climate solution.

The event falls the day before the start of the Global Climate Action Summit, Sept. 12 -14 2018. The Summit celebrates climate action achievements, and it also will be a launch pad for deeper worldwide commitments and accelerated action from countries around the globe—supported by all sectors of society.

Atish Babu, vice president of Agricultural Capital, said, “Agriculture Capital actively seeks to help create new realities in farming in the United States in response to climate change. But those new realities require new conversations. We are excited to participate in this event during GCAS. It will allow us to engage openly in vital conversations about the opportunities to do well and to do good.”

Lew Douglas, president & CEO Urth Organic, said, “Urth Agriculture, an environmental company operating as a for-profit corporation, is at the forefront of modifying agricultural practices to address climate change. We are excited to work with Green America to introduce both our investment opportunity and climate change solutions to the investor community.”

SPEAKERS

Project developers 

• Main Street Project: Julie Ristau, Chief Operating Officer, Main Street Project
• Palouse Soil Carbon Project: Jeff Bernicke, President & CEO, NativeEnergy
• Sea Feed, with Seaweed: Brian Von Herzen, Executive Director, Climate Foundation

• URTH Lew Douglas, President & CEO, Urth Agriculture 
• Soil Sensor Project - Real-Time, Affordable, Accurate and Global, Henry Rowlands, Director, Henstar PLC; Shalini Prasad, Professor, Bioengineering, University of Texas, Dallas 

INVESTORS

• Atish Babu, Vice President, Agriculture Capital – Sponsor/RAIN Design Team
• Alex Mackay, Director, Business Development and Investor Relations, Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT
• Chris Larson, CEO, New Island Capital
• Catha Groot, Director, Radicle Impact

MARKET INNOVATIONS

• Establishing a National Ecosystems Services Market, Sean Penrith, CEO, Gordian Knot Strategies
• Carbon Farming Program, Phil Taylor, Founder, Mad Agriculture
• Lessons from Solar for Carbon Farming, Ethan Steinberg, Propagate Ventures
• The Carbon Farming Innovation Network (CFIN), Charis Smith, Manager CFIN, Green America
• The Soil Value Exchange, Henk Mooiweer, Executive Director
• Rabobank and UNEP Fund for Forest Protection and Sustainable Agriculture: Michael Rinaldi, Sustainable Business Development Manager, Rabobank
• FoodShot Global: Victor Friedberg, Founder and Chairman, FoodShot Global
• My-Cultiver Richmond Food Production Center: Kevin Warner, Director, b.modrn Sustainability Ventures

###

Green America’s Center for Sustainability Solutions works with leaders from across value chains to shift whole industries and sectors toward social, environmental and economic sustainability. We bring together diverse groups of stakeholders to solve the complex sustainability problems that no individual business, organization, or leader can solve alone. Green America is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides economic strategies and practical tools for businesses, investors and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. http://www.centerforsustainabilitysolutions.org/carbonfarming/

MEDIA CONTACT:   Charis Smith, 440.213.8965 or csmith@greenamerica.org.

We offer sustainable portfolio management and personalized investments advice, holistic financial planning, and leadership in helping to relocalize the investment process. Sylvia Panek is an Investment Advisory Representative of Natural Investments LLC, a values-based investment management firm with offices across the United States. Please contact at sylvia@naturalinvestments.com.

Here on the cusp of fall, parents around the country are preparing for a new school year. To help out, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite back-to-school supplies from certified Green Business Network (GBN) members that will make your star student the most sustainable kid in class.  

1. Small Gyari Cotton Backpack

Who says your school bag can't be functional and stylish? Definitely not Lucia's World Emporium and the Small Gyari Cotton Backpack ($27). With multiple zippered pockets, adjustable straps, and fully lined, this backpack will reliably hold all your student's school supplies and then some.

2. Handmade Paper Journal

Note-taking is an important part of school. Be chic and sustainable doing it with Just Good's Handmade Paper Journal ($19). It comes in a variety of colors and patterns to best match your student's personality.

3. Chocolate Macaroon Organic Power Crackers

What's the best way to get through a school day? Making sure you're hydrated and fed! Foods Alive's Chocolate Macaroon Organic Power Crackers ($5.99 for 4 oz) is a perfect snack that's both good for you and the planet.

4. Stickers

School is a time for growing, learning, and becoming yourself. What better way to do that than stickers on your notebooks, water bottles, and everything in between? Mimosa Goods has many stickers ($3) with inspiring messages on them, as well as tons of other fun accessories.

5. The Last Wild Witch

One of the best school activities is reading time! This eco fable by Starhawk with illustrations by Lindy Kehoe tells the story of a group of children who save the last wild witch and the last magical forest from destruction. You can get it from We'Moon for $9.95.

6. Lip Balm

We all need to take care of ourselves--even at school. Thanks to Becca & Mars' body products, like this Lime Coconut Tinted Lip Balm ($6), there's no worry of chapped lips distracting from classtime.

7. Beeswax Crayons 

8. Eco-highlighters

8. Reusable Lunch Bag 

Every student needs a sturdy lunch bag. That's where eco ditty's Reusable Lunch Bag ($33) comes in. It's made of 100% organic cotton and comes with a convenient and easy drawstring closure.

9. Pencils with Purpose

What's the handiest item at school? A writing utensil, of course! The Good Pencil Company's pencil are made from FSC-certified materials from responsibly managed forests. What's even better about these Pencils with Purpose--Leftovers ($2.49) is that for each pack sold, The Good Pencil Company donates two meals to the Utah Food Bank.

10. Bees Wrap

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Green America launched its "Skip the Slip, CVS" campaign urging the pharmacy giant to improve its paper receipt practices to keep pace with other leading retailers. CVS is one of the largest retailers in the country and issues some of the longest receipts to customers. The chain's receipts contain the toxin Bisphenol-S (BPS), and its millions of paper receipts contribute to deforestation and pollution.

In response to consumer pressure and attention from late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel regarding CVS' long receipts, CVS introduced electronic receipts in its stores but failed to adequately promote the option to customers. Few CVS customers have switched because only CVS ExtraCare members have access to digital receipts, which they must request in store with a cashier. CVS' paper receipts continue to be over a foot long and toxic.

As Green America published in its recently updated report, roughly 93 percent of paper receipts are coated with Bisphenol-A (BPA) or Bisphenol-S (BPS), known endocrine-disruptors. The total mass of BPA on a receipt is 250 to 1,000 times greater than the amount of BPA found in a can of food or in plastic baby bottles. Retail employees are at greater risk, as workers who make regular contact with receipts have over 30 percent more BPA or BPS in their bodies. Additionally, paper receipt production in the U.S. consumes an estimated 10 million trees, 21 billion gallons of water, and emits 12 billion pounds of CO2 each year.*

"CVS has a well-known reputation for its lengthy paper receipts," said Beth Porter, Green America's Climate & Recycling director. "But what is less often discussed are that the millions of receipts it issues each year waste natural resources and pose health risks. CVS could be an industry leader on this issue if it switches to non-toxic receipts and fixes its restricted access to digital receipts. Currently, CVS is coming up short."

"We're mobilizing thousands of customers that visit CVS' 9,800 stores to urge the company to improve practices to protect worker health and follow through on its digital receipt program," said Todd Larsen, executive co-director of Consumer and Corporate Engagement at Green America. "As a company that is in the business of providing customers with products to protect and enhance their health, CVS has an obligation to move off of toxic paper receipts and make it easy for customers to get digital receipts."

Consumers can sign the petition calling on CVS to replace its BPS-coated paper receipts with a phenol-free option and to offer digital receipts to all customers.

----------------------

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

*For updated impacts and explained methodology, please see our Jan 2019 revised report here.

Forty percent of the food we grow in the US never gets eaten. It gets tossed out somewhere on the path from farm to table. That's billions of pounds of food that uses land, water, fertilizer and pesticides, packaging, transportation, fuel, and more.

So consider these five ways to fight food waste in your own kitchen.

1. Plan your meals.

The more precise you are about what you’re going to eat and when, the less food you’ll waste. Meal-planning apps can help! For example, Yummly features over million recipes, allowing you to save your favorites in a virtual recipe box. You can choose what meals you want to make, and Yummly (Free. Online or for iOS, Android) sends the ingredients to a grocery list—which you can  export to Instacart, a grocery delivery app. 

2. Store your food well.

Sustainable America offers plenty of helpful resources for smart food storage—including infographics for optimally packing your fridge, and “Eat Me First” signs you can print and put on food that’s close to its expiration date. The Natural Resources Defense Council has its own food-waste tips and resources at savethefood.com.  

3. Practice emergency use-it-up measures.

The Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook has plenty of practical advice for using up foods that are moving past peak-freshness. Turn to pp. 20-21 for a sampling, and read the book for more. Find many use-it-up recipes at ivaluefood.com, as well. And don’t forget to can or preserve extra produce! Our article can help.

4. Support food-rescue efforts for families in need.

Find groups across the country that are gleaning dropped produce from fields or rescuing wasted food from stores and restaurants, and sending it to food pantries for food-insecure households. Support legislation that will make it easier and more affordable for farms and businesses to donate excess food.

5. Get your community involved.

Take the Food Waste Challenge with your community. The EPA offers a toolkit to help communities start a campaign to reduce food waste. Ask local stores and restaurants about their food-waste practices, and support those that donate and compost. Demand your local government start a municipal composting program; consult the Institute for Local Self-Reliance for help and resources.
 

Ready to learn more? Learn about expiration dates, because they don't mean what most of us think they mean. And if you want to know the ins and outs of wasting less food, read our interview with Dana Gunders, author of the Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook.

While the holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and family, they can also cause a feeling of overwhelm: A 2011 report from the American Psychological Association found that 22 percent of Americans experience an “extreme level” of stress during the holidays.

While the other 78 percent don’t feel such high levels of anxiety, the holidays can be hectic for many. And, says Dr. Mari Swingle, a psychoneurophysiologist, doctor of psychology, and author of the book i-Minds: How Cell Phones, Computers, Gaming, and Social Media are Changing our Brains, our Behavior, and the Evolution of Our Species (New Society Publishers, 2016) our dependence on technology may be exacerbating that lack of calm. 

Swingle says one aspect that draws people to the Internet-connected devices she calls “i-tech” (like PCs, laptops, tablets, or phones) is their unpredictable loop of anticipation (What’s popping up next on my social media feed?) and gratification (Oh, look, a new comment on my blog).

She says that by keeping ourselves stimulated by screens constantly, our ability to quiet and calm ourselves is going the way of the dodo.

“We no longer know what to do to settle ourselves, hence the augment in anxiety, depression, and in other forms of addiction,” she writes. “We are glued to our devices in an attempt to stay occupied, to entertain ourselves, to defer emotions. Yet by the very fact of doing so, we are feeling more agitated and void.” 

Holiday vacations may be the perfect time to “detox” yourself and your family from electronic devices, says Swingle. Instead of being glued to a screen, make a real effort to put those screens away and spend time interacting with loved ones. You may have a more relaxing season, form more precious memories with loved ones, and start breaking bad, hyper-connected habits—even before it’s time for New Year’s resolutions.

Unplugging even for a few days can have a big impact. A 2014 study from UCLA Children’s Digital Media Center compared sixth graders who went into nature for five days with no screens to kids who stayed home and did their normal tech-centered routines. It found that the kids who stayed plugged in were worse at reading facial expressions and emotional cues than the kids who’d had a break.
And a 2014 study from University of California-Irvine tested stress levels for workers before and after a five-day e-mail break. The results? Lower heart rates overall and workers reported they felt more in control of their work lives. This study wasn’t even done during a full technology break; it just required people to talk to their coworkers face-to-face.

Set a Good Example

A good time to launch new tech-lite habits could be when you have consecutive days off of work during the holidays. But before you can get others in your household to unplug, make sure you’re modeling good habits.

As many as 70 percent of children think their parents spend more time than they should using tech devices, which kids see as a double-standard, according to psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair, author of The Big Disconnect: Protecting Child and Family Relationships in the Digital Age (Harper, 2013).

“Kids hate the phrase ‘just checking’ that parents frequently use to justify a very rude, infuriating behavior,” she said to the New York Times of parents who constantly check their phone or e-mail.  

Setting boundaries can be harder for adults, because we have to enforce them on ourselves, rather than relying on an authority figure to remind us. Here are a few things to focus on:   

Unplug after work.

Leading up to the holiday break, make a point of ditching screens for a period of time as soon as you walk in the door from work or school. 

“Walk in the door unplugged, and use the first hour you’re home as time to reconnect with the family,” Steiner-Adair told the Times. 

Try dropping your devices off in a designated spot before proceeding to the rest of your evening. During big holiday dinners, encourage guests to do the same.

Don’t make yourself constantly available via gadgets.

For example, Swingle doesn’t respond to job-related e-mails after work hours unless it’s an emergency. 

Kathleen Davis, business editor at Fast Company, takes a similar approach. She downgraded to a flip phone without Internet access to limit her gadget use after hours. 

“It does start with setting expectations for everyone in your life,” she said in a video on the magazine’s website. “You really should set the expectation of ‘I am going to be unreachable. Pretend I’m on a desert island.... You cannot reach me.’”

In the video, she also talks about a woman she interviewed who had an automatic out-of-office response that said, “If it’s a true emergency, here’s my mom’s phone number.” 

Turn off your phone alerts.

The instinct to move when you hear a bell isn’t necessarily bad—think school bells or fire alarms. But if notifications are on your phone for every app and message, it’s hard to stay engaged in conversations when you hear your pocket or desk chiming. 

Turn off your alerts during the holidays, and consider leaving them off afterward. Most smartphones have settings that you can change to silence notifications—and even mute all call notices except for important numbers.

Breaking the Cycle

Once you’ve checked your own habits, it’s time to turn to the rest of your household. 

It’s not realistic to unplug everyone forever. Technology is useful, and it’s okay to have fun with it. But the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children have no more than two hours of digital time per day—with no screen time at all for kids under two. (Swingle is more conservative, recommending that parents wait to introduce tech until their children are four or six to have the least impact on development.)

If you have kids in your life, there are ways to encourage them to take a break from technology:

Keep track of your family’s tech usage—and set limits. Make a “tech hub” or central area where computers and devices live in your home—instead of letting kids bring tablets, laptops, or phones into their rooms—so you can keep a close eye on their browsing and ensure safe as well as healthy habits. 

A holiday vacation break is the perfect time to set up a tech hub and explain the rules around it. Perhaps agree as a family to limit your gadget use to two hours a day, for example, and then police each other. 

Don’t add fuel to the fire. Children are already bombarded with technology, and it’s extremely hard for them to self-regulate. Swingle recommends not buying more devices or video games for kids who already have problems being torn away from it.

Instead of the newest game or gadget, bring back old-school holiday gifts, like books, board games, sports equipment, musical instruments, or art supplies. Or, give the gift of an experience—a trip to the bookstore or tickets to a concert or a sporting event.

Physically remove temptation. You can physically enforce tech-free time at home by taking away gadgets or unplugging power strips or routers.  

Though it may seem like a paradox, there are many effective apps available to help set and enforce gadget limits. See the box above for examples.

Turn to new traditions. A tech-lite holiday might just help you develop healthy, non-tech traditions that can be carried through to the next year’s holiday or even throughout the year. You may find you enjoy regularly baking cookies or cooking meals together, for example, or a gift of a couple games could develop into a weekly game night.  

Get assistance from friends. Before your holiday vacation kicks off, Swingle recommends meeting with neighbors or adults in your community and setting up a tech-free project for your children to work on, like learning to draw, make jewelry, or play the guitar. 

You might even turn this effort into an ongoing creative co-op, where parents take turns hosting and working on a project with each other’s kids. The non-host parents get much-needed alone time, and the kids get a fun, tech-free activity.  

“Even though we all need and even want time away from screens, it can be a challenge to actually do it,” says Swingle. “All that said, it’s worth the effort. The earlier you can take back and balance real-life with screen-based activities, the better.” 

Limit-setting apps

While it might seem counter-intuitive to turn to technology for help taking a break from technology, some families swear by apps to help set and enforce gadget limits. 

For adults and older children, Breaktime ($4.99 for iOS, Android, ad PC) reminds you to take breaks from your computer or device on a schedule you set. If you or your family uses Apple devices, you can also use the built in "Screen Time" feature in the settings for a free option, although be aware that it can be easily ignored.

If you need stronger parental controls, consider Screen Time ($3.99 per month or $39.99 per year for iOS, Android, and Amazon devices) It puts timers on kids’ computers and mobile devices and has a master “pause” button for your phone that will stop activity on all devices until you un-pause it. It also allows you to set and enforce daily time limits, block activity during bedtime or school hours, and more.

How do I update my mailing address and phone number? 

You can update your contact information using this online form. Please include your old and new address and we will update our records. 

I am not a Green America member, but I am getting mail from you. How can I remove my name from your mailing list? 

If you’ve received mail from us and you are not a Green America supporter, we may have received your name in a list exchange with another like-minded organization. We recommend you contact organizations that you have supported in the past and request they not exchange your information. 

Green America is also happy to take your name and address and we will make sure we do not mail you again. Please use this online form. Include your name and address and a mention that you are not a donor and would no longer like to receive paper mailings from Green America. Please allow eight weeks for this request to take full effect.  

 Alternatively, you can contact the Direct Mail Association and be added to the National Do Not Mail List at www.dmachoice.org.  

How do I reduce the amount of email I receive or unsubscribe from your email list? 

On all emails there is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. We will then ask you if you would prefer to reduce the amount of email you receive. If you wish to unsubscribe all together, you will be provided this opportunity on this form.  

How do I update my credit card information for my recurring gift? 

Please consider switching your gift from credit card to direct debit. When you switch to direct debit we will deduct your contribution directly from your checking account. This switch is easy and it is the safest form of auto-payment. You will never need to update your payment info again because of expiration date. All we need is a bank account and routing number, which you can provide to a Member Services representative via phone (800-58-GREEN) or by mailing a voided check to: 

Green America 
Attn: Member Services 
1612 K St NW, Ste. 600 
Washington, DC 20006 

If you are not interested in direct debit, you can update your credit card information at any time using one of these online forms: Monthly or Annual. Or give us a call Monday through Thursday 9am-5pm EST at 800-58-GREEN. 

How do I sign up to receive Green America's digital subscription to the Green American magazine? 

All members with automatic payments (either monthly or annually) have the choice to receive digital, paper (100% post-consumer recycled), or both kinds of publications. 

If you are already signed up for automatic payments and would like to go paperless, you can contact us using this online form. 

If you want to sign up for automatic payments, you can do this by becoming a monthly sustainer or by choosing annual auto-renew and checking off "Go Paperless" on the donation form—which will sign you up for automatic annual renewal.  

Do you share my name with like-minded organizations? 

Green America does not rent, share, sell or trade supporter e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. 
We occasionally have third parties perform services on our behalf, such as data processing, marketing, analytics, billing, etc. These third parties have access to your personal information only as needed to perform their services for Green America and are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of the personal information.

If you are a Green America member and you do NOT wish to have your information exchanged with third parties, please call us toll-free at (800) 584-7336 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Thursday to speak to one of our Member Services representatives or contact us using this online form. It would be helpful if you had your Member ID available, as that will shorten the amount of time it takes to locate your member information. 

If you are not a Green America member and you have provided personal contact information on our web site by signing up for a list, or sending us feedback, your information WILL NOT BE EXCHANGED. 

See full privacy policy here. 

Where can I view your most recent IRS-990? 

All our financial information can be found here.  

How do I receive a tax report/summary of my giving for a certain year? 

After you donate to the organization Green America mails you a paper copy of the tax-deductibility of the gift. Please keep this document for your tax records.  In addition we mail paper copies of your total annual giving in January of the following year to all monthly donors and donors who have made a gift of $250 or more to the organization.  

If you need replacement documentation please contact our Member Services department, and we will be happy to prepare the information you need.  

How do I make changes to my monthly or annual automatic giving? 

Please contact our Member Services department and we can make your desired changes.  

Why do I keep receiving renewal notices even when I just renewed? 

We are sorry for this inconvenience! Sometimes our mail gets sent before we’ve processed your donation. We appreciate your patience as we work on improving efficiency of our systems to reduce this problem. 
 

How is my donation being used? 

Green America is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. A portion of your member donation goes to producing the wonderful member benefits including the National Green Pages, Guide to Social Investing and Better Banking and the Green American magazine. Your donation also goes to support our amazing corporate responsibility campaigns. Together, we are curbing the climate crisis… getting the dirtiest corporations to make clean energy commitments. We’re protecting people… taking the toxins out of electronics manufacturing so millions of workers are safer. We’re standing up to hate... in communities around the country saying #EveryoneIsWelcomeHere!  

Green America uses the power of consumer pressure, green business innovation, and the transformation of whole industries to shift our economy from destruction at every turn to one that protects the environment and human health. 

Please read about our most recent victories. 

Why is monthly giving (Sustainer Membership) the best option?  

Your ongoing, monthly contribution as a sustainer is what drives our organization. Because you have an automatically renewed membership as a monthly contributor, we don’t send you renewal notices and reminders, so in addition to saving paper and reducing waste on direct mail, more of your donation goes directly to our mission. You also have the option of receiving digital membership materials and will be first to know all about actions, meetups or other Green America events in your area through periodic newsletters and blasts.  Sign up as a sustainer today.

How can I personally maintain my membership? 

Unfortunately, there are no individual membership accounts for you to access online at this time. You can contact our Member Services department with any questions/issues about your membership. 

Can I get a refund for my donation? 

Yes, as a first-time member if you receive our "Welcome Aboard Kit" and you are not 100% satisfied please contact us and we will send you a full refund.  

If you have been mistakenly charged twice in our system, we will be happy to issue a refund. Having your user ID# (located on any of your renewal stubs) available when you contact Member Services will make this process most efficient. 

How much of my donations to Green America are tax-deductible? 

Your gift is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.  

Green America has done our best outline below, but please check with a tax professional to understand your donation’s full tax-deductibility.  

For all first-time donations — all but $ 11.95 is tax deductible. Why is the full gift not tax deductible? The IRS requires us to account for the fair market price of the National Green Pages ($6.95) and Guide to Social Investing and Better Banking ($5.00) that is mailed to you as a donor gift. 

For renewing donors, all but $6.95 of your gifts are tax-deductible.  

For all additional gifts to the organization within a calendar year, they are 100% tax-deductible. 

For recurring monthly donors, 100% of your annual donation is tax-deductible.  

For donations of $250 or more, 100% of your annual donation is tax-deductible.  

How much is required to become a member? 

There is no required amount to become a member or renew your membership. Your gift is a donation and you set the amount.  

We ask for whatever you’re comfortable giving. However, $30 is the standard amount that covers all of your publications including the Green American Magazine, Guide to Social Investing and Better Banking, the National Green Pages and other membership materials. 

How many issues of your main publications do you print each year? 

Green American Magazine: 3 times each year 

Guide to Social Investing and Better Banking: at least once a year 

National Green Pages: at least once a year 

Where can I purchase an "I am a Green American" t-shirt or tumbler? 

You can find all items we have for sale on our website.  

Alternatively, if you upgrade your Sustainer Membership with us today, we will send you a free insulated tumbler as a way of showing thanks for your support!  

Can Green America accept a matching gift contribution from my company? 

Yes, Green America is a 501(c)3 organization and can accept matching gift funds from your workplace giving program. Our tax-ID number is 52-1660746. If your employer has such a program, take advantage of it.  If not, ask that they create one! If you need additional information, please contact us at  info@greenamerica.org  

How do I designate my donation as a tribute in honor or in memory of someone? 

There are several options for making a donation with the intention of honoring another individual.  

Gifts can be made to Green America in honor of a couple’s commitment ceremony, wedding or anniversary. Please contact Stephanie Demarest at 202-872-5320 or Tribute@greenamerica.org and we can create a personalized online donation form for your special occasion.  

We also have a gift membership program — great for birthdays, holidays or other special occasions!  To donate on another person’s behalf, please visit our gift membership webpage.   

If you would like to donate in memory of a loved one, please contact Stephanie Demarest at 202-872-5320 or Tribute@greenamerica.org. We will create a personalized memorial gift webpage for your loved one.  

How can I volunteer? 

We’d be excited to have you! Please submit a short letter of interest to info@greenamerica.org  indicating your strengths and what volunteer work you’d be interested in and we’ll get back to you. Green America is based in Washington, DC, but depending on what you’re interested in doing, we can potentially use your help no matter where you are. 

What is your Federal Tax Identification Number? 

Our Federal Tax ID Number is 52-1660746. 

How do I contact the Member Services department? 

You can reach a Member Services representative by calling 800-58-GREEN (800-584-7336) or emailing info@greenamerica.org, or submitting the form through our website. Our Member Services representative is available between 9AM and 5PM Eastern time Monday through Thursday. If you email or leave a voicemail, you can expect a response within one business day.  

In May, Global Labor Justice uncovered active gender-based violence in Asian factories supplying American apparel giants H&M and Gap. Results conclude that abuse against female garment workers stems directly from the way fast fashion meets its bottom line: outsourcing, contract work, and accelerated labor.

We're living in the era of fast fashion. Boasting 52 micro-seasons a year, this burgeoning sector of the fashion industry has made it more difficult to stay on-trend than ever before. Fast fashion giants H&M and Forever 21 receive new garment shipments every day. Topshop features 400 new styles every week, while Zara releases 20,000 designs annually. Sacrificing quality for quantity, these pioneers of fast fashion have quickly become the contemporary model heralds to mass consumerism — buying and selling as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

With the fast fashion machine constantly churning out new trends, it’s no wonder that consumers can’t keep up. But what does this mean for producers?

Global Labor Justice (GLJ) decided to seek out the truth. Over the past three years, the labor strategy hub partnered with four Asian-based non-governmental organizations to conduct 569 interviews at over 50 supplier factories across Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.

GLJ concluded survey-based and case study research in May and published two reports detailing the exploitation and mistreatment of Asian female garment workers in H&M and Gap supplier factories — including (but not limited to) physical abuse, sexual harassment, poor work conditions, and forced overtime. These facets of everyday factory life have created and continue to cultivate a climate of fear and intimidation to maintain worker submission and achieve fast fashion’s high production demands.

How Fast Fashion Meets the Bottom Line

It is important to understand how gendered patterns of workplace maltreatment are situated in current production networks. That is, what is it about the fast fashion supply chain that makes workplace abuse against Asian female garment workers possible? GLJ reports identified several factors at play.

First, fast fashion relies on outsourcing and subcontracting.

Fast fashion is largely dependent on the Global Production Network, a term used to describe a system in which several companies across multiple countries are involved in production. Fast fashion brands like H&M and Gap, headquartered in high-income countries, play a major role in a product line’s value creation, such as market research, design, sales, marketing, and financial services.

Production is a different story. Fast fashion brands don’t touch production directly; instead, they outsource production to supplier firms in developing countries known as Tier 1 companies. These Tier 1 companies then subcontract production to manufacturing companies, or suppliers, that are not officially authorized by or affiliated with the fast fashion brands that carried out the initial outsourcing. Without authorization or affiliation, fast fashion brands carry no legal obligation to ensure decent working conditions in the bottom tiers of their production network. And because unauthorized subcontractors are unregistered, they operate without government regulation and oversight, resulting in deteriorating work facilities where worker abuse runs rampant.

These issues are exacerbated with the use of short-term contracts. This temporary work status allows suppliers to easily hire and fire workers to adjust to fluctuations in production needs and help facilitate location moves. For example, the report details how a Gap supplier factory planned to move from Bekasi, West Java to a nearby town with significantly lower minimum wage by reducing its permanent workforce from 6000 workers to 1500, with the majority of workers retaining contract statuses.

Since the threat of termination is a constant, workers are less likely to report instances of workplace abuse. In fact, the threat of employer retaliation extends beyond an employee’s workplace at the time the violation takes place. One woman in GLJ’s Gap report explained, “Once a worker makes a complaint, she won’t be able to get a job in any of the factories. She will be blacklisted.”

Second, fast fashion production targets are too demanding.

To keep up with the fast fashion machine’s voracious appetite for new trends, the Global Production Network falls victim to aggressively high production targets. Overburdened workers are often subjected to forced overtime or through breaks with little to no pay. Legally-mandated lunch breaks aren’t always a certainty; one woman’s testimony in GLJ’s H&M report recalled how her employer made lunch contingent on finishing “urgent pieces.”

Even opportunities for short breaks — such as going to the bathroom or getting a drink of water — may be withheld by overseers. One worker from an H&M supplier factory explained: “We are not allowed to go to the toilet, the targets are so high. The in-charge things like, ‘if you go to the toilet, who will do the work? Who is going to complete the target? Go to work and finish it.’ If I take even a bit too long returning from bathroom, the supervisor will take away my machine coil. I have to go and ask him for it. Then I have to tell him why it took me so much time in the bathroom.”

When they fail to meet these targets, workers may experience physical, verbal, and sexual violence as punishments.

Poor and exploitative work conditions result in gender-based violence.

GLJ’s reports followed existing legal definitions of gender-based violence as set by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2016. According to these standards, gender-based violence can be categorized as violence directed towards women because they are women, violent acts that disproportionately impact women, or both.

Women make up the vast majority of garment workers in fast fashion supplier factories. For instance, eighty to ninety-five percent gender majority in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Further, management positions are male-dominated, while women typically work as machine operators and checkers. This results in a hierarchical power structure in which a male-majority management controls a female-majority workforce.

This means that disciplinary measures disproportionately inflict physical, mental, and sexual harm on women. And male-dominated management makes it more difficult for female workers to freely report on instances of abuse and to be taken seriously in the workplace.

Ultimately, retailers’ decision to outsource to subcontracting Tier 1 companies is directly responsible for industry-wide exploitation of female garment workers who create fast fashion products. The defining characteristic of fast fashion — the constant cranking of new trends to consume — drives production targets that can never be met, putting female garment workers at risk of severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

You can take action today.

The fight has only just begun. These harrowing reports are the sounding alarm, and we — as business leaders, shareholders, and consumers dedicated to the development of the green economy — must stand for socially-ethical supply chain practices. Here is how you can take action.

Sign Global Labor Justice's and Green America's petitions. Since publishing these two reports, Global Labour Justice has been organizing two petitions calling on H&M and Gap to take greater responsibility for their roles in the Global Production Network and end gender-based violence in their supply chains. You can take further action by signing Green America’s petition urging Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, and North Face to support safe work environments for Bangladeshi garment workers.

Read GLJ’s reports. Both the Gap report and the H&M report included the recollections of women garment workers on their personal experiences and observations of workplace mistreatment and abuse. These narratives contextualize the immediate concern posed by these workplace horrors, and they should not be ignored.

Use the National Green Pages for your sustainable, ethically-sourced clothing needs. The Green Business Network is proud to support sustainable clothing retailers in our community. Browse the clothing section of the National Green Pages, our easy-to-use directory of certified Green Business Network members.

Share this article and other educational resources on social media. Progress begins with knowledge. Using your platform to raise awareness is a key way to encourage other consumers to vote with their dollars and place pressure on retail leaders to clean up their act.

No matter where you are on your green finance journey, it's always important to improve and engage your financial literacy. Start with these definitions.

Banks

Community development banks are for-profit banks dedicated to advancing economic development in areas with people who earn low to moderate incomes and who are under-served by traditional financial institutions. Make sure your bank is federally insured: FDIC.

Credit Unions

Community development credit unions are credit unions dedicated to advancing economic development in areas with people who earn low to moderate incomes and who are under-served by traditional financial institutions. A credit union differs from a bank in that it is a not-for-profit co-operative and serves a particular constituency or membership, such as people in a certain geographic area or people in a certain profession. Make sure your credit union is federally insured: NCUA

Loan Funds

Community development loan funds are usually not-for-profit organizations that provide loans and support services to businesses, groups, and individuals in low to moderate income communities. Most community development loan funds are focused on one or more of these areas: micro-small business, affordable housing, and community service organizations. Community development loans funds are uninsured (you are not insured against any losses of your deposits).

Credit Cards