Content by specific author

Find tips for greening your meals, clothing, transportation, and more, all without breaking the bank.

Hill + House is your one-stop-shop for eco-friendly and sustainable products. We are a team of passionate individuals committed to creating a better, greener world for ourselves and future generations. Our journey started with a simple idea - to make sustainable living accessible and affordable for everyone. We believe that small changes can have a big impact, and that's why we have curated a range of eco-friendly products that make it easy to live a sustainable lifestyle.

From reusable water bottles to laundry detergent sheets, we offer a wide range of sustainable alternatives that are kinder to the environment. Our products are carefully selected based on their quality, sustainability and impact on the environment. We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint, and that's why we use only 50-100% recycled and biodegradable materials for our packaging. We’re also committed to supporting a variety of nonprofits, through our 1% for the Planet membership, that help with environmental conservation and preservation.

As a major food manufacturer, B&G Foods – the owner of iconic brands like Green Giant, Cream of Wheat, and Spice Islands – has the power to drive adoption of regenerative agriculture – a holistic approach that rebuilds soil health, sequesters carbon, increases yields sustainably, reduces pollution, and mitigates climate change.

Owner of Popular Brands Like Green Giant, Skinnygirl and Ortega Under Pressure for Use of Pesticides that Harm Farmworkers and Pollinators, Lack of Regenerative Agriculture Practices.

WASHINGTON, DC – November 14, 2023 – Green America launched a new advocacy campaign against B&G Foods to urge the company to limit pesticide use and adopt environmentally responsible agriculture practices. The New Jersey-based holding company, which owns dozens of popular brands including Green Giant, Skinnygirl, Ortega, Fleischmann's, Cream of Wheat, Spice Islands and Crisco, received an “F” grade in the recent “Pesticides in the Pantry” scorecard released by the nonprofit As You Sow that graded the pesticide practices of major food companies.

On October 11, Green America sent B&G CEO Kenneth Keller Jr. a letter on behalf of its members, including over 250,000 consumers and 2,000 businesses. The letter requested a meeting about reducing the use of pesticides in B&G’s supply chain and adopting regenerative agriculture practices. B&G has yet to respond.

Emma Kriss, food campaigns manager at Green America, said: “We are urging B&G to become a ‘green’ agricultural giant by phasing out harmful pesticides, adopting regenerative agriculture, and implementing policies to protect workers and communities from pesticide exposure.”

Kendra Klein, deputy director of science at Friends of the Earth, said: "Amid rising concern about an insect apocalypse decimating the small but mighty pollinators responsible for one in three bites of food we eat, food companies like B&G Foods must take immediate action to address the pervasive use of toxic pesticides in their supply chains.”

The campaign petition urges B&G to:

• Adopt a plan to transition all supply chains to ecological regenerative agriculture by 2035 through techniques like no-till farming, cover-cropping, and crop rotation.
• End use of highly hazardous pesticides, phase out all harmful pesticides, and adopt Integrated Pest Management for all brands.
• Implement policies to protect farmers, farmworkers, communities, and pollinators from pesticide exposures.

In anticipation of the Green America campaign and As You Sow scorecard, B&G posted a hasty statement on pesticides. But the statement is vague. B&G must create a meaningful plan and timeline for addressing pesticides and regenerative agriculture.

Based on publicly available information, B&G currently does not have a pesticide reduction strategy or any public disclosures regarding pesticide policies or practices. There is also no information regarding the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, which include techniques like no-till farming, cover-cropping, and crop rotation to improve soil health, capture carbon, retain nutrients, hold moisture, and reduce erosion.

B&G should adopt a rigorous integrated pest management (IPM) program to reduce and phase out all synthetic pesticide use. IPM utilizes natural predators and parasites, biological controls, and improved sanitation to control pests. This approach minimizes environmental impact and reduces pesticide residues in food and water.

The campaign also urges B&G to implement health and safety policies that exceed EPA regulations to protect farmworkers and communities from pesticide-related illnesses. Mandatory protective equipment, proper education on the pesticides in use and their risks (in native languages as appropriate), enforced re-entry intervals, pesticide application buffers from homes and schools, and regular biomonitoring of farmworkers' blood can better safeguard workers and families from avoidable harm.

Transitioning to regenerative agriculture and reducing pesticide use is critical for the future of food production. Unlike many large agricultural companies, B&G is failing to act on harmful pesticides that endanger consumers, farmers and farmworkers, agricultural communities, and pollinators. As a leader in the food industry, the actions B&G Foods take can catalyze much-needed change.

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

The holidays are upon us and with them the flurry to find the perfect gift for loved ones. This year, consider giving to not just people, but the planet, too, by shopping our Fair Trade Gift Guide. 

Fair trade is a system of exchange that honors producers, communities, consumers, and the environment. It is a model for the global economy rooted in people-to-people connections, justice, and sustainability. 

The fair trade movement has grown in demand over the decades – the most obvious sign being the development of multiple fair trade organizations and certifications, which promise that producers receive and give their workers a living wage, supply chains are ethical and sustainable, and labor laws are followed. 

Every item recommended in this article comes from our thousands of certified Green Business Network members (and specifically our fair trade members), which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility. 

For the Homebodies 

The 100% Organic Hemp Bed Sheet Collection from Delilah Home features hemp fibers, known for softness, breathability, and temperature-regulating properties, as well as being one of the more sustainable crops.

Make a statement at home with the Jellyfish Cocoa Lamp from daiseye. The lamp is made from fossilized cocoa leaves and wrought iron and is sure to get all your guests talking. 

Add a splash of color to your home with the Funky Mushroom Trio chime set from Mira Fair Trade, made of reused metal. 

Liven up a boring refrigerator with the Beaded Rhino Magnet from Wireworx, handmade from glass beads in South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

Handcrafted in an artisans' cooperative in Ecuador, this pair of Fair Trade Ecuadorean Tagua Chess Pawn Figurines from Cadeaux du Monde is a wholly unique gift. 

For Those Who Love Fashion 

The Raja Rainbow Hoops from WorldFinds are a beautiful gift, with an even more beautiful story. This fair trade business works with women artisans around the world—including women in India, who use fabric scraps from traditional Kantha quilts to create pieces like these earrings.

All the art lovers in your life will be wowed by the jewelry of Dunitz & Company. These Degas Ballerina Earrings feature the unmistakable work of Edgar Degas created with wood board made from recycled eucalyptus. 

Gift a loved one with a gold-dipped rose crown the from Belart and help them become the fantasy character of their dreams. 

A perfect gift for the activist in your life, the Mantra Bracelets from Mayan Hands feature various inspiring words and are made of 100% cotton. 

For the Globe-Trotters 

WorldFinds’ Kutch Mosaic Crossbody bag is the perfect accessory for those on the go, small enough to not be cumbersome, while still eye-catching and ideal for all the important things you need to keep handy. 

Travel organized with the Wayfarer Traveler Jewelry Roll from Tenfold Fair Trade Collection. The piece is made from handwoven organic cotton by artisans in Cambodia, screen-printed by hand using eco-friendly dyes, and accessories from vegan leather, including a loop on the back to hang the organizer. 

For longer trips your friend is taking, gift them the Batik Patchwork Weekender Bag from Fair Trade Winds. Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth and this bag is made of 100% cotton with upcycled flour sack lining inside. 

For the Little Ones 

The Travel Tic Tac Toe Game from daiseye is a great stocking stuffer for kids of all ages! The drawstring bag is made of cotton with a kantha stitch tic tac toe board for use with the Neem wood X and O chips found inside.

This gift is double the fun for kiddos! The Hand Felted Tooth Fairy Pillow from Just Creations is both a lovely doll for kids and its small pocket for lost teeth is the perfect way to welcome the tooth fairy. 

Encourage the artistic pursuits of anyone with Tenfold’s Pine Crayon Bundles, made from pine brances and sold in bundles of 10. 

Books are a staple gift for a reason—especially when they boast such a fascinating story! Reach and Teach offers several genres for all ages. This book, The Pearl Hunter by Miya T. Beck, for middle grade readers, follows a young pearl diver who goes to the ends of the earth to rescue her twin sister, stolen by a ghost whale, in a fantasy world inspired by pre-Shogun era Japan. 

Give the stylish gift of A Day at the Beach Kids' Patchwork Pants made of 100% cotton in Nepal from Soul Flower Boho & Organic Clothing. 

For the Foodies 

Never skimp on the spices with this South African tomato pepper, featuring sun-dried tomato, black peppercorns, garlic, onion, red bell pepper, olives, and basil, sold by Just Creations. This spice comes from Burlap & Barrel, which sources spices directly from farmer cooperatives and small farms. 

Up pizza night with the fun and handy Bike Pizza Cutter from Fair Trade Winds. 

Try out new meals with Reach and Teach’s Cook Real Hawai’i cookbook by Sheldon Simeon, boasting uncomplicated, flavor-forward recipes. 

In an ever-stressful world, give yourself and loved ones some grace and compassion with a warm cup of cinnamon tea from Traditional Medicinals. 

Or maybe your giftee is more of a coffee person. There’s no better coffee than Velasquez Family Coffee, featuring quality coffee from Honduras, like the Maximo's French Roast Coffee (dark).

November has arrived and that means one thing—no, no, not Thanksgiving or fall decorations—it's National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! Or school finals are coming up. Or you’re getting ready to start painting or cross-stitching holiday gifts. No matter the project, there’s a chill in the air, and it’s time to bundle up and invest in sustainable creative accessories and products to pursue your hobbies. 

Every item recommended in this article comes from our thousands of certified Green Business Network members, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility.   

Notebooks, Pens, and Beyond 

The first thing any good creative needs is a collection of reliable writing tools, especially if you’re old-school and prefer longhand for notes, outlines, even full stories! Or if you’re an artist, you can use these products to sketch whatever’s in your imagination. 

We’Moon has all the mystical products to get the creative juices flowing and stay on track with your writing goals. 

The company’s moon calendars and planners can help you figure out the best writing timeline based on moon phases and stick to your deadlines. 

You can also check out the We’Moon tarot deck, with art from women around the world, to consult the major and minor arcana for ideas. 

We’Moon also has an annual literary and art journal with submissions open from March through July once you’re finished with that short story or painting. 

For all your paper needs, Green Field Paper Company is a one-stop shop. 

Theis sustainable business offers everything from seed paper and greeting cards to hemp folders and labels. 

EcoPlum offers all sorts of unique, sustainable office supplies that will make your writing journey easier. 

Their wireless earbuds and wood mousepads will aid those who prefer to write or draw on a computer, while their vast collection of notebooks and pens, made from recycled materials, are great for those ideas you have on the go. 

Make Sure You’re Comfortable 

Perhaps you’re a desk worker, or you like to curl up in a cozy armchair while imagining far-off places. Either way, it’s important to be comfortable when you’re in the creative space. There’s nothing worse than not being able to get in the groove because you’re hungry or cold or your upstairs neighbor won’t stop playing the drums. 

If the air is crisp and the sky is grey, don’t worry about being cold with Mira Fair Trade’s handmade quilts and throws.

Organic and Healthy offers organic cotton blankets in a variety of weaves for whatever texture you prefer, whether it’s a waffle blanket or one also made with chenille. 

If you’re someone who likes to create to music, or needs to drown out the world, then don’t miss out on EcoPlum’s bamboo Bluetooth speakers. 

For all the extra comforts, check out sustainable online retailer What’s Good for cute, printed socks (with the profits going to various causes!) and delicious chocolate bars. 

Set the Scene 

Notes of orange, cinnamon, and clove fill the room and transport you to the magical land you’re creating, all thanks to Sea Witch Botanicals’ Quoth the Raven candle from What’s Good. 

What’s Good boasts a unique collection of candles, incense, and essential oils to make sure the ambience is exactly what you need. You can also set an intention for your project with a crystal intention candle. 

For other scents and options, look through a variety of candles made of sustainable waxes at Sunbeam Candles and Honey Candles. 

It’s also important to make sure your own scene is conducive to and clear for creative thoughts. 

Dolphin Blue has tons of office supplies to organize everything from pens to notes and all the miscellaneous desk clutter that helps the space feel like you. 

Now, go forth and create your masterpiece—for people and the planet. 

The start of November also signifies the beginning of Native American Heritage Month, a dedicated time to recognize, honor, and commemorate the culture, history, and impact of Indigenous people and communities across the Nation. This year’s theme is Celebrating Tribal Sovereignty and Identity. 

 Initiated federally in 1990, Native American Heritage Month highlights an open opportunity for Native American communities to celebrate shared traditions and arts while remembering their culture’s ever-significant history. For non-Indigenous observers, this commemorative month should act as a stark reminder of the massive and urgent line of work to be done to begin to reconcile the long and painful tragedies inflicted by colonialism and persistent controlling Western narratives. 

Native American Heritage Month also encompasses the National Day of Mourning for Native Americans, recognized on the fourth Thursday of November in opposition to the common Western celebration of Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving holiday, which to most non-Indigenous people has been portrayed as a festive meal celebrating discovery and community, truly serves as a twisted recognition of mass colonialism spurring a dark future of genocide, oppression, and discrimination for Indigenous people on their own lands. 

Another important aspect of Native American Heritage Month is in recognizing the immeasurable contributions Indigenous communities have made to the Nation. One area of resounding impact is in environmental justice and sustainability efforts, including fierce protection of critical nature reserves and refuges, clean water movements, wildlife and biodiversity protection, and countless other modes of support for critical actions to protect nature and fight climate change. Connection to nature and land is deeply engrained in Indigenous cultures and informs the importance of campaigns focused on returning land to the people who were connected with it long before any colonizers arrived. 

The Landback Movement represents a necessary push to return Indigenous lands to Indigenous communities. Centuries of colonialism and harmful government intervention has led to the removal of Indigenous people from any decision-making or governance of their land and even from the land itself, opening the door for deregulations and other lasting detrimental choices by powerful Westerners on land that they never had a right to reside over in the first place. The Landback Movement yearns for a return to communal Indigenous land structures and the reversal of colonialist-imposed concepts like private land ownership. From cultural celebrations to movements like this one, Native American Heritage Month centers around an important reminder of the beauty and resilience of Indigenous communities – closely connected to this year’s focus on Tribal identity. 

This Native American Heritage Month, honor the Native American and Indigenous communities in as many was as you can. Just a few ways to get involved include listening to and amplifying Indigenous voices and narratives, actively contributing to breaking down the dishonest and harmful narratives perpetuated by Western society at large, supporting causes like the Landback Movement, researching what Indigenous land you reside within and crafting a land acknowledgment, and donating to Native-led nonprofits and organizations.  

Holiday Background & Social Justice:

Background information about the month  

 4 Reasons to Rethink Your November 

Native Land Digital (Mapping Territories + Other Resources) 

A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement 

5 Places to Learn About Indigenous People in Pa 

Native American Heritage - Lenape 

Indigenous Tribes of Washington DC 

Places in the US with Native American Names: By State 

Beyond November, Indigenous Communities Honor Culture and Heritage Year-Round 

The Indigenous Foundation: Resources 

Native American Rights Fund: Voting Rights 

The History of Thanksgiving for a Native American Perspective 

The True Dark History of Thanksgiving 

A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement 

Economy: 

National Congress of American Indians: Economic Development and Commerce 

Native Americans are getting left behind in the remote work economy 

A People’s Orientation to a Regenerative Economy 

Environment:

On Native American Heritage Month, Decolonizing Environmentalism 

Indigenous Environmental Network 

In Person Events:

Walk for Justice (DC) 

In person children's event (DC)  

Virtual Events:

Virtual Teen Comics Chat – Native American Comics 

Webinar, Nov 1  

Guide to Indigenous mapping  

The Colonial Urge to Commodify the Climate Crisis: Uplifting Real Solutions 

Books:

There There by Tommy Orange  

Firekeeper's Daughter By Angeline Boulley    

Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene 

Returning Home: Diné Creative Works from the Intermountain Indian School 
 

Spirit Matters: White Clay, Red Exits, Distant Others By Gordon Henry 

Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science by Jessica Herdnandez 

We Are the Middle of Forever: Indigenous Voices from Turtle Island on the Changing Earth by Dahr Jamail and Stan Rushworth 

A number of IRA incentives are geared towards helping people with modest incomes to make sure that everyone benefits from going green.

If you were thinking of updating your home—from A/C to hot water heater to stove—now is the time to take advantage of tax credits that will save you money as you help to save the planet.

Over a year after the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August 2022, the United States government has reported strong results, creating over 170,000 jobs by its first birthday and seeing over $110 billion dollars invested in clean energy manufacturing. Improvements like these show positive signs for the future, as well as significant savings in costs with the tax credits created by this law. However, while it’s relatively clear to see the benefits provided to businesses involved in IRA provisions, the IRA can also be a boon to folks looking to green their lives.

Your Home Incentives Start with an Audit

The government recommends beginning with a professional home energy audit to ensure that energy-efficient upgrades are not sabotaged by external factors in your home—a process that, if eligible, will earn you a 30% tax credit up to $150 once you submit IRS Form 5695 alongside your taxes. The Residential Energy Services Network is one directory of certified professional energy auditors in your area and is backed by the Office of Renewable Energy. Once it’s time to start the process of greening your home, there are many steps that can be taken that are eligible for tax credits provided by the IRA.

Electrical Equipment

Investing in electrical panel or circuit upgrades—or new electrical equipment—can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the consumer cost up to $600.

Installing a fuel cell can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the consumer cost, maxing out at $500 per half kilowatt (kW) of power capacity.

Temperature Control

Installing energy-efficient air conditioning systems can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the cost up to $600.

Installing an energy-efficient air-source or geothermal heat pump can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the cost up to $2000/year. (Learn more about heat pumps at https://www.greenamerica.org/your-green-life/invest-energy-efficient-home.)

Upgrading your insulation and air sealing can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the cost up to $1,200.

Water Systems

Installing energy-efficient hot-water boilers can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the cost up to $600/year.

Installing energy-efficient heat-pump water heaters can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the cost up to $2,000/year.

Installing solar water heaters can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the cost.*

Other Eligible Upgrades

Upgrading to energy-efficient windows can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the consumer cost up to $600.

Installing energy efficient skylights can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the consumer cost up to $600.

Installing rooftop solar panels can earn you a tax credit of 30% of the consumer cost.*

Federal Assistance Programs

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) can aid in reducing energy costs and implementing energy-efficient improvements for low-income households.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can assist qualifying low-income households with their home heating and cooling bills.

Take advantage of these opportunities to green your home while taking some pressure off your wallet.

*Government websites are not listing maximum limits for rebates on these upgrades at time of writing.

Transportation Incentives

IRA-provided tax credits extend even beyond the home. If you are considering purchasing a clean vehicle, you may be eligible for a tax credit for your purchase. Learn more about clean vehicles and deciding if they could be right for you on p. 37 and 38.

There are many specific requirements for eligibility for tax credits on clean vehicle purchases. The four main requirements for qualifying are a battery capacity of at least 7 kilowatt hours, a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds, a final assembly completed in North America, and to be made by a qualified manufacturer.

The vehicle must be purchased for personal use, primarily in the U.S. There are modified adjusted gross income caps—$300,000 for married couples filing jointly, $225,000 for heads of households, and $150,000 for all other filers.

For more information on eligibility requirements and available vehicles, visit https://www.fueleconomy.gov/.

Purchasing a Vehicle Now

Purchasing a new electric or fuel-cell vehicle can earn a tax credit of up to $7,500.

Purchasing a used electric or fuel-cell vehicle can earn a tax credit of up to $4,000.

Vehicles Purchased Before 2023

Even vehicles bought between 2010-2022 may be eligible for these tax credits. All-electric and plug-in hybrids bought new can earn a tax credit of up to $7,500—but this varies depending on battery capacity.

If you ask multiple financial advisors for generalized advice on money matters, they’ll likely tell you that every person’s finances are different and ever-changing based on goals and plans. If they’re advisors who specialize in socially responsible investing (SRI), they’ll also agree that no matter how much money you have, you can use your money to support sustainable business practices and local economies.

That said, Green America pinned a few of them down on general financial and SRI advice for every decade of our lives, based on where the average person is at each stage. Use it as a rough guide to maximizing the power of your investments as you go through life.

In Your 20s

People in their 20s tend to have:

• Varying amounts of debt, including student loans.
• An entry-level salary in their field.
• Fewer expenses (may not have kids, etc).
• Beginner-level knowledge and comfort level with investments.

Start saving early: People in their 20s may feel that the need to save for retirement is less urgent, since it’s 40-plus years away. However, Steve Dixon, principal and investment manager at Birchwood Financial Partners  says it’s critical for young people to start saving.

“My parents, the Baby Boom generation, didn’t need to figure this stuff out like younger generations will need to. Pensions were more prevalent and Social Security was viewed as more secure,” Dixon says. “Nowadays, few can count on a pension and changes to Social Security seem inevitable. It’s much more critical that young people save for retirement. The nice part is that there are lots of ways to do it.”

Save as much as you can: Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts senator and bankruptcy expert, coined the “50/30/20” rule of budgeting, which suggests you should keep your necessary costs to 50% of your after-tax income, spend up to 30% on “wants,” and sock 20% into savings. When you’re just starting out in the working world, 50/30/20 might be more of a goal than a reality, but make a point to save as much as you can until you can reach 20%.

Make saving routine: Steve Dixon says your financial plan in your 20s should emphasize making saving for retirement part of your routine.

“It’s like exercising or eating right; if you build it into a routine, it’s so much easier than if you put it off,” he says. “Don’t wait until you have money to put away, because invariably, we never feel like we have enough money to put away.”

Young women need to save even more. Not only do women make less money than men over a lifetime, but they live five to six years longer—meaning they will need more savings for their retirement.

Get involved in your workplace retirement account: The easiest place to start saving is at work: If your employer offers a retirement savings account and will match a portion of your savings, take advantage of that—it’s free money! Make sure to save at least the amount that earns you the maximum employer match. If your employer does not offer a retirement account, you can open your own IRA or Roth IRA instead.

Invest intentionally: Julie Gorte, senior vice president for sustainable investing at Impax Asset Management, advises investors to align their investments with their values, such as support for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. “When it comes to investors with an interest in gender lens investing, we tend to see them want to invest in companies with greater diversity in leadership or ownership and in companies creating products or services that positively impact women and girls,” she says.

Considering SRI

Break up with your megabank: The easiest thing to do to use your money for good is to switch banks. Break up with your megabank, if you belong to one, and choose a community investing bank or credit union. The federal government provides certification for community development financial institutions. Check out Green America’s Get a Better Bank database to find a community development bank or credit union near you.

Community investing banks and credit unions are known for treating customers better and generally charging lower fees than megabanks. Most allow the same convenience of online banking that a megabank would have.

Where does the socially responsible part come in? Community investing banks and credit unions have a mission to use their money to lift up low- and middle-income communities. For example, Wells Fargo lends its money to fossil-fuel projects, while many community investing banks make a point of avoiding fossil fuels, instead lending money to foster local businesses, support people trying to buy homes, and more. Community investing banks and credit unions are federally insured, which means they’re just as safe as a megabank or your local bank.

Get SRI into your workplace retirement account: Ask your employer if socially responsible funds are included in your workplace retirement account. If they aren’t, ask your employer to consider adding them.

In Your 30s

People in their 30s tend to have:

• Less debt.
• A higher salary than in their 20s.
• Growing expenses, from buying a home, growing a family, etc.
• Some retirement savings.

Set aside an emergency fund: The investment advice site Betterment.com recommends making sure you have an emergency fund by your early 30s. Most experts recommend setting aside at least six months’ worth of your salary in a savings account, in case of illness or job loss, for example.

Don’t cash out retirement accounts: People with even a small amount of retirement savings shouldn’t cash it out early, an article from Money Magazine warns. When you cash out a 401(k), the government takes out extra taxes, so a $5,000 balance could turn into $3,500 cash. If you leave your retirement accounts alone, you keep the money growing.

Reconsider your savings: As you age, make a point to divert as much as you can into retirement and other savings. Increase your contribution to your workplace retirement account, which you can have your employer automatically pull from your paycheck. And have your bank or credit union automatically divert money from your checking account into savings every paycheck, as well.

Consider mutual funds: If you didn’t in your 20s, start investing some of your savings in a mix of mutual funds across asset classes in your 30s. At a younger age, you can be more tolerant to risk since you have time to absorb any losses, but by your 30s you’ll need to start earning the returns needed to retire later in life. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the risk, the more potential for greater returns.

Considering SRI

SRI mutual funds: Generally, socially responsible mutual funds do as well or outperform the general market, making them a great option for green-minded people in their 30s who want to get started investing outside of a retirement account.

Look for socially responsible mutual funds, which offer automatic diversification, can help minimize risk, and most types are actively managed.

A socially responsible financial advisor: Your life is likely to go through some big changes in your 30s. You may get married and/or start a family, and you may buy your first home. Consequently, your finances will go through some big changes as well. A financial advisor can help you navigate these changes. Look for a socially responsible financial advisor, who can offer general financial advice and help you invest your money in line with your values.

Community investing: Your 30s may be a good time to maximize the social aspect of your portfolio and move some of your money into community investments that go beyond banking. These investments help finance community-building projects in the US or elsewhere in the world. They may help people build houses, install renewable energy, start small businesses, or otherwise help lift up local communities.

Calvert Impact {GBN}, for example, offers Community Investment Notes, which put your money into a pool of community development projects across the US and around the world—from loans for women-owned small businesses in Tanzania powered by solar to loans for affordable housing in Baltimore.

“Community investing is an important part of every portfolio and can play a key role in diversification,” says Cathy Cowan Becker, Green America’s responsible finance campaign director.

In Your 40s

People in their 40s tend to have:

• The highest wages of their careers.
• Long-term loans from big purchases.
• Established retirement savings.
• A need to continue saving for big purchases/ children’s needs, like college.

Max out your retirement savings: Advisors at Bankrate.com recommend making the maximum annual contribution possible to your retirement savings in your 40s, if you aren’t already.

For example, for the 2023 tax year, the maximum annual contribution to a 401(k) was $22,500.

Consider individual stock investments: If you haven’t already decided to invest in individual stock, your 40s could be a good time to do so. Buying individual stock has more risk than investing in mutual funds, but the rewards can be greater if the company does well.

Considering SRI

Screen your stock investments: Research companies before buying stock in them to ensure they’re socially and environmentally responsible. Purge any companies from your portfolio that you find are poor corporate citizens. A socially responsible financial advisor can screen your holdings for you.

“It is critical we start to be more intentional with our investing – because all investing makes an impact,” says Julie Gorte of Impax. “We see many women and the next generation already doing this. They recognize the need to be intentional with their investments and where their capital is going and who they are investing it with.”

Become an active shareholder: If you hold stock, you’ll receive a shareholder proxy ballot every spring. Vote your proxy ballot in favor of social and environmental shareholder resolutions. Mutual fund managers receive and vote the proxy ballots for their stock holdings, and they must disclose those votes on the fund website. If you disagree with how one of your mutual funds voted on a particular ballot, call the investor relations department and let them know.

In Your 50s

People in their 50s tend to have:

• Peak savings and investments.
• A short “time horizon” until retirement.
• A continued need to help children with college, plus assist aging parents with health and other issues.

Consider lessening your investment risk: As you start to think about retirement in the next decade or so, it may be time to shift your investments to be more conservative. Bill Holliday of AIO Financial uses the term “time horizon” to talk about how much time people can keep their money in an investment before they need it back.

“We don’t want to be forced to sell out of a volatile market when markets are down. If you have a short time horizon or don’t tolerate much risk, you want to have a good amount in fixed, stable investments,” Holliday says.

Consider your personal time horizon until retirement and check with a financial advisor to see if lessening investment risk is right for your portfolio.

Consider increasing your retirement contributions: In 2023, the 401(k) contribution limit for employees went up to $30,000 per year for people over 50. If you weren’t able to invest as much when you were younger, now is a good time to catch up.

Considering SRI

Find lower-risk socially responsible investments: Just because your investments may be getting less risky doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your values. No matter what your risk tolerance and time horizon, you or a financial planner will still be able to find socially responsible alternatives that fit with your needs.
Government bonds and certificates of deposit (CDs), for example, offer fixed returns and less risk for investors. Money market funds, or pools of CDs, bonds, and certain other investments offer automatic diversification and reduced risk.

SRI At Retirement (65+)

At 65, you might be setting the date for your retirement, or be retired, and you’re starting to withdraw from your savings and investment accounts. (Be sure to read up on the requirements for starting such withdrawals, to avoid fines or penalties.)

Considering SRI

Although you may want to reduce your investment in stocks, consider that you may well live 20 to 30 more years and you’ll need to continue increasing your assets to meet your needs. Socially responsible funds are a good option as they tend to be less volatile and reduce risk.

Steve Dixon suggests reconsidering community investment notes, which generally have a lower level of risk, when you retire.

“If I know I’m going to need that money within 18 to 24 months, if I’m being prudent, I shouldn’t be taking a lot of risk,” he says. “I want it in something secure.”

Community investments can deliver social impact while simultaneously being available for the near term. Many community investments allow you to choose an investment term of anywhere from one to 15 years.

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

Updated 2023.

If you own shares of stock in any publicly traded company, you have a voice in how that company is run.
Each year, hundreds of shareholder resolutions are filed on a wide range of environmental, social, and governance issues at companies across all sectors of our economy. Examples include asking companies to set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, report on gender and racial pay disparities, disclose political influence spending, and more.

Any shareholder can vote on a company’s shareholder resolutions—but the process can be cumbersome and confusing, especially if you own shares in a lot of different companies.

Now there’s an app for that.

As You Vote launches

As You Sow, the nation’s leading nonprofit shareholder advocacy organization, has introduced As You Vote, a program to help individual and institutional investors vote on shareholder resolutions for companies in which they own stock. Individual shareholders can cast proxy ballots through an app platform called iconik.

“Every individual shareholder can now express their voice in shareholder democracy and vote for justice and sustainability on every item of every ballot,” says As You Sow’s CEO Andrew Behar. “Most individual shareholders stay on the sidelines and don’t vote because they are overwhelmed by complicated ballots. …Now anyone can take the field and impact corporate proposals on climate change, racial justice, political spending, and other critical issues.”

Shareholder ballots—called proxy ballots because they are voted remotely by proxy rather than in person at the company’s annual meeting—are emailed or postal mailed to shareholders. Anyone who owns stock in multiple companies can quickly be overwhelmed with proxy voting messages. Proxy ballots can be confusing, and it can take time to research the details of every resolution.

As You Vote streamlines the process by setting up proxy votes in the app on a wide range of shareholder resolutions according to guidelines developed by As You Sow and Proxy Impact, a proxy voting consulting service that promotes responsible business practices. The app is informed by scorecards and ratings on topics such as racial justice, workplace equity, clean corporations, and overpaid CEOs.

When you sign up for As You Vote, it links to your email to send a copy of your shareholder ballots to the app. You retain full voting control and can change recommended votes if you like, or you can vote the slate set up in the app. You can also upgrade to the paid version of the app ($5 per month) to set up your own customized voting profile.

Individual investors can have a big impact

Individual investors hold 25% of all public equities, more than the total ownership of BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street (three of the biggest institutional investing firms) combined. But until now, it was easier for large asset managers to vote large numbers of proxies, giving their priorities an advantage over individual shareholders in shareholder resolution votes.

As You Vote helps correct this imbalance by boosting the votes of a larger, more democratic, and more diverse group of shareholders for social justice and a stable climate–individual shareholders with values like yours.

“This new technology is fully democratizing the public markets, and there’s no going back,” says Behar. “A new generation of investors is demanding to be heard and we are handing them the megaphone.”

As You Vote also allows institutional investors such as asset managers, endowments, and foundations to vote their values on proxy ballots through the Broadridge ProxyEdge platform.

Visit the ikonik app for more information on As You Vote individual investor platform. Third Act, a responsible finance group, also has a different version of this app.

Download the app today to be ready for the 2024 proxy season!

Shareholder action or shareholder activism, describes the efforts investors use to influence corporate behavior. Today, shareholders are more concerned than ever about how companies are being held accountable on issues such as climate change, reproductive health, political influence and human rights.

These environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, if not addressed properly, can create problems that harm people and the planet and that detract from shareholder value.

Investors can first share their concerns by speaking with management, but if that doesn’t work, they will often introduce shareholder resolutions, or written requests to company management, that direct investors in the company (not through a mutual fund) receive and may vote upon.

Resolutions in 2023

According to the 2023 Proxy Preview, at least 542 shareholder resolutions were filed in 2023 on environmental, social and sustainable governance issues. This is on track to match or exceed 2022’s unprecedented total of 627 resolutions.

“The big thing that has changed is there is an enormous explosion of filings since 2021,” says Heidi Welsh, executive direction of the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2), a company that conducts impartial research and publishes reports on organized efforts to influence corporate behavior on social and environmental issues, including the 2023 Proxy Preview. “Far more resolutions are going to vote than in prior years. Right now, people feel a sense of urgency. They are concerned that nothing is going to happen given the current divide in Congress.”

Climate and Emissions

Of the 542 resolutions that have been filed, 122 relate to climate change and 72 are related to greenhouse gas emissions.

“Companies state that they are in alignment with the Paris Agreement, but what they say and do isn’t consistent,” says Tracey Rembert, shareholder engagement specialist at Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR).

“Resolution-filers are looking for clear reporting on how the companies will be in compliance with the emission restrictions. If a company is in the news or elsewhere and inconsistencies pop up, their employees are not happy,” Rembert says. “They want companies to be who they say they are. This includes LGBTQ+ support, gun safety, and any other concerns in the current policy arena.”

If a company is in the news or elsewhere and inconsistencies pop up, their employees are not happy. They want companies to be who they say they are.

—Tracey Rembert,
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

Reproductive Rights

Another significant increase in proposals in 2023 relates to reproductive health care in response to the June 2022 US Supreme Court decision that prompted restrictions nationwide.

“The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade last June, has exposed companies to a whole new world of complication and risk,” says Shelley Alpern, director of corporate engagement at Rhia Ventures, a venture capital fund investing in women’s reproductive and maternal health innovations.

Several proposals ask companies such as Alphabet, American Express, CVS Health, Laboratory Corp. of America and Paypal, how they will handle law enforcement queries about private health information. Some proposals request an increase in digital privacy policies, others relate to insurance coverage for reproductive health care and maternal health benefits.

Other Major Investor Concerns: Human Rights, Diversity, Lobbying

Since 2021, proposals have focused on racial justice in the US, taking inspiration from the Black Lives Matter movement. Resolutions ask for transparency in how racism affects company proceedings and request a more comprehensive assessment with how race and civil rights intersect with employment practices.

In 2021, 50 resolutions were filed related to transparency of diversity in the workplace, but these numbers are trending down, with 38 filed in 2023, partially because some companies have complied with the requests.

Another large increase in resolutions relates to political influence. Over 90 resolutions ask companies to be more accountable about their efforts to influence the political arena related to lobbying and election spending. Others relate to mismatches between corporate policies and the beneficiaries of their corporate donations and lobbying.

Aside from the large increase in ESG resolutions in the last couple of years, Wall Street is facing pressure from right-wing policymakers who are pushing laws to stop investors from considering ESG criteria during their decision making. If these continue to gain traction, it could hurt progress.

Despite the increase in anti-ESG policies, Welsh isn’t concerned. “The anti-ESG proposals get a lot of attention, but it’s a small part of the bigger picture. We need to put it in perspective.”

What You Can Do

• If you own stock directly: All shareholders who have held at least one share of company stock for two months or more may vote. This can be done either in person at the company’s annual meeting or via a proxy ballot that is mailed or e-mailed to investors before the annual meeting. Green America has identified dozens of resolutions related to the green economy. You can either search by company or by issue of concern.
• If you own mutual funds: Read online or call your mutual fund managers to better understand how your mutual funds vote on shareholder resolutions. You can contact the mutual fund company directly to say how you want it to vote. The more people who voice their views to mutual fund managers about supporting ESG resolutions, the better the chance of making change.
• Other options: Write a letter to management in support of shareholder campaigns (anyone can do this). If you are an investor, attend an annual shareholder meeting and present your views. If you can’t attend in person, loan your shares and have someone attend for you. This can be arranged ahead of time by writing a letter and sending a copy of proof of ownership and identification.

Finally, if you aren’t comfortable having a company or certain industry sector in your portfolio, sell the shares. Divesting is another investing tool that can be powerful in making change.

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Among the dirtiest American banks are: 

Sector-based data, frontline stories 

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

These sectors include: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New information, new methodology 

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

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

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

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

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

What can you do? 

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

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

Getting a better bank 

1. Start by identifying a better bank or credit union. You can use Green America’s Get a Better Bank -- which maps over 6000 locations of 600 community development banks and credit unions nationwide -- or another tool such as Mighty Deposits, Bank.Green, Bank for Good or Better Banking Options.  

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

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

For more information, check out our Better Banking webinar.  

Taking charge of your credit card 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editor's Note: This article was revised on July 26, 2024 to update for the 2024 Banking on Climate Chaos Report

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

If you want to

• Get problematic industries like tobacco, fossil fuels, weapons, and others out of your portfolio.
• Invest in forward-thinking companies on the cutting edge of green technologies, like renewable energy, water purification, and responsible waste management.

Try Screening

What is it?

• Screening is making the choice to include or exclude investments in your portfolio based on social and environmental criteria.
• Avoidance screens mean that investments that violate your social and environmental criteria are kept out of your portfolio.
• Affirmative screens seek out investments that support business practices that work to advance a more just and sustainable world.

Scale

As of December 2022, U.S. investors have put $8.4 trillion into vehicles managed with sustainable investing strategies. This represents 1 in 8 dollars of total U.S. assets under professional management, according to the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investing, or US SIF.

Get Started

Do research and screen your own investments or hire a socially responsible financial advisor to help you.

“The very act of buying a portfolio that’s more consistent with goals of universal human dignity and ecological sustainability changes the conversation. It expands the mission of companies. 120-plus global stock exchanges have joined the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative, which means that over 60,000 companies now attempt to track their impact on people and the planet. Those things never would have happened had just Wall Street been their shareholders.”

—Amy Domini,
Domini Social Investments

If you want to

• Use your investor power to pressure irresponsible corporations to clean up their acts.

Try Shareholder Activism

What is it?

• Shareholder activism/advocacy describes the actions many investors take to press corporations to improve their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices—using their status as part-owners of companies as leverage.
• Shareholders, generally in coalition, may start out by dialoguing behind the scenes with corporate management to ask for change.
• If dialogues don’t work, shareholders may introduce a shareholder resolution, which is a formal request to corporate management to change company policies or procedures. All shareholders may vote on shareholder resolutions through a proxy ballot mailed or emailed to them, or in person at a company’s annual meeting.

Scale

Investors controlling $3 trillion in assets filed or co-filed shareholder resolutions on ESG issues at publicly traded companies from 2020 through 2022, according to the 2022 Report on Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing Trends produced by US SIF. Investors have filed over 542 environmental, social, and governance resolutions the 2023 shareholder season, according to Proxy Preview, a comprehensive database published by As You Sow, Sustainable Investments Institute, and Proxy Impact.

Get Started

If you own stock, look for a shareholder ballot to arrive in the mail in the spring, and vote in favor of social and environmental proposals. Every year, Green America rounds up the key issues on shareholder resolutions for your knowledge.

“Through dialogue, shareholder proposals, and other channels of communication, investors serve as an important catalyst for strengthening ESG policies, practices, and performance, as well as improving corporate social and environmental impacts.”

—Jonas Kron,
Trillium Asset Management

If you want to

• Put your money to work by helping to give people the resources they need to succeed.
• Move your money away from predatory megabanks that heavily fund fossil fuels, and toward institutions that are doing good, especially in communities that have been economically marginalized and underserved due to discriminatory policies and practices.

Try Community Investing

What is it?

• The simplest method is to open accounts in a community development bank/credit union.
• Community-investing vehicles maximize the social impact of your investments, providing capital to people in the US and abroad who are under-served by conventional banks.
• Other options include CDs and money-market accounts in a community-investing bank or credit union, community-investing loan funds and venture capital, and mutual funds with community investments in their portfolios.

Scale

Thanks in part to Green America and US SIF’s publicity campaigns, the community investing field has grown from $5 billion in 1999 to $458 billion currently, according to the US SIF 2022 Trends Report. This sector has experienced rapid growth especially in recent years, growing over 1000% in the last 12 years (from $41.7 billion in 2010).

Get Started

Find a community investing bank, credit union, or loan fund in Green America’s Get a Better Bank Database.

“Mission-driven financial institutions like HOPE offer a tremendous return on investment. Over the course of nearly three decades, HOPE has generated $3.7 billion in financing that has improved conditions for more than 2.6 million people across the Deep South. When historically under-resourced people have the right tools, families and communities thrive, and the entire nation benefits.”

—Bill Bynum,
Hope Credit Union

If you want to

• Send a message to an entire industry that it’s not sustainable.

Try Divestment

What is it?

• Divestment means pulling all of your money out of a particular investment or industry.
• The goal is to send a market signal to a company, industry, or government that its actions are not sustainable or acceptable, and their investors and customers want them to change course.

Scale

As of April 2023, 1,560 institutions representing over $40.51 trillion in assets have made a fossil-fuel divestment commitment, according to the Stand.Earth Global Fossil Fuel Divestment Commitments Database.

These include faith-based organizations, educational institutions, philanthropic foundations, pension funds, governments, for-profit corporations, and more.

Investors have divested $4.8 billion from private prisons as of 2019, according to Freedom to Thrive.

Get Started

Join the Fossil Fuel Divest/Invest campaign and pull your money out of the top 200 fossil fuel companies. A good financial planner can help. You can also check As You Sow’s Invest Your Values to find out if your mutual funds or ETFs are invested in a problematic industry, and to find top-scoring funds.

“Divestment is a powerful strategy, used after other strategies have not achieved the change needed. By pulling assets out of a country, industry, or company, investors declare that entity a pariah, and acutely raise the stakes for the continuation of the unacceptable conduct or policy. Divestment shines a spotlight on an issue that can no longer be ignored, intensifying the pressure for change.”

—Fran Teplitz,
Green America executive co-director 2000-2023

With roots in the civil rights, anti-poverty, and other progressive movements, the mission of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) is to create more equitable access to financial products and services, particularly for low-income neighborhoods and communities of color which have faced discriminatory financial policies. CDFIs operate within a financial system steeped in a history of racial discrimination and they work to correct injustices.

Racial inequities in lending are well documented. For example, entrepreneurs of color are more likely to be denied loans—Black borrowers are turned down 38% of the time, followed by their Latino (33%), Asian (24%), and white (20%) counterparts, according to the 2022 Small Business Credit Survey. Even when entrepreneurs of color are approved for loans, they usually don’t get the full amount they sought. That has led many Black entrepreneurs not to apply for loans at all.

To help CDFIs address these patterns of injustice, the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) and Capital Impact Partners studied how CDFIs in six states work with nonprofits and center communities of color in their lending and investments. The result is the Catalyzing Finance for Racial Equity Report, which explores five building blocks to advance racial equity in CDFI lending.

“Advancing racial equity requires that we listen to communities of color and constantly interrogate and improve our practices and policies,” said Aisha Benson, CEO of NFF. “By sharing our experiences of what’s working and what isn’t, among peer CDFIs, we can speed progress toward shared equity goals.”

The five building blocks and recommendations to enact them include:

Show a commitment to racial equity and communities of color by attending business events, ribbon-cuttings, local fairs, networking events, and the like. Build relationships with other organizations that have earned trust with potential borrowers. Be accountable to your own racial equity goals as well as to outside stakeholders. Building trust is not easy or fast but is foundational to everything else.

Know who your target clients are and have honest dialogue with them to learn what they want and need. Deliver targeted, community centric services in a respectful way that makes continued dialogue possible. Be transparent in explaining processes, provide timely decisions, and if you have to say no to a borrower, provide other resources and referrals so the person can learn how to qualify for a loan.

Design technical assistance offerings such as business planning, marketing, or skills training based on knowledge of the communities being served. Provide in-house assistance and develop partnerships with other local providers. Don’t rely on general best practices or programs that worked elsewhere. Talk with your clients to build an understanding of what they need.

Take a “total return” approach to investing, that considers not just interest on a loan, but how clients can leverage loans for additional funding to increase social and economic impact. Constantly assess loan structures to fit client and community needs. Be flexible in loan structure and terms. Offer payment options beyond simple interest rates, such as revenue-based financing, project-based return, or other non-traditional structures. Dismantle non-race-informed lending policies to deliver more capital to communities of color.

Too often, interest rates for CDFI loans are higher than for loans from a commercial bank. This conflicts with the CDFI mission of serving communities that have been discriminated against and economically marginalized. One way CDFIs can proactively seek to lower interest rates is by applying for grants to support special loan products or test innovative programs that may be riskier. A willingness to pursue cheaper capital demonstrates a commitment to racial equity and to communities that have been underserved and
underestimated.

Learn more about the Catalyzing Finance for Racial Equity Report.

Not all banks are created equal. Whichever bank you use, your money will be there when you want it. But while it’s in your account, the bank can use your money how it wants, which could be aligned with your values, or not.

You can put your money to good use simply by doing your banking with a community development bank or credit union to meet all your regular banking needs, including accounts for checking, savings, certificates of deposit, loans and more.

Why are megabanks bad news?

• They may invest your money in industries you don’t support, like fossil fuel projects, military development, or abusive sweatshops.
• They lent billions in predatory sub-prime mortgages that their borrowers couldn’t repay, which led to the housing market crash in 2008.
• Their main objective is to make their Wall Street CEO and shareholders wealthier, too often ignoring harm to people and the planet.
• They don’t treat people right. Megabanks have been ordered to repay billions of dollars wrongfully taken from consumers.
• They are bankrolling the climate crisis, as shown in Banking on Climate Chaos Report.
• When choosing to have a checking or savings account at a community development bank or credit union, you are investing in a financial institution that supports communities, the environment, and your values.

Benefits can include:

• Creating good-paying local jobs.
• Supporting clean energy, fair labor, and food security in food deserts.
• Providing financial services to low-income people and investments in small business, affordable housing, and education.
• Investing in your local economy.
• More accountability to individual customer-members.

Take these steps to move your money from a megabank.

1.

Find a new community development bank or credit union through Green America’s Get a Better Bank. As you research your new financial institution, be sure to ask about fees, services, and the details about the banking products you need. Make sure to ask that the institution you select is FDIC- (for banks) or NCUA- (for credit unions) insured—which means the government will guarantee your deposits up to a certain amount, in the case of a bank failure.

2.

Open your new account with a small deposit while keeping your megabank account open. Order the products you need such as checks, debit cards, and deposit slips.

3.

Make a list of your direct deposits, like your paycheck, and automatic withdrawals, like your phone bill, that you want to transfer from your megabank to your new bank.

4.

Move your automatic deposits to your new account. If you have direct deposit for your paycheck, ask your employer to transfer your paychecks to your new account, for which you will need your account number and routing number—which are on the bottom of personal checks or online when you log into your account, or you can call to ask. Social Security payments or other forms of income you receive automatically into your account will need the same information. Ask for the date on which the first payment to your new account will take place.

5.

Move your automatic withdrawals to your new account (you will again need to provide the routing and account numbers). When you know that sufficient funds will be in your new account, transfer your automatic payments so they are now deducted from your new account. Ask for the date on which the payments from your new account will begin. It’s wise to leave a small amount of cash in your megabank checking account for at least a month after you think you have shifted your deposits and withdrawals to your new bank or credit union to guard against any unforeseen circumstances like checks that hadn’t yet been cashed or payments you forgot about.

6.

If you only have online banking through your megabank, download bank statements and save them in a safe place or print them. Save them for your records and keep canceled checks you may later need.

7.

Transfer the final funds from your megabank account to your new account—once you have all your automatic deposits and payments transferred and any last checks have cleared your old account. Electronic transfer of these final funds to your new account is usually the fastest and safest method to use.

8.

Close your megabank account. Once the last remaining funds in your old account have transferred to your new account, follow the bank’s procedures for closing accounts. Obtain written confirmation that your account is closed.

9.

Inform your bank why you broke up. Let them know you chose a bank that does not invest in fossil fuel projects or engage in predatory lending practices.

10.

Encourage your workplace, congregation, or alma mater to use a community development bank or credit union if they do not already do so. Also, if you are on the board of any nonprofits or live in a condo or housing co-op, encourage these organizations to switch too.

For colleges and universities, and other endowed institutions, turn to the Intentional Endowments Network for information on using their investments and accounts to help communities and not hurt the planet.

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

Sustainable companies that promote green practices can support you and your community to work together to promote positive environmental movements. This is especially important in industries that are major sources of climate change. We looked at two of these industries—construction and agriculture—to find leaders who ensure that truly green solutions and community-building are at the forefront of their organization’s efforts.

Out of the Landfill, Into the Community

In Edmonston, Maryland, Community Forklift is dedicated to sustainable practices that support the local community. The nonprofit gives old appliances and building materials a chance at a new life away from the landfill. By accepting donations from contractors, suppliers, homeowners, and businesses, Community Forklift fills its reuse warehouse with supplies available to the community at low costs or for free for limited-resource households.

Community Forklift not only provides a range of unique items and useful resources, but it also runs the Home Essentials Program (HELP), which allows individuals and households to apply for free-of-cost necessities, like repair supplies or air conditioning units in the summer. Community Forklift has distributed $483,000+ worth of materials to families in need since 2011.

“Thank you so very, very much! I got air, I got air! Thank you for everything,” one HELP program recipient reacted to her free air conditioning unit. Another recipient was able to replace a range that had a nonfunctional oven and only two working burners with a gently used stove, and yet another repaired their water-damaged floor with newly provided flooring.

The nonprofit connects with many facets of the local community to accommodate a wide variety of needs. Even Community Forklift’s executive director, Trey Davis, was a Community Forklift customer long before beginning his position.

“I have been a customer here since at least 2007 or 2008. I’ve been a huge fan of the place for fun and funky items and discount materials for my own projects, so when I saw the job listing, I immediately applied,” says Davis. Davis is excited about the wide range of community members with varying interests that Community Forklift connects with.

These connections extend beyond individuals, with contributions to nonprofits, schools, and community groups. The impact of Community Forklift can be seen looking around the community: furniture in apartments dedicated to arriving refugees, toilets for repair practice in women-empowering workshops, tools and décor at a local community garden.

Davis recognizes the significance of not just practicing sustainability but doing so while putting resources back into the community in a meaningful way.

“600 million tons of construction debris is going into landfills every year in this country, and yet there’s a lot of life left in a lot of those materials and people can use it,” says Davis. “So, we view it as extremely important to connect the supplies to the people that need them.”

Other leaders like Davis dedicated to building a greener future also recognize the importance of connection.

Individuals across a wide range of fields have committed themselves to identifying effective and creative ways to engage with community and bolster their sustainability efforts. While Community Forklift provides physical resources, other organizations focus on the distribution of resources in a different way: sharing knowledge.

Sustainability, Hot Off the Presses

The Organic and Non-GMO Report, a magazine and e-newsletter, approaches community-focused sustainability by sharing news, education, and resources with its readers while supporting the growth of the organic and non-GMO markets.

GMOs—genetically modified organisms—are mostly plants, some animals, whose DNA has been modified to create something that doesn’t occur naturally. Non-GMO foods have grown in demand with the growth of the movement advocating for non-engineered agriculture with less pesticides to support soil health and biodiversity. Founder and editor Ken Roseboro is passionate about increasing the public awareness of what foods they are consuming and how they come to be.

“We’re trying to raise awareness of the importance of these foods and agricultural practices because it will make a huge difference in the world,” says Roseboro.

The Organic and Non-GMO Report provides a wide range of information relevant to the industry’s leading ideas and developments, though Roseboro’s favorite part of the job is highlighting companies that make a positive impact. Stories of farmers committing to organic, non-GMO, and regenerative agriculture in support of the environment and their local community provide a bright light to readers worried about the future of agriculture.

The magazine has also uncovered problematic practices in the industry, like a company practicing organic fraud. Two articles were published in The Organic and Non-GMO Report in 2007 reporting on Nevada Soy duped by grain broker Jericho Solutions (owned by Randy Constant), which sent them supposedly organic soybeans. The beans tested positive for GMOs. Then, 14 years later, The New Yorker’s article “The Great Organic-Food Fraud” cited Roseboro’s magazine as the first alarm bells raised about the scheme that led to “more than a hundred and forty-two million dollars in sales of fake organic grain between 2010 and 2017.” The USDA’s new Strengthening Organic Enforcement rules announced in March 2023 focus on preventing a repeat of this type of event by refining the standards of certifications, record-keeping, oversight, and more.

With his journalistic coverage and connections, Roseboro helps accelerate the work that he reports on by making introductions.

“Ken serves as the nexus for almost all of the knowledge within the evolving agriculture space,” says Jessica Hulse Dillon, director of Green America’s Soil & Climate Alliance. “Ken connects those of us working towards true regenerative transition to accelerate our collective and individual work.”

Sustainable Businesses and How to Find Them

Large corporations that pollute the planet and greenwash are frequently in the news. We hear less about the social entrepreneurs all over the country in many industries who are solving problems and helping people and the planet.

However, community-focused, sustainable organizations are found all over the country. Organizations dedicated to finding true green can provide support and resources for all of us.

Green America’s Green Pages can help uncover these genuinely green businesses. From food to clothing to banking, the Green Pages list companies and organizations that are leading the way to true green solutions. Get inspiration from green businesses at Green Pages that are committed to uplifting their communities towards a more sustainable future.

Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) is an approach to investing that is becoming more common and increasingly attacked by right-wing foes. With dominating headlines, it’s important to understand ESG investing myths and why they’re dangerous.

ESG criteria considers three issues before investing in a company:

• Environmental: A company’s greenhouse gas emissions; its use (or not) of renewable energy, etc.
• Social: How employees are treated; benefits packages; engagement in diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, etc.
• Governance: Construction and management of a company’s personnel, from diversity within the board of directors to a fair pay scale; protection from corruption; etc.

To stay informed amidst the onslaught of misinformation about ESG and other socially responsible investing practices, we’re debunking some myths:

MYTH: ESG investing is a passing fad and a political football.

The first myth about ESG investing is that this type of investing is a temporary strategy, or something newly created by the left to push a political agenda.

As former Vice President Mike Pence opined for the Wall Street Journal, it is not “consumer demand” that is driving this “new trend of woke capitalism,” but rather “large and powerful Wall Street financiers promoting left-wing … goals.”

TRUTH: It’s tried, true, and here to stay.

In fact, responsible investing has been around for centuries and isn’t going away.

Quakers and Methodists in the 1700s launched early ethical investing strategies, avoiding investments that went against their religious and moral views, such as the slave trade and gambling.

Since then, ESG investing has only increased—not due to a left-wing agenda, but because of learned strategies to avoid risks from company lapses. According to a 2022 Capital Group study, “ESG adoption is now widespread, with … ESG users jumping to 89%, up from 84% in 2021.” A 2022 Bloomberg Intelligence report further reported global ESG assets surpassed $35 trillion in 2020 and could soar past $50 trillion by 2025.

MYTH: ESG investing is only about the climate crisis.

ESG and climate headlines go hand in hand, leading many to believe ESG is strictly about the environment.

Some Republican politicians also perpetuate this myth through their attack on the climate crisis, falsely equivocating the two in political soundbites and muddying the public’s understanding of both.

TRUTH: ESG investing spans industries.

As Brandon Wester, director of investment research at Longwave Financial{GBN}, points out: “The other two major considerations are in the name.”

“The social and governance factors reveal costs the company will bear directly if it misbehaves,” Wester says. “When a company gets sued for misleading consumers or an executive gets litigated for bad behavior, it hurts the bottom line.”

The public is more directly affected by environmental considerations, which is why it’s a better news story, but every factor of ESG is important. Also, anti-ESG strategies are designed to protect and largely funded by fossil fuel interests.

MYTH: ESG investing sacrifices portfolio performance.

This is a favorite talking point among critics—that ESG portfolios don’t provide returns or positive performance.

In 2023, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), described ESG investing as “a cancer and a fraud within our capital markets, steering retail investors, sometimes unwittingly, into lower-performing, less diversified and higher-fee funds,” to CNBC—yikes.

TRUTH: Numbers don’t lie—ESG investing is a success for portfolios.

Wester suggests looking up stock indexes: “You will see right away that [poor performance with an ESG portfolio] is not true.”

He points to the ACWI index, which tracks the world’s investible public equity securities and shows the ESG index performing better than the main index over the past 10 years.

A 2021 NYU study confirms this, finding that 59% of ESG investments between 2015 and 2020 performed similar or better to conventional investments.

Acknowledging Barr’s point about fees, Wester says if a portfolio is managed in a “fundamentally sound way,” including limiting fees, “there is no argument to make towards it underperforming.”

In fact, not participating in ESG investing has a more negative impact.

Gary Retelny, CEO of Institutional Shareholder Services group of companies (ISS), warns ignoring ESG factors that “can drive long-term financial impact … could result in imprudent risk-taking to the detriment of the retirement savers and other investors our clients serve.”

The costs could go far beyond the individual, too. In Kansas, a bill to prohibit state contracts and retirement investments with companies that use ESG criteria would cost $1.1 billion in divestment costs and $3.6 billion in lowered returns over the next 10 years. Several other states are contending with this possibility as bankers and others push back against anti-ESG legislation.

MYTH: Participating in ESG investing means eliminating entire sectors and screening only “sin” stocks.

This myth was truer decades ago, when religious institutions followed the Quakers and Methodists’ strategy and refused to invest in bad actor sectors (or “sin” stocks) like gambling, tobacco, and more.

Screening is the process of using filters to determine which companies are eligible or ineligible for a portfolio based on the investor’s preferences, values, or ethics. Negative screening excludes bad actors, while positive screening chooses only qualifying companies.

TRUTH: ESG includes different sectors.

Investing has changed over the years and just as the environment is not the only concern of ESG, financial institutions don’t screen only “sin” stocks anymore.

Now, says Wester, ESG index funds “will tend to hold similar weights in each industry as the market benchmark, but will aim to invest more in the top actor.”

Investors are taking a less exclusionary route with ESG investing these days and screening based on values and ESG criteria.

MYTH: ESG information isn’t reliable or accurate.

As a (falsely labeled) “newer” investment strategy, critics of ESG question its reliability or accuracy.
The ESG Working Group, an association of eight House Republicans, cited in a 2023 report their “significant doubts about the credibility and efficacy of the ESG movement.”

TRUTH: As with any investing, new information is always being learned, but ESG is solid.

Many ESG investing analytics are available now, allowing investors to more accurately see how ESG portfolios are performing and assess ESG factors.

Wester recommends resources like Morningstar’s “sustainalytics” and YourStake.org to find data on mutual funds. YourStake relies only on information from third-party watchdogs, nonprofits, and government regulator documents.

The US lags behind the EU and other countries in ESG disclosures, but there is still “more than enough information to make informed investment decisions around ESG factors.”

Sleek, efficient, and quiet; in a growing energy crisis, electric cars are quickly becoming the it alternative to fossil fuel vehicles. Almost half of Americans said they would consider an electric car as their next vehicle, according to a poll by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and the Associated Press. Before asking what you can afford or what brand to get, ask yourself what it means to buy an
electric car.

According to 2021 data from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), light-duty vehicles (cars and small trucks), account for a whopping 16.8% of US greenhouse gas emissions. Though corporations and governments are responsible for a majority of emissions reductions, our transportation choices will reduce our collective emissions.

The Real Question: Do I Need a Car?

A study by the University of Maryland for the Bureau of Transportation Statistics found that in 2021, 52% of all trips were fewer than five miles and only 2% were over 50 miles. That means most folks live in places where needs like work, groceries, school, and/or family are nearby. If that’s you, there are great options for transportation even better than an electric car:

Bicycles and E-bikes: For trips under five miles, consider tuning up your trusty bike or trying out an electric bike, which gives you a boost while you pedal, making longer, hillier, or heavier rides easier. If Americans replaced 50% of their short-distance car trips with e-bikes, it would save 273K metric tons of CO2 every day, which is the equivalent of 4.5 million tree seedlings growing for 10 years, according to data compiled by Bike Adviser. Many major cities have bike-sharing programs now—with e-bike rentals making it possible to try them inexpensively.

Car-sharing: The world of car-sharing is broad but can encompass “un-docked” cars you pick up on the street (like Turo, Getaround, and Free2Move) or designated locations (ZipCar). Sharing a car makes its use more energy- and cost-efficient. Neighborhood groups are popping up to share individually owned cars among a set group of people, which could work in close-knit communities. A 2023 study from Lund University in Sweden found that people who share instead of own their car can cut their transportation footprint by 40%.

Public transit: Public transit is super effective at moving the masses with much less fuel per person than a car. Not only that, but also reduces roadway congestion and is 10 times safer than getting somewhere by car, according to analysis of Department of Transportation statistics.

If you’re planning to buy an electric car to replace an older second car, we challenge you: try living with just one car, plus a bike, e-bike, public transit, and/or car-sharing options for your shorter-distance needs. If your household does need two cars, make the second electric. Not every option is accessible to everyone—we all do our own cost-benefit analyses.

Tax Incentives for Car-share or E-Bikes or EVs

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 added tax credits and benefits for climate-friendly choices, including electric vehicles. While it didn’t include electric bikes, the 2023 E-BIKE Act would establish a refundable tax credit of 30% on the purchase of a new e-bike, up to $1,500. If that sounds good, ask your representatives to support it, especially if you live in a red or purple state.

Benefits to Switching to an EV

• Electric cars account for less than half of the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) than do gas-powered cars, even accounting for electricity used while charging.
• EVs cost less to charge than filling gas-powered cars and trucks.
• New and used EVs and chargers qualify for substantial tax credits per The Inflation Reduction Act. Depending on income and tax filing status, EV adopters can qualify for up to $7,500 in tax credits when buying a new, qualified plug-in EV or fuel cell electric car, and up to $4,000 for used vehicles. Support for electric cars is beyond the White House. The European Union banned the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2035, and California and other US states announced similar policies.
• Electric vehicles have much lower maintenance costs and frequency than most gas-powered cars.
• During a power outage, the energy from an EV can power the average home for up to three days.
• Increasing the number of electric cars on the road isn’t the last step the government needs to take to support clean transportation. Government support needs to come with regulations for auto manufacturing, increasing workers' protections, and sourcing responsibly. To make electric cars truly clean cars, they need to be made with consideration for workers and the climate.

Concerns for EV-Adoption

1.

Manufacturing electric cars includes the mining of precious metals, colloquially “dirty metals,” where the laborers are often members of low-income and marginalized communities being paid low wages and working hazardous conditions. This isn’t just a problem for EVs; mining required for materials and fuels needed for gas-powered vehicles is also not done in a socially or environmentally responsible way. But the EV industry has the opportunity to be truly green by urgently addressing labor and environmental abuses in its supply chain.

Solution: Lead the Charge, a coalition of environmental, civic, and Indigenous rights groups working to change the sustainability and fossil fuel auto supply chain, evaluated 18 of the world’s top automakers on their efforts to eliminate emissions, environmental harms, and human rights violations in their supply chains and discovered that Mercedes-Benz and Ford led the pack, though all automakers had a long way to go. Until recently, automakers were untouched by the wave of green initiatives. As the EV market grows, producing green cars means re-imagining the auto industry with an emphasis on human rights and increasing material efficiency.

2.

Larger EVs with larger batteries and greater range are heavy. The heavier the vehicle, the greater the local air pollution.

Solution: Only purchase an EV that is as large as you need and has the range you really need.

3.

Range anxiety—worrying the car won’t drive to the next station—is a common fear. This is often an overstated barrier since most people drive fewer than 35 miles per day according to the United States Department of Transportation.

Solution: As of Feb. 2023, the White House announced 130,000 electric car charging stations on the road and a current map provided by the Department of Energy shows the US brimming with charging stations. While currently charging stations are branded, major automakers are transitioning to manufacture universal charging stations.

Additional solution: If yours is a two-car household without being able to reduce to one-car in the near future, make your second car electric. Your first car can be used for longer trips, and the EV for the trips around town.

4.

The new federal tax credits only apply to new vehicles that boost US-based production.

Solution: Check out government sites to find qualifying vehicles. The list is frequently updated and clarifies that drivers can obtain tax credits for leased vehicles if not for owning the same car.

While electric cars aren’t the only alternative to gas-powered cars, the US relies heavily on car-based infrastructure. A green world is already en route. When it comes down to it, the electric car is the better alternative to gas-powered vehicles.

Advocating for Better Transportation

Advocate: Call or write to local leaders expressing your interest in electric bus fleets and electric light rail, which are the most efficient and accessible uses of electric vehicles.

Ask: During election or re-election campaigns, ask those running for public offices (such as governor, mayors, state senators) what their priorities are for public transportation and safe cycling infrastructure. When they’re elected, keep it on their radar!

Answer: When local leaders or public transit systems ask for community feedback, make sure to fill out their surveys, show up to town halls, and share invitations for those around to community groups. A loud, organized community is more likely to get what it wants—better public transit!

So, You’re Buying An EV

Whether a first-time buyer or not, trading in your old car for a different model is nerve-wracking. Some of the best things to remember when buying your electric vehicle is:

• Research what financial incentives are available to you. Does The Inflation Reduction Act apply to the car you’d like to buy?
• Know your range. Although many drivers are not clocking 35 miles per day, people use their cars for work, school, sports, groceries, and nights out. Ask the dealer what kind of factors will affect the car’s range.
• Understand the warranty and maintenance. New EVs require less maintenance than gas-powered vehicles and federal regulations require EV automakers to cover their cars for eight years or 100,000 miles. Get the specifics on your chosen brand and car.
• Check out the stats. Look up your preferred brand on Lead the Charge. If you’re disappointed by what you see on its climate and labor record, write a letter, email, or social media post tagging the company and sharing the stats. Tell it that a green supply chain is important to you.

When someone asks, “what are you wearing?”
would you respond with “plastic”?
Probably not.
But there is plastic in many of the clothes we wear.

One way we express ourselves is through clothing—our style can say who we are, what we like, and sometimes, how we like to spend our time. Florals are fun; athleisure is comfortable and workout-ready; boots help us blaze new trails.

Researchers at Northwestern University coined the term “enclothed cognition” in 2012 to describe how the clothes we wear affect our mental health. But what we wear may also be affecting our physical health and the health of the planet at large.

Tiny Threads of Plastic

Nylon, polyester, and acrylic are the most common synthetic fibers in clothing. Synthetic fibers are made from petrochemicals—a product of fossil fuels. In 2020, 62% of fibers produced were synthetic, according to a 2022 report from Textile Exchange. Mixed materials, such as 50% cotton and 50% polyester, cannot be recycled, giving them just one life.

However, the sustainability problem with synthetic fibers—alongside relying on the petrochemical industry—is that synthetic fibers break down into smaller and smaller pieces with wear, washing, and age. The tiny pieces that break off in the wash cycle or from friction during use are called microplastics (defined as smaller than five millimeters, which is roughly the size of a sesame seed).

At such a small size, microplastics have made their way into humans and animals by way of oceans, groundwater, and food. Microplastics are estimated to be in 94.4% of oysters around the world, according to a 2022 study by the University of Adelaide. A 2021 research study published in Environmental International was the first to find microplastics in the placentas of pregnant women.

The health consequences of microplastics are relatively unknown. A 2021 peer-reviewed research study found that microplastics can latch onto the outer membranes of red blood cells and may limit their ability to transport oxygen. It is unknown if microplastics have carcinogenic properties.

Additionally, synthetic fibers aren’t great for upcycling projects. Less than 1% of the global fiber market was from recycled textiles in 2021. Most recycled fibers come from bottles, according to a 2022 report from Textile Exchange.

Plastic’s Toxic Secret: Forever Chemicals

Microplastics aren’t the only pollutant from synthetic clothing. Rain jackets, stain-resistant shirts, hiking pants, sports bras, and more have been found to contain PFAS, a class of chemicals applied to make clothing water- and/or oil-resistant. A 2022 report by Toxic-Free Future found that nearly three-quarters of clothing labeled water- and stain-resistant tested positive for PFAS. A major way that PFAS makes its way into the water supply is when laundry water goes down the drain.

PFAS sticks around in our bodies and the environment so well, that it has gained the nickname “forever chemicals.” After decades of use, PFAS has contaminated drinking water worldwide and is in the blood of nearly all Americans, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

PFAS is linked to several adverse health effects including thyroid dysfunction and cancer, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. PFAS can end up on our skin from contact with clothes, but it’s tricky to determine if it can end up in the bloodstream through skin-to-clothing contact. The surest way to absorb PFAS is through drinking water.

While reverse osmosis filtration systems can remove PFAS from drinking water, not everyone knows about or can afford those systems for their homes. Green America has urged the EPA to set regulations on six PFAS chemicals in drinking water. Regulation of PFAS is our best bet at reducing harmful chemicals in our drinking water, as well as keeping PFAS-laden clothes out of the washing machine as much as possible.

No More Plastic! Healthy and Green Clothing

When it comes to shopping for a sustainable wardrobe, the best options are the ones already in your closet. Purchasing more clothes, especially those that contain synthetic threads and PFAS, encourages companies to produce more of those items. But cleaning out your closet of toxic clothing is important, too.

Having a sense of style is free, but unfortunately, the environmental and social costs of the fashion industry are high. There are always new players arriving in the $1.5 trillion industry, with compelling ads on social media and slick branding making us want the trends, now. Where fast fashion adds hundreds of styles a month, drop-shipping means infinite styles are being sold on social media and made in unsafe working conditions.

Amazon, Shein, along with hundreds of other sellers popping up have green claims, beautiful imagery, and low prices, too. Here’s how to be a greenwashing sleuth to find out if the shop you’re looking at is truly green or just greenwashed to hide climate and labor abuses.

What Is Drop-Ship Fashion?

Of the new companies popping up in fashion, many are drop-shipping companies, which are online storefronts that sell directly from factory to customer. Anyone can set up these storefronts and logistics online, without ever having to set up factories or even visit them. It is concerning because there might not be anyone in a drop-ship fashion company who truly understands where items are coming from, how they’re made, by whom, and under what conditions.

How to Spot Greenwashing

Companies may claim products are recycled, biodegradable, made of eco-friendly materials, produced in small batches, sold direct to consumers without a go-between—what does it all mean?

Start by looking for a sustainability page on a company’s website that has commitments, not vague statements. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of certifications. While these certifications are a great start in holding companies accountable, ostensibly, third parties are coming in to inspect practices. Jean Tong, Green America’s labor justice campaigns director, says labor abuses and greenwashing have still been found under various clothing and textile certifications—and no certification covers all environmental and social concerns. How the company reacts when they find abuses or errors speaks volumes about the company—but the public does not always find out.

Before You Shop, Read This

When it comes down to it, Tong says she still looks to “reduce, reuse, recycle” as her north star.

“It’s easy to remember and is still the greenest way to think about fashion, in a world where it’s extremely hard to verify claims made by companies about their supply chains,” Tong says.

How can you apply the three Rs?

Reduce: There’s a reason this one comes first—because it’s the best option—reduce your own demand for new items. You don’t necessarily have to reduce the items in your closet. Reducing how many new purchases you make per month and per year is the best bet for greening your closet (or truly, any part of your life.)

Reuse: This can be more fun than you think—there are all sorts of fashion resources across the internet for showing multiple ways to style a piece and tips on mending your favorites. Mending can be very empowering to do yourself, or, if you’re not confident in your skills, support local jobs by bringing your items to an alterations shop.

Plus, with reusing comes swapping styles with friends: try inviting a few friends over to swap clothes they would otherwise donate to the thrift store. Neighborhood free groups on Facebook and Nextdoor can also be good places to post a category of clothes (say, women’s tops in size large) for round robins of swapping throughout your neighborhood or around town.

Recycle: Clothing donated to thrift shops does not always make it into another person’s closet. Goodwill, for example, moves donations from regular stores to outlets and then auctions, then to recycling centers, which is a common process for donated clothing. Unfortunately, most thrift stores don’t track what happens to all their items or won’t release that information to the public. In the last year that the EPA has reported data, 2018, 17 million tons of clothing were generated, and 14.5 million tons were sent to the landfill or incinerated, with only 2.5 million tons being recycled. Recycling or up-cycling at home, by using old clothing for patches, cutting up for rags or yarn, crafting with them—all counts as reuse!

Mid-century modern, bohemian, colorful, or minimalist—furniture companies cater to our tastes by selling a gluttonous amount of furniture every year. The e-commerce furniture market was worth more than $27 billion in 2021—and a report from Next Move Strategy Consulting projects that it will surpass $40 billion by 2030.

But many of those purchases won’t last five years—and these pieces that are inexpensive, trendy, and low-quality are creating a furniture waste problem. Like its clothing equivalent of fast fashion, e-commerce and big box store furniture is an environmental nightmare.

Fast, Cheap, Toxic

Many wood-style furniture pieces are made with particle board (sawdust and wood chips glued together). Particle board cannot be sanded and refinished as it ages, and the mixed materials make it impossible to recycle.

Laminates, particle board, and medium-density fiberboard may release formaldehyde fumes, which are present in synthetic glues, adhesives, and paints, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Formaldehyde can cause skin, eye, throat, and lung irritation in small amounts, and with prolonged exposure it is carcinogenic. Workers are most at risk from formaldehyde, which is currently not banned from household furnishings.

Some companies offer impressive-sounding sustainability commitments. IKEA aims to be “climate positive” by 2030, buying back furniture for recycling, and making plastic products from corn, beet, and sugarcane. While these are steps in the right direction, how can companies that sell mostly flimsy furniture, from IKEA to Wayfair and Amazon to Target, be truly sustainable? (It’s not just furniture—fashion faces the same criticisms.)

Once furniture breaks and can’t be repaired or recycled, it will end up in the landfill. The furniture that once polluted indoor air will also contaminate the environment with plastics and toxic chemicals. When it’s replaced, the cycle starts again.

What can we do about the furniture waste problem?

Buy Secondhand

Top tip: Find used furniture on community-based online marketplaces, flea markets, consignment shops, and thrift stores. Even if you buy secondhand fast furniture, extending its life is a better fate than directly to the landfill. Some companies are even turning reuse into a business.

Find Materials That Last

Solid wood can last decades. Consider supporting your local woodworkers and custom furniture makers to invest in quality furniture. While it is costly, these pieces become 100-year-old heirlooms. Ask your woodworker if the wood is sustainably harvested—look for the Forest Stewardship Council certification to ensure that your piece is sustainable from harvest to home.

Repair, Refinish, Reupholster

High-quality furniture can be repaired. A solid wood chair leg can be repaired by a woodworker when it breaks, and wood dressers can be sanded and refinished for a different look.

Is the print too dated? Take it to a reupholstery shop or re-cover it yourself. The cost of reupholstering a set of dining table chairs is more cost-effective in the long run than going through several different fast furniture sets.

Keep It Out of the Landfill

When it’s time to move, you can sell furniture or donate it to those in need. Refugees need furniture when they resettle—consider donating to your local International Rescue Committee office. Similarly, find your local United Way office, houseless coalition, or relief group, and ask if they’re accepting donations.

Sustainable foods are a great way to make an impact in your daily life—in your own way. Finding your true green is all about the intentional choices you make in your unique sustainability journey. What you bring into the kitchen is no exception—in fact, it is a powerful way to lower your household’s carbon footprint.

“Carbon emissions” might make you think of vehicles or fossil fuels, but the problem doesn’t end there. A 2021 study from the European Commission and the UN Food and Agriculture Programme shows that 34% of human-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide are caused by food systems, from production all the way to packaging and food waste at home.

Fortunately, low-emission foods aren’t hidden away; there may be options already in your kitchen to reduce your carbon footprint without giving up your favorite dishes. We compared emissions levels of various ingredients using data from a 2018 study from Oxford and LCA Research Group —the largest food impact analysis to date and ethical consumer guide HEALabel. Because these numbers have been converted from kilograms to pounds, some data points have been rounded.

Instead of Ground Beef, Try Pecans

Beef has the highest carbon footprint of any food item, contributing greatly to greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural industry, with 2.2 pounds (lbs) of beef generating 218 lbs of emissions. Pecans sit at the other end of the spectrum, with a ratio of 2.2 lbs of pecans for 3.5 lbs of emissions, enabling a possible reduction in emissions that is almost unbelievable.

Try it in Tacos: With pecans substituting for beef, nothing can get in the way of your Taco Tuesday plans. By soaking the nuts and grinding them in a food processor, you can give pecans a comparable texture to beef—and they already have high-protein. With spices and sauces, pecans become a canvas for exciting flavor combinations. If pecans aren’t available to you, walnuts are another great option with just 1.7 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs.

Instead of Rice, Try Lentils

Rice production results in about 10 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs of rice. Rice production is so abundant that it contributes to 1.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Rice cultivation often involves crop clearing, the practice of either burning or flooding of fields that result in significant carbon and methane emissions. In comparison, lentils only produce 2 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs, plus they promote soil health and contain high fiber and protein.

Use a Lentil Base: Replace the rice in nearly any dish with all or part lentils to reduce your carbon footprint with a meal. Lentils lend themselves well to meal-prepping and pair well with other low-emissions ingredients like root vegetables.

Instead of Bacon, Try Eggplant

“Bacon makes everything better,” except when it’s racking up 27 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs of pork. Eggplant, however, generates a surprisingly low 1.1 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs and provides a healthy dose of fiber and antioxidants, too.

Plant-based Bacon: Eggplant bacon is a unique and versatile way to swap out your breakfast sides or afternoon BLT. Use soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of liquid smoke before crisping eggplant in the oven, air fryer, or pan. Homemade eggplant bacon is also a great chance to choose whole ingredients over processed alternatives like prepackaged plant-based bacon.

Instead of Cheese Sauce, Try Nutritional Yeast

Cheese is notoriously one of the hardest food items to eliminate from day-to-day cooking—even for those who strive to be fully plant-based. Cheddar cheese comes with a whopping 46 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs of the good stuff. Fortunately, a delightfully cheesy sauce doesn’t have to stay in the past. With 7 lbs of emissions per 2.2 lbs, nutritional yeast, a deactivated yeast in a flaky format, is a great low-emissions swap that provides both vitamins and protein and serves as a base to create all kinds of cheese substitutes. Because nutritional yeast is a complete protein high in vitamins and minerals, it is also a great choice for vegans who want to ensure they are getting their essential nutrients. Plant-based cheese can be found in grocery stores, too, which have significantly lower emissions than the production of dairy-based cheese.

Make it Saucy: With coconut milk, flavorings like onion and garlic powder, and turmeric for color, nutritional yeast can create a delicious, plant-based cheese sauce perfect for queso, mac and cheese, and countless other dishes.

Making occasional swaps in the kitchen is a way to incorporate lower-emissions choices while also creating an opportunity to engage in creative, whole cooking. By swapping high-emission foods for various low-emission options at home, you can use personal action to support a brighter future.

Growing up, kids spend a lot of time at school—learning, honing talents, and extracurricular activities—so why not add environmental advocacy and literacy? There are many ways to make sustainable schools a reality and encourage students, parents, teachers, and administrators alike to consider sustainability in all they do. 

A is for Assign Yourself Green Topics

Students picking topics is a great chance to research and share a subject they’re personally interested in, like climate change, environmental justice, or renewable energy.

For a book report, check out a story with coming-of-age and environmental themes like We Are Water Protectors, a picture book by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade, about a young Indigenous girl fighting to save her people’s water. Or for tweens and teens, try The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, which is set in a world ravaged by climate change, where only North America’s Indigenous peoples still possess the ability to dream.

Check out your local school or public library, or an independent bookstore like Biblio to find these books and more.

B is for Bring Green School Supplies

When stocking up on school supplies, consider greener options.

In need of a new lunch bag? Try Eco-Bag’s organic cotton lunch bag, which can be custom-printed with a favorite art piece or quote.

For taking notes, GreenLine Paper Company has everything from recycled pens to recycled and tree-free composition books. Or try Green Field Paper Company’s hemp journals and sketchbooks. Students will enjoy writing down assignments in We’Moon’s annual astrology-themed planner. When in doubt, repurpose paper lying around the house.

If art is a favorite class, stock up on supplies from Natural Earth Paint.

C is for Campaign for a Greener School

There are more ways to go green at school outside of the classroom.

Depending on the campus and location, students can ask their teachers about starting a school garden and registering it with Green America’s Climate Victory Gardens. If the school already has a garden to register, email cvgs@greenamerica.org.

Students can also inquire about things like a gardening club, a recycling program, and more. At a time when schools are increasingly becoming contentious landscapes of cultural disputes, shared interests and bonding could be a boon for students, teachers, and parents alike.

At Eleanor Roosevelt High School, a Maryland-certified green school, Green America’s membership marketing manager Rob Hanson’s son Nate worked with Climate Parents of Prince George’s County to advocate for solar panels on the school building.

Depending on the school, there may be a student body council. If that’s the case, students can run for a council position on a sustainability platform and hear from fellow classmates.

Parents can get involved, too (beyond footing the bill for supplies). Encourage and engage kids about greening their school, no matter the age.

Dana Christianson, Green America’s director of membership, marketing, and operations, thinks of her son’s pre-school: “Since Eustace was 2 years old, nature has been his playground—literally. I love that the school [Forest Preschool, run by Baltimore City Recreation & Parks] harvests directly from Leakin Park to grow the children’s curiosity and creativity. Eustace has brought home paintings inked with pokeberry, collages from old magazines, and 3-D creations of sticks, seeds, and fashioned with wooden beads.”

School is a powerful and transformative place, home to learning of all shapes and sizes. Be a part of your school’s legacy to become a more ethical, sustainable, and thriving institution.

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

Libraries have always been a place to explore the magic of books, but that’s far from all they do. Around the country, libraries are responding to community-building needs, offering more items and services than just books or a hush—proving what’s good for the Earth is good for people and vice versa.

Get inspired by libraries whose offerings truly green their communities and get ideas on how to bring inclusive items and programming to your local library.

Thinking Outside the Books

“A library is the ultimate recycling organization,” says Diana Friend, communications and marketing director at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library (TSCPL) in Kansas. “We have 400,000 items you can borrow, bring back, and share.”

Among those items are some you might not have expected to see at the library of your youth—people can check out luggage for a trip, kits for craft projects, or a health box with a blood pressure machine and scale. TSCPL points patrons to community collaborators for items like tools and seeds, which means that the library and its partners are each able to focus on what they do best.

Another library pushing the envelope with its offerings is Grafton Public Library in central Massachusetts. In the stacks, you’ll find recommended reads, but you might also come across a Barbie cake pan, ukelele, or bocce set.

“Library of Things items allow you to try things that you might not be exposed to otherwise. You can’t know what you like if you don’t know it’s out there. Libraries, in all their offerings, help expose people to new hobbies, interests, and ideas,” says Heidi Fowler, reference librarian. “It’s silly to have to spend the money and then store a pan you’ll use once.”

Grafton’s Library director, Beth Schrieber, says the idea for the Library of Things came from a visit to another library where staff saw a community puzzle swap table and a system that lent out everything that would be needed to experience all the media that the library circulated—like if it lent video games, it also checked out corresponding consoles.

“If you check out a book for your three-year-old and you read it every night as a bedtime story, and they cry when they have to return the book, maybe that’s when you decide you need to own it,” Schrieber says. “But you don’t have to own everything. And that’s the beauty of public libraries—we circulate, and you can borrow whatever you want. The library of things collection just kept growing based on things that might get donated.”

Other items community members share through the library are a home energy assessment kit, a pricey telescope provided in part by an astronomy club, and yard games, for that barbecue.

By stocking items that otherwise might gather dust in a closet, libraries are building interdependent and less wasteful communities. And sustainable services aren’t just limited to things to take home, but experiences, skills, and events.

Thinking Outside the Building

Just as the library is not limited to just books, it’s not limited to what’s inside the building either. Creative services span from TSCPL’s bookmobiles and book bike, which helps the library reach underserved locations, to places to buy and even grow fresh food.

Each Monday in May through September in the TSCPL parking lot, crowds gather at the library’s farmers market. Stalls sell fresh fruits and veggies, along with breads, pickles, and other homemade foods. The farmers market started in 2009 in collaboration with Capital City Wellness and it became even more relevant when the neighborhood’s only grocery store closed in 2016.

“We saw the immediate response of people,” Friend explains. “[The library market] became their only access to fresh vegetables. It’s like in a lot of communities when grocery stores close, and they open up a dollar store—you can get groceries there, but you can’t get fresh.”

In Grafton, produce was grown on-site in connection with demand for a seed library. In seed libraries, patrons check out seeds, plant them, and return some seeds from the crop the following year. Raised beds built in place of the library’s lawn became a popular feature, with Scout troops and volunteers helping staff maintain a sensory garden, pollinator area, and heirloom variety vegetables. During its peak (the program was paused due to the construction of a library expansion), the fruits and vegetables were donated to the food bank and offered in bowls at the front desk for library staff and patrons.

Taking Your Library Past the Pages

“Libraries have never just been about books—we’re in the content business. The Library of Alexandria [in ancient Egypt] circulated scrolls, then it was books. Now we have video games—also valid forms of literature, entertainment, and media,” Schreiber says, herself having published a book called Game On!: Gaming at the Library (under her given name, Beth Gallaway). “But that’s not all people want to check out.”

So, what do you do if you want your library to carry more than the media it does—when you’re looking for a thermal leak detector, shovel and seeds, kayak, or crafting kits? Schreiber mentioned all of these were available at different libraries she’s researched or visited.

First, she recommends talking to your librarian about a swap table, such as for seeds, puzzles, or cake pans—something that the library doesn’t have to take responsibility for and can show if the community has a lot of interest in adding the collection. A further step can be bringing research—articles about a library of things, food security programs, citizenship resources, whatever you want to see—to the staff and board of the library. Every library has a budget; even advocating for $500 to be diverted from one type of content to something new like musical instruments, board games, or gardening tools, can create a shift in culture and a boost in community spirit.

“Start small,” Schrieber recommends. “Talk to the staff first—they might say, ‘That’s cool, let’s try it.’”

“People often ask me what one thing I would recommend to restore the relationship between land and people. My answer is almost always, ‘Plant a garden…its power goes far beyond the gate.’”

Community gardens are public spaces for community events, activism, and learning. Like-minded people across the country have transformed neglected public and private spaces into gardens for a sense of belonging and health and encourage others to do the same.

Putting Community in Community Garden

Neighborhoods around the country are discovering the power of Wall Kimmerer’s advice—that when a garden blooms, so does its community. In northwest Washington, DC, the Glover Park Community Garden is tucked away between tall apartment buildings and a wooded park.

Walking beneath the archway, crunchy woodchips and light chatter greet every visitor. Plots are filled with gardeners lamenting hungry rabbits, discussing their days, and harvesting.

Tired of supermarket vegetables, Kaitlyn Hay first joined the garden to avoid eating industrial farm chemicals. A year of gardening changed her reasons for staying.

“It’s the people that come to the garden, it has that value to build community,” Hay says. “The communal knowledge that’s shared is awesome.”

Four miles east resides Columbia Heights Green, a community garden supported by a close-knit neighborhood.

Formerly used as an unofficial dump, the area is now an open-plan community garden that often hosts cookouts, educational seminars, and busy Saturday workdays.

Manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens in Washington, DC, Cindy Brown, says community gardens help reshape neighborhoods facing environmental injustice and economic recession.

“What you get out of that garden, like food, may not be as important as the strength that you build within that community to help each other out,” Brown says.

The University of California, Davis, published a survey in 2022 about the effect of gardening during the pandemic. Respondents wrote that what began as a solitary endeavor quickly became a shared hobby between neighbors, a safe space to socialize and engage with the community.

Yet community gardens are increasingly threatened by developers. Brown believes they only stay because of initiative taken by community members.

Athletics giant Under Armour (UA) owns several green spaces in its hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. In the neighborhood of Locust Point, UA donated land to the neighborhood, creating the Locust Point Community Garden. Though the garden is now a neighborhood hub, as UA prepares to move its headquarters to Port Convington, Baltimore, it is selling the land the garden is on.

Green America’s executive co-director for consumer & corporate engagement Todd Larsen and food campaigns manager Emma Kriss, in a collective effort with community members, sought to raise the garden’s profile by writing an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun. The op-ed urged UA to protect the important community asset.

“Community gardens like Under Armour’s provide safe spaces for neighbors—in this case nearly 100 households, including Under Armour’s own employees—to take charge of their health by growing nutritious vegetables and fruits that are more accessible to community members,” Larsen and Kriss wrote.

Larsen and Kriss end with a reminder for UA. As one of Baltimore’s largest local businesses, it has the opportunity to sustain those ties by preserving the garden either by continuing the lease or donating the space to the Baltimore Greenspace, a land trust.

Physical and Emotional Benefits

Steve Coleman is a gardener and executive director of Washington Parks and People, a nonprofit that manages the Columbia Heights Green and other community harvest spaces in DC. Coleman believes communities like the Green provide deep mental and emotional benefits.

“The places we put our money and our time are mostly indoor places,” Coleman says. “We’ve increasingly forgotten about the outdoors. We talk about it, but we spend less and less time outside.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirms that Americans, on average, spend 90% of their time indoors.

Yet, many urban environments force people to spend time indoors. Replacing greenery with concrete and asphalt to build cities creates urban heat islands, increasing daytime temperatures from one to seven degrees hotter than rural areas, and keeps it warmer at night too, according to the Climate Science Special Report.

The EPA says urban heat islands contribute to higher rates of heat-related deaths and illnesses, and that the addition of urban forestry and vegetation can lower temperatures by two to nine degrees.

Coleman believes the covid-19 quarantine left people desperate for connection—with others and the outdoors.

“Nature affects us on a very profound level,” Coleman says. “During the pandemic, suddenly, people rediscovered how much they needed, wanted, and valued being outside together with nature and each other.”

In 2020, Reuters reported that home gardening blossomed during the global lockdown. The article reveals that US seed company W. Atlee Burpee & Co sold more seeds in March 2020 than any time in its 144 years of existence. The same survey from UC Davis says gardening played a positive role in anxiety relief during the pandemic.

Under Coleman’s direction, the Green remained open during the pandemic, becoming a class and recreational space for students.

When gardeners care for the land, the earth reciprocates—with food, but also the unique opportunity to know yourself, the land, and neighbors.

Getting Your Hands Dirty

Community gardens aren’t accessible to everyone; a first step for many urban dwellers is to cultivate plants indoors or on porches. Brooke Bennett, Green America campaigns associate, thought gardening at home was going to be easy and instead found it to be a new level of learning to trust herself.

“I felt very confident in my work until I took a trip out of town and came back to almost all of my plants dead,” Bennett says. “It is a learning process, and I can start over anytime I want to.”

At some point, all gardeners were beginners intimidated by the prospect of plant survival. Luckily, gardening is an area where mistakes are common and expected.

“I’ve killed more plants than anyone around,” Smithsonian’s Brown says. “Except for the people that have gardened longer than I have.”

There are hundreds of reliable resources for beginner and seasoned gardeners. Green America’s Climate Victory Garden campaign reveals dozens of international community gardens to join; the American Horticulture Society gives regional-specific gardening advice; and other local guides at public libraries and each state’s land grant university reference Indigenous land knowledge.

Breathing in bird songs and soil, educating and providing nourishment, the community garden serves a key role for many as a roundtable for community gathering.

“When we come together in a collaborative such as this, the pooled wisdom is vastly greater than any one person,” Coleman says. “There’s a real power in that.”

Ready to Get Gardening?

Green America’s Climate Victory Gardens program has tons of resources, whether you’ve never bought seeds, or whether you’ve ripped up your whole lawn to start growing food.

Fossil fuel companies have worked for decades to downplay the effects of burning fossil fuels on people and the planet so that they may turn a profit. They have run years-long disinformation campaigns to improve the public image of fossil fuels and their brands. But no matter what image they may paint for themselves, one (peer-reviewed, scientific) fact has remained the same: fossil fuels must stay in the ground to avert the climate crisis.

Fossil Fuel Companies Are in the Greenwashing Business

In the 1980s, Chevron televised a series of commercials and print ads showing Chevron employees protecting wild animals like foxes, bears, butterflies, and more. This ad campaign, titled “People Do,” sought to convince the public of Chevron’s good conservation deeds—and it was quite effective, winning awards and becoming a case study at Harvard Business school.

But for environmentalists, the People Do campaign represents a perfect case of greenwashing. Not only did Chevron invest more in the ads than the conservation projects, but they were misleading—including that several conservation projects were requirements by law, not initiatives of Chevron.

In the early 2000s, British Petroleum (BP) popularized the term “carbon footprint,” as part of another ad campaign. In 2004, BP released its carbon footprint calculator and provided “solutions” such as going on a low-carbon diet—essentially putting the onus of solving climate change on buyers instead of BP taking responsibility for its product. Additionally, BP funded anti-climate change messaging and opposed climate legislation. The company’s failures were laid bare six years later when the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill) poured an estimated 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

People Power

Luckily, people took notice. In the 1990s, Green America and many allies launched campaigns to address climate issues, such as promoting solar energy and opposing new coal-fired power plants. In 2008, 350.org was founded to build a 100% renewable energy future. In 2017, Sunrise Movement exploded on the scene with the Green New Deal. And in 2018, Greta Thunberg inspired youth around the world to demand climate action from politicians.

These collective voices shed light on the disinformation campaigns that Big Oil has tried to hide behind all these years. Legal battles have begun as well—the city and county of Honolulu sued Sunoco LP, ExxonMobil, and others in 2020 for flooding damage to beaches, roads, and public drinking water. The first youth climate lawsuit was won in Montana in 2023, with the court agreeing that by failing to address climate change, state leaders are in violation of the state constitution. More than two dozen other cities and states are suing, too.

Steps to Take Against Big Oil

Call Out Greenwashing

Big Oil has decades of greenwashing practice. Exxon’s latest hypocrisy is claiming that it will be climate neutral in its operations—but it’s the oil burning causing climate change, not just the drilling. Call out the hypocrisy when you see it, whether in conversation with friends, a post tagging the company on Instagram, X, or Facebook, or writing a letter to a local newspaper or news site. When big oil companies are exposed as greenwashers, their ads lose luster.

Switch Your Bank

Fossil fuel companies are in pursuit of profit and much of that is possible thanks to loans and financing from big banks. JPMorgan Chase has funneled more than $160 billion into fossil fuels since 2020, according to Fossil Banks No Thanks. However, banks run on the interest made on deposits and loans. Breaking up with your megabank—such as Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America—and putting your dollars in a credit union or community development financial institution (cdfi) is a divestment from rampant fossil fuel financing.

Get the full picture of which banks are financing fossil fuels and take action with local groups that are pushing big banks to divest, such as school and community groups.

Vote

Fossil fuel companies cannot vote, but they donate millions to politicians and lobby against environmental protections. While most folks do not have the wherewithal to sue Big Oil, we do have the power to vote. Together, our voices can change the status quo. Whether we vote in elections for candidates with a climate change platform, or speak up at city hall, or volunteer to get the vote out—democracy is our tool to develop legislative change.

Find Your Best Next Step

Whether you choose to go vegan, bike or take public transit instead of a car, or grow your own Climate Victory Garden, taking steps to create change on small and large scales will make you feel good and grow your climate community. Consider these steps:

• Invest in renewable energy at home with help from the Inflation Reduction Act
• Do your research by learning about sustainable buzzwords or anti-ESG investing myths
• Shopping sustainably
• Through it all, make sure that you're taking care of your own mental health

From product labels to marketing tactics, there are many commonly used sustainability buzzwords that can quickly become hard to decipher.

When determining where to spend your money, it can be easy to get lost in the cloud of common sustainability-related terms. Using claims that sound good but are tough to verify is a common marketing tactic to create a sustainable appearance, a.k.a., greenwashing. Vague claims are often accompanied by idyllic images, such as a pristine lake or fresh flowers, which lull people into a sense of eco-friendliness, even if the pictures have nothing to do with how a laundry detergent or snack is made.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plays a very limited role in cracking down on greenwashing, so savvy consumers can become more familiar with popular buzzwords to see past the haze. Knowledge is one more tool in your kit for distinguishing true green from greenwashing.

Biodegradable or Compostable

Biodegradable materials can naturally decompose with help from bacteria and small organisms. Biodegradability is great but can also cause problems: Chemically treated items like wood and paper products can become toxic in the process of being broken down.

Instead of buying items that are just labeled as biodegradable, look for Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certifications—this is a verified third-party mark of true biodegradability.

Compostable items break down over time into soil or fertilizer—but this isn’t true all the time. Without the necessary conditions, even if something is theoretically compostable it can still take hundreds of years to decompose in other environments like landfills or oceans. Many items marked as compostable are only compostable in industrial composting facilities (like “compostable” bioplastics), not in home compost bins (which can handle things like eggshells and coffee grounds).

If you have access to industrial composting, such as through your city’s pickup system, make sure you’re only putting items in there that are truly compostable. If you don’t have a composting service, swap items like supposedly “compostable” paper plates with versions that can be washed and reused, instead.

Carbon-Neutral

Carbon neutrality does not mean emissions-free, but rather that a company is reducing its emissions until it gets to the point where its emissions output is equal to its emissions reductions. Until it reaches that goal, it may be buying carbon offsets to make up the difference.

While carbon offsets are better than ignoring the problem, they don’t always result in forward momentum in battling the climate crisis—they simply claim to cancel out damage that’s already happening or done. Greenwashing in carbon offsets can complicate things further—for example, many carbon offset projects are based on planting trees that may or may not ever be planted.

While a plan for carbon neutrality is still more than many companies are doing, net-zero emissions is the next step further, which accounts for all greenhouse gas emissions from a company, not just carbon. Even fewer companies are taking on carbon negativity, which means decreasing emissions and offsetting more than what they produce.

While we wait for carbon negativity to become the standard, carbon-neutral and net-zero commitments should be investigated and celebrated if found to be genuine. Start by looking on a company’s website for programs with immediate effects, such as renewable energy and community projects, and verification of carbon offsets.

Reading reports from credible, non-partisan news sources can also help. The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Top 100 Polluter indexes can provide more context for how company emissions rank, as well as acquainting yourself with carbon emission scopes—a classification system to label a company’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Eco-Friendly or Sustainable

Eco-friendly and sustainable may seem broad—because they are. At their core, both mean something that is good for the planet and not environmentally harmful. However, since neither term is regulated, they can lead to gray areas or straight-up greenwashing. The key to getting to the bottom of eco-friendly or sustainable claims is determining what exactly makes the product eco-friendly. Instead of taking the words at face value, investigate the packaging, website, or social media to look for sustainability pages and victories. A company practicing true green will gladly define the reasoning behind its use of the term.

Luckily, there are many certifications that are trustworthy when looking for products that are truly eco-friendly and sustainable. Green America’s Green Business Network certification covers businesses across 30+ industries. Other labels to look for that have third-party verification are Green Business Network, USDA Organic, Leaping Bunny, B-Corp, Environmental Working Group, Green Guard, GOTS, and Fair Trade Certified. Each industry, such as food or textiles, has its own certifications, so do your research as you buy and look into labels you see.

Ethical

Finding a product labeled as “ethical” sounds great, but the term actually doesn’t tell you much at all. Claiming that a product is ethical is a very convenient way for companies to avoid detailing their practices and backing up their green appearance. Reading the word ethical is an instant signal to pull out the magnifying glass and investigate the company further.

Finding a fair trade certification on the product’s label or website is a great sign. Fair Trade America and Fair for Life are trustworthy certifications representing that the company has been assessed as devoting time and resources to their economic, social, and environmental impacts in various ways that come together to create an ethically produced product. From respecting and empowering workers to climate action and transparency, Fair Trade companies represent a company certified in ethical behavior.

Fairtrade certifications aren’t the only way to think about or verify ethical behavior. A company that works in good faith with employee unions and doesn’t fight unionization, and has sustainability and worker rights reports on its website are also good tells that the company is interested in fair treatment of people.

When traversing the jungle of sustainability speak, knowing the meaning behind buzzwords can help you confidently choose products. While it may take a little investigation, identifying greenwashing and moving towards your own true green is possible. Before long, you’ll find that your true green detective skills are unstoppable.

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

Two new actions set rules for community investing, guidance for climate risk 

On October 24, 2023, a trio of federal agencies issued two actions aimed at pushing the nation’s banks – especially the largest banks – to invest in underserved communities and factor climate risk into their decisions. 

Although the agencies did not incorporate everything environmental groups asked for, these actions are positive steps that will help provide a much-needed course correction for financial institutions that, so far, have been driving headlong into the twin crises of climate disaster and extreme inequality. 

First, the agencies issued a final rule updating the 1978 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), a landmark law designed to address systemic inequities in access to credit though redlining, or underinvestment in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.  

The new rule encourages banks to expand access to credit, investment, and banking services in low- to moderate-income communities, supports Minority Depository Institutions and Community Development Financial Institutions, extends reporting requirements to cover online banking, and expands eligible projects to include disaster preparedness and weather resiliency.  

The agencies also issued final guidance urging banks with more than $100 billion in assets to incorporate measures of climate risk into their business planning.  

The Principles for Climate-Related Finance Risk Management include both physical risks, such as the harm to people and property from climate-related disasters, and transition risk, such as shifts in policy, consumer preferences, or new technologies in the shift to a lower-carbon economy. 

“We should not wait for a disaster to strike before we act,” said Michael Hsu, acting comptroller of the currency. “Prudence demands we act as risks emerge.” 

The two actions were approved at the October 24, 2023, meeting of the board of directors for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and joined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currence and the board of governors for the Federal Reserve.  

Reaction 

Climate finance advocates generally see the two actions as encouraging banks to invest in climate-resiliency projects in underserved areas as well as incorporate climate risk into their own business decisions.  

“The climate crisis presents risks not only to individual financial institutions, but it poses a systemic risk to the entire financial system that demands action now. With these new principles, federal banking regulators are finally laying the groundwork for a regulatory system which protects our economy from growing climate financial risks,” said Adele Shraiman, senior campaign strategist for fossil-free finance at the Sierra Club. 

But advocates said the agencies did not go far enough in addressing climate-related investments and risks. Neither the CRA rule nor the climate risk principles discourage banks from investing in high-carbon industries that are driving the climate crisis.  

"Regulators missed a key opportunity to mitigate climate risk and discourage financing for the polluting industries devastating the climate and our country’s most vulnerable communities,” Shraiman said. 

Climate risk 

The twin agency actions can be seen as two sides of the same coin. On one side of the coin, the new climate financial risk principles finally recognize climate change as a threat to financial stability. 

“Physical and transition risks associated with climate change could affect households, communities, businesses, and governments – damaging property, impeding business activity, affecting income, and altering the value of assets and liabilities,” the guidance says. “These risks may be propagated throughout the economy and financial system.” 

Large banks in particular have neglected to factor climate risk into their investment decisions. Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, the world’s 60 largest banks have poured $5.5 trillion into the fossil fuel industry, according to the Banking on Climate Chaos report.  

About one-fourth of that amount -- $1.36 trillion – was from the world’s four largest banks – JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America – all based in the United States.  

Such large investments in fossil fuels include substantial physical and transition risk. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), since 1980 the United States has experienced 372 extreme weather events with damages exceeding $1 billion each. So far in 2023 we have seen 24 climate disasters with damages exceeding $1 billion and deaths of 373 people.  

Meanwhile, 90% of known fossil fuel reserves must never be dug up and burned if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C, according to the Unburnable Carbon report by Carbon Tracker. This means over $1 trillion of oil and gas assets risk becoming stranded in a transition to a lower carbon economy.  

“Weaknesses in how a financial institution identifies, measures, monitors, and controls the physical and transition risks associated with a changing climate could adversely affect a financial institution’s safety and soundness,” the guidelines say. “The adverse effects of climate change could also include a potentially disproportionate impact on the financially vulnerable, including low-and-moderate income (LMI) and other underserved consumers and communities.” 

To address this, the agencies issued a series of principles encouraging boards of directors for large banks to hold management accountable for climate risk, and encouraging management to develop processes to identify, measure, monitor, and control climate-related financial risks.  

The guidelines encourage large banks to incorporate climate risk analysis into policies, procedures, and business strategy with both near and long-term planning through the use of scenario analysis. Public statements about climate-related commitments should align with internal strategies.  

Community investment 

On the other side of the coin, the new rule updating the Community Investment Act addresses climate risk by expanding eligible projects to include disaster preparedness and weather resiliency.  

The almost 1500-page rule broadly interprets this to include projects such as: 

• construction of flood control systems in a flood prone underserved urban or rural community 
• retrofitting multifamily affordable housing to withstand future disasters 
• promoting green space in urban areas to mitigate extreme heat 
• upgrades to affordable housing such as efficient heating and air-cooling systems or more energy-efficient appliances 
• community solar projects, microgrid and battery projects that could help ensure access to power to an affordable housing project in the event of severe storms 
• financing community centers to serve as cooling or warming centers in low- or moderate-income areas that are more vulnerable to extreme temperatures 
• assistance to small farms to adapt to drought challenges. 

The new rule also addresses the rise in internet and mobile banking by requiring large banks to include geographic areas where they make significant numbers of mortgage and small business loans, whether they have a physical branch there or not, as subject to review under the Community Reinvestment Act.  

The rule also allows banks to get CRA credit for any community development activities conducted with Minority Depository Institutions, Community Development Financial Institutions, Women’s Depository Institutions, and Low-Income Credit Unions.  

What these actions are not 

The CRA rule incentivizes banks to invest in climate resilience in communities long under-resourced through systemic inequality, and the agency guidelines encourage and incentivize banks to incorporate climate-related risk management into the everyday business practices.  

But neither the guidelines nor the rule prohibit banks from investing in high carbon industries such as oil and gas – nor do they explicitly use race as a metric in community-based climate resilience.  

“The principles neither prohibit nor discourage financial institutions from providing banking services to customers of any specific class or type, as permitted by law or regulation,” the climate risk guidelines say. “The decision regarding whether to make a loan or to open, close, or maintain an account rests with the financial institution.” 

“The FDIC’s role with respect to climate change is centered on the financial risks that climate change may pose to the banking system and individual institutions, and the extent to which those risks impact the FDIC’s core mission and responsibilities,” said Chairman Martin Gruenberg. “The FDIC is not responsible for climate policy and does not tell banks which customers to serve.” 

Although these actions do not explicitly tell big banks to stop underwriting fossil fuel projects and shift instead to community investment, they are a nudge in that direction. If these two actions motivate large banks to take a new path to a more sustainable and equitable world, they will have done their job. 

Live green. Sustainable lifestyle tips and tricks for you and your family.

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

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 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 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.

Hours: Full Time (32 Hours Per Week)
Compensation: $95,000 - $105,000
Reports To: Executive Co-Director for Consumer and Corporate Engagement
Benefits: Excellent benefits including health care, dental care, paid leave, socially responsible retirement plan, friendly work environment, 4-day work week

Green America is a national nonprofit organization, with over 40 years’ experience in creating a green economy defined by social justice and inclusion, environmental sustainability and regeneration, and healing and repairing our world.

We inform people’s choices, organize consumer and investor collective action, and bring together businesses and other stakeholders to achieve system-wide change. Our work environment is results-oriented and highly collaborative and collegial.

We seek an Executive Editor who is a content expert in a broad range of environmental, social and racial justice, and green living issues, including the ability to clearly communicate complexities, nuances, and intersectionality.  Our Executive Editor will work with teams and departments across the organization, the Director of Digital Communications, and the Communications Team to increase Green America’s audience digitally and in print through compelling and thoughtful content. 

The Executive Editor will provide planning, direction, and oversight for Green America’s print/digital green living and consumer content and assist content experts with our programmatic and supply chain content, to ensure that Green America’s publications and websites inform and inspire members and the public to green their lives, take action for a greener world, and further the organization’s goals.

Strategic Responsibilities (30%):

• Work with Green America’s Executive Team to plan strategy and budgets, and to assure that print and digital content reflects Green America’s voice and recognizes our many stakeholders.  
• Work with the Executive Team and the Communications Team in our Communications 2.0 initiative to leverage the impact of our content across platforms and the use of artificial intelligence to improve our content and reach.
• Integrate our work with consumers, small green businesses, and supply chains to create content that captures the full range of Green America’s programs and impacts and positions them within an overall framework of advancing green and just solutions.
• Work with the Membership and Development teams to strategize how our content and publications serve our organization’s donors and promote financial and membership growth.
• Work with Teams and Departments across the organization to promote Green America’s work broadly. Work with the Communications Team and experts within Green America to create and oversee content for print and digital publications and co-create with the Director of Digital Communications the strategy for Green America’s digital content on environmental, social and racial justice issues, supply chain programs, and green living and consuming.
• Working with the Director of Digital Communications, provide strategic direction for the organization’s communications to maximize audience outreach and engagement and ensure our platforms (print and online) work together to expand our organizational outreach to the public. This includes reviewing metrics together to make data-driven decisions about the creation of new content and optimal use of existing content to meet core organizational goals.
• Work with our Communications Team led by our Director of Digital Communications, Core Editorial Team, IT Director, and other stakeholders to design content management workflows that can create, edit and proof content to be published on various platforms—including print, web, and social media.
• Develop and implement the annual operating plan and budget (including ad/other revenue).

Publications (50%)

• Lead the Editorial Team and work with the Communications Team, Executive Team, and other departments to plan and create content, fact-check, and edit our print/digital publications (Green American, Your Green Life, Guide to Social Investing and Better Banking).
• Create and manage timelines, and manage staff and freelancers, to ensure that publications and online content are authoritative, approachable, and engaging and meet deadlines. Provide troubleshooting as needed.
• Work with the Editorial Team on design, layout, and images for print publications.
• Collaborate with stakeholders (Director of Digital Communications, Core Editorial Team, Campaigns Team, and Development Team) to ensure that print publications can be shared effectively in nonprint platforms like our web site, email newsletters and social media.
• Oversee the Associate Editor(s), Fellow(s), and Intern(s) to ensure high quality content for print and digital publications that is authoritative, approachable, and engaging is produced in a timely fashion.
• Engage and oversee external freelance writers to create content as needed.
• Process intern applications, hire and manage interns, and ensure they have a positive experience.
• Serve as a contact for granting reprint rights.
• Work with the Accounting Department to ensure timely payment of freelance writers, artists, and designers.
• As time permits, Editorial Team members provide copyediting, proofreading, and flag any content for legal review for content provided to Green America’s individual audience.

Online Engagement (15%)

• Ensure that content written for Green America’s publications is optimized for Green America’s digital channels and audiences. Work with Director of Digital Communications and Social Media Specialist to ensure that content is promoted out to Green America’s audiences, appeals to and brings in new audiences, and drives engagement. Work with the Communications Team to increase audience for Green America’s content online, especially to audiences identified in our JEDI work.
• Work closely with teams and departments across the organization to create engaging online content.
• Work with the Director of Digital Communications to oversee team members in managing digital publications, updating and optimizing online content, and building relationships with outside parties to increase the reach of our content.

Inter- and Cross-Departmental Teams (5%)

• Work with teams and departments across the organization to determine their communications needs, help them craft messaging to reach targeted audiences, and coordinate with the rest of the communications team and contractors to ensure our work reaches a broader audience.
• Work with other Communications Team members and technology staff to develop and maintain a content library of editorial, graphical, and photographical content consistent with Green America’s brand book
• Work with other Communications Team members to maintain the Green America style guide
• Participate in Green America Cross Departmental Teams: The success of our organizational work includes the voluntary participation of staff members from all levels of the organization in cross- departmental teams addressing a range of issues to strengthen our impact and planning, as time and other work commitments allow.

Skills:

• Excellent copywriting
• Proven ability to generate persuasive print and online content
• Proven ability to write and edit for people who are just learning about this content and those who are deeply experienced.
• Knowledge of and ability to communicate the complexities and nuances inherent in social justice, climate, and environmental issues.
• Knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite of products and how they can be used to improve our production process—from planning, writing, designing, production, reviewing, editing, copying checking, and approval.
• Editing – proven editorial skills, including strong content background, research, and language skills and the ability to adjust content to remain consistent with brand, style, and tone. Capable of writing and editing for people who are new to the content and those who are deeply experienced.
• Blogging/Online content – successful management of a blog and other online content.
• Search Engine Optimization – A demonstrated ability to drive traffic to web properties from search engines.

Education/Experience:

Please note, we recognize that experience doesn't always look the same – skills are transferable, and passion is important. Please tell us how your experience can lead to success in this position.

• Bachelor’s Degree (preferably in Marketing, Journalism, Communications, or Public Relations)
• Ten or more years’ experience in print publication content, strategy, editing, and production
• Ten or more years’ experience in digital content strategy, management, and production
• Ten or more years’ experience in project management

To Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to toddlarsen@greenamerica.org by November 15, 2023.

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

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.

If you’re discarding a large number of items or parting with bulky furniture, you may consider hiring a junk removal service. However, ensure the company employs sustainable practices. “When researching junk removal companies, ask about what they do with everything,” says Eleanor Greene, editor-in-chief of Green American. Some companies might haul everything away to a landfill, while others donate what they can to local nonprofits.

The world of textile manufacturing is a minefield of toxic chemicals, wage theft, and pollution. According to Green America’s Toxic Textile Report, staggering numbers—43 million tons of chemicals used, 20% of industrial water pollution—reveal this alarming reality and make it clear how crucial it is to prioritize buying sustainable fabrics. 

Green America and the certified Green Business Network members mentioned in this article, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility, are here to help. 

First, Learn What to Avoid 

The Toxic Textile Report will help enlighten the vast impact of this industry on both people and the planet, including:

• 43 millions tons of chemicals used
• 20% of industrial water pollution (and the second largest polluter of water globally)
• More carbon emissions than all international flights and shipping combined

Before you start shopping for materials for your next project, learn about sustainable fabrics, from natural to synthetic fibers, and find out how to source ethical and sustainable pieces like vegan leather. 

It is also important to be aware of the various chemicals that are used in textile manufacturing and be on the lookout for those. 

One of the most common dyes used in clothing manufacturing, for example, are azo dyes (used in 60-70% of manufacturing), which can release carcinogens. 

If you’re not a sewer, but love clothes as a consumer, Green America’s Toxic Textiles Scorecard can help discern between clothing companies. 

Next, Let’s Buy Sustainable Fabrics 

Whatever you need for your next project, the Green Business Network has you covered. 

Organic Cotton Plus started as a fifth-generation family cotton farm in Texas, becoming one of the country’s first certified organic farms in 1991. The business also became the first US fabric retailer to be GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard). 

They now boast 100% organic fabric of all types and colors, from Barbie pink muslin to olive green thermal or orange silk/hemp blends. 

They also sell the fiber itself (wool stuffing, shredded natural latex, and more) as well as yarn, crafting patterns, and other accessories. 

For a smaller but just as mighty selection of sustainable fabric, Texture Clothing offers organic cotton jersey, including cotton jersey made with bamboo. 

Texture Clothing also has tons of print fabric options and PDF sewing patterns. 

For Crafting Pre-Made Products 

Or maybe you want a blank canvas to work with, like a plain t-shirt or sweater, and you dream of painting or embroidering a design. 

Check out Faerie’s Dance, Maggie’s Organics, or The Good Tee for tons of options. 

All The Good Tee’s clothing comes from an inspiring story of wanting to support cotton farmers in India, and the organic cotton from a sustainable supply chain, shows in the quality of shirts, leggings, and more. 

At Maggie’s Organics, organic cotton comes in a variety of styles so you can enhance anything from a tunic to a fleece hoodie. 

If you want to print your favorite Taylor Swift lyric or a personal design onto a shirt, TS Designs offers custom printing on their sustainable t-shirts, entirely grown and made in the US. 

Eco-Bags offers the same on various types of bags, from drawstings to shopping totes, using organic fibers and ditching azo dyes back in the 90s. 

What Else Can You Do? 

As a consumer or creator, there are even more ways to support a sustainable and just world beyond shopping and sourcing sustainably. 

It is also important to fight for the workers manufacturing these fabrics and clothing items. By supporting the FABRIC Act, recently re-introduced to Congress by Senator Kirsten Gillebrand, D-N.Y., you can put your voice behind legislation to stop worker exploitation. 

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

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.

You know by now that socially responsible investing (SRI) does make a difference in the world, but perhaps you’re wondering what kind of financial difference it will make in your portfolio. Will you sacrifice financial returns if you align your investments with your values?

The evidence, amassed through hundreds of studies, shows that historically SRI investments have performed as well as or better than their conventional counterparts.

For 15 years (from 2007-2022), financial studies have been confirming what green investors already know: that investing to support people and the environment makes financial sense.

For example, Morningstar’s 2022 Sustainable Funds US Landscape Report found that most sustainable funds delivered stronger total and risk-adjusted returns than their conventional counterparts. “Slightly more than half of sustainable funds finished in the top half of their Morningstar Category, led by equity funds,” the report said. Data for the previous five years showed even better results—the returns of 74% of sustainable funds ranked in the top half and 49% in the top quartile returns.

In 2021, a study from Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing found that in a year marked by volatility and recession, funds that focused “on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, across both stocks and bonds, weathered the year better than non-ESG portfolios.” The research looked at more than 3,000 mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and found that sustainable funds performed better than non-ESG funds in 2020 and 2019.

A meta-analysis by the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business of over 1,000 studies on ESG and financial performance between 2015 and 2020 found that 59% of sustainable investments showed similar or better performance compared to conventional investments, while only 14% performed worse. “ESG investing appears to provide downside protection, especially during social or economic crises,” the study concluded.

Even back in 2007, a report by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative analyzed academic work and key broker studies, finding that SRI investment strategies had competitive performance with non-SRI strategies.

An additional compendium of SRI performance research is available at ussif.org/performance.

Conclusion: You can do well by doing good with SRI.

When coronavirus arrived in 2020, it hit the food sector hard—including Urban Growers Collective, a Black- and women-led nonprofit in Chicago working to build a more just and equitable food system.

With eight operating farms on 11 urban acres and almost 30 employees, the Urban Growers Collective needed a Paycheck Protection Program loan to survive, like many nonprofits during the pandemic.

It found that loan at Self-Help Federal Credit Union {GBN}.

“We were essential frontline workers, and the loan allowed us to deepen our community relationships and our ability to address food insecurity and bring nutritionally dense food to our communities that need it the most,” says Erika Allen, founder and CEO.

Allen’s experience with Self-Help was “night and day” different from working with the larger bank where her nonprofit did its daily business. “We were immediately contacted, our application was submitted, and we received relief really quickly. They really catered to our nonprofit,” she says. “It helped us not lose money during the pandemic, and it helped us stabilize our staff.”

Allen enjoyed working with Self-Help so much that a few years later she went back as a first-time homebuyer to finance a mortgage. Again, her experience was much better than at her conventional bank.

“I have worked in not-for-profits for my whole career,” Allen says. “Most of us have been underpaid for many, many years, so even the minimum 3% down, that’s like a whole extra salary.”

While the mortgage terms at her previous bank were “really not great,” at Self-Help, Allen was able to qualify for a mortgage under the Equity Boost program.

“It provided support for my down payment and for closing costs, and because of that I was able to purchase a home—and I was able to use the money I thought I would be putting down to furnish my home,” Allen says.
“It was really a godsend, one of the best programs I’ve ever encountered,” she adds.

Self-Help’s Equity Boost is one of many examples of impact banking and investing that truly helps build community—and programs like that exist all over the country.

Other examples include:

• The Wisdom Fund by C-Note {GBN} provides lending for women-owned small business—which receive less than 5% of total lending for small-business.
• The Community Investment Note by Calvert Impact {GBN} finances organizations creating positive social and environmental change, with investments starting as low as $20.
• The Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) program at Beneficial State Bank {GBN} uses interest earned from bank accounts for court awards to support legal aid services.
• The Clean Energy for All program at Clean Energy Credit Union {GBN} families experiencing lower income, and communities of color, so they can install clean energy and join energy efficiency projects.
• Natural Investments {GBN}, a network of financial advisors, has restructured as a Public Benefit LLC, enabling its entire team—60% women and 30% people of color—to share power and profit equally in perpetuity.

Why bank and invest for good?

The reasons these community financial service organizations bank and invest for good are as varied as the institutions themselves.

“First and foremost, the world needs it,” said Justin Conway, vice president of investment partnerships at Calvert Impact{GBN}. “Whether it’s our climate, environmental crisis, or the widening inequality we see in the world, the world needs investors to care about these issues.”

“Community investing allows mom and pop shops to stay open, expand, and build community,” said Brady Quirk-Garvan of the Money with a Mission Team at Natural Investments {GBN}. “We want to keep unique diverse cities and towns thriving.”

“We were created because we saw there was a gap in people being able to afford clean energy for their homes, whether that be solar, geothermal, or making green home improvements,” said Nicole Burford, senior director of marketing and sustainability at Clean Energy Credit Union {GBN}.

Outsized impact

Even small and medium-sized banks, credit unions, and investment firms can have a large impact on local communities and people’s lives. For example, in 2021, Beneficial State Bank (BSB) made $762 million in loans in areas such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and fair auto loans.

“A lot of auto financing either hides fees or has predatory fees or interest rates,” said Monique Johnson, director of client and community partnerships at BSB. “We can actually prove that our auto loan borrowers saved an average of 8.32% in interest after refinancing with us.”

CNote, a women-founded and women-led platform focused on closing the wealth gap, deployed $30 million per month for economic growth in under-resourced groups in 2022. Of that amount, 69% went to borrowers in communities of color, 72% to low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities, and 69% to women-led businesses, creating 1,819 jobs.

Among the borrowers helped by CNote was Terri-Nichelle Bradley, who started Brown Toy Box, an educational play-kit company that makes toys to get Black children excited about a career in science, arts, and engineering. When Bradley got a sudden opportunity to stock Brown Toy Box in every Target store in the country, CNote partnered with Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, a community development financial institution in Georgia, to provide a loan to create quick inventory.

Overcoming obstacles to housing equity

Home ownership is the biggest investment most families make—yet only 44% of Black Americans own their homes, compared to 50.6% of Hispanic Americans, 62.8% of Asian Americans, and 72.7% of white Americans, according to the National Association of Realtors. “One of the biggest things we are seeing is a lot of borrowers looking to purchase homes, but a lot of different obstacles interfering with their ability,” said Daniel Martinez, director of mortgage origination at Self-Help. “So we took a look at it to see how we as a company can lend responsibly but still get individuals into homes.”

Key barriers Self-Help found to home ownership, especially in Black and brown communities, include a low credit score, lack of lump-sum cash for the downpayment, and student loan debt.

To help boost credit scores, Self-Help offers the Fresh Start loan, a small loan of $500 to $2,000 that borrowers can pay off over six months to two years. The money goes into a savings account that earns interest, and when the loan is paid off, the borrower gets both the principal and interest.

Self-Help’s Equity Boost mortgage approves people with credit scores as low as 580. The program folds up to 5% of closing costs into the mortgage, so borrowers may have no down payment. It does not count student loan payments against borrowers on income-based repayment plans. Borrowers with up to 80% of area median income (AMI), or first-generation home buyers up to 120%, can qualify.

Along with Equity Boost, many Self-Help mortgage borrowers enroll in the Savings Account For Emergencies (SAFE) program. Homeowners commit to depositing at least $25 per month into a savings account, and at the end of three years Self-Help gives them $2,000 more.

“It’s not just about being in the community but looking at community needs and developing programs that are actually going to benefit people in the community,” Martinez said. “The big thing about home ownership is building generational wealth.”

Environmental impacts

Equity issues related to renewable energy access also need to be addressed. Among solar adopters, only 15% have incomes less than $50,000 per year. Most solar adopters make over $100,000 annually, according to Berkeley Labs.

“We looked at that and said, we’ve got to change this,” said Nicole Burford of Clean Energy Credit Union.
To address this, CECU launched the Clean Energy for All program, offering a 0.5% interest rate discount on loans for households experiencing low-income, and households of color, with a credit score of 680 and above, and even steeper discounts for those with credit scores of less than 680. Over time, these lower interest rates save borrowers a lot of money.

CECU is also adding new options for its solar loans. Previously the loan had two parts: a long-term loan for 70% of the cost, and a short-term loan for 30% that borrowers could repay when they received their 30% tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act.

The problem for borrowers with low income is that they did not make enough to pay taxes, and so did not get the tax credit. “And then they were stuck with a 30% loan that’s due in 18 months,” Burford said. So CECU is designing a 100% long-term solar loan for its low-to-moderate income borrowers.

Calvert Impact has also launched a new product to fight climate change: the Cut Carbon Note, which will generate $400 million in financing for sustainability upgrades in office, industrial, and multi-family residential buildings—a top source of greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are pretty far off our climate goals, so we need some big solutions,” said Justin Conway of Calvert Impact. “Through these green bonds, we are trying to change the way we build to a new low carbon standard.”

So far, the program has saved $21.5 million in energy costs and 82,856 metric tons of carbon emissions through efficiency upgrades at the Coliseum Building in Minneapolis, apartment buildings in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and San Antonio; and a solar array at an office building in Euclid, Ohio, among other projects.

Beneficial State Bank is also investing in the environment through its new location at Altasea, a unique public-private ocean institute that brings together science, business, and education at the Port of Los Angeles. The bank’s commercial loan hub, literally working out of a shipping container, will provide financing for nonprofits and businesses that operate in the burgeoning “blue economy.”

Beneficial also has loan offices at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, Seattle’s Bullitt Center, and Portland’s PAE Living Building.

“All of these locations pick and choose their tenants, we were thrilled to be part of that ecosystem,” said Monique Johnson of Beneficial. “That’s where we need to be—those are our people.”

Future directions

Interest in community banking and investing has skyrocketed in recent years, especially among women and young people.

“Every two years, we do an investor survey, and we’ve always seen high interest in impact investing,” said Justin Conway of Calvert Impact {GBN}. “But this year the number of investors who said they actually made an impact investment jumped from 19% in 2020 to 59% in 2022. That’s almost a three-fold increase in two years.”

For Daniel Martinez of Self-Help, the biggest emerging trend is young home buyers coming into the market. “They don’t have $20,000 to $30,000 fresh out of college,” he says, but Self-Help’s Equity Boost program can help them qualify.

Self-Help is doing outreach at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to reach young borrowers. “We’re trying to reach particularly Black and Latino young people so they can start building equity in their homes and wealth at a much younger age,” Martinez said.

Danielle Burns, head of business development for CNote, and a Green America board member, also sees a higher interest in impact data measurement and reporting. “Clients are seeking greater transparency around where their dollars sleep at night and want tangible stories on how those dollars are impacting communities,” Burns said.

Impact is also important on the personal level, Self-Help client Erika Allen said. She hopes to pay forward the help she got for her mortgage to her community by partnering with Self-Help to offer financial counseling and technical assistance to other first-time home buyers at a new community education center.

“I wanted to go through the process so I could help support other team members get these resources,” Allen said. “It always helps me when I know I’m helping other people.”

The Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023 illustrates why socially responsible investing is so important.

Norfolk Southern, owned 63% by institutional investors including Wall Street banks, ranks poorly on corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) guidelines, and the company’s conduct leading up to and after the disaster show why:

• It cleared the tracks after the derailment by burning over 1 million pounds of toxic chemicals, killing 44,000 fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
• It laid off a third of their workforce while multiplying stock buybacks to boost profits.
• It has long fought rail safety regulations such as labeling flammable chemicals hazardous and upgrading train brakes.

Does Norfolk Southern sound like a company you’d like to invest your retirement funds in? Me neither.

Through socially responsible investing (SRI), investors can screen companies like Norfolk Southern out of our portfolios.

Incredibly, responsible investing is now in the crosshairs of political attacks on both the federal and state levels from a network of culture war groups funded in part by Big Oil.

A climate ‘risk wall’

As Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) explained in an op-ed on CNBC, the financial risks of the climate crisis are now so apparent that the fossil fuel industry is trying to hide the risk, just as they denied the science for decades.

“The underlying problem is that the fossil fuel industry is running up against a ‘risk wall,’” the senators wrote. “Rather than reduce their emissions, or face up to the risks that they cause, the fossil fuel industry is trying to break and remake traditional risk reporting to selectively remove reporting of climate-related risks.”

Congress targets socially responsible investing

In January 2023, a new Department of Labor (DOL) rule went into effect, allowing—but not mandating—retirement plan managers to take ESG considerations into account in their investment decisions.

Almost 7,000 Green America members signed a petition in support of the DOL rule, which reversed two previous Trump administration rules that had required retirement plans to invest solely based on “pecuniary factors” and made it difficult for shareholders to vote on ESG-related resolutions.

Through the Congressional Review Act, Congress can repeal a rule within 60 days of it going into effect. The House and Senate both voted to repeal the DOL rule, squashing the ability of retirement fund managers to invest using ESG principles.

In March, President Biden issued the first veto of his administration, upholding the DOL rule that protects investors’ freedom to invest responsibly.

Since then, House committees have held several hearings to “investigate” ESG practices, full of talking points about “woke” investing. The hearings, featuring witnesses with long track records of climate denial, have been characterized as “off the rails” and “seriously weird.”

Some politicians admit all this is messaging to motivate their base in pursuit of their right-wing political goals. “It’s not going to drive much policy, because the president will veto anything he doesn’t like,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said. “It’s largely politics.”

Battle in the states for freedom to invest responsibly

Although anti-ESG action on the federal level is more smoke than fire, actual policy has been enacted in some states. As of June 2023, 156 bills and nine resolutions were proposed in 37 states. Of those proposals, 18 laws have passed in 11 states, six resolutions in three states, and six bills await governor action.

These proposals are primarily of two types: bills that target public worker pension programs and bills that target state contracting authority. Both types reflect a right-wing political agenda:

Pension bills usually require financial officers or pension boards to focus solely on factors that have a material effect on risk or return, based on the false premise that climate, labor, and other ESG considerations don’t have an effect.

One model bill from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) forbids considering “events in the distant future or that are systemic”—a clear reference to climate change. Another model bill from the Heritage Foundation forbids consideration of greenhouse gas emissions or diversity among corporate boards or employees. Other bills forbid investing in companies that limit or boycott fossil fuels, firearms, agriculture, timber, animal products, or that provide abortion access and transgender health services.

Contract bills usually prohibit states from doing business with financial service companies that limit or boycott fossil fuels—even though financial companies typically use screening, not boycotting, as a tactic. Some bills prohibit state contracts with any company that limits a list of favored industries including fossil fuels, timber, mining, agriculture, firearms, and more. Many bills require state treasurers or comptrollers to create a blacklist of companies the state is not allowed to do business with.

Fortunately, while 28 anti-ESG state laws and resolutions have passed, many more have been defeated. As of August 2023, 88 anti-ESG bills have died, including all in 18 states: Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming. Pleiades Strategy keeps a running tracker on these bills.

Backlash to the backlash

Contributing to the defeat of state anti-ESG bills were local bankers and business owners. As Rick Clayburgh of the North Dakota Bankers Association testified, anti-ESG legislation is “not solving any problem except putting a burden onto a single industry in this state—the state-chartered financial institution—that aren’t the problem … and yet we’re going to bear this burden so that the North Dakota legislature can send a message to national and global financiers and insurance companies.”

Multiple studies have found that refusing to do business with companies that use ESG in decision making—which includes most major corporations—costs a lot of money.

• A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that two 2021 Texas laws banning cities from contracting with banks that have ESG policies cost an extra $303 million to $532 million in higher municipal bond interest rates
• A report by Econsult Solutions found that taxpayers in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and West Virginia could owe up to $708 million in additional interest charges on municipal bonds due to anti-ESG laws and proposals.
• A Bloomberg report found that Florida pays interest rates on municipal bonds almost half a percentage point higher than California, even though Florida has a better credit rating because Florida blacklisted major municipal bond underwriters due to their support of ESG.

The underlying problem is that the fossil fuel industry is running up against a ‘risk wall,’ … Rather than reduce their emissions, or face up to the risks that they cause, the fossil fuel industry is trying to break and remake traditional risk reporting to selectively remove reporting of climate-related risks.

From an op ed by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

Where is this coming from?

These attacks on our freedom to invest responsibly at the federal and state levels didn’t arise out of nowhere. It’s important to understand where they come from—and why.

In April 2020, a Chicago electronics magnate named Barre Seid gave the largest known political donation in US history—$1.6 billion—to Leonard Leo. If Leo’s name sounds familiar, that’s because for years he led the Federalist Society, which is widely credited with putting a majority of far right-wing justices on the Supreme Court.

With this, Leo launched a network of organizations aimed at reshaping American society—taking direct aim at sustainable investing.

“The ESG movement is polluting our culture and assaulting the dignity and worth of people,” Leo told The Wall Street Journal. “Our enterprise stands with a growing group of Americans who are fighting to crush leftist dominance in this arena.”

Anti-ESG groups benefiting from Leo’s largesse include:

• Consumers Research: Founded in 1929 to test consumer products, CR split from Consumer Reports in 1981 to become a watchdog of liberal causes. With funding from Leo, CR has spent $10 million on anti-ESG campaigns, attacking BlackRock Chair and CEO Larry Fink and pushing Vanguard to drop out of the Net Zero Asset Managers Alliance. They also issue “woke alerts” on brands such as Target and Bud Light.
• State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF): Based in Kansas, SFOF once pulled together state treasurers to discuss issues like borrowing costs, but recently emerged as a key player in using state treasurers to blacklist companies that employ ESG practices. In response to the Inflation Reduction Act, SFOF worked to combat climate action by opposing federal appointments and sponsoring an anti-ESG website.
• Republican Attorneys General Association: Also funded by Koch Industries, Chevron, and Exxon, this group of state attorneys general sued to stop the DOL rule allowing ESG investing, told 53 top asset managers that ESG investing may violate antitrust law, and motioned to stop BlackRock, a major asset management firm, from voting shares in utilities that adopt ESG practices.

These and other anti-ESG groups are networking with longtime purveyors of climate denial, including:

• Heritage Foundation: A prominent conservative think tank funded by the Koch brothers, Heritage produces articles, podcasts, and a website attacking ESG as a threat to the American way of life, and, absurdly, funded an ad portraying an oil driller denied a bank loan because he doesn’t identify as nonbinary.
• American Legislative Exchange Council: A longtime corporate bill mill funded in part by the Koch brothers, ALEC provided much of the model anti-ESG legislation that targets public pensions and state contracts. Although the model bill requiring states to create a blacklist of companies that use ESG was not formally endorsed, the legislation was proposed in 40 states and passed in five.
• Heartland Institute: Another climate denial think tank, Heartland has also turned its attention to ESG. Its April 2023 report claims ESG threatens individual liberty, free markets, and the US economy. Heartland has long hosted an annual climate misinformation conference, now featuring anti-ESG speakers such as Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks, who compared ESG to Nazism.

ESG train has left the station

These well-funded anti-ESG campaigns are having some effect. For example, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has been backtracking on past climate commitments and Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said that while the company won’t stop considering sustainability, “I’m just going to stop saying ‘ESG’.”

Still, ESG is not going anywhere. Already $8.4 trillion—or 1 in 8 dollars under asset management—use sustainable investing strategies, according to The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (known as US SIF). At the start of 2020, global sustainable investment reached $35.3 trillion in five major markets, a 15% increase from 2018 to 2020.

Moreover, the consensus among investment managers is that ESG works.

“85% of investment managers and 96% of S&P 500 companies use ESG to mitigate risk, find opportunities, and build profits,” says Peter McKillop, CEO of Climate & Capital Media. “Among US institutional investors, 81% plan to increase ESG allocations, boosting more sustainable assets under management 84% by 2026.”

That means the most effective way we can fight the anti-ESG campaign is to keep voting with our dollars. When consumers and investors work together to encourage companies to adopt climate-friendly policies and support workers and human rights, it has an impact – and makes companies more profitable over time.

85% of investment managers and 96% of S&P 500 companies use ESG to mitigate risk, find opportunities, and build profits…Among US institutional investors, 81% plan to increase ESG allocations, boosting more sustainable assets under management 84% by 2026.

—Peter McKillop, CEO of Climate & Capital Media

Your comprehensive financial planning handbook

It’s that time of year—spooky season! Apple picking, pumpkin spice, cobweb decorations, and, of course, costumes. Dressing up is one of the all-time great traditions of All Hallows’ Eve, whether it’s a classic vampire, a character from your favorite movie, or a niche cultural reference. Unfortunately, so many pre-made costumes are made and packaged with plastic and other toxic materials like synthetic fibers made from petro-chemicals (a product of fossil fuels). It’s time for that to change, and time for sustainable Halloween costumes to become the norm. 

Now, you can become movie icon M3gan or tennis star Coco Gauff without worrying about wearing something that’s bad for you and the planet. 

Every item recommended in this article comes from our thousands of certified Green Business Network members, which meet or exceed Green America’s standards for social and environmental responsibility. 

The White Lotus 

If Halloween costumes mean dressing up as someone you’re not, why not dress as the wealthy and vacationing drama queens of our dreams? AKA the colorful cast of characters from HBO’s The White Lotus Season 2! 

Dressing up as Jennifer Coolidge’s iconic Tonya (warning: an impression is mandatory), you will feel even better when you’re doing it ethically (unlike all the characters in The White Lotus). 

Mimci Tonya’s gauzy, effortlessly chic scarf with the Pink Flower Petals Scarf from Sympatico Clothing or Natural Clothing Company’s Organic Cotton Scarf in coral. 

On the romantic shores of Italy, there are a few clothing staples our leads—and your costume—must have. 

Wooden Element has a vast and beautiful collection of sunglasses, from classic aviators to sleek black looks, to channel your inner Aubrey Plaza or Theo James. 

Plus, don’t forget about your easy, breezy linen pants. The hemp clothing at Dash Hemp Santa Cruz is a perfect selection of the comfortable, drawstring pants many characters on The White Lotus wear. 

Finally, don’t forget about accessorizing with upscale jewelry to look rich and dramatic while sipping wine in Sicily. 

Shanti Boutique boasts lots of beautiful pieces, including golden suns similar to Meghann Fahy’s. WorldFinds is another place where you can find an array of both colorful, statement jewelry pieces or more delicate necklaces and earrings. 

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Ski Trial Style 

It probably seems like years ago now, but it was just in May 2023 that, for a few, blissful days, we were all connected—watching Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow dress her best during her skiing incident court battle. 

Just look how put-together Ms. Goop herself is! 

Natural Clothing Company has a cozy, cream-colored turtleneck sweater which is perfect for the brisk springtime of Park City, Utah, where the court proceedings took place. Then head over to Texture Clothing for their Posh Pants in espresso. 

To complete the look, Paltrow wore a lot of gold jewelry during the days-long trial. Consider these simple gold arch studs from Altiplano or go back to WorldFinds. 

M3gan 

Brush off those dance moves and channel one of the year’s earliest pop culture icons—the AI doll M3gan herself. 

With sustainable clothing to dress as the camp robot, you’ll definitely be titanium. 

To start, you’ll want a striped shirt and both Blue Canoe and Yala have you covered there. Blue Canoe also has the perfect white tights made of organic cotton and bamboo. 

Then, check out Fair Indigo’s Women's 100% Organic Cotton Polo Dress in olive (close enough!) or Faerie’s Dance’s Baby Doll Dress. 

US Open Champ Coco Gauff 

You can also go with a more recent cultural moment for your sustainable Halloween costume and dress as US Open women’s champion, Coco Gauff. 

To go for her all-red look, try Faerie’s Dance’s Lattice Back Cami in paprika paired with Natural Clothing Company’s Organic Cotton Wrap Skirt in cabernet. 

If you’re feeling a bit bolder, try out Texture Clothing’s Comfy Skirt Gathered Mini in lime to pull off Gauff’s brighter US Open look. 

Whichever one you go for, definitely don’t forget Gauff’s dark red headband to show you mean business. Soul Flower's Recycled Boho Headband in plum is perfect.

All the Rest for Your Sustainable Halloween Costumes 

Even if you can’t find everything for your costume from a sustainable green business, you can still piece together parts of it with eco-friendly products. 

If you’re going for a Barbie look this year, Plain Jane Beauty’s Diamond Pink highlighter from SMB Essentials is perfect. 

Or if you’re more of a Ken, make sure to get an organic t-shirt to pull off the look. The Good Tee has all the best options for you. 

If budget is a concern, don’t worry. Despite the myths, being a sustainable consumer doesn’t have to break the bank. Go thrifting to put together your costume or if a friend has a piece in their closet that would be perfect, suggest a clothes swap or borrowing it! 

Or maybe you’re a craft person with the skills and time to make your own costume—there are so many ethically-sourced fabric businesses to avoid the big box stores. 

When Halloween is over, don’t forget to take care of your skin—especially if you commit to that fabulous and scary makeup! One Love Organics and MuLondon have tons of ethical options for cleansers, moisturizers, and beyond to keep your face clean and healthy without any toxic chemicals or animal testing. 

Happy (sustainable) haunting! 

The Green Business Network is a program of Green America; our certified members adopt principles, policies and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, communities, and the planet. Comprised of thousands of businesses that meet or exceed our standards for social and environmental responsibility, the Green Business Network is key for the work Green America does: harnessing economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. 

This is a guest blog from Green Business Network member Longwave Financial.

Now that the seemingly endless summer days are almost behind us, it’s a perfect time to shift attention from beach days, concerts, and (vegan) BBQ’s to a different kind of adventure: your lifelong financial journey. Like many people in their 20’s and 30’s, I find myself having to strike a balance all the time – there’s personal life and goals, career progression and navigating wants versus needs. It can feel like everything everywhere all at once and the struggle is prioritizing without compromising your joy or your principles.

Personally, this was truly a summer to remember – in a span of a few short weeks, I got engaged, moved to a new town, and even got a puppy. My partner and I cherished every moment yet each decision came with a lot of inner debate and what we want, what we can afford and how that impacts the short term and long term. Making big choices means seeing things in context and understanding the whole financial picture. Since so many of us in this age group are facing similar situations, I wanted to share a framework for thinking about your financial life.

With the turn of the season, holiday spending on the horizon and “new year, new me” coming sooner than we think, it’s a great time to revisit our financial pictures. Whether you’re just starting to dip your toes into the stock market or have been investing for a while, a financial checkup can help you stay on track and make good decisions with your money. We’ll dive into some key areas for your financial wellness, such as budgeting, saving, and managing debt, while staying true to your values and making a positive impact on the world.

1. Identify your goals:

The first step of investing is to think about what you’re investing for. After all, you don’t get into your EV without knowing your destination, right? The same goes for investing. Consider your goals across different timeframes: short-term (1-3 years), medium-term (3-5 years), and long-term (5 years+). Start by reflecting on your aspirations, whether it’s buying your first home, having the financial freedom to spend more time volunteering, or starting a non-profit in the future. Write down your goals and create smaller, measurable milestones, such as a savings target each month. Having clear objectives will keep you motivated and focused on your savings journey.

2. Evaluate your financial situation:

Before you build a house, you must set the foundation. The first building block is creating a monthly budget; check to see what comes in each month and what goes out. Ideally, you’ll have some money left over each month to save towards your goals. If you don’t, take a closer look at your expenses to see if there are areas you are willing to adjust. You’ll likely find more flexibility in your variable expenses, things like concert tickets, going out to eat, and travel—those additional savings can go a long way. You may want to align your budget with your values by allocating funds for environmentally friendly products, fair-trade goods, and companies with strong ESG practices (ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance – these are non-financial standards that socially conscious investors use to evaluate investment choices). You may want to consider prioritizing sustainable living choices that fit into your spending plan.

3. Be wary of debt:

It’s no secret that interest rates have risen over the past year. When was the last time you checked the rate on your borrowing? According to Forbes Advisor, the current average credit card interest rate is a staggering 28.01%. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, interest charges on your credit cards could grow and compound if you don’t pay off the balance each month. People in our generation already have enough hurdles to jump in our financial lives – mounting student loan debt and record-high housing costs – credit card debt can become another major setback in our ability to save. If you have multiple credit cards, consider first paying off the balances of the cards with the highest interest rate. When it comes to banking and credit, consider using environmentally friendly and socially responsible banks and credit unions such as Amalgamated Bank or Clean Energy Credit Union. You may want to choose green banking options that support renewable energy projects and contribute to a greener economy. By working with the right bank, you can support companies that are involved with divestment from fossil fuels and benefit community development projects.

4. Set up an emergency fund:

We’ve all experienced a time where an unexpected expense arises. Whether it’s a plumbing issue in your home, a job loss, or an unforeseen medical emergency, having quick access to cash can be critical during uncertain times. Maintaining a rainy-day fund is always a good idea. This way, when the unexpected arises, you won’t find yourself dipping into your savings or taking out unwanted debt. Most financial experts typically recommend keeping aside three to six months’ worth of expenses in an emergency fund. This money should be in a safe and easy-to-access place like a savings account or money market. Check the interest rates on savings accounts at your local community bank to ensure you’re maximizing the interest you earn. Often, you’ll find rates at local banks and credit unions offer higher interest than what you’ll find at the big banks.

5. Supercharge your retirement savings:

Who doesn’t love the idea of ‘free money’? According to the Plan Sponsor Council of America, 98% of 401(k) plans make contributions to employee’s retirement savings. This contribution, or “match,” is money your employer adds to your own contributions. For example, your company might match dollar for dollar up to 4% of your earnings, which means if you contribute 4% of your salary, your employer will add an extra 4% to your account. These additional savings can bolster your retirement funds. For self-employed individuals or business owners, consider setting up a retirement plan such as a SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, or Solo 401(k). You may want to consider exploring your employer’s plan to see if they offer ESG investment options. As an investor, every dollar you shift towards ESG-oriented companies is a vote for a sustainable and ethical future.

6. Invest according to your values:

You have the choice of where you invest your money. Companies use your investment dollars to run and grow their businesses. Before you buy a stock or bond, you may want to consider companies that prioritize environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and good corporate governance practices. Try to avoid companies involved in industries that conflict with your principles. The world of values-driven investing is constantly evolving, with more and more companies being held accountable for their actions. Stay informed and educate yourself on emerging trends, new investment opportunities, and evolving ESG standards. You’ve worked hard for your money—you should feel good about the companies you invest in.

The Green Business Network is a program of Green America; our certified members adopt principles, policies and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, communities, and the planet. Comprised of thousands of businesses that meet or exceed our standards for social and environmental responsibility, the Green Business Network is key for the work Green America does: harnessing economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.