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Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

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Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

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Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

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Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

A combination of factors make the U.S. a hotbed for fast fashion consumption above consumers in other wealthy countries. While Americans of all income levels contribute to the fast fashion crisis, Charlotte Tate – the Labor Justice Campaigns director for Green America, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that promotes ethical consumption – points to America's model of capitalism and wage stagnation as some of the factors driving American overconsumption.

"I think one thing that's unique to American capitalism is how much we prioritize working to make more money and then you have more money to spend," she said. "And another factor to consider is fast fashion is much cheaper than higher quality goods. When you look at wages over the past few decades, they've really stagnated. And as Americans have become more productive, the wealth of productivity hasn't been distributed evenly. In that case, you know, it would be really challenging if you're not making enough money to make ends meet to then also buy higher quality clothes."

Read the full article here.

Amazon had a record-breaking year in 2020, bringing in over $20 billion in profits. This was a great year for shareholders and executives, but who makes these profits possible and who bears the brunt of the harm from a corporation that prioritizes profits at all costs?   

During the pandemic, Amazon hired an extra 250,000 warehouse workers to help with the surge of online orders. But how many of those workers were Black and Brown people and how does that compare to representation of Black and Brown employees at all levels of the company?  

Amazon’s own data shows that 31% of Amazon’s field and customer support are Black workers, compared to 7.2% of corporate workers that are Black. A majority of Amazon’s 1.3 million employees work in distribution centers. Due to the lack of diverse representation at the management level, Black and Brown warehouse workers are at a disadvantage for workplace policy development and implementation.  

Amazon Warehouse Workers Labor Under Brutal Conditions and Fight Back 

Amazon makes a big deal about how much it pays warehouse workers. But it took significant public pressure by politicians, unions, and nonprofit organizations calling on Amazon to pay more. As a result Amazon's warehouse workers are now starting at $15 per hour. While Amazon’s eye-catching wages are more than double the federal minimum wage, it is becoming increasingly common for large corporations, such as Target and Costco, to pay well above minimum wage, which makes Amazon starting wage less impressive, especially when considering the high injury rate at Amazon facilities.  

The current wage does not outweigh the long-term health conditions that these workers face. There is no justification for anyone working in these horrifying conditions: long hours, toxins in the air, minimal breaks, and high injury rates.

According to BBC News, Amazon's warehouse jobs have one of the highest injury rates compared to competitors. Warehouse facilities have the highest percentage of Black and Brown workers at Amazon, who make it possible for the company to provide its famous one-day delivery. But instead of sharing in the enormous profits their work makes possible, they suffer from debilitating injuries, while corporate leadership and shareholders get rich.  

Amazon intentionally places distribution facilities in underrepresented communities - which can lead to negative health impacts for community members due to worse air quality for example. The communities of color are also affected negatively by the environmental impacts of the distribution centers with constant truck traffic and pollution. Workers are calling out Amazon for “Environmental Racism”. 

A former employee tells One Zero Medium:

“You’re coming into these communities of color and polluting the environment.”  

Workers and communities of color are organizing and fighting back. And Black workers are leading the way, demanding the dignity and respect they are owed. In Bessemer Alabama, the Amazon distribution center has a majority Black workforce. The recent unionization effort at Bessemer Alabama was led by Black workers and is one way workers are trying to end the unjust and dangerous working conditions at Amazon. While many workers voted against a union in the election, Amazon allegedly violated labor laws. The core allegations against Amazon from the union are that “Amazon might have had access to the secret ballots cast by workers or that workers might be under surveillance as they cast their votes”.  

White Men Have the Power at Amazon 

But who is making these decisions about Black and Brown workers? About 50% of Amazon corporate employees are white males. In 2020, 70% of Amazon’s senior leaders were white males. Jeff Bezos and other white males in the corporate sector decide how to allocate the company’s resources and make the rules that affect Black and Brown communities and workers.   

The underrepresentation of Black and Brown corporate workers at Amazon could be contributing towards racial bias and the disrespect that Black and Brown warehouse workers have experienced. “We struggle to bring [Black] folks in because there’s not a whole lot of desire, in my opinion, to go outside of our normal practices,” said the current Amazon diversity manager.   

The systemic racism built into corporations such as Amazon creates a disadvantage for Black and Brown employees to grow professionally.

Kelly Rae, a former Amazon corporate employee, felt unheard while working at Amazon:

“the company has failed to create a corporate-wide environment where all Black employees feel welcomed and respected.”  

One of the fundamental problems at Amazon is the lack of diversity in the corporate spectrum -  only 7% of corporate staff are Black AND less than 4% of senior leadership is Black. An increase of Black people in positions of power at the company could change the dynamic, with Black people having decision-making power over how the company treats warehouse and delivery employees and communities. An increase in Black leadership could also lead to greater overall corporate responsibility, profitability, and innovation. 

Donations are Not Action 

In 2020, Amazon donated 10 million dollars supporting justice and equity organizations such as: UNCF, NAACP, and Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which is a positive action. But that is not enough, as it does not address the negative impact that Amazon’s operations have on people of color and communities. Corporate charity is not a solution to racial injustices that are embedded in the company’s operations. Especially when those charitable donations are decided by a white male, who ultimately is not able to understand the lived experiences of many who are harmed by the practices of Amazon. These donations are just empty gestures - little action to address racial and environmental injustices has taken place.   

Consumers Have Power to Change the Company 

The good news? This company is customer obsessed. Together, we have gotten Amazon to move on climate action and we can get them to move on worker and racial justice issues!   

Hold this company accountable and take action:  

• Sign and share our Amazon action, calling on the company to respect all workers’ rights.  
• Support small businesses and shop from Amazon Alternatives - all green businesses prioritizing people and the planet.   
• Want to go a step further? Write Amazon directly! Here is a template to get you started. 
• Additionally, you can call or write your senator and ask that they support the PRO Act, which would strengthen workers’ rights in the US.  

Walmart stores are leaking potent greenhouse gases that accelerate the climate crisis.

These gases are called HFCs and they have thousands of times the warming power of carbon dioxide. HFCs are used in refrigeration and make up over half of Walmart’s direct climate polluting emissions.

That’s why our Cool It campaign is calling on Walmart to eliminate the use of HFC pollutants and reduce refrigerant leaks. 

Walmart has known about this issue for years and yet continues to increase its polluting HFC emissions. So we’re holding them accountable to make changes now.

Take Action on Social

Tell Walmart to address its climate-polluting emissions now on Twitter and Facebook:

Copy and paste into Facebook post: 

Over half of Walmart’s direct greenhouse gas emissions are caused by refrigeration leaks of climate super pollutant HFCs. I’m joining @GreenAmerica to call on @Walmart to end its use of HFCs in all facilities by 2030 and to immediately commit all new stores to be HFC-free. #coolitforclimate coolitforclimate.org
 

Submit a Comment to Walmart

Send a message through Walmart’s website:

• Step 1 – Go to https://corporate.walmart.com/store-corporate-feedback  
• Step 2 – Select “Company Feedback and Questions,” then hit “Next” 
• Step 3 – Enter your concerns about Walmart’s lackluster timeline for its transition away from HFCs or copy and paste the below text:
  
  Hello, I am reaching out today with Green America to express my concern about Walmart’s hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant emissions. HFCs have up to thousands of times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide and improving refrigerant practices has been identified as a top global climate priority. However, Walmart continues to increase its annual HFC emissions. This greenhouse gas now makes up over 53% of the company’s direct climate-damaging emissions. Walmart’s existing goal to reach “low-impact” refrigerants by 2040 lacks adequate detail and is out of step with the intensifying realities of the climate crisis. I am urging Walmart to commit to using ultra-low GWP, natural refrigerant alternatives in all new stores and retrofits and commit to being HFC-free across operations by 2030. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. 
   
• Step 4 – Enter your contact information and hit “Next” 
• Step 5 – Confirm you are not a robot and submit! 

First time here? Check out the most recent and updated version of this article: Bottled Water VS. Tap.

Water is life. Some of us drink it straight from our faucet without a second thought. Others go to great lengths to buy enough jugs or bottles from the store to always have on hand. Safe water isn’t straightforward— but the best-for-you, best-for-the-planet solution is water filtration.

Though utilities will claim that their water meets all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, the fact is that the EPA isn’t doing all it could to protect Americans from toxic chemicals in our water supply. Its science can be decades out of date and it bases recommendations on chemical levels on cost-benefit analyses which may not put enough value on community health, according to Sydney Evans, science analyst at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) who works on the organization’s tap water database. She says filters are the best option for households today, and infrastructure development is the best way to secure safe water for the future. Follow these three steps to ensure your drinking water is as safe as it can be.

Step 1: Don't Drink Bottled Water

Americans are buying bottled water now more than ever, perhaps because they don’t trust their tap water. Bottled water accounted for 25% of beverage consumption in the US as of 2018, according to research by Statista. But research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health reported in 2021 that the impact of bottled water on natural resources is 3,500 times higher for bottled water than tap, and the impact on ecosystems was 1,400 times higher. In the US, 17 million barrels of oil are used per year just to meet plastic water bottle demand. Nonprofit Ban the Bottle has reported that 24%of bottled water is just municipal or tap water—only sometimes put through extra filtration.  

Since bottled water is a packaged product, it’s regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which in some respects has looser guidelines than the EPA, which regulates tap water. For example, the FDA requires bottled water to be assessed for coliform bacteria, an infection-causing pathogen, once a week. The EPA requires community water systems to test their water multiple times a day.

Bottled water also leads to grim circumstances for both the environment and society. According to the Container Recycling Institute, 75% of the 70 billion water bottles sold in the US in 2018 ended up as litter or in the landfill. It takes three liters of water to make a plastic bottle that will hold one liter of water, and it takes over 1,000 years for that bottle to biodegrade, states EarthWatch.

A lesser-known fact, confirmed by the nonprofit Food and Water Watch, is that employees at bottled water plants often receive low wages and are injured at a rate 50% higher than the overall manufacturing industry and the construction industry.

Bottled water poses risks to health, workers, and the environment. But what if your tap water has contamination issues?

Step 2: Get to Know Your Water

Water filters offer people an active role in improving their water quality without plastic waste. Plus, you’ll save money: a study from Penn State found that skipping plastic bottled water can save a family of four about $5,000 per year.

If you get water through a utility, check your local contaminants. In a review of 140,000 public water systems across the US, The Guardian found that 25 million Americans are drinking from the worst water systems—those that accrued more than 15 standards violations over five years. Income, geography, and race are the most likely to affect one’s access to clean, water, with poor, rural, and Latinx Americans the least likely to have clean water. 

For a robust look at your local water, visit the EWG’s Tap Water Database which lists the contaminants found in 50,000 water systems across all 50 states over multiple years. This resource notes any violations of federal legal contaminant limits a utility may have incurred, as well as what the legal limits are for each contaminant, and the negative health effects associated with that contaminant.

Evans explains that the EPA’s standards weigh the lab studies on the safety of chemicals against the cost of municipalities actually filtering those chemicals out. 

“Many EPA standards are based on research and technology and costs that are now decades out of date. About 90 contaminants are regulated, but there are hundreds detected regularly in our drinking water. But in spite of that, no new chemical contaminants have been regulated in about 20 years,” Evans says. “That’s why we publish our own guidelines— because our guidelines make no such compromises. They are based purely on health outcomes and take into account sensitive populations.”

If you access water from a private well, your local government does not test your water, so you will need to send it to a lab to test for coliform bacteria, nitrates, dissolved solids, pH levels, and other suspected contaminants. EWG recommends a certified lab to test for contaminants, which goes beyond what a home test can detect. Find a lab to do a state-certified test on the water in your home by consulting the EPA’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Laboratory Network.

Step 3: Find the Best Filter for You

Different filters work on different contaminants so there is no one universal “best filter.” At the end of the day, a filter only works if it filters out the actual pollutants in your water.

NSF International and the Water Quality Association are public health organizations that certify water filters for safety and effectiveness. Check a water filter before you buy that it’s certified by one of these organizations.

Which Filter Do I Choose?

Carbon:

Carbon bonds with and removes contaminants from your water. Pitcher filters like Brita are usually carbon filters. Maintenance includes replacing filters on a schedule, as once the filter is “full” of contaminants, it can start releasing them back into the water.

Best for: Chlorine and chemical byproducts of disinfection from your utility. Some types will also remove asbestos, lead, mercury, and VOCs (check packaging). These tend to be the least expensive filter type.

Cons: Quality can vary widely, and they won’t remove pollutants including arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, and others.

Ion exchange/water softeners:

A special type of resin is used to attract excess magnesium and calcium. These filters are mechanical and tend to last about a decade— maintenance may include repairs by a professional, and the resin in the system will need to be replaced periodically. These can be installed under a single sink or for an entire house system.

Best for: reducing the level of calcium, magnesium, barium, and radium which can build up in pipes or occur naturally in tap water.

Cons: Levels of other contaminants won’t change. Also, softened water replaces minerals it removes with sodium, so softened water isn’t recommended for people with low sodium diets, or for watering plants.

Reverse Osmosis:

These filters push water through a membrane that blocks contaminants. Those sold for home use often include carbon and/or sediment filters as well. EWG has named reverse osmosis as the most effective filtration system. These systems can also be installed under specific sinks or for a whole house.

Best for: Arsenic, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, nitrates, and perchlorate.

Cons: Uses a lot of water—taking in about five times as much water as they produce. They also remove important minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium.

You may have heard of other types of filtration methods—some are more focused on pathogens and bacteria, which are useful if you are drinking untreated water. Others on the market, like ceramic filters, do not work well enough to filter out chemicals, says Evans. For filtering chemicals from treated water, stick to the main three above. 

Why We Need More Than Filters:

Water filters are far better for the environment than bottled water—even if they waste some water or require maintenance and filters that must be replaced. 

Evans says filtering water can have unmeasurable positive effects on our health. We drink unfiltered tap water today and are fine today. But based on research by EWG, many utilities are providing their customers water with chemicals that may cause serious health impacts over the course of a lifetime. Filtering water is a great step that we have control over.

But a filter is just a bandage. Evans says more often than not, communities that need improved water quality the most are the ones that are least likely to be able to afford a filtration unit.

For example, in Flint, MI, chronic quality issues were overlooked even as Flint residents became sick and children were poisoned by lead. It’s no coincidence that this community being denied access to clean, affordable water is majority Black with a nearly 40% poverty rate. The Flint water crisis was an environmental justice issue. Needing to buy a filter to access clean water is an environmental justice issue as well.

“There’s sometimes this disconnect between what we advocate for and what’s reasonable for individuals, because there’s an emotional burden to this as well,” says Evans. “Today you’re told you need a water filter. And yesterday, it was PFAS and nonstick cookware, and tomorrow, it’s pesticides in your food. All of these issues are important issues with serious health consequences that can be overwhelming. The ultimate solutions need to come at the community and the national level.”

Evans recommends investment in infrastructure so the utilities have the resources they need to protect the communities they serve, whether or not those people can afford filters. After you see what contaminants are present in your water, reach out to local legislators and ask what they can do, and what you can do, to support the safe water in your area.

Whether you're a water enthusiast or disdainful hydrator, it's a human right to have access to clean and healthy water. Optimize your tap for you and your family by investing in responsible and efficient water filtration systems.

As the undeniable consequences of the climate crisis abound all around us, in some positive news, fossil fuel divestment is steadily on the rise, as documented in the 2021 Invest Divest Report. Dozens of organizations, including Green America, have endorsed the report, produced by the Institute for Energy Economic and Financial Analysis, STAND.earth, C40, and the Wallace Global Fund. 

Divestment, the act of pulling one’s assets from an unacceptable investment, is a powerful strategy for social change, especially when part of a larger social change movement. Fossil fuel divestment now involves 1,495 institutions in 71 countries that have made public commitments and represents $39.2 trillion of assets under management. These commitments are for both full and partial divestment. Incredibly, this represents a 75,000 percent increase in assets from the first report in 2014. Since this only includes public divestment announcements, and institutional money, we know the actual number is even higher.  

As the report discusses, thanks to student activists, the divestment movement jump-started on college campuses. Now, however, religious organizations, charitable foundations, governments, pension funds, companies, non-profit organizations, healthcare institutions, and others are joining this strategy to align their assets with their values. 

The success of the fossil fuel divestment movement is seen not only in its growth but in its political and economic impacts. As more institutions publicly divest to protect the climate and life on earth, holding fossil fuels is increasingly stigmatized and viewed as an immoral choice. With the passage of time, fossil fuel divesting is also understood as a financially sound and prudent investment strategy. As the Rockefeller Foundation, founded on oil profits, states: “We’re confident that sound portfolios can be created without exposure to fossil fuels, and our investment performance since 2014 supports that belief.” 

The report cites BlackRock, the largest investment firm in the world, on the benefits of fossil fuel divestment, now that multi-year divestment financial data is available: “…no investors found significant negative performance from  divestment, but rather, have reported neutral to positive results. 

Insurance firms, credit rating agencies, banks, and others are finally taking a hard look at “stranded assets” -- fossil fuels that must remain in the ground to prevent the worst climate impacts and which will therefore lose all value in a clean energy economy. Fossil fuel stocks now regularly underperform the market. 

The report also notes that even where divestment is lacking, financial institutions and companies are feeling increasingly pressured to demonstrate they are moving away from fossil fuels. More and more of them are claiming “net zero” goals by 2050, “without sufficient short term targets, realistic plans for implementation, or, most importantly, clear policies for excluding fossil fuels. However, they are an important signal that pressure from  the movement is effective and expanding.”  

The Invest-Divest report and movement now call on all institutional investors to: 

1. Publicly commit to fully divest from fossil fuels where past commitments were partial; 

2. Invest at least 5% of their assets now in climate solutions and increase that to 10% by 2030; including support for a just transition that supports workers and communities most harmed by the climate crisis and fossil fuel industries; 

3.  Adopt net zero plans that end fossil fuel investment and have all other assets are linked to transition plans that cut emissions in half by 2030. 

All of us, institutions and individuals, must take action on climate; please use and share these Green America resources to help us achieve the clean energy future the times demand: 

• Divest & Reinvest 

• Get A Better Bank – not a Big Bank that is driving the climate crisis 

• Take More Climate Actions 

Ordering a coffee includes confronting a long list of lingo—if you’ve ever stood in front of a Starbucks menu scratching your head, you get it. Among these phrases are “fair trade” and “direct trade” which are terms to describe how a coffee bean is traded, but discerning the difference can be just as confusing as choosing between a café au lait and a latte.

What is Fair Trade?

Fair trade’s focus is alleviating farmer poverty by protecting them from predatory corporations and fluctuations in the market by setting a floor price for the commodity. Fair trade also mandates a premium to be paid on top of the floor price, which is invested into community needs, like schools or hospitals. Purchasers must pay the floor price but can, and often do, pay more. However, the price set by the fair trade organization may not necessarily equate to a true livable income.

How it really works:

Fair trade certifications help to improve supply chain conditions by ensuring producers and workers receive a minimum wage and labor laws are followed. Some fair trade certifications set standards for environmentally sustainable practices, but not all, and can vary widely between industries like cocoa, which tends to be weak when it comes to protecting forests. Not all fair trade organizations will support farmers if they have a bad year or lose their crop to natural disasters. Fair trade can also certify farmer co-ops, which exist to establish a farming community, democratize decision-making, and ensure the certification is benefiting many.

Several fair trade certifications have emerged within the last 40 years, with Fairtrade International and Fair Trade USA among the largest. Where these organizations differ depends on who they are willing to certify. Fairtrade International only certifies organized farmers, while Fair Trade USA will also certify plantations—which may have problems such as dangerous working conditions and may contribute to environmental pollution—under the rationale that more fair trade products will be available on the market.

What is Direct Trade?

Direct trade is a practice where coffee roasters purchase straight from the farmers, cutting out middlemen: buyers, sellers, and certifiers. Without the middlemen, farmers may get paid more for their beans. Direct trade roasters can also identify exactly how the relationship is impacting partner farmers and the surrounding community. In this way, direct trade is very personal. Like fair trade, direct trade is used for different types of products, like cocoa and tea.

How it Really Works:

Since direct trade partnerships happen between individual farmers and smallscale roasters, the roasters have more control over social justice and sustainability initiatives. Naturally, this means direct traders may have an outsized impact on the economic well-being of their farmer partners compared to the broader reach of fair trade certifications that impact many. But the actual economic benefit for growers is highly variable.

The close partnerships from trading directly also mean roasters have greater control over the quality of beans. Some direct trade proponents believe that this means the cup of coffee tastes better than fair trade beans—where the flavor is not considered in certification—but that is not necessarily true, as taste is subjective and high-quality beans can result from both trading methods.

Yet what direct trade truly lacks is fair trade’s strength: standardization and third-party audits. Unless direct trade roasters are fully transparent with their supply chain, customers may be paying for environmentally damaging practices and workers’ rights violations alongside that morning coffee. One roaster may compensate their farmers well and work with the growers on environmental stewardship, while another may not do either. Without a third party to oversee accountability and transparency in the supply chain, customers are relying entirely on the roaster’s word. 

Which is Better?

The differences can be narrowed down to scale and impact—direct trade tends to be small, whereas fair trade has a wider reach. Farmers under a fair trade certification may have their beans sold to corporations like Starbucks or supermarkets that can purchase in bulk, while direct traders buy and sell smaller batches of beans better suited for small coffee shops. Neither approach is the end-all solution for coffee farmers. Both are evolving strategies to improve lives in coffee-producing communities.

Therefore, it’s not a question of which method is better, but how can a consumer make an educated coffee purchase?

Start by finding a cup of coffee with a flavor you like, and then do some homework. If you’re at the supermarket, look for rigorous certifications like Fairtrade International, which only certifies organized farmers and co-ops. If it’s a small shop, ask where they get their beans and if they have a fair trade certification. If it is fair trade, which certification is it? If the shop trades directly with farmers, ask about that relationship—do they describe it in detail, touching on environmental stewardship and liveable wages, or do they brush over it? And if you find the perfect coffee, ask to buy the shop’s beans so you never go without.

To find coffee companies that meet standards for social responsibility and environmental sustainability, visit GreenPages.org. Certified Green America businesses take into account human and planetary health—and also the delicious flavor of a cup of joe.

Green Pages Online

Fair Trade Leader

Equal Exchange{GBN}, started in 1986, has helped improve the lives of coffee farmers through certification with Fair Trade Federation as well as working with farmer coops, and served as a model for coffee companies since.

Shop Equal Exchange Coffee

Direct Trade Leader

Direct trade roasters can still practice fair trade values without the added cost of certification. Velasquez Family Coffee{GBN} is one such example. The small business purchases directly from a family farm in Honduras, practices fair trade values and maintains high standards for environmental sustainability.

Shop Velasquez Family Coffee

{GBN} signifies a Green Business Network member. Green America's directory of certified businesses are small and micro-businesses that have passed rigorous standards for social and environmental responsibility.

Making your home more energy-efficient saves you money and reduces your carbon footprint.

We are staying home more than ever and many workers want it to stay that way. According to a Gallup poll, 59 percent of Americans who have worked from home during the pandemic hope to continue once workplace restrictions are relaxed.

Telecommuting is also good for the environment—EPA data shows that telecommuting can decrease the average worker’s transportation-related carbon emissions by 69 percent.

But staying home means using more energy there. Make your home energy efficient to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and be comfortable as you stay inside.

Assess and Weatherize

Start with an energy audit, also known as a home energy assessment, which will identify opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades in your home. Your utility may offer a free audit or you can buy a thermal leak detector for under $50 to see where heat may be getting out.

Weatherizing a property includes air sealing, insulation, moisture control, and ventilation work. Federal and state financial assistance is available for folks seeking audits and weatherization.

The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, for example, helps low-income families access home energy services. The average participant sees a 35 percent decrease in energy consumption after weatherization. To apply for assistance, contact your state weatherization agency.

Use Heat Pumps

Did you know that 42 percent of the average American’s utility bill comes from heating? Heat pumps are a greener option than fossil fuels for heating your home. A heat pump draws heat from the air, ground, or water outside your home and pushes it inside during the colder months. In the summer, pumps capture heat inside and release it outside to cool things down. Paitson Bros. {GBN} installs heat pumps and other HV/ AC needs in Illinois and Indiana. Find other installers at greenpages.org or ask your local contractor.

A heat pump can reduce electricity usage by 50 percent compared to conventional heating options. When paired with solar panels, they can also greatly decrease your carbon footprint.

Go Solar

Going solar may seem daunting, but according to EnergySage, a residential solar system can save you $10,000 to $30,000 on energy bills during its lifespan.

Through net metering, you can receive credits on your energy bill if your system produces more energy than your house uses. The excess energy is sent back to the grid and you can draw on these credits when your panels aren’t as productive.

Michelle Greenfield and her husband own Third Sun Solar {GBN} in Athens, Ohio. Greenfield says purchasing a residential solar system has become more affordable with both tax credits and financing options.

“You can finance that system so you can actually have a monthly payment,” Greenfield says. “It’s kind of like buying a car."

For renters or those who want to avoid upfront costs, community solar can be a more affordable option.

“Community solar is kind of like buying into a co-op; becoming a member,” Greenfield says. “You contribute towards purchasing a solar array that lives somewhere else, then you get that virtual credit for however much you purchase.”

EnergySage’s Community Solar Marketplace™ is a great place to start your search for a community solar program near you.

We all want to reduce our footprint, so why not start where you spend the most time? An energy-efficient home is a great way to invest in the world's health while saving you money.

WASHINGTON DC - Leading US fashion brands and retailers need to improve their toxic chemical management policies, according to a new report from the Green America initiative.

The 'Toxic Textiles' study provides a company-by-company breakdown of 15 major corporations and shows significant room for improvement on hazardous chemicals use, workplace conditions and transparency.

Key findings of the report - based on companies' publicly available policies - include that Target is leading the field on chemical management but online retail giant Amazon is "lagging behind".

Read full article here.

On November 2, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a new rule for comment that will address methane emissions from both existing and new oil and gas wells and infrastructure in the US. Currently hundreds of thousands of wells, pipelines, and storage tanks are leaking millions of tons of methane per year.  Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with up to 80 times the short-term global warming potential of carbon dioxide.  Oil and gas wells and infrastructure are a major source of methane leaks, and recent research demonstrates that the industry is leaking far more methane than previously estimated.

The new rule will also go a long way to meeting US obligations under the Global Methane Pledge, which requires a reduction of methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. 

Climate scientists warn that we must drastically reduce methane emissions in the next decade if we are to keep climate change under control, and reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector will be crucial to limiting global warming.

Rule Will Limit Major Sources of Methane Emissions

The new rule goes much further than the 2016 methane rule (finalized under the Obama Administration but rolled back by the Trump Administration), which only applied to new wells and infrastructure. 

The new rule also contains several important provisions, including:

• Regulating oil and gas based on emissions, not on the amount of production from a particular well.  Reducing the amount of methane emitted is the key to limiting climate impacts and protecting communities.
• Requiring a zero percent leak rate from pneumatic controllers, which collectively leak and estimated 51 billion cubic feet of methane in the production of oil and gas  per year
• Prohibiting venting of methane, which is a major source of emissions
• Addressing leaks from storage tanks
• Providing an advanced screening approach to accelerate leak detection and remediation
• Reducing emissions from maintenance activities, like liquids unloading

More Methane Emissions Regulation Needed

The EPA is also looking at supplemental rulemaking in 2022 to provide additional regulation. It is important that the supplemental rules fill several gaps in the current proposed rule, building in part on successful state regulations already in place:

• The rule currently incorporates a tiered system for regulating wells, and the smallest wells will only receive a one-time inspection.  These small wells are often the most leak prone and should be subject to more frequent inspection
• The rule does not regulate routine flaring, which is an important source of emissions.  Both Colorado and New Mexico regulate flaring in-state and the US EPA should follow their examples.
• The proposed regulation of storage tanks does not address smaller storage tanks, and allows for a higher leak rate than current regulation in Colorado and New Mexico.

Green America will be joining with our allies in encouraging public comment on the rules to support the regulations the EPA is proposing and to encourage the agency to go further.

As a Green Business Network Member, you can vote for your representatives to the Green America Board. This year, there is one seat up for election for a 3-year term, and we want to hear from you.

Green America's democratically elected Board of Directors represents all of our various stakeholders—our individual members, our business members, and Green America's worker members. Your participation is vital to our ongoing work to grow the green economy.

Browse your candidates' personal statements below and cast your vote by December 1, 2022, 5PM ET. The winner will be announced in an upcoming issue of Connections.

Cast Your Vote

Toxic chemicals continue to plague the apparel industry, yet fewer than a handful of America’s biggest retailers are addressing the issue with robust management policies for their own-brand products, a new report claims. In fact, only Target has emerged as the “clear leader” when it comes to protecting consumers and garment workers from hazardous chemicals…

Read the full article here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 1, 2021 – A new report found that top U.S. clothing retailers and brands need to do better on toxic chemical management policies. The “Toxic Textiles” report by Green America provides a company-by-company breakdown of 15 major corporations and shows significant room for improvement across the sector on hazardous chemicals use, workplace conditions, and transparency.

While individual clothing brands outperformed larger retailers overall, the report details how both areas of the industry can do better to protect consumers and workers from toxic chemicals used in textile manufacturing and found in clothing itself. Retailer and brand scorecards illustrated the top-level findings of the report:

Charlotte Tate, Labor Justice Campaigns director at Green America, said: “Looking at the success of some companies on the scorecard, there is simply no reason for a company to not, at a minimum, have a restricted substances list and a manufacturing restricted substances list. In just a few years, we’ve seen some companies take major steps in the right direction, and now, we must see retailers -- some of which, notably Amazon, have had hugely profitable years -- step it up on chemical management in apparel.”

Other key findings of the report include:

• Target is the clear retail leader. Target has both an online platform and stores, and sells many apparel items under its own brands, which demonstrates it is feasible for every retailer included in the scorecard to improve its chemical management policies. Target has a publicly available restricted substances list (RSL) and a publicly available manufacturing restricted substances list (MRSL). It also has clearly stated goals of eliminating hazardous classes of chemicals.
• Amazon must do better. Amazon is a retailer and also an apparel brand with numerous private labels. Amazon has no public information about its chemical management for apparel, despite being the largest US retailer of apparel, and it has disclosed no RSL or MRSL. The report calls on Amazon to address the impacts of own-branded products and to encourage sellers on its platform to step up on chemical management.
• Nike, Gap, Adidas and H&M beat out other clothing brands. Each of these brands have a public RSL and MRSL and have committed to eliminate or reduce the use of hazardous chemicals.
• Beware token plans and greenwashing. Companies often incorporate one policy on a single issue in the supply chain, and then use it to claim overall sustainability. And many companies claim to have policies addressing environmental or labor issues but have not followed through with specific goals, metrics, or timelines.
• The industry is far from sustainable. This scorecard examined chemical management policies that were publicly available. But there are many factors that contribute to whether a company is sustainable or not. For example, some leading fast fashion brands (H&M and Zara) performed well on the scorecard. However, due to the business model of fast fashion brands (creating short-lived clothing, for example), it is NOT possible for these companies to be sustainable.

Following the previous edition of the Toxic Textiles report and a campaign by Green America that generated over 30,000 comments, Carter’s, the largest U.S. retailer of baby clothes, took important first steps towards limiting toxic chemicals in its supply by instituting an RSL to help protect consumer health. Carter’s is now working to expand its offering of clothing with the OEKO-TEX Certification, which addresses some of the hazardous chemicals used in apparel.

Todd Larsen, executive co-director of Consumer and Corporate Engagement at Green America, said: “Consumers demand that companies improve their toxic chemical and sustainability policies, and we’re starting to see retailers and brands respond. While it is important for consumers to make informed decisions in their shopping habits, it is even more crucial for companies to take responsibility for the huge role they play.”

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ABOUT GREEN AMERICA 

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

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

"You get very tired when you work so much," [one child] said, showing scars he still has from his machete injuries. "Every day I would wake at six o'clock and go straight to the cocoa farm."

Child labor is worsening around the world. It is estimated that the number of child laborers globally rose from 152 million in 2016 to 160 million in 2020.

1 in 10 children experience child labor. 

Child labor occurs all around the world; for example, there are also an estimated 500,000 child laborers in the US agriculture sector. 70% of child labor occurs in agricultural sectors like cocoa, with an estimated 1.5 million child laborers working in Ghana or Cote d’Ivoire. 

If all 1.5 million children stood in a line, it would be 284 miles long, which is greater than the distance between Washington, DC and New York City. Or, equal to the entire population of Hawaii. This is a huge number of children who are being harmed just to make chocolate.

Impacts of child labor

Child laborers in cocoa carry heavy loads, work with dangerous tools, and are exposed to hazardous agrichemicals – all of which negatively impacts their health.

Child labor takes a big toll on the health and development of children. A recent study on the prevalence of child labor in the West African cocoa sector found:

• More than 40% of children interviewed reported feeling very tired or exhausted because of child labor.
• 34% of children were in very bad pain.
• 25% felt very sick.
• 12% had to receive medical treatment.

 Of the children surveyed, 50% were only 5-11 years old. 57% of the child laborers were boys and 43% were girls.

What do the children have to say about the working conditions?

Child labor in cocoa has been a well-known problem for over two decades; we compiled quotes gathered by media outlets over that time.

“There is no money in Burkina,” said [a child]. “We suffer a lot to get some money there. We came here to be able to have some money to eat.” (Washington Post, 2019)

“I came here to go to school. I haven’t been to school for five years now.” (Washington Post, 2019)

“We are hungry, and we make just a small amount of money.” (Washington Post, 2019)

"I was living in Bouake with my grandmother. But my father sent me here to work. I haven't seen my family for three years." (2011, BBC)

"You get very tired when you work so much," [a child] said, showing scars he still has from his machete injuries. "Every day I would wake at six o'clock and go straight to the cocoa farm." (2011, BBC)

"We spend all the time bent over in the field," one said. "It's terrible," said another. "Hot, tiring work." (2002, BBC)

From a cocoa farmer: “I admit that it is a kind of slavery,” the farmer said. “They are still kids and they have the right to be educated today. But they bring them here to work, and it’s the boss who takes the money.” (Washington Post, 2019)

Help to reform the cocoa industry!

A key driver of child labor in cocoa is farmer poverty. Cocoa farmers make well below a living income, often less than $1 per day, despite the chocolate industry being worth over $100 billion annually. A vast majority of the profits from a chocolate bar sit with corporations, like chocolate brands and retailers. In order for the chocolate industry to be sustainable and free of child labor, the profits must be equally shared with those doing the most work: cocoa farmers.

Shop chocolate made fairly

Take action to end child labor in cocoa

If you're looking to repower your home or business with clean energy, you have a myriad of options, from financing solar panels to getting a heat pump.

Switching to solar power seems daunting to many individuals and businesses. Yet, affording solar power is 100% possible as there are many options for financing these projects and multiple organizations who can help you with this goal. Many small businesses across the country have already made the switch. Following in their footsteps could save you money, help draw people to your business, and, most importantly, reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

“Having a smaller electricity bill frees up money so you can do those things that you want to do that you are struggling to do,” explains Olivia Nedd, Policy Director on the Access and Equity Team at Vote Solar. “Now there is more money to build your business.” 

Options for financing solar panels range from paying in cash to allowing a third party to own your panels. You do not even need to have a solar panel attached to your home in order to access solar energy. Researching and financing solar is a multi-step process that can help you discover whether solar power suits you.

Step 1: Is Solar Right for you? 

To begin, it is important to analyze whether your business or home is a good fit. With the current solar capacity installed nationwide, there is the ability to power 18.6 million homes. However, an old roof with a lack of sunlight may not be suitable for solar panels. Talking to solar professionals can help you figure out your eligibility. Multiple organizations help individuals and businesses find out if solar panels suit them, including Energy Sage, Sun Number, and Aurora. 

Even if your roof is not suitable for solar, there are community solar projects that allow you to still receive its benefits. Community solar projects can help those who are not eligible for solar panels, prefer not to install panels, rent their homes, or live in shared housing. Essentially, you purchase solar energy from a remote location and receive the benefits of savings on your electric bill. These remote locations are the community solar projects themselves, and some of them can power hundreds or thousands of homes. 

Energy Sage, a Green Business Network member, is a particularly popular organization that can guide you through the process of finding a community solar project, comparing different solar companies, and researching how to go solar. Meanwhile, for those who wish to join a community solar project, Green Business Network member Arcadia is a good company for those living in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Colorado, California, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and D.C.

Step 2: Research Solar in Your State 

Once you decide that your building is eligible for solar panels, it is time to do some personalized research on cost. Because prices can vary depending on the type of system and your electricity needs, it is difficult to give an average price for solar panels. However, the solar investment tax credit (ITC) and other initiatives within states reduce the price of these panels.  

"You need to know what incentives, what carve-outs, and rebates exist in your state,” suggests Nedd. “The first step is knowing what is out there to help you with cost savings. From there, reach out to a friendly lender who can guide you through the process and who understands green financing.” No two states are the same when it comes to solar financing. Every state has different solar companies and prices that are accessible to them; therefore, it is important to start your solar finance journey with individualized research.  

Step 3: Financing Solar Panels 

No matter what state or region you are in, there will be more than one financing option. To begin, you can pay for the ownership of the solar panels. The cheapest route is to pay the full price upfront. Owning your solar can save you money over your lifetime, increase the value of your building, and makes you eligible for the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This tax credit is worth roughly 30% of the total cost of the solar panel system. However, paying for your solar panels upfront is not the only option: 

You can also pay for solar panels through a loan. Each bank and credit union provides these loans in different ways, so it is important to talk to your financial adviser. Many banks and credit unions can help you finance panels.  

Clean Energy Credit Union, a Green Business Network member, offers up to 100% financing with no money down, and you can essentially swap your monthly electric bill for a monthly loan payment on the solar electric system. Members of Green America and their immediate family members are eligible to join. 

For those who are not yet able to own panels, there are third-party ownership options. A power purchase agreement (PPA) allows a third party to own and operate the solar panels on your home or business. The solar installation company is often the owner. PPAs do not make you eligible for the ITC but do allow individuals and businesses to purchase solar with no money down. Once you enter the PPA, you pay monthly for the output of the solar power system. This option is a good idea for those who do not want to pay any upfront costs, prefer predictable prices for their solar energy, and worry about being in charge of their solar panel operation and management.

Are You Ready to Go Solar?

The only overwhelming part of the solar process should be the number of options. Every day, it becomes a bit easier to afford solar as clean energy becomes more mainstream in the United States. While there still needs to be more policy work on solar access and equity, there are many opportunities today to help you transition toward solar. Researching how to step away from fossil fuels will bring you closer to saving money in bills and improving the state of the planet.

For more resources, check out Vote Solar—a team of solar advocates using a combination of deep policy expertise, coalition building, and public engagement to power just and equitable clean energy progress in states nationwide.

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

Gas-fueled transportation is responsible for the greatest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States—29%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Over three decades, from 1999 to 2019, greenhouse gases from the transportation sector experienced an increase not seen in any other sector. This is dangerous, as greenhouse gas emissions warm the atmosphere and accelerate climate change—but it’s also preventable through choices like bike commuting. 

One of the main needs for transportation—as workers slowly begin returning to offices—is commuting to work. While people across the United States commute in different ways, the most common is driving, which means a release of greenhouse gas emissions day in and day out. But is driving the only option? 

Bike Adviser recently published a report on The State of Bike Commuting in the US, revealing statistics on the increase in bike commuting. 

Who Bikes to Work and Where? 

In less than two decades, from 2000 to 2019, the US saw a 61% increase in the number of commuters who bike to work—488,000 people at the start of the century up to 786,000 people in 2019. There are numerous reasons for this, from exercise to saving money and, of course, choosing a greener way of life.  

Some locations boast more bike commuters than others—Oregon, Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming lead the pack with over 1% of their population biking to work. 

In most states, a majority of bike commuters—71%—are men. Women account for the remaining 29% of bike commuters.  

This gender gap, however, is changing. Since 2010, women bike commuters have increased by 11% and a whopping 58.8% since 2006. Some states also attract a majority of women bikers, including Alabama (53%), Maine (52%), and New Mexico (51%). 

Benefits of Biking 

As mentioned previously, the benefits of biking are numerous. 

One of the more immediate is that biking is more cost-effective than driving a car or using public transportation. The costs don’t rack up—and aren’t nearly as expensive—as maintaining a car or consistently paying for public transport. 

Bikes are also friendlier to the planet. On a bike, there are no gas emissions or contributions to pollution. 

The health benefits of cycling are well-documented. It’s associated with lowering one's risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. What about the pollution in the air from non-bikes, though? According to a 2016 study in Preventive Medicine, “benefits of active travel outweighed the harm caused by air pollution in all but the most extreme air pollution concentrations.” 

Encouraging biking is also proven to benefit small businesses. In the League of American Bicyclists’ report, Bicycling Means Business, findings confirmed businesses benefit from investments made towards safer streets and cyclists. 

“People who had biked and walked to the area reported that they spent more money in the area per month than those who drove there,” the report states. 

In Memphis, one business owner noticed bike lanes slowed down traffic and allowed people to notice and acknowledge local businesses more. 

How to Make Cities and Businesses Friendly to Bike Commuting

Unfortunately, even beyond pollution in the air, there are other dangers to biking, especially in cities with heavy traffic. A lack of prominent and safe bike lanes, sidewalks, or other pedestrian options make accidents more likely. 

Many of the cities that rank high for bike commuting earned their spots in Bike Adviser’s report because they are prioritizing cycling infrastructure. 

“For over three decades, Oregon’s ‘Bike Bill,’ has ensured that bicycle facilities are constructed as part of most roadway projects,” commented the Oregon Department of Transportation. 

“Metro areas like Portland have taken this a step further by designing their bike routes to be accessible and comfortable for all users, which dramatically increases the number of commuters who use them.” 

States that prioritize infrastructure favoring alternative transportation options can, at the same time, decrease their carbon footprint. 

Oregon’s Department of Transportation continued: “Our emissions reduction roadmap—the Statewide Transportation Strategy—calls for 40% of short-distance trips to shift from ‘drive alone’ to ‘walking or biking’ by 2050. It’s an aggressive goal, and we’re making progress, but we still have a long way to go.” 

According to the CDC, however, it is not only governments who can help encourage more and safer biking, but employers as well. 

One way is getting involved in local initiatives aimed at improving active transportation, including supporting efforts, policies, and legislation which will design safer public streets and sidewalks. 

Employers can also offer incentives to their employees for choosing active transportation. All qualifying Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees, for example, can enroll in the Bike2Work program. Under this program, employees receive $20 monthly for expenses incurred while commuting to work via bike. 

If riding a bike to work is not feasible, there are still other options that are kinder to the planet, such as electric cars, using low-carbon fuel, and shared commuting like carpool or public transportation. Employers can offer extra incentives and benefits for these choices as well. 

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

Contact Root & Leaf: Website | Facebook | LinkedIn 

You’ve created something to help people, or you’ve finally started your green business. What next? How do you get the word out about your product so it can have an impact? 

That’s where Root & Leaf comes in. Dan LaBelle and Sam Engel started the marketing agency to do good. 

“We’ve got a climate crisis on our hands, along with a lot of other crises, and if you have an applicable skill set, you should try and solve some of the problems in the world,” LaBelle states matter-of-factly. 

The pair, deeply entrenched in the worlds of marketing and social media, met at a start-up in Seattle. Neither were satisfied. They felt the burnout of Facebook advertising and thinking about dollars all day. They were tired of marketers making false claims instead of using truth and clarity. 

So, they got together one day after each leaving the start-up and posed the question: “What if we could use our marketing skills instead to try to improve the world and build movements around these really important companies that are doing things to better the planet and better people?” 

From there, Root & Leaf was born with the intention of helping smaller and well-intentioned businesses who don’t have the resources or money like the ill-intentioned Chevrons of the world. 

Both LaBelle and Engel agree that the marketing industry—or, as LaBelle describes it, the “soulless persuasion machine”—often gets a bad rap, and for good reason. 

That’s why Root & Leaf infuses ethics into every step of its processes.

The ethics of Root & Leaf 

It starts with vetting potential clients, looking at their funding and what they stand for. LaBelle notes this work is not just for a paycheck. “We want to be able to stand behind the marketing work that we do for these clients,” he adds. 

It’s a mutually beneficial working relationship, but what is the work Root & Leaf provides for their clients? 

It starts with AMC. LaBelle explains: “AMC stands for audience, messaging, and channels. It’s the framework we use to go in and deeply understand what our clients want to achieve.” 

They research the market their client wants to tap into, and then create a plan for what the messaging should be and how to get it out in the most effective, engaging, and far-reaching way possible. This work includes ads across platforms (Google, Facebook, etc.), performance marketing, email marketing, and much more. Their strategies are always uniquely tailored to the client and what the specific goal is. 

Ultimately, your business may not need Root & Leaf forever. Their goal is education and success—for both their clients and their clients’ audiences. 

“The ethos we work under is that we don't want to keep any of those secrets,” Engel states of Root & Leaf’s dedication to transparency and explaining, step-by-step, what they’re doing for a client and why. 

Some may think they need a lot of money for professional marketing help, but that’s not necessarily the case, and especially not for LaBelle and Engel, who prize what their clients’ missions are over everything else. Engel has worked on six-figure campaigns before, and it’s taught him how best to optimize platforms for smaller businesses.  

Root & Leaf engages in their own ethical practices, too, offering pro bono consultations and giving back to 1% for the Planet. 

Their successes run the gamut, from legal nonprofits to ethical investment companies. 

One success is with Farm Commons, which began providing virtual workshops, resources, legal support, and more during COVID-19. What started as a one-hour conversation with Root & Leaf, simply identifying ways to help, turned into multiple hours.  “Here we are a year and a half later,” LaBelle says. “We’ve helped them with numerous aspects of their business, from new membership signups, to email flow, and messaging.” Rachel Armstrong, the executive director of Farm Commons, even noted Root & Leaf helped them proactively solve problems they didn’t see coming. 

In another win, Root & Leaf helped the legal nonprofit Earth Law Center market their textbook about nature rights to higher education institutions. “We identified the right audience and the messaging that would resonate best with them,” LaBelle explains. “We researched decision makers at US law schools, looking at the deans of curriculum and which law professors would be most amenable." Now, at least three different law schools across the country are teaching the course in full or as part of another course using the textbook. 

“I am not an Earth lawyer, I cannot go into a courtroom and argue on behalf of a river for its right to not be polluted,” LaBelle concludes. “But what I can do is make sure that those organizations doing good work have what they need to be successful.” 

Do you want to lessen your environmental impact during the holidays and other special occasions? We’ve compiled a directory—by occasion—to get you started on greening holidays, including giving sustainable gifts and tips on getting your family involved. We’ve included resources from Green America’s archive, as well as from our partners and organizations we admire. 

Since chocolate is a big part of so many holidays, from candies, to desserts, to beverages, make sure to choose chocolates that are fair and direct trade that are best for people and the planet. Check out Green America’s handy scorecard to help guide your chocolate purchases. 

Finally, remember to avoid corporate holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Tuesday, and Amazon Prime Day. These are designed to make you buy things you don't really need, as are post-holiday sales. And when you do have to shop, check out the Green Business Network to find green products and services!

Back-to-School

• Go Green at School

Birthdays

• Greening Children’s Birthdays 

• 55 Eco-Friendly Children’s Birthday Tips

• 5 Tips for Sustainable Birthdays and Reducing your Carbon Footprint

Chocolate

• Chocolate Scorecard 

Christmas

• Green Christmas Trees 

• 5 Ways to Put an Eco-twist on Tradition 

• Zero Waste Christmas

Gift Giving

• Recycled Green Gifts

• 10 Great Green Gifts under $100 

• Five Tricks to Green Your Holiday Shopping

Halloween

• Green Your Halloween

Jewish Holidays

• Green Jewish Holidays from Hazon

• Jewish, Green, & Just 

• Jewish Holiday Guide from Canfei Nesharim

• Jewish Holiday Guide from Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

• Every Day is Earth Day: Jewish Holidays and Environmental Justice  

Juneteenth

• 6 Reasons to Support Black-Owned Businesses

Ramadan

• Green Your Ramadan

• Zero-Waste Iftar kits

Thanksgiving and General Holiday Season

• Your Green Holiday Checklist

• Thanksgiving Sides to Spark Conversations

• Plastic-Free Celebrations 

Valentine's Day

• Eco-friendly Ways to Package Valentine’s Day Gifts

• Remember to check out Green America’s Chocolate Scorecard! 

Weddings

• Green Your Wedding

Curious about greening another holiday? Send along your tips and suggestions to info@greenamerica.org.

EarthFolio is a revolutionary online investment platform that provides expert sustainable and socially responsible investing advice. Using an intuitive interface and a radically low cost structure, EarthFolio allows you to invest in an automated portfolio designed with your financial and sustainable goals in mind. Each portfolio is constructed using mutual funds screened on up to 10 ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) criteria. The screens seek best-of-class companies in areas such as clean tech, equal employment, human rights, and animal welfare, while also minimizing companies profiting from tobacco, weapons, or gambling. Getting started is quick and easy. Just answer a few straightforward questions, select your portfolio, and EarthFolio will do the rest. It’s what we call investing for good. Simply.

We all strive to live life on purpose and on mission. Whether an Association driven by mission, a business hoping to be sold one day, or a family eager to send kids off to college and retire to the beach together, our finances should be a means to that end, never a stumbling block. With so much information out there, much of it conflicting, it can be hard to navigate a way forward with confidence. We want to cut through the noise and help you interpret that information so you can apply it properly to your situation. Good financial advice can be the key to achieving your mission and life goals. We empower people to live enriched lives and not be held captive by financial stress. I guess you could say we are in the human transformation business.

Following the murder of George Floyd, US corporations focused attention on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement -- a slogan and organization launched by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the murder of the teenager Trayvon Martin. The videotape of Floyd’s murder and the public demonstrations that followed prompted Corporate America to recognize its role in addressing racism. A flurry of high visibility Black Lives Matter pledges followed, promises by corporations to provide significant funding – billions of dollars -- to support Black communities. 

What is the status of these pledges? Where are funds going? What level of transparency is available? Should corporations have to account for these pledges? 

Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director for business, investing & policy interviewed William Michael Cunningham, CEO of Creative Investment Research, to help answer these questions. 

Cunningham filed a petition with the Securities & Exchange Commission in May 2021 seeking transparency and accountability for corporate BLM pledges. Cunningham is a Black economist and long-standing advocate for impact investing and corporate accountability. His firm, Creative Investment Research, is a Green America Green Business Network member, and he is a member of the National Black MBA Association and an affiliate member of both the African American Financial Advisors (AAAA) and the Financial Planning Association (FPA).    

The BLM Pledge

FT: What prompted you to file the SEC petition seeking a “comprehensive framework requiring any public companies or issuers that have promised financial support for Black Lives Matter (“BLM Pledge”) to accurately disclose, on a timely basis, all activity related to that pledge”? Why is this needed? 

WMC:  American companies have the resources to honor these pledges, but structural and cultural problems, as well as a lack of accountability, are hindering their ability to follow through on their promises. We think the SEC can help by requiring transparency.  

FT: Please elaborate on the petition’s implications and how it fits into the concerns of socially responsible investors. 

WMC: Investors have demanded and received significant corporate governance-related changes at major energy corporations.  These activities show that investors are now more effectively using new information on a range of issues, many of which are focused on uncovering and understanding long-term performance and risk management factors impacting public-reporting companies. Clearly, norms of business reporting activities are changing rapidly in response to new social concerns. 

The impact of the BLM promises on corporate valuation is the most significant point, in our opinion. We are working on a study of this. Hiding or providing less than accurate information on corporate performance with respect to BLM Pledges, prevents accurate valuation. This leads to an undisclosed and elevated risk of loss, especially should information concerning the lack of corporate performance become public and lower corporate valuation. 

Evolving Corporate Attitudes on Race

FT: In August 2021 The Washington Post published Corporate America’s $50 Billion Promise estimating BLM corporate pledges – does this number align with the pledge sums you’ve documented with your BLM Tracker? How significant, in your view, is $50 billion in this context, given corporate profits and the scale of the problems addressed by the BLM movement?  

WMC: As of Thursday, June 24, 2021, 261 corporations have pledged $67.186 billion to BLM. We estimate that cash disbursed so far totals $652 million. Net income for the firms making pledges equals $747.5 billion, BLM pledges represent 8.9% of net income.  

We think these pledges may point to a significant change in corporate attitudes concerning race. This is the start of a long, uncertain process, sure to be characterized by fits and starts.  

FT: What accounts for the difference between your numbers and those from The Post? 

 WMC: Because our survey covers 261 companies while the The Post tracked 50 companies, we’re able to capture more pledges; when it comes to actual disbursements, we focus on those with the greatest level of trust that the monies have indeed been expensed. 

FT: “BLM pledge” sounds very broad; where are corporations mostly directing their pledges and why? 

WMC:  Most pledges are going to non profit civil rights organizations, including the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Color of Change, the Equal Justice Initiative, and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Justice Under Law.  

Assessing Impact of Black Lives Matter Pledges

FT:  The Washington Post article identifies how corporate pledges are often not provided in ways that can most help Black communities. One example given relates to banks that serve Black communities, and that instead of providing long-term equity, corporations are making large deposits that can be withdrawn anytime. What’s your sense of the real value of these funds for supporting Black communities versus the “PR” about them? 

WMC: Big banks making loan pledges are lazy, since this does not require much new thinking or effort.  

Some are seeking new ways to add value and are coming up with innovative approaches. Most are not.  

FT: What do you consider the most effective pledges and why?  

WMC: The most effective pledges are those that provide significant financial resources that are broadly dispersed without a lot of bureaucracy and suspicion.  

FT: The Post piece states: It will be difficult to assess whether corporations deliver measurable results. There is no single entity tracking the corporate promises. Nor are corporations required to report on where all of their money is going or its impact. …. So far, 37 companies have confirmed disbursing at least $1.7 billion of the $49.5 billion pledged. This lack of accountability and transparency supports the need for your SEC petition -- what’s the next step with your petition? Is there a role that investors can play to support it?  

WMC:  The next step is for the SEC to evaluate the proposal and see how it fits within SEC regulatory framework and rules. Providing letters of support to the SEC is the best way to help.  

Send comments to rule-comments@sec.gov.   The subject line of your message must include the File Number 4-774 

FT: Do you think the public will ever know the allocation of most of the billions of dollars in BLM pledges? 

WMC:  We calculate that the total is $67 billion now. I do not think that, absent the SEC regulation, the public will ever know the allocation of most of the BLM pledges. 

FT:  Is there anything else you’d like Green America’s readers to most understand about corporate BLM pledges and their range of impacts? 

WMC: We are developing new analysis tools in this area and will launch several BLM Pledge compliance tools soon. 

FT: Thank you very much and we look forward to staying in touch and learning how oversight of corporate BLM pledges develops. 

Take Action

Email the SEC to require transparency and accountability for Black Lives Matter pledges, totaling billions of dollars.

• Email rule-comments@sec.gov
• Subject line must include File Number 4-774
• Key points you can include about why accurate and timely disclosure of BLM pledges is needed:
  • Transparency of corporate conduct is a benefit to investors and other stakeholders
  • Investors and the public deserve accountability of corporate financial promises
  • Corporations have acknowledged their role in helping end racist practices in society and the economy by making BLM pledges. There should be integrity to the pledge process.

Social justice cannot be a performative action. Join millions of Green Americans taking action on workers' rights, divesting from fossil fuels, and more.

Begin your environmental education journey by checking out these green books that have quickly become modern classics.

Women are already bearing the disproportionate brunt of climate change—so it makes sense to listen to the women at the forefront of climate change work, sharing stories and solutions for environmental issues. All We Can Save (Penguin Random House, 2020) is a staple for understanding the role feminism and intersectionality have in protecting our planet. 

It’s always good to start with the basics—the plants and life on our planet, and the stories they tell. In Braiding Sweetgrass (Milkweed, 2014) Robin Wall Kimmerer, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a botanist, gives voice to these living things in order that we may better co-exist. This book weaves tales of myth, science, and history, to reveal how sacred our world is. 

Byrd and DeMates offer a great first step in learning what sustainability can mean and how to become agents of change, in their book Sustainability Made Simple (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017). The book introduces the environmental problems seen by all humans, discusses how companies and institutions transition toward sustainability, emphasizes why individual action is vital, and gives examples of changes we can all make. 

There are numerous factors contributing to our current climate crisis, but Naomi Klein points to capitalism as the root cause in her book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate (Simon & Schuster, 2014). Klein discusses the intersection of profit and environmentalism, and how economic systems have power in creating a sustainable planet. While this book has been noted as provocative and controversial, it is a good read to help understand how our economy contributes to the environmental crisis. 

The number of fiction and nonfiction texts that explore climate is constantly growing with new ideas and voices to be heard. Continue your education by purchasing green books from BookShop.org to support independent bookstores or borrow from your local library.

The bad news: wasteful and throwaway packaging is bad for human health, human rights, communities, wildlife, and climate and we’re using more and more. The good news: we’ve made big strides in sustainable packaging. It is possible for customers and workers to be healthy and safe without excessive waste and other negative impacts. It’s time to embrace and scale the sustainable packaging solutions that are already here and pursue innovations for the future.

Why do materials matter?

• 40% of all the plastic made each year is for packaging, most of it is designed to be tossed.
• More than half of all the paper made each year is used for packaging. Only about half the pulp that goes into that packaging is recycled, and much of it is not or can not be recycled after.
• Glass is made from sand and extracting sand is the largest mining endeavor globally and also the least regulated. Globally less than 35% of glass is recycled.
• Aluminum is made with bauxite which is extracted through damaging open-pit mining. It is far less energy-intensive and damaging to recycle than make new, and infinitely recyclable, yet less than 70% of aluminum products are recycled. 

Can’t we just..?

Make everything so we can compost or recycle it? The infrastructure to recycle or compost packaging is not currently available in most parts of the world. Packaging is more difficult and expensive to recycle because of the types of plastic used or because it’s made by layering different materials together. To fix this, companies need to make packaging that is easier to recycle and policymakers need to prioritize improving recycling systems. 

Replace all the plastic in packaging with another material? Replacing one kind of unsustainable packaging with another isn’t a true solution. For example, if a candy bar used to be wrapped in plastic you could only toss in the garbage and now it’s wrapped in paper you can only toss in the garbage, that’s a false solution. 

Use bioplastics? They’re less harmful, right? Most bioplastics, which can be made from as low as 20% plant material, require industrial processes to break down and many release toxic chemicals when they do break down. Bioplastics also can contaminate the recyclable plastic stream. They can rely on large-scale, unsustainable agriculture and require additional land for agriculture. While some bioplastics are better than traditional petroleum-based plastic, these negatives make them a poor choice for long-term sustainability.

Use biodegradable packaging? Biodegradable is a term that is used inconsistently and often misunderstood. It is applied to a wide array of materials, including plastics that take a very long time to break down and leave toxic residues when they do. Compostable is a word that has applied standards in regards to break down time and impact on soil health that make it a better standard to aim for. 

What really works

Get naked. More companies are going naked or packaging-free, even designing their products and their stores so they don’t need packaging.

Go reusable! Many companies are creating products with reusable packaging and zero-waste stores are popping up to help people buy staple goods in packaging they bring from home. 

We live in a world where practically every purchase comes with packaging baggage, so why not vote with your dollars to support companies that invest in sustainable packaging? Every time you open your wallet, think of the small ways you can reduce your packaging footprint.

Whether you are gift-shopping for an advanced green-thumb or a hopeless horticulturist, here are some rad(ish) green gardening gifts to jumpstart them into next spring. 

{GBN} signifies a Green Business Network member. Green America's directory of certified businesses are small and micro-businesses that have passed rigorous standards for social and environmental responsibility.

Collect next season’s bounty in an artisan-made, pine needle and pajón (a native grass found in Guatemala) Harvest Basket from A Thread of Hope {GBN}. Find this unique piece for $60.

Shop Thread of Hope

Florida Native Wildflower’s {GBN} fresh seeds are the perfect way to spice up a garden, while attracting pollinators to improve veggie production. Seed packs for 
this Blanket Flower are $4.

Shop Florida Native Wildflowers

The Great Outdoors Survival Kit from Purple Prairie {GBN} is filled with goodies, like the body butter and gardener’s carrot salve to relieve hardworking hands. The bug spray, sunscreen, soaps, and sanitizer protect your favorite gardener from the wilderness. Get this set for $44.

Shop Purple Prairie Botanicals

A Toad Stool from Nomadics Tipi Makers {GBN} is a charming accent to small spaces (12” height, 8” diameter, max 150 lbs). They are made from scraps recycled from the tipi-making process. Nomadics Tipi Makers helps to sustain the values of Native American Culture via donations, and their scholarship. Toad stools can be found for $45 each.

Shop Nomadics Tipi Makers

Sproutamo’s {GBN} Easy-Sprout containers help maintain the optimal temperature and moisture levels to quickly and easily grow and store sprouts. Starting at $10.95.

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Subscriptions from Permaculture Gardens {GBN} have something for everyone—from a low commitment, one-time permaculture guild to an annual grow-it-yourself program which includes a step by step 8-hour course, Masterclasses, Zoom classes, seeds, plants, and tools, garden-themed printables and apps.

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For birthdays, celebrations, or just to let someone know you're thinking about them, show the love with these green gardening gifts that will never go out of style.

We all know that supporting small businesses is key to strengthening our communities. According to the Small Business Administration, they create 1.5 million jobs annually and account for 64% of new jobs created in the US. But how can we support green and local businesses without overconsuming? Check out our list of tips for some ideas on how to diversify the ways that you support your local businesses. 

Boost their online presence 

If any of your local businesses have a social media presence, funnel more eyes towards their pages by tagging them in your own posts, writing reviews on sites like Yelp and Google and signing up for any promotional newsletters that they may have. You can also find new small businesses on sites like Etsy and Shopify, browse and buy from local businesses on Sook and find used, out-of-print and rare books from independent booksellers on Alibris. 

Vocalize your support 

Recommend your favorite local businesses to friends and family. Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful marketing tool: a study by global marketing research firm Nielsen found that 92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising. Leverage the power of your endorsements to bolster support for local businesses. 

Open your eyes, ears, and laptop 

The impulse to click “place order” online before shopping at a brick-and-mortar store is stronger than ever. Counteract this by evaluating your online purchases and taking notice of local businesses in your city or town. 

There are plenty of ways to find new favorites. Your local Chamber of Commerce, community Facebook groups and Nextdoor forums are all resources to broaden your index of neighborhood businesses. Make an adventure out of exploring new community businesses with friends. These local stores may carry items that you would otherwise buy online; increasing your knowledge of your surrounding merchants allows you to shift from buying shipped items to making purchases from small businesses. 

Pickup is preferred 

Though getting meals or groceries delivered is tempting, ordering from most delivery services reduces the profits received by merchants. Companies like Postmates, DoorDash, and Instacart charge additional fees to the businesses who use them, whittling down already thin profit margins. When you’re able to buy from a local restaurant or grocery store, picking up your dinner order and grabbing products in-store bolsters the impact of your purchase. 

Start networking 

Green products and services are at high demand with more and more people keeping people and the planet at top of mind. Businesses that join the Green Business Network® (greenbusinessnetwork.org) can get lots of resources for going green and meet other eco-entrepreneurs.  

For everyday purchases or special occasion shopping, remember to think small and explore the independent storefronts in your community or online. When you support small business, you make the world smaller—in all the best ways.

Ever since the creation of Bitcoin in 2009, the cryptocurrency market has staked its claim as the 21st century gold rush. Investors have made and lost millions in the digitized crypto trade, and as of 2021, over 100 million people are using cryptocurrencies. 

Whether you’re hoping to strike it rich, or you think that crypto investors are chasing fool’s gold, it is probably here to stay, and so is the massive amount of energy that is required for its operation. 

What is cryptocurrency? 

Mainstream cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are defined by three main qualities: they can be mined and used internationally, are not regulated by a central authority, and their value can be quite volatile.

Crypto’s unique security system, investment potential, and convenience have led to its rise in notoriety over the past decade. Because of a recording technology called blockchain, cryptocurrency is considered very secure, almost impossible to counterfeit, and able to operate without a regulation authority. 

The volatility of cryptocurrency creates opportunities for considerable financial gain or significant loss. Trading cryptos also allows for lower transaction fees for online money exchanges and may be an enticing option for unbanked individuals. 

Earning Coins Takes Big Energy 

Here’s where things get complicated. At first glance, deviating away from paper money and plastic credit cards seems like an effective way to conserve resources. However, most cryptocurrencies are produced through a process called mining, which requires extensive computing power. To mine cryptocurrency, high-powered computers from around the world race against each other to verify and record cryptocurrency transactions; the first computer to do so is rewarded with cryptocurrency coins. 

But the intense computations involved in the mining process require massive amounts of energy, and much of this energy is derived from fossil fuels. Mining rigs operate 24 hours a day, and Digiconomist estimates that one Bitcoin transaction uses the same amount of energy as powering the average US household for 53 days. 

As cryptocurrency becomes more popular and prices rise, mining competition intensifies, and more energy is consumed. As more miners enter the cryptocurrency market to compete for coins, the probability that a single computer will win the race to solve a given computation goes down, and it becomes increasingly difficult to make a profit through mining. This carbon-emitting cycle causes miners to continually up the processing power of their servers to increase their chances of striking gold, which requires more and more energy. 

The mining process also produces a significant amount of electronic waste. As the special hardware required to mine crypto is updated and older versions become obsolete, most previous technology is thrown away. Mining technology is highly specialized and can’t be repurposed; Digiconomist estimates that the bitcoin network alone creates eight to 12 thousand tons of e-waste every year. 

It’s Only Getting Dirtier 

Environmentalists have raised concerns about the oppositional relationship between cryptocurrency prices and mining efficiency. On the Bitcoin network, the computations required to mine get more complicated as the price of bitcoin increases, extending time required to solve each problem increases but computing power stays constant. Therefore, as the price increases, the network will have to use more computing power (and fuel) in order to process transactions. 

“The hard part about cryptocurrency is because people can mine it and create anywhere in the world,” says Brady Quirk-Garvan, co-owner of the Money With A Mission Team at Natural Investments LLC {GBN} and Green America board member. “You can’t really standardize and say, ‘this currency is only created from renewable energies, or is even low carbon.’” 

The location of mining is important because it determines the type of fuel that is used to produce electricity. According to researchers at Cambridge University’s Centre for Alternative Finance, roughly 65% of bitcoin mining is based in China, which is heavily dependent on coal. CNBC reported that the fossil fuels used to mine bitcoin release more yearly carbon dioxide emissions than New Zealand (about 36 million tons per year). 

“The good news is that the overall policy framework in China is conducive to climate action,” says Marilyn Waite, co-host of the China Cleantech podcast and head of the climate and clean energy finance portfolio at the Hewlett Foundation. “China is the largest market for solar panels and electric vehicles. Now, the challenge in China is to not build any new coal fired power plants, retire the old existing coal power plants, and replace them with renewable energy. Those climate-friendly investments will lead to decarbonization, and therefore everything, including blockchain activities, will become greener.” 

In September 2021, China declared all cryptocurrency transactions illegal. How this will affect mining and the market is still unclear because the country had banned cryptocurrency trading in 2017 and it remained a hub for mining and trading. 

A relatively new coalition of cryptocurrency firms, renewable energy producers, and even a crypto-friendly environmentalist group called the Crypto Climate Accord is dedicated to expediting this process of greening cryptocurrency. They’re pursuing this goal through a combination of improving cryptocurrency mining methods, using 100 percent renewable energy, and using open-source technology to anonymously and transparently report on how much mining is actually green. Bitcoin and Etherium are not currently signatories of the Crypto Climate Accord; you can see the supporters and signatories at cryptoclimate.org.

As of 2021, the BBC and Digiconomist reported that each year, the Bitcoin and Ethereum networks use about 180 terawatt-hours of electricity combined; that amount of energy could power over 15 million homes for an entire year. 

“Mining cryptocurrency is just like any other economic activity—what is causing it to be harmful for the planet and for the climate is the underlying energy sources that we use,” says Waite. “Mining cryptocurrency though very inefficient in energy use, is not inherently climate change-causing. Because our energy systems are mostly fossil fuel-based, any economic activity, whether it’s manufacturing EVs or industrial agriculture, is going to have this negative impact on climate change. To solve that we need to do what we should be doing anyway: transforming our energy systems to low-carbon resources.”

In 2019, meat alternatives went from a fringe food to a mainstream trend. “Meatless” beef—practically indistinguishable from actual beef—made its way to fast food establishments to appeal to meat-eaters as the climate-friendly burger. But with all these choices, what’s the difference, and are they truly planet-friendly?
We compiled a shortlist of the most popular plant-based meat alternatives out there, looking at environmental impacts, ingredients, and taste. 

Sunshine Burger: The Green American Pick 

The Sunshine burger contains no soy, peanuts, or tree nuts, and is vegan, non-GMO, and the only option on this list that is USDA-certified organic. Unlike other alternative meat companies, Sunshine Plant-Based Foods{GBN} does not claim its burgers taste like beef. It is also the least processed compared to other options on this list, offering “whole food ingredients” like sunflower seeds and brown rice. 

Shop Sunshine Foods

Beyond Burger: Non-GMO Peas, Please 

The Beyond burger is made with a variety of plants, from pea for protein to fatty coconut oil to imitate that classic grill sizzle. Beyond Meat’s entire line of products are non-GMO. A peer-reviewed Life Cycle Analysis published by the University of Michigan in 2018 revealed that the Beyond burger uses 99% less water, 93% less land, and produces 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a quarter-pound beef burger. 

Morningstar Farms: Cheap, Easy, Everywhere 

Morningstar Farms are stocked on grocery shelves across the nation, making it accessible for many people. The company, which is owned by Kellogg, carries a wide variety of flavors when it comes to vegetarian burgers, but these were never intended to taste like real meat. Ingredients can vary widely between options, but all contain some form of soy, and only some are non-GMO. A 2016 Life Cycle Assessment notes that the spicy black bean burger produces 89% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a beef burger of equal weight, making it a solid alternative for reducing your carbon foodprint.

Impossible Burger: Fast Food Goes Vegetarian 

The Impossible burger made headlines in 2019 for tasting just like beef. According to the company that makes it, the process uses 87% less water, 96% less land, produces 89% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a beef burger. Its ingredients include soy and potatoes, but would-be eaters should know that the component that makes the burger meaty—heme protein—is produced with genetically-modified yeast. As one of the few food companies to create lab-grown proteins, more research is needed to understand the scope of potential health and environmental concerns caused by creating those proteins.

What’s the Scoop on GMOs? 

In the 70s, GMO foods were created to work in tandem with synthetic pesticides and have resulted in high pesticide use on crops and fertilizers. Atrazine, a component in pesticides, is linked to severe health issues like birth defects. Overuse of nitrates, found in synthetic fertilizers, is responsible for eutrophication and mass marine animal die-offs in the Gulf of Mexico. Glyphosate, also called RoundUp, is linked to cancer. Green America is dedicated to educating consumers and businesses about the impacts of GMOs, shifting corporations away from a reliance on toxic herbicides and GMOs towards organic and regenerative farming practices.

What's going on with GMOs?

{GBN} signifies a Green Business Network member. Green America's directory of certified businesses are small and micro-businesses that have passed rigorous standards for social and environmental responsibility.

Going meatless can sometimes feel like a real sacrifice, especially if you grew up with cookouts and barbecues, but today's plant-based burger buffet has so much to offer. Try out the various meatless brands to find the one that works for you!

As your clothes tumble around in the washing machine, water washes away your shirt’s dirt, smells, and tiny pieces of microplastics. Microplastics, plastics less than 5 millimeters long, can be shed off clothes in the form of microfibers of non-biodegradable material such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, or spandex. When water empties from the washer and goes down the drain, microplastics head toward rivers and oceans. They have been found across the globe, sinking towards the Mariana Trench and climbing up to Mount Everest, all because we have plastic in our clothes. 

“We are seeing microplastics showing up literally everywhere. You simply can’t avoid them,” Jay Sinha, founder of Green America’s member Life Without Plastic {GBN} explained. 

A 2021 study published in IOP Science Conference Series notes that microplastics can cause serious harm to sea creatures, such as inhibiting growth, reducing food intake, and more. In terms of fish and other marine life, individuals should be concerned by microplastics’ ability to have worse and worse repercussions as they go up the food chain, says Paul Anastas, professor at the Yale School of the Environment and School of Public Health.

Scientists still don’t know the full extent of the impact of microplastic pollution on human health. Of course, all microplastics pollution is caused by humans, as the users of plastic. 

Shedding from synthetic clothes in home washing machines make up about 35% of the global release of microplastic, coming from the synthetic fibers that make up 60% of global fiber consumption, according to 2017 estimations by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. 

We can all take steps to reduce opportunities for plastics to travel toward our oceans and harm marine ecosystems and human life. Microplastic pollution is a problem that can be solved if consumers and businesses play their part. 

Managing Microplastics in Your Closet 

Even if your closet is already full of clothes made with microplastics and synthetic microfibers, such as polyester, nylon, or spandex clothing, you can act against microplastic pollution. 

Wash your clothes less and do full loads. Washing clothes less creates fewer opportunities for the fibers to be shed—try letting your clothes air out after wear and spot cleaning to reduce smells and trips through the wash. The Environmental Protection Agency explains that washing full loads causes less friction between clothes, reducing the number of microfibers shed. Meanwhile, a 2020 study done by researchers at the Newcastle Innovation Center and Northumbria University estimated that going from small to large loads about halved the number of microfibers released. 

Buy a filter for your washing machine. More and more companies, such as Lint LUV-R and PlanetCare sell filters that specialize in capturing microfibers and stop many microplastics from leaking into waterways. One 2018 study from the University of Toronto found that the Lint LUV-R filter captured about 87% of microfibers shed each wash. One can also buy laundry bags or laundry balls that specialize in catching microfibers, such as those from Guppyfriend, Cora Ball, and Wolven. 

Use a front-loading washer. Researchers at the University of California Santa Barbara found that front-loading machines had microfiber masses that were 7 times smaller than top-loading machines. This is likely occurring because of the central agitator in top-load machines that causes clothes to move more vigorously. 

Filter your drinking water. This won’t reduce the pollution already in the water system, but will keep particles out of your system.

Alternatives to Synthetic Microfiber Clothing 

There is no need for microplastic pollution. It is possible to create non-polluting fabrics. 

Choose plastic-free fabrics. This includes organic cotton, wool, linen, and other natural fibers. These fabrics are easy to find and do not contain the synthetic microfibers that are shed in washing machines. 

Many of Green America’s members work on producing plastic-free products and clothing. For example, Life Without Plastic {GBN} produces fabrics made out of organic cotton and laundry materials that reduce plastic use. Their lavender drying bag replaces microplastic-containing dryer sheets, can be composted, and is made from organic cotton. OOLOOP {GBN}, and others, sell a variety of clothes that come from natural and organic fibers like organic cotton and linen. Linen, silk, and wool can be particularly expensive to buy new, so look out for them at the thrift store, too. 

Reach out to companies about alternative forms of plastic. When asked about solutions to microplastics, Anastas replied that “There are three steps that should be taken: design, design, design.” Design makes it possible to create plastics and fabrics that biodegrade and do not harm wildlife. 

Write to companies and request that they do more to address microplastic pollution. Let them know that alternatives exist, and they should do their part to implement them.

If your closet contains synthetic materials, don't just throw them away! Wash them responsibly to fight the impact of plastic in clothes, then shop for more eco-friendly clothing in the future.

Updated August 2023

Bringing an outside caregiver into your home is such a personal decision and can make you feel vulnerable. Whether the person is there to work with your kids, an elder, or a family member with a disability, it can feel awkward to have a stranger there doing the job. Imagine being on the other side—domestic workers are often women, immigrants, non-native English speakers, and/or from other vulnerable groups. 

When you hire a domestic caregiver, you are working together to create a caring environment and you can use your justice and equity values to guide that relationship. At Green America we talk a lot about using your money to express your values—we call it voting with your dollars. When someone works for you, think of yourself as an employer and what kind of workplace and policies you want to have. 

“Most people who employ someone in their homes don’t think of themselves as employers because of legacies of oppression in the United States, which begins with workers being left out of landmark labor policies,” says Erica Sklar of Hand in Hand, the domestic employers network. “So before people even start their research, stepping into the identity of ‘employer’ is really important.”

Rethink your role:

It is a symbiotic relationship—and to borrow biology terms, you want it to be a mutualistic relationship, where both parties benefit, not a parasitic one, where one takes and the other gives. There may be tension sometimes, like in any workplace, but you can return to questions that ask how you both can benefit.

We are more than our work—at Green America, we often quote folk singer, Charlie King, saying “Our life is more than our work, and our work is more than our job.” That’s true for domestic workers as well. Caregiving encompasses many kinds of different work, plus workers have whole lives outside of the homes they work in. Being compassionate to that will go a long way. 

Making your home a safe and hospitable work environment can mean better care, and a better life for the worker. It can also be a big lift. Hand in Hand offers tons of resources for employers to start thinking about wages, leave, and other concerns during the hiring stage. It also offers checklists of topics to consider in advance and steps to take as you bring a nanny, cleaner, or health attendants into your home—find those resources at domesticemployers.org. Sklar also recommends introducing your employee to the National Domestic Workers Association because domestic workers often work alone, which can be very isolating. By joining that group they can become aware of their rights and find solidarity with each other and with justice-minded employers.

Before people even start their research, stepping into 
the identity of ‘employer’ is really important. 
—Erica Sklar, Hand in Hand 

Offer fair pay and time off: 

If you’re not working through a hiring service (a visiting nurses association for example), the person coming into your home is working for themselves and wouldn’t have days off unless they are given by you. Christy Schwengel, director of major gifts at Green America, is a mom of two whose nanny worked with her family for 10 years. She offered vacation, sick leave, and snow days, as well as pay if her family canceled at the last minute.

“Our motto was, if we were paid and off, she should be paid and off,” Schwengel says.

Determining what to pay and how much time off to give is a conversation between you and your employee, but there are guidelines in the bevy of resources online. Don’t forget to check laws, Sklar reminds—domestic workers do have rights, but they’re not nationally mandated. Do an internet search for “domestic worker laws” and your state.

Communicate and consider a contract: 

Make sure to talk about important issues upfront. Hand in Hand works with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to create sample contracts in English and Spanish, to talk through important issues with care workers in advance. A contract is a good way to have a conversation right at the beginning to plainly state assumptions and eliminate guessing one another’s needs. A contract can also be a good place to outline your family’s covid-19 precautions and what you expect from someone working in your home. Make sure the conversation is two-way, so that an employee may express concerns or add their needs into the contract as well. 

Share the work, if the fit is right:

Marketing manager Dana Christianson likes using a nanny share for her toddler, to lessen the cost and switch off the location of kids and a nanny. Shares can be challenging to navigate but can be worth it if you find a family in your area with similar values when it comes to childcare. Hand in Hand also has resources about navigating nanny shares.

Sklar recommends signing Hand in Hand’s Fair Care Pledge, because having solidarity among ethical domestic employers is important for creating fair policies that include, instead of discount, the importance of care work done at home. 

“We know that most people want to be ethical employers, but what that looks like is not always clear, and that’s particularly unclear in a pandemic,” says Sklar. “Once you sign the fair care pledge, we send you any resources we develop because we’re constantly meeting our moment and expanding our resources.” 

Bringing anyone into your home, it is always important to feel safe, sure, and secure, but remember that those feelings should go both ways. When hiring at-home care, make sure to be provide a just work place.

The state of the fashion industry is harrowing, to say the least; can online thrifting help abate this crisis? 

The fashion industry is currently responsible for roughly 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions, making it one of the world’s largest air polluters. It is also the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply. It takes roughly 650 gallons of water to make one new cotton t-shirt and a single pair of jeans takes 1,800 gallons. Plus, studies show that the constant shopping culture combined with low-quality goods from the fast fashion industry means the average American tosses 81 pounds of clothing annually. When you add all that waste up, roughly 26 billion pounds of textiles are thrown into landfills every year in the United States.

It’s abundantly clear that we need to push for major change in the fashion industry. Secondhand shopping significantly reduces textile waste, lowers our carbon footprints, and helps conserve water. Recirculating clothing through thrifting is a solution that benefits both our world and our wallets. 

Over the past decade, companies have taken notice of the trend towards thrifting, and online clothing resellers like Depop, ThredUp, and The RealReal have popped up alongside fast fashion retailers. These online thrifting sites make a lot of promises surrounding the positive environmental impacts that they create. 

These companies create a lot of messaging around reducing textile waste and creating a circular economy, making it difficult to discern whether or not these sites are greenwashing their services or changing the market for the better. Ultimately, the decision of whether to use them may boil down to your location, lifestyle, and consumption habits. 

Green: E-Thrifting 

Transit is a major component of shopping. According to a 2008 study by Carnegie Mellon University, e-commerce is the more energy-efficient option in roughly 80% of transactions, with 30% less energy use on average than in-store purchases. According to the Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Americans travel a total of 14 miles on an average shopping trip, with 1.5 items purchased per trip. According to the Carnegie Mellon study, delivery trucks drop off approximately 1 package for every 0.1 to 1 mile that they drive. If you live in a rural or suburban area and can’t reach your destination by foot or bike, online thrifting may be the way to go. 

ThredUp is a popular site that takes donations and pays people a small percentage of what they will sell them for or may decline to take a donation. The company reports it has processed 125 million items as of 2021 and displaced 1.1 billion pounds of carbon emissions. It does not report what it does with donations it declines or items that do not sell, making it similar to a traditional large thrift store chain, like Goodwill or Savers, plus the added shipping to customers.

Poshmark, eBay, and Depop are platforms where you can buy from individual sellers, who may have different sustainability and business goals. Depop’s 2021-22 sustainability plan outlines many goals, like achieving carbon neutrality by the end of 2021, but not all of its goals are specific and measurable. Poshmark does not have public-facing sustainability goals or reports. Green America encourages all businesses to be transparent in their practices and goals, in part so their customers can help hold them accountable.

Take time to consider where your money is headed. Brick-and-mortar thrift shops may support 
charitable causes and create jobs 
in your community. 

Greener: Thrift Locally

Local thrifting is one of the greenest ways to get your clothes, period. Brick-and-mortar thrift shops create jobs in your community and often are nonprofits or support charitable causes. You can also find green materials at more accessible prices than buying new. 

If you want to broaden your selection of sellers while keeping it local, you can check out online community hubs like your town’s Facebook groups, Nextdoor, Freecycle, or local websites that host forums for online sales and trades.

When you thrift thoughtfully, whether online or in-person, you’re keeping clothes out of the landfill and contributing to greener business models than conventional fashion.

Tips for Greener E-Thrifting

To maximize your emissions savings while online shopping, opt for the tortoise instead of the hare. Choosing a longer shipping window, where offered, allows companies to reduce packaging and fuel by bundling your orders in the most efficient way. Further reduce your emissions by narrowing down your search results to only display listings from local sellers or warehouses. Etsy, Poshmark, Depop, ThredUp, and eBay all offer this filter option. 

Don't Rely on Returns

Frequently returning packages is another polluting pitfall of all e-commerce; free returns aren’t free from emissions—it doubles the transportation emissions, and oftentimes, returned items aren’t resold. Instead, they’re sold in massive pallets to liquidation companies, or worse, trashed. 

In 2019, Etsy became the first major online retailer to fully offset its emissions generated from shipping and packaging. Items returned to ThredUp are subject to a $1.99 restocking fee in order to ensure that they can be inspected and re-listed on the site. On sites like Poshmark, Depop, and eBay, return policies may differ from seller to seller. 

Ensure that your pieces are the perfect fit and won’t need to be returned by checking garment measurements prior to adding them to your cart. If you can’t find measurements, message the retailer for more information. 

Shop For Quality

Being able to filter by the brand is another perk of e-thrifting. Even though you’re picking up items secondhand, buying clothing from environmentally conscious brands that offer quality materials is still key. Along with encouraging others to buy green, sporting these brands promotes garments made with ethically produced textiles such as organic cotton, hemp, soybean fiber, and linen. Check out GreenPages.org to find over 50 clothing brands that have achieved Green America’s certification. 

Though the internet often encourages excessive shopping, it can also act as an invaluable tool to curb unnecessary emissions. If you live in a suburban or rural area, lack local stores with the items you need, and are dedicated to conscious consumption, online thrifting may be right for you.

Fighting for food justice is an ongoing American battle as we take action to end hunger and food insecurity. The Food Research & Action Center reports that 10% of households in the United States experience food insecurity. While it can be difficult to address such a large-scale issue, confronting hunger in your own community can lead to a long-standing ripple effect. 

Take these steps to help relieve hunger in your community. 

Reach Out to Restaurants

At the end of the day, many businesses will throw out leftover food; food that could be going to hungry people in your community. Asking local restaurants if they would give any leftover food that can be donated to a food bank can help combat this. Not every restaurant will agree, and some are already donating. But by asking around, you could lead one more business to help those in need.

Support Black-Led Food Justice Initiatives

With 19.1% of Black households experiencing food insecurity, according to USDA data, Black Americans remain the most food insecure group in America (though Native American communities were not included in the data group). This disparity makes it critical to support Black-owned food justice initiatives. Fuel The People, The Okra Project, and Brooklyn Rescue Mission all work to provide both food and support to marginalized communities. The Heal Food Alliance has an even longer list of groups to support, across the country. You can show your support by donating or asking restaurants to consider partnering with these initiatives. 

If you don’t have the proper means to financially support, local food banks are often under-resourced and in need of volunteers. Find food banks in your community by searching your location on feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank.

Set up a Community Fridge

Since the pandemic started, community fridges grew increasingly popular as many Americans lost their jobs and thus, their means to buy food. Community fridges act as a free fridge that is accessible to anyone in need, while also cutting food waste and creating a more bonded community. Freedge is an online resource to find community fridges in your state and finding inspiration when creating your own. To set up a fridge in your community:

• Research: Read about why community fridges are effective and crucial. Look into the difference between mutual aid and charity, and how to implement solidarity over charity through your fridge. Read our article on the power of mutual aid at greenamerica.org/mutually-inclusive.
• Reach Out: Connect with people in your community and other community organizers to create a base of volunteers. 
• Resolve Logistics: Before buying the fridge, it’s important to discuss a thorough plan with other organizers. Deciding where the fridge can be plugged in, how it will be restocked and cleaned, and how to engage the rest of the community can be done through a text thread or social media group. 

Once these questions are answered, you can plug in the fridge, stock with fresh food, and begin a new chapter in your community. 

The fight for food justice is one we can all participate in. Support your hungry neighbors near and far by supporting food banks, advocating for better legislature, and educating yourself and others.

Throughout this pandemic, many of us have spent more time at home than ever before. For those who work remotely, our homes became our place of work, school, entertainment, and refuge from covid-19. Those of us who continued working on location were at home more during time off. Before the virus spread, the average American spent 99 hours in traffic every year. Since the pandemic, this number has fallen to 26 hours. That’s a significant gift of time that offers us an opportunity to reflect on our priorities and the way we spend our time. 

We asked Green Americans how setting intention has changed how they go about their daily lives. Some of them noticed green side effects—here’s what they had to say: 

Setting Boundaries. 

When your work and home life blend, it’s more important than ever to set boundaries. Creating hours that work for you (even if not the traditional work hours), sticking to that schedule and resisting checking emails at all hours of the day helps create balance and time to recharge. In our culture of busy, where we’re bombarded with messages telling us if we’re not working all of the time, we must be lazy—setting boundaries around our work life can be freeing. Making time for rest and joyful activities without guilt became crucial to mental health in covid times. Each time we set a boundary, it becomes easier to practice setting them elsewhere. 

Time outside. 

With so many entertainment venues closed, we met our friends outside more than ever before and got our exercise around the block instead of at the gym. 
Many Green Americans intend to continue meeting their friends and family outside for walks and bike rides, instead of meeting indoors as often as they used to. 

Gardening.

Many Americans began gardening during the pandemic due to food shortages, a desire to avoid going shopping and to simply have something to do. Thousands of new gardens were added to Green America’s Climate Victory Gardens map. Growing a home garden improves your own physical and mental health; it helps capture carbon and improve the environment, and it helps reduce the carbon footprint of our food since the produce doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to reach you. 

More time with close family. 

Some Green Americans who were able to work from home reflected on being able to have breakfast with their partners in the morning, as well as more time in the evening to share a home-cooked meal and spend quiet time together. While we missed seeing our friends and family in person, it was nice to spend more quality time with those with whom we live. 

Less commuting stress. 

Some Green Americans reflected on how stressful their commutes used to be. Late buses, packed trains, rushed mornings. Many of us experienced high stress and anxiety every day going to and from work, arriving at our destinations in a less-than-calm state. We prefer to stick to calmer, more intentional mornings post-pandemic, thank you very much. 

More home-cooked meals. Less food waste. 

You may recall several cooking fads from the early pandemic stages (sourdough bread and pasta chiefly among them). With restaurants closed, many of us were cooking at home a lot more than usual. Home-cooked meals are healthier for our bodies and for our wallets. We feel more connected to our food and its effects on our bodies (and minds) when we cook it ourselves. To shop as little as possible, many of us found creative ways to avoid food waste (hello, carrot top pesto), saving money and preventing methane emissions from rotting food waste. Consider starting your own compost bin if you have the space to do so!

Bonus: Cooking at home means fewer takeout containers in our waste bins, as our climate campaigns director, Beth Porter, pointed out. 

Less fuel consumption. 

Some were able to skip the commute—even a few days a week—and saved time and helped the planet and their wallets by consuming less fuel. If you commuted by car, that’s less wear and tear on your vehicle, too. You benefit from the cost-savings, and the planet benefits from fewer emissions. 

What were some of the ways you were more intentional about your time during the pandemic? 

Did spending time at home allow you to 
green different aspects of your life? 

Each of the colleagues interviewed expressed that they will continue to 
be more intentional about their time and energy “post-pandemic.” 

How will you hold intentionality?

By setting intention, we become mindful of how we spend our time and where we have room to grow. Be inspired by these stories and pandemic-takeaways to set intention in your own life, now and in the days to come.

Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright serves as the director of environmental justice for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. As a native to New York City, Rogers-Wright grew up seeing the vast discrepancies his community navigated compared to the more affluent communities where his white peers lived. His childhood experiences catapulted Rogers-Wright to a career in environmental justice and its relation to public health and human rights when it comes to access to clean air, healthy food, and more. He previously worked at the Climate Justice Alliance, as well as a policy advisor for various candidates for elected office. 

Green America’s Cyna Mirzai spoke to Rogers-Wright about environmental justice, which isn’t an ingredient, but “its own drink.”

Lesson #1: Educate Yourself

One of the first steps in starting your environmental justice journey is educating yourself.

“We need to firmly identify who and where these communities are,” Rogers-Wright says. “There is a fantastic piece of legislation sponsored by Representative Cory Bush, in partnership with Senator Ed Markey; an environmental justice committee mapping act.”

Identifying these communities reveals the disproportionate impact harmful environmental actions have on them. Rogers-Wright identified public health as the first and foremost concern.

“There are communities like Cancer Alley, in Mississippi and Louisiana, where there are some of the highest instances of cancer in the United States due to exposure to fossil fuel refinery operations,” he says.

This public health crisis is worsened by other inequities these communities face, from poor access to healthcare to lacking education and over-policing.
Rogers-Wright warned that these communities are not looking to be saved, however.

“These [community-led environmental justice] organizations are not indigent, they’re not waiting to be saved, rather, they have good solutions that need to be heard,” he says, emphasizing empowerment over control.

Two examples of such empowerment are climate reparations and Indigenous consent.

Lesson #2: Support Good Policies

“The root causes of climate change are white supremacy, patriarchy, and colonization,” Rogers-Wright explains. “The progenitors of these root causes and their respective nation states owe a debt to populations of developing nations and the so-called global south for centuries of extraction, subjugation, genocide, and violence.”
Such a debt can be partially paid with new legislation and policies that empower and benefit communities most affected by the climate crisis, like climate reparations, a relatively new concept in the environmental movement.

“Climate reparations is about restoring some semblance of balance in an effort to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that those hit first and worst have an equitable opportunity to absorb inevitable climate shocks and survive them,” Rogers-Wright explains.

Another social justice concept that must be followed by policymakers and businesses is free, prior, and informed consent when it comes to land use. In dozens of projects in the last decade, like Standing Rock and Line 3, as well as an untold many projects in the history of the US, Indigenous communities have been ignored during development of their lands.

“No project should be placed in any Indigenous community without the community’s consent and without the tribe holding tribal sovereignty—that’s a major component of environmental justice.”

Lesson #3: Vote, Vote, Vote

How to make these policies a reality?

“Push your local leaders and your local media,” Rogers-Wright advises. 

Campaign for what you believe in and support leaders who believe in the same thing by voting. Unfortunately, voting rights are under attack nationwide. Do what you can to stop voter suppression, which in turn will help these climate policies become reality.

If leaders in power aren’t doing the right thing or what they promised they’d do, pressure them by calling their offices, writing letters, and threatening the loss of your vote.

Lesson #4: Resist the Status Quo

“Whenever there is some sort of large awakening, what comes with that is this idea that we all have to be conscious about this problem. But then it dies down and we go back to the status quo.”

It’s happened over the past several years—mass protests, marches for women and science, and corporations claiming accountability without taking meaningful steps toward change.

Rogers-Wright says it’s not easy for change to come of these awakenings because of a two-fold issue: money and leadership.

“When we look at funding advocated for environmental justice groups, versus the largest, white-led organizations, 2% of these white-led environmental organizations command 98% of the funding,” he explained. 

“I think the reason why we are still in the position that we are in is because of the environmental organization founded by a white supremacist: John Muir who founded the Sierra Club,” says Rogers-Wright.

“[Traditional environmental groups have] historically been a white-male dominated apparatus and unfortunately, it remains that way.”

It’s time to upend this norm.

Lesson #5: Put Your Money (and Time) Where Your Heart Is

The final lesson Rogers-Wright imparted is to “dig into” this work.

If you have time but not money, Rogers-Wright suggests reading the Jemez principles for Democratic Organizing and educate yourself on how people in your community might be affected by environmental injustice—see his list of recommended reads in the sidebar. You can also push your local leaders and media in particular, to pay attention to local environmental justice groups and actions.

“When we talk about climate change, the ‘experts’ are often white men, but they’re not the ones experiencing the worst aspects of the climate crisis. It’s important to ask, ‘What is the role you can play with your privilege and use that to flip the script and transform the narrative?’” 

Speak up for environmental justice and marginalized communities, but not over them.

We made a list of organizations across the country led by people of color that are working for environmental justice causes locally, which is where you can make the biggest difference. 

Organizations Led by Communities of Color to Know and Support

There are environmental justice groups to support in all parts of the country, led by the Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color that are most harmed and stand to gain the most from the enactment of environmental justice. 

Find a group in your region and support their work.

• Hip Hop Caucus, Washington, D.C.
• New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, New York City, NY 
• Vermont Releaf Collective, Colchester, VT 
• Opal Environmental Justice, Portland, OR 
• Front and Centered, Seattle, WA 
• Communities for a Better Environment, California 
• Indigenous Environmental Network, Bemidji, MN 
• Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, New Orleans, LA 

Resources from our Conversation

Rogers-Wright urges us all to “dig in” to environmental justice to understand it and our role in creating a just society. He gave us many resources to start that journey—here are a few resources he referenced and where to find them. 

Learn more about Cancer Alley from Pulitzer Prize-winning Jarvis DeBerry of the Louisiana Illuminator in “Science catches up to what residents of Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ have been saying about pollution.”

The act introduced by Rep. Bush (D-MO) and Sen. Markey (D-MA), as well as Sen Duckworth (D-IL) is called the Environmental Justice Mapping and Data Collection Act of 2021. You can find it by searching its name or H.R. 516, which you can also call it by when you call your representatives to support it.

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a right of Indigenous people that is advocated for by Indigenous leaders around the world. Native scholars Carla F. Fredericks and Kate R. Finn wrote about FPIC in “Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights as a Minimum Standard for Corporate Practice.”

The 17 Principles of Environmental Justice was created by the delegates to the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991.

The Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing were created by participants at the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice meeting in Jemez, Mexico, in 1996. It was adopted by its participants upon creation, and by many other environmental groups in the years since, including the Sierra Club in 2014.

In a longer version of this interview, Rogers-Wright spoke about a 1989 essay by Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, in which the Black feminist scholar coined the term “intersectionality,” which is now widely used. The essay is called “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics."

The pandemic keeps evolving and “new normal” is an ever-changing concept. What we can look to are the lessons learned from the pandemic to build a better normal, while still remembering and honoring what was lost. 

Keeping the momentum going during the post-pandemic years will be crucial to building that better—greener—normal. These four enduring lessons are a few of our takeaways from the worst of the pandemic. 

Mutual Aid 

Within the first few weeks after the March 2020 lockdown, mutual aid networks blossomed throughout the country as social safety nets and systems-based support fell through. Neighbors delivered groceries and prescriptions, offered transportation, and assisted elders, the immunocompromised, and high-risk people who were safest at home. This is the spirit of mutual aid—working cooperatively to meet the needs of the community. 

When unemployment peaked at 14.8% in April 2020—the highest rate observed since 1948—people helped each other meet bills through outpourings of small donations. Today, the Mutual Aid Hub website lists 895 mutual aid networks throughout the nation. 

While we hope this is the only pandemic in most of our lifetimes, with more and more climate crises causing fires, floods, and migration, we know we will face more hardships in the future. With the lessons of mutual aid, we are more resilient when we face them together. 

Support for Small Businesses 

Small businesses across the nation closed their doors permanently due to the pandemic and 30% of small businesses say they won’t survive 2021 without additional government assistance, according to a survey from the Federal Reserve. Yet small businesses are a crucial sector of the economy, creating two-thirds of net-new jobs. Unlike large companies that create their own internal infrastructure, small businesses generally outsource skills like accounting, web design, and more, which keeps money flowing through the local economy. 

It seems that people understand the importance of local and small businesses more than ever before. Just over 82% of people said they would spend more at local businesses after the pandemic, according to a study from Red Egg Marketing. And people are not necessarily doing it for ease or convenience—just over 77% of respondents do it simply to support local business. These efforts are going to be essential to rebuilding resilient communities in the years after the pandemic. 

Sustained Energy for Racial Justice 

An estimated 15 to 26 million people in the US participated in Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, according to the Crowd Sourcing Consortium, making it one of the largest sustained movements in American history. Immediately after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, public opinion spiked in support of Black Lives Matter, according to polling firm Civiqs. 

However, that support has faded, with just under half of US adults a year later holding favorable views of the Black Lives Matter movement—down from 61% in May 2020. There has been little lasting policy reform for racial justice and small reforms from companies and communities, but not enough to move the needle. For our nation to truly have a racial justice reckoning, it is more important than ever that we sustain energy for anti-racism and racial justice efforts from our communities and legislators long after 2020. 

Working From Home 

The mass exodus from corporate offices redefined the day-to-day of office jobs—high rises and cubicles were traded for dining tables and bedroom desks. Some US companies are even adopting a hybrid office workweek, with 13% giving up on office space entirely, according to a PwC January 2021 survey. 

There’s a climate case for working from home, too. Road travel accounts for three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions, most of which come from commuter vehicles with just one person in them. Working from home cuts down on this traffic and the resulting emissions. While many workers are not remote, those who can work from home and drive less contribute to the reduction of air pollution, which is a benefit to air quality and respiratory health everywhere. But for these benefits to last, companies must consider remote work a climate policy. 

Companies can account for a work-from-home carbon footprint by making clean energy a workplace benefit. SkySpecs, a digital asset management company, is doing just that with Arcadia{GBN}, a clean energy provider. For employees that make the switch to Arcadia’s 100% wind plan for their home, SkySpecs covers the extra cost on their energy bills. Other options for creating a climate-friendly work-from-home policy could be subsidizing energy-efficient appliances and providing public transit perks for company-related travels. The latter option could apply to workers who are not remote, too.

In the years after the pandemic, a hybrid workweek could bring balance to office workers’ lives and act as a small part of addressing the climate crisis.

As we continue emerging from this pandemic, consider what you want our "new normal" to look like and what we as a community can do to make it a reality.

When my colleagues and I talk to Green America members, whether they started their green journeys last year or 30 years ago, we see a pattern: times of transition lead to new ways of thinking. And that’s when people often adopt greener ways of living, by taking eco-friendly and socially just actions. When someone discovers a new food sensitivity, their research may lead them to more organic and local food. When a family welcomes a new baby, they might start to learn about toxic chemicals in their home. When local, state, or national governments are out of step with addressing climate, environment, and social justice crises, it draws people to take action and create policies that work for people and the planet. 

The editorial team has dedicated this issue to those moments of transition. In this time like no other, it seems like those moments are coming faster and faster. So whatever changes you are contemplating, we hope you find lots of ideas for your own green journey as you turn these pages.
We encourage you to start where you are—if you’ve been getting greener over the decades, push yourself in a direction that’s calling to you. If you’re brand new to greening your life, follow your passions and interests—it’s a journey of a lifetime, and easy to get overwhelmed if you try to take it all on in a month or even a year. We all have important choices to make. 

When we vote with our dollars, it shows companies, our social circles, and even policymakers what we find important. While we cannot buy our way out of the climate crisis or systemic injustice, our choices matter as we push corporations, governments, and other systems to be better. 

We can also lift our voices together as communities to make important change in local and national policies. Even when we’re not in an election year, keep up the conversation with your local politicians and regulators when you see injustice. Add your representatives’ phone numbers to your contacts list and visit greenamerica.org/signup to receive our email newsletter and regular notice of Green America’s powerful consumer actions.

Collaboration between individuals, families, communities, local businesses, corporations, and governments is necessary to make the big system changes—such as anti-racism, renewable energy, regenerative agriculture—that none of us can do alone. 

The pandemic has forced us to consider how our lives could better align with our values. Are we spending our time, money, and energy to create the best version of the world? This intentionality brought many green changes, and if we hold onto that mindset, can bring many more. 

In this time of tremendous change, let’s harness the intentionality of transition to find greener ways of living that make our homes, communities, and the world itself safer, healthier, and more just.

Your guide to making your life more sustainable for people and the planet.

ESG investing can be confusing. It helps to have an adviser who is on the same wavelength.

By Cheryl Wi nokur Munk

Sept. 30, 2021 1:00 pm ET
It isn’t easy being an ESG investor these days. Financial products that focus on environmental, social and governance issues have multiplied, leaving many investors confused about which ones best suit their needs.

To help, some investors might be considering financial advisers who focus on ESG and are able to offer investment ideas that closely track their clients’ moral and financial goals.

For investors who want to go that route, here’s how to get started, as well as some questions to ask prospective advisers.

What tools can help me find a financial adviser who is focused on ESG?

There are several free, searchable online databases that list financial advisers who self-identify as having an ESG focus. Just keep in mind that being listed in a directory isn’t an endorsement of an adviser’s abilities or investment prowess. Due diligence on your part is still recommended.

• Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc.’s database lets investors filter for “socially responsible investing” to find certified planners nationwide who offer these services.
• In the College for Financial Planning’s database, investors can search under the designation “Chartered SRI Counselor or CSRIC” for advisers.
• Green America, a nonprofit alliance that focuses on issues including climate and clean energy, sustainable food and responsible investing, has a listing of financial-planning and investment consulting firms. Advisers listed here are certified members of Green America’s Green Business Network or are members of US SIF, a sustainable-investing trade group. According to a Green America spokesman, listed advisers self-report whether they have experience creating portfolios that are fossil-fuel free and whether they have worked with clients to pursue fossil-fuel-free investments.
• In the US SIF’s directory of members, investors can do a basic search under the category of “financial planners, advisors, and brokers” or an advanced search to narrow the list by city, state or ZIP Code.
• XY Planning Network, a member-based organization of fee-only advisers, has a find-an-adviser portal. Entering SRI/ESG as a keyword search will turn up a list of several dozen advisers who identify as having this specialty. To be a member of XY Planning Network, advisers must work with Gen X/Gen Y clients in some capacity, operate on a fee-only basis and be in good standing with Finra, among other criteria.

How do I evaluate the adviser’s ESG prowess?

First, see if an adviser has a disciplinary history, using Finra’s BrokerCheck, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s investment adviser public disclosure website and the CFP Board’s site. Enter the adviser’s first and last name to check for customer complaints, regulatory actions or other disciplinary measures.

After finding an adviser with a clean disciplinary history, you might ask the adviser directly about his or her experience with sustainable or impact investing and how long it has been part of their practice, says Josh Charlson, a director of manager selection for Morningstar Research Services LLC, a subsidiary of Morningstar Inc.

Ask how many clients the adviser has created ESG-focused portfolios for. “Ideally you’d be working with an adviser who has some history in this area instead of someone who just stepped into it,” Mr. Charlson says.

How do I assess whether an adviser is aligned with my goals?

Start by asking the adviser for his or her approach to ESG, socially responsible and impact investing. If you are looking for a specific focus—such as environmental investing or a particular impact goal, for example—can the adviser accommodate this, or does the adviser only offer a select few investment models that aren’t readily customizable?

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

What criteria do you find most important when picking a financial adviser? Join the conversation below.

“If you are someone who is more focused on, say, impact investing, or you don’t want tobacco or nuclear-energy stocks, is the adviser capable of customizing the plan or the portfolio to accommodate your preferences?” Mr. Charlson says.

Or, if you’re someone interested having a more diversified portfolio centered on sustainability and impact investing, how would the adviser accomplish this?

Whether the adviser is recommending you invest in funds or individual stocks, it is also important to see how his or her investment returns compare to appropriate benchmarks.

What are some other ways to gauge an adviser’s ESG expertise?

While it’s no guarantee, financial advisers with a genuine interest and expertise in ESG and impact investing usually will highlight it on their websites and LinkedIn profiles, says Michael Young, manager of education programs at US SIF.

“If they are putting themselves out in the public sphere that they are doing this, that’s a good starting point,” he says. 

Mr. Young recommends asking them about their professional networks, affiliations and designations related to sustainable investments. For example, is the adviser a member of Ceres, a nonprofit focused on sustainability, Green America or US SIF? Does the adviser speak at sustainable investing or other investor conferences about the topic?

The College for Financial Planning in 2018 began offering certification in socially responsible Investing, its SRI Counselor Designation program. It’s a relatively new designation, but Mr. Young says it can be another signal of interest in and ongoing commitment to the field.

Ms. Winokur Munk is a writer in West Orange, N.J. She can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first new climate rule of the Biden-Harris Administration tackling hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), super pollutant greenhouse gases used for refrigerants. HFCs have hundreds to thousands of times the global warming potential of CO2 and are leaking out of refrigeration systems, escalating the climate crisis.

The new rule establishes an EPA program to phase down the production and use of HFCs in the United States by 85% over the next 15 years. This important step to curb these climate-polluting refrigerants was mandated by the bipartisan and refrigerant industry-supported American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act that passed in Congress last year as part of the December 2020 Omnibus bill.

The total emissions reductions of the rule from 2022 to 2050 are projected to be the equivalent of 4.6 billion metric tons of CO2, or taking over 1 billion passenger vehicles off the road for a year.

The Administration has also launched a task force to detect and prevent illegal trade of the potent gases. These actions support the transition to HFC alternatives (many of which are also more energy efficient) and encourage the responsible reclamation and recycling of HFCs from retired equipment to reduce HFC production in the interim. There is still more to be done on the policy front, and Green America continues to join the calls for President Biden to follow through on his promise to deliver the Kigali Amendment, a global treaty to phase down HFCs, to the Senate for ratification.

Green America applauds this highly pivotal step in curbing these emissions, but our Cool It campaign continues to urge supermarket companies, starting with Walmart, to move faster than the new rule’s timeline to eliminate the use of HFCs and switch to refrigerants with ultra-low global warming potential.

Additionally, we call on companies to immediately reduce their refrigerant leaks to restrict the amount of HFC gases that escape their stores and escalate the climate crisis. Leaks from supermarket refrigeration cause the emissions equivalent of adding 9.5 million cars on the road every single year. Our allies at the Environmental Investigation Agency report that more than half of supermarkets they’ve surveyed are emitting climate-warming refrigerants – companies shouldn’t wait to address these leaks.

Companies can take steps today to reduce leaks and phase out their use of HFCs in all facilities on more aggressive timeline.  The technologies are available, and some supermarket chains, including ALDI and Target, are already using HFC alternatives in stores. The climate crisis is not waiting, and we need major emitters to take responsibility and change practices at a rapid pace.

The fossil fuel and nuclear energy sectors and spouting renewable energy myths, telling us clean energy isn’t the solution to the climate crisis. But in the last 20 years, renewable energy from wind and solar sources has grown dramatically worldwide. In 2020, wind and solar power grew 45%, their greatest rate of growth since 1999, outpacing the growth of all other energy sources.

This growth is driven by the commitments that governments and corporations have made to reduce emissions to address the climate crisis, as well as a dramatic decline in the cost of wind and solar power.

This handy fact sheet debunks five prominent renewable energy myths:

Renewable Energy Myth 1: We can’t power the country with 100% renewable energy.

Fact:  We can reach 100% renewable energy with the technology we already have

Opponents of a 100% renewable future like to say that the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow, so renewable energy can’t possibly meet all our needs for electricity.  However, multiple studies demonstrate that renewable energy tied to battery and other storage technologies can easily meet all our electricity needs. 

The real issue is not whether renewable energy can meet our demand for electricity, it’s do we have the political will in the US and around the world to move our countries to 100% renewable energy?  If we do, it’s entirely possible to get to 50% renewable energy in 10 years and 100% in the US in the next two decades.

Renewable Energy Myth 2: Renewable energy is too expensive.

Fact: Renewable energy is the cheapest source of electric energy.

Proponents of this myth often cite outdated data to say that wind and solar power are too expensive and can only compete with fossil fuels because they are heavily subsidized. The truth is the cost of wind power has declined 70 percent since 2010, and will likely decline another 35 percent by 2035.  Solar energy prices declined 89 percent over the last decade and will likely drop another 34 percent in the coming decade.

Wind and solar power are now the cheapest source of energy, period.

The declining cost of renewable energy is due to advances in technology, manufacturing, and installation, not subsidies.  In fact, subsidies for fossil fuels are 7 times higher than for renewable energy.

Renewable Energy Myth 3. Renewable energy is bad for the environment.

Fact: Renewable energy has the lowest environmental impacts of any energy source.

The data is clear. Renewable energy has much lower greenhouse gas impacts than fossil fuels.  That fact may seem obvious, but it is surprising how often it is called into question.

Opponents of renewable energy often point out that solar panels have a lifespan of about 25 years and then need to be junked.  But they ignore the fact that 80 percent of the materials in these solar panels can be recycled, and improvements are being made to recycle the remaining components.

Critics of battery storage say this technology can actually increase emissions, but this is only true when batteries are paired with fossil fuel sources, not renewable energy sources, and battery and other storage technologies are improving dramatically, making them an increasingly important part of the renewable energy future. 

Opponents of wind power say that wind turbines kill birds, ignoring the fact that turbines lead to few bird deaths, especially compared to buildings and cats.  It goes without saying that wind turbines don’t cause cancer.

What does cause cancer?  Fossil fuels. And they cause a lot more disease and economic hardship overall. The economic and health costs of burning fossil fuels are estimated at $2.9 trillion per year worldwide.

What’s bad for humans is bad for other species as well. Fossil fuels destroy habitats, create polluted water sources, and create air pollution that is much worse for the environment and ecosystems than any other source of energy.

Renewable Energy Myth 4: Renewable energy can’t provide as many jobs for American workers as fossil fuels.

Fact: Renewable energy is already providing more jobs than fossil fuels.

Clean energy jobs, including renewable energy and energy efficiency, employ three times as many workers as fossil fuels.  Even with the recent Covid-19 economic downturn, clean energy jobs maintained their sizeable advantage over fossil fuels.  And as wind, solar, and energy efficiency are projected to grow rapidly in the next two decades, those jobs will only grow, while fossil fuel jobs continue to decline.

Renewable Energy Myth 5: Wee need to invest in both renewable and nuclear power to go carbon free.

Fact: We don’t need to take the risks of nuclear energy to address the climate crisis.

Advocates for nuclear energy will often say that the only way we can get to emissions-free energy in the US is by including nuclear energy in the mix.  But, nuclear energy carries enormous risks – including accidents, terrorism, and proliferation.  There is also no solution for storing nuclear waste that can remain radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.  

And, nuclear energy is far too expensive, and takes too long to build, to be an effective climate solution.  Instead, we need to scale up wind and solar, with storage technologies, now.

Coming soon.

Put Your IRA to Work for People and our Planet 

If you are 70 1/2 years of age or older, you can make a tax-free charitable gift from your IRA to support Green America. You can direct up to $100,000 to Green America and enjoy the satisfaction of your gift going to work immediately to support our work for justice and sustainability. Request a Qualified Charitable Distribution Form from your IRA custodian. 

Here is the information you will need to provide to your IRA administrator:

Checks should be made payable to Green America and mailed to:

1612 K Street, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20006

EIN:  52-1660746

Memo Line:  If possible, please include your name in the memo line, as often these checks come to us without any donor information. Ex: "IRA QCD donation from (your name)".

Questions? Contact Kathy Harget, Director of Development & Organizational Advancement, at 202-872-5330 or kharget@greenamerica.org. 

Gifts from Donor Advised Funds 

If you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) you can make a gift to Green America from your fund today. Contact your DAF administrator or sponsor organization to initiate a gift and provide them with this information: 

Green America 

1612 K Street, NW, Suite 1000 

Washington, DC 20006 

Tax ID number: 52-1660746 

Please also ask your administrator to include your name on the check or with the accompanying documentation! (Sometimes we receive DAF checks without the donor name and are unable to acknowledge the gift.) 

You may also wish to name Green America as an organizational beneficiary of your Donor Advised Fund (Tax ID number: 52-1660746). 

Questions? Contact Kathy Harget, Director of Development & Organizational Advancement, at 202-872-5330 or kharget@greenamerica.org. 

Fall Planting Guide

While Fall is a time to harvest the final veggies in our gardens and put them to bed, it is also an active planting season!  Many plants need a dormant period before being able to produce their flowers or fruit.  Planting them in the fall gives them a chance to take root and adjust to their new home before the ground freezes. 

Before you decide what and when to plant, make sure you know what hardiness zone you live in.

What Can You Plant in the Fall?

• Bulbs:  Perennials like daffodils, tulips, lilies, crocuses, for example!  It is best to get bulbs in the ground when the soil temperature is about 55°F, when night temperatures are between 40-50°F.  If you’re in colder zones, be sure to cover the ground with mulch to help protect the bulbs. 
• Alliums:  Garlic, onions, and shallots are best planted in the fall.  Do so when you are planting flowering bulbs.    
• Trees & Shrubs:  Trees and shrubs are best planted from early fall until the ground freezes.  Be sure to research winter care for them as well.  If you miss planting in the fall, it isn’t impossible to do so in the spring.  If you do plant in the spring, one trick that you could use for stone fruit trees, for example, is placing the pit in a moist paper towel in the refrigerator for 10 weeks before transferring to the ground.
• Evergreens:  Plant evergreens by mid-fall, well before the ground freezes, to give their roots enough time to get stable footing before winter. 
• Peonies:  Peonies are hardy to zone 3 and grow well as far south as zones 7 and 8.  Peonies are best planted in the fall because they need proper chilling for bud formation.  Be sure to plant them at least 6 weeks before the ground freezes.  If you plant them in the spring, they will grow, but the following season will likely produce much better results. 
• Cool-season veggies: Get in a second (or first!) planting season by planting leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables like radishes, turnips, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. 

Other Tips for a Successful Fall Planting

• Mulch—mulching helps the new roots establish themselves and it protects them from freezing temperatures.  If you plant a tree, don’t put the mulch right up to the trunk, leave a couple inches around the trunk of the tree to prevent rot, disease, and insects from damaging the tree.
• Plan ahead—some fall planters need to be planted in early fall while others should be planted 6 or 8 weeks before the ground freezes. 
• To learn more, check out this article from the DIY Network.

“Hollywood amuses me,” Grace Kelly once said. “Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality.” 

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who can’t name their favorite movie or TV show. Hollywood is ubiquitous and mesmerizing. 

For me, I live in Los Angeles, and I’m married to someone who works in the entertainment industry. My media consumption is nearly incalculable and matches my passion for it, to boot. Despite my love for it, however, I started to wonder... what is Hollywood’s impact on the planet? It is, after all, a massive industry, from studios, to international shoots, to red carpets and award shows. 

Suddenly my love of Hollywood and the planet went to war with one another. 

So, I reached out to some experts, armed with questions about sustainability in Hollywood, including Hunter Vaughn, the Environmental Media Scholar-in-Residence in the University of Colorado Boulder’s Department of Media Studies, and Colleen Bell of the California Film Commission. 

“Hollywood can make changes on pretty much every level,” Vaughn told me right off the bat. 

Ouch. 

But okay. We can work with this. What does “change on every level” actually look like? 

Take Two 

Movie and TV productions happen across the world. For larger ones (think Marvel or The Fast and the Furious franchise), they need hundreds of people, food services, vehicles, land usage, and much more. 

One key factor of choosing where to film is tax incentives, which is why so many productions shoot in places like Georgia, New Zealand, Canada, and more. Vaughn warns, however, that by “opting for the highest profit margins” based on such tax incentives can lead to “localized ecosystem destruction” due to travel and wreaking havoc on local plant life, animals, and more. 

A practical way to offset such destruction is to “earn” the tax incentive by establishing and following strict sustainability guidelines and/or giving back to the community. 

Some examples of this include New Mexico’s giveback program as part of being approved for its film tax credit or Tyler Perry’s film studios in Atlanta organizing community outreach. 

There are also sustainable production practices more filmmakers can start adopting. Bell suggests working with local NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to donate uneaten meals or wardrobe to locals in the community and reusing sets. 

And the Oscar Goes to... 

Think of some of your favorite movies—including those beloved Best Picture winners like The Hurt Locker or Braveheart. How many of them depict explosions, ruin, and general havoc? 

Those seemingly fun moments are part of the problem, according to Vaughn. 

“The enormous influence Hollywood has on cultural values belies perhaps its most negative environmental impact,” he says. “It continues to train hundreds of millions of viewers in ideological contradictions that speak environmental concern while practicing environmental destruction.” 

What Vaughn wants to see are movies that do less “fetishizing of explosions and glamorization of extreme wealth” and more that “provide stories and images that speak to the importance of social welfare and environmental protection.” 

How Bad Is Sustainability in Hollywood, really? 

According to a report by the British Film Institute (BFI), A Screen New Deal: A Route Map to Sustainable Film Productions, each tentpole flick—films with a budget of $70 million—uses about 2,840 metric tons of CO₂ (carbon dioxide).  

A majority of the emissions, about half, come from fuel and is the equivalent of a passenger vehicle driving 3.4 million miles. 

The remainder of the emissions come from 30% energy, enough to power Times Square for five days; 16% from air travel, equating to 11 one-way trips from Earth to the moon; and 4% from accommodation, about the same as the annual electricity usage in 34 homes. 

Needless to say, one single film production inflicts major damage to our planet. 

“Show Me the Money!” 

Box office numbers are reported like professional sporting events and the paychecks of directors and actors are staggering. It’s no secret that Hollywood’s main motivator is cold, hard cash. 

“By far the biggest limitation is the profit-driven logic of capitalism that still guides Hollywood decision-making,” Vaughn says of what’s holding this industry back on being more sustainable. 

“Solutions are there, popular cultural values have shifted in that direction, and Hollywood has already spent two decades branding itself as green—but the culture of excess and profit are still its defining tendencies.” 

When I ask Vaughn about financial incentives to become more sustainable, he defaults to Hollywood prioritizing its profit margin. 

That doesn’t mean there’s nothere isn’t room for hope, however. 

Vaughn believes through other industry models, public pressure, and long-term financial gains, Hollywood will realize environmental sustainability is not just a good moral decision, but a smart fiscal decision, as well. 

Bell adds: “Implementing more fuel-efficient practices can require an initial capital investment, but inevitably reduces bottom line costs in the long run. Most groups report they are not seeing increased costs, but instead see savings generated by sustainability efforts.” 

What Can Hollywood Do? 

Vaughn and the BFI haves several recommendations for Tinsel town: 

• Reduce reliance on traveling to maximize profits by exploiting local tax incentives, consolidate travel 
• Work with renewable energy sources and providers 
• Produce less content romanticizing destruction, explosions, and material excess 
• Reuse materials, costumes, buildings, and more whenever possible
• On all levels, within stories and practices, stress the urgency of climate change 
• Collaborate and share infrastructure and tools, engage in more virtual planning 

There are also some simple solutions not exclusive to the entertainment industry. These include electric vehicles, practicing recycling and reusing policies, or setting goals like net zero. 

Like any movement, environmental justice is an intersectional one which requires the efforts of many organizations and industries. Hollywood can further its sustainability practices through federal guidelines, giveback programs, or government help. 

The California Film Commission, for example, has a Green Resource Guide that productions can use. This includes guidelines and resources for things like catering and craft services, recycling and donation guides, and more. 

There’s also the Green Production Guide, a toolkit for sustainable filmmaking. It’s a joint venture between the Producers Guild of America Foundation’s PGA Green committee and the Sustainable Production Alliance. 

Happy endings are abundant in Hollywood, so why not strive for one for our planet, too?