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Green America’s Skip the Slip campaign has inspired a proposed Skip the Slip law in California that is making its way through the legislature! Assemblymember Phil Ting (D- San Francisco) is sponsoring the legislation that gives customers the option of getting a non-toxic paper receipt, getting an e-receipt, or getting no receipt at all at most businesses in the state.

The bill has passed the Assembly and the Senate Judiciary and Environmental Quality Committees, and next it heads to the Appropriations Committee. We’re working with allies in California to make sure it gets to the Senate floor and then becomes law.

Assemblymember Ting was inspired by our campaign Skip the Slip and originally introduced a bill in 2019. After listening to the input of businesses and consumers, the bill is back. Thanks to all of you who have taken action on this campaign and look for more updates and action alerts soon.

Learn more about our Skip the Slip campaign.

In the United States, 1 in 4 adults, nearly 61 million people (about twice the population of Texas), have a disability that affects major life activities. That’s according to a 2023 fact sheet from the CDC, with a quarter having a mobility or cognitive disability. 

There are many ways the country fails people with disabilities, from a lack of public accommodations to a pittance of disability leave and insurance. One egregious example is people with disabilities being able to live on their own—only 5% of housing in the US is accessible. 

At the state level, Oklahoma has made people wait up to 13 years for long-term care in their homes. 

An accessible home allows for independent living for persons with disabilities, with features like wider door and hallways and things like knobs and mailboxes changed to be easier to grasp at heights within reach.  

Fortunately, disability advocates and progressive business owners, like Julie Lineberger, founder of WheelPad L3C {GBN}, are trying to make the world a friendlier place for bodies of all abilities—with the support of the US government. 

“This is the Most Innovative Housing I’ve Seen in Years” 

To understand where WheelPad and the future of accessible housing is headed, we first need to understand the beginning. 

Lineberger and Joseph Cincotta founded the company—which constructs and rents completely accessible housing that can be attached to an existing house, allowing the resident independence while providing nearby loved ones and caregivers—after their godson became tetraplegic (another term for quadriplegic). 

While presenting at Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Innovative Housing Showcase in 2023, Lineberger said everyone she met had someone they knew of who could “use this [a WheelPad home],” from veterans’ families to those providing elder care. 

WheelPad even caught the eye of HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, who praised the concept. 

“This is the most innovative thing I’ve seen in housing in years,” she said. “The fact that it can make an existing home accessible is the innovative thing.” 

Lineberger called the interaction “exciting.” 

Fulfilling a “Severe Lack” in Society 

For many people with disabilities, home is not what it should be—that is, comforting and safe and instead, frustrating and sometimes dangerous. 

WheelPad seeks to change that and is becoming more capable with support. Lineberger makes it clear that success is not a solo endeavor, discussing her business’ work with the nonprofit PHAT (Projects for Housing Accessibility and Training) and receiving government aid. 

The business has numerous goals through these partnerships. 

“We hope to provide training for caregivers, because there is a severe lack,” she explains. “That’s something HUD can assist us with, so now we’re following up with everyone we met at the showcase.” 

There is no stopping Lineberger or the fight for disability rights. 

“Over 1,300 people came through our small, 200-square foot installation,” she enthuses. One relationship built at the showcase could turn out to be key. “We were placed right next to the Veterans Administration’s Specially Adapted Housing Program. They supply grants for injured service members to renovate their house or make their house livable.” 

The grants cover WheelPad homes, which the company has already taken advantage of with three projects so far. 

Lineberger shares the story of a man who lived a year and a half longer than he thought he would after he moved into a WheelPad home. After he passed, his son called Lineberger and thanked her for the extra time he had with his father. 

“That’s why we do this,” she says. “That’s why we need this relationship with HUD and other organizations.” 

When the man died, the WheelPad was picked up, refurbished, and sent to the next person, but Lineberger dreams of a larger fleet and more means to help. 

A Thriving Future for Every Body 

The way Lineberger puts it, to keep the company going, they’ve “bootstrapped” it and faced all sorts of uphill battles. 

When the manufacturers of WheelPad worked with took hits in the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to end WheelPad production. Lineberger and Cincotta interviewed several manufacturers, but none worked out and that’s when it hit them. 

“We decided, well, you know, it's not rocket science,” she says earnestly. “Our first businesses architecture, we know how the building process works and so we started manufacturing our own last fall.”  

The company took out a generously sized loan to start this new chapter and is looking into buying the land the new manufacturing facility sits on. 

As a small company, Lineberger knows how challenging staying afloat is: “It’s important to keep putting one foot in front of the other. We’ve had financial issues, so that’s why we’re working with PHAT, because the work is too important.” 

The work is far from done, but it’s on the precipice of taking great strides. 

An HEV is an excellent avenue to better fuel economy if you want to keep things simple and less expensive at the point of purchase. Green America says the improvement over an ICE alone, on average, is somewhere between 20% and 35%. On the other hand, if you are willing to spend more for the purchase and deal with plug-in recharging to obtain up to 20-30 miles of electric-only travel each day, a PHEV is for you. In either case, a hybrid will save on gasoline.

Man plans, and God laughs. So the adage goes, warning us about unexpected events and occurrences we most decidedly did not plan for. Which is why having steps in place to prepare your business for an emergency is so important.

Risks run the gamut when running a business, from natural disasters to cyber-attacks and financial hardships to theft. 

This is why it’s key to have a business continuity plan (BCP), a system of preventative and recovery tactics in case of any emergency or setback. 

Below are six steps you should take for your business to make sure if you ever are faced with an emergency, your business has the means to maintain operations and withstand the hardship. 

1. Develop the BCP 

If you don’t have a BCP at all, a good place to start is FEMA’s Ready program, created in 2003 to help individuals, communities, businesses, and other institutions prepare for emergencies. 

Ready offers a BCP Suite, software for any business to create, modify, or improve its BCP. This software comprises of a three-step training program, including learning more about what a BCP is and why it’s important, and several steps of the BCP planning process. 

There are several more resources on the Ready website for businesses, including crisis communications, employee assistance and support, risk assessment, and more. 

Several other groups have similar resources, so be sure not to miss them. The Small Businesses Administration (SBA), the IRS, and the US Chamber of Commerce are just a few beyond FEMA. 

2. Have a Rainy Day Fund 

As with anything in life, be prepared for the worst. Or at least the unexpected. 

Emergencies can make or break a business because of how they may affect a businesses’ operations, returns, and profitability. That’s why it’s crucial to take a proactive approach in preparing for something to go awry. 

Just like an individual saves up a rainy day fund for that car repair or unexpected medical bill, a business should also have money set aside in its coffers to offset any costs incurred by an emergency. Costs can include anything from salaries and benefits, damage not covered by insurance, or simply keeping the business afloat while in recovery. 

To calculate a rainy day fund, first tally up your business’ regular expenses and then do the math to determine how much the business would need to survive three months, six months, or however long to feel secure in keeping the business open.  

3. Be Prepared for a Natural Disaster 

If your business has any sort of physical presence, whether consumer-facing or not, it is crucial to be prepared for a natural disaster. Many of the steps to safeguard a business during a disaster are the same as they are for an individual. 

The most important thing is people’s safety, so make sure there is a clear and known emergency exit and first aid kit, along with other essentials like flashlights, water, and more. A great thing to do is offer your employees training on CPR and other medical situations. 

Take the steps now to protect your business, too. Back up all data and with anything physical, invest in a waterproof and fireproof safe or a safety deposit box. 

If a natural disaster does hit and affect your business, make sure to take advantage of various recovery resources provided by the government. The SBA, for example, offers disaster assistance loans. 

4. Be Prepared for an Economic Disaster  

A hurricane or tornado are not the only worries a business has. In instances like a recession, it is best to be prepared for changes instead of trying to fight them. 

Two important steps are managing your cash flow and strengthening your cash reserves (like that rainy day fund!). Start looking at your business’ cash flow now and forecasting several months out. There are plenty of resources available to start forecasting, from templates provided by websites like Workday and CashAnalytics. 

Always look at the data and make strategic decisions based on what the data says. If you have the means, work with a financial adviser to make sure your business is economically sound. 

It is also important to remember, unless the economic disaster is not widespread or limited to your business’ operations, other people are also facing similar hardships. It is beneficial to stay on top of collections and receivables from consumers, while maintaining empathy for what your community is going through and how your business can lend a helping hand. 

5. Consider Insurance and Liability 

It’s everyone’s favorite topic: insurance. And just like in your own personal life, there are also several types of insurance a business should have. Below are various types you should investigate for your business if you haven’t already: 

• Liability: Insurance that covers liability protects businesses from claims of bodily injury or property damage. Some types of liability insurance to research include general liability, small business liability, property liability, and professional liability. 
• Business Interruption (or Business Income Coverage): This insurance replaces lost income due to covered property damage (from a fire, flood, etc.). 
• Commercial Property Insurance: Protects owned or rented property and equipment from theft and more. 
• Data Breach Insurance: This helps your business respond to lost or stolen personally identifiable information. 

There are so many more types of insurance out there so be sure to identify what is most important for you and your business, taking into account factors like where the business is located, how many employees there are, what the work includes (if employees have to drive vehicles, for example, make sure to get commercial auto insurance), and beyond. From there, you can do your research to figure out what types of insurance your business needs. 

6. Develop an Emergency Chain of Command 

Emergencies are scary. They trigger our fight or flight response, and they often don’t give us time to stop and think about what to do. This is why having a BCP is important but make sure there is a personnel plan, too, in an emergency. 

An effective response to an emergency occurs when there is a clear line of communication and command among people. Long before an emergency ever happens, brief your entire team on the BCP and other relevant information. Then, establish a chain of command in the case of an emergency, such as someone tasked with calling 911, someone who knows CPR, and backups in case anyone is out or otherwise unable to perform their task. 

7. Consult Your Chamber of Commerce or Security Experts 

Beyond this article, there is endless information available from government agencies, disaster relief organizations, and more.  

But preparing for an emergency can be taxing and overwhelming, not to mention frightening. It is always better to ask for help if you don’t know what to do or where to begin. 

In the case of emergency planning, consult your local chamber of commerce for help and resources, and explore hiring security consultants to help your business assess risks and threats, review a business’ policies, and plan. 

No one wants to think about a disaster or emergency impacting their life. In times of increasing weather-related occurrences and a fluctuating economy, however, it is imperative we do so, and that includes your small business. 

We manufacture compostable foodservice and packaging products and give 25% of our profits to social and environmental organizations to further their work in creating a better world.

Leading Green Economy Group Defends Freedom to Invest Responsibly, Offers Data and “Foundational Truths” Ignored in Highly Politicized GOP Report.

WASHINGTON, DC – July 12, 2023 – This morning, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices at 10 a.m. Today’s hearing is the first of a series of hearings scheduled for July designed to attack ESG investing and shareholder proxy voting on political grounds.

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization with 300,000 individual members and supporters as well as nearly 2,000 companies in its Green Business Network and has educated the public on responsible investing for 40 years.

In anticipation of the hearing, and in response to the preliminary report attacking ESG by the Republican ESG Working Group, Green America submitted a letter for the record to Members of the Committee supporting ESG investing and shareholder proxy voting, backed by real data.

Cathy Cowan Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director at Green America, said in the letter:

We would like to challenge several underlying assumptions in this report and other memos from the majority, and clarify several important foundational truths:

• ESG performance is on par or better than conventional investing, especially in the long term.
• Environmental, social, and governance considerations are material and pecuniary, not political.
• The shareholder proxy voting process gives retail investors a critical voice in corporate governance, and reforms suggested by the majority would stifle, not promote, that voice.

Multiple research studies show that returns on socially responsible investing are on par or better than investing not based on ESG principles, especially over the long term. For example:

• According to Morningstar’s 2022 Sustainable Funds US Landscape Report, most sustainable funds delivered stronger total and risk-adjusted returns than their respective Morningstar Category indexes. Over half of sustainable funds finished in the top half of their Morningstar Category, led by equity funds. Data for the previous five years showed even better results – the returns of 74 percent or sustainable funds ranked in the top half and 49 percent in the top quartile of returns.

• In 2021, the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing released a study, Sustainable Funds Outperform Peers during 2020 Coronavirus. The Institute found that in a year of extreme volatility and recession, funds focused on “on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, across both stocks and bonds, weathered the year better than non-ESG portfolios.” The research analyzed more than 3,000 US mutual funds and ETFs, finding that sustainable equity funds outperformed non-ESG peer funds by a median of 4.3 percent in 2020.

• The NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business released a 2021 meta study, ESG and Financial Performance: Uncovering the Relationship by Aggregating 1,000 Plus Studies Published between 2015-2020. The report found that 59 percent of studies showed that ESG investments had a similar or better performance relative to conventional investment approaches, while only 14 percent found negative results. It also concluded that “ESG investing appears to provide downside protection, especially during social or economic crises.” “Using ESG principles to help inform investing is not a breach of fiduciary duty. On the contrary, not taking all factors related to risk and opportunity into account can be seen as a breach of fiduciary duty. Individual, institutional, and public asset managers should be free to consider all information when making critical investment decisions. This is how the free market works. It is not the role of government on the federal or state level to tell asset managers how to manage investments for their clients.”

Regarding specific claims made by the ESG Working Group’s preliminary report, Becker added:

Shareholder proposals are not a significant burden for public companies.

The only mandatory cost under the shareholder proposal rule is for the company to publish a proposal of up to 500 words on its proxy ballot. All other spending is discretionary, and almost all shareholder proposals are non-binding. The board does not have to do anything in response to a proposal.

Shareholder proposals constitute a small percentage of overall proxy votes each year. According to the Council of Institutional Investors, most public companies do not receive any shareholder proposals. On average, 13% of Russell 3000 companies received a shareholder proposal in a particular year between 2004 and 2017. In other words, the average Russell 3000 company receives a shareholder proposal once every 7.7 years. For companies that receive a shareholder proposal, the median number is one per year.

Raising thresholds for ownership and resubmission would squash the voice of small investors.

Currently, in order to file a shareholder resolution at a given company, a person must have owned at least $2,000 of company securities for at least one year. The working group proposes raising that threshold to continuous ownership of at least $2,000 of the company’s securities for at least three years; continuous ownership of at least $15,000 of the company’s securities for at least two years; or continuous ownership of at least $25,000 of the company’s securities for at least one year.

Such revisions would hamper the participation of small and diverse investors in the shareholder resolution process. These smaller investors can have a great impact on corporate practice. According to data compiled by the Sustainable Investments Institute, 176 resolutions on social and environmental topics came to a vote at U.S. companies in 2019. Many were filed by investors with small ownership thresholds. The proposals received an average of 25.5% support, demonstrating that proposals of interest to a large portion of a company’s shareholder base can originate with smaller investors.

Likewise, the working group proposes raising the voting thresholds needed to resubmit a shareholder resolution from 3%, 6% and 10% in the first, second and third year respectively, to a vote of 5%, 15%, and 25% in order to resubmit a shareholder resolution the following year. Again this would squash the voice of small and diverse investors, especially as concerns emerging issues.

In some cases, it can take years for issues such as climate risks, human rights assessments, and governance reforms to be recognized as important to a company’s returns. Through long-term investor engagement and education, corporate boards and shareholders often eventually do adopt proposals that had less support at first but are now seen as best practices.

In 2020, the SEC raised ownership and resubmission thresholds to respond to pressure from corporate trade associations, presenting significant hurdles to filing and resubmitting shareholder proposals. Raising these thresholds again would shut out small investors and leave emerging issues unaddressed.

Proxy advisory firms do not wield excessive influence over investors.

Many pension funds and other institutional investors review research and recommendations from proxy advisors but vote according to their own guidelines and policies. According to proxy advisor ISS, 85% of its top 100 clients use a custom voting policy.

Institutional investors do not “robo vote” proxy advisor recommendations. An NYU-UPenn study finds that the impact of recommendations by ISS is significantly reduced when company-specific factors are taken into account. The proposed curbs on proxy advisors could undermine the voice of investors by limiting the information available and further tilting votes on key proposals in favor of management.

To speak with a representative of Green America, contact Max Karlin at (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com.

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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 and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org

July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the experiences and achievements and honor the history and struggles of the disability community. It is a group that anyone could find themselves joining at any moment in time, due to birth, illness, or accident, and yet people with disabilities have been historically marginalized, underestimated, and underserved.

July was chosen as disability pride month as it marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which passed in 1990 and was a landmark civil rights law meant to prohibit discrimination and make sure those with disabilities have the same rights and access as those without. Disability Pride Month celebrates people like Judy Heumann, the “mother of the disability rights movement” who was the first wheelchair user to teach in the state of New York and helped develop legislation to improve inclusion and access for disabled people around the world, including the ADA. Another champion, Alice Wong, is the founder of the Disability Visibility Project, which collects oral histories of people with disabilities in the US. She edited a moving book of first-person stories told by people with a wide range of disabilities called Disability Visibility.

There is so much work left to be done to fully include, and create access and equity for, the estimated 27% percent of Americans who live with disabilities, including those affecting mobility, cognition, hearing, vision, and independent living, according to the CDC. Reading (or hearing, or watching) stories about the experiences of people with disabilities can help those without to understand what barriers people with disabilities face and aim to build a society that can truly work for everyone.

To help enhance your celebration with content you can use all year long, Green America is pleased to share Disability Pride Month resources that highlight accomplishments and the justice still needed related to disability and our work with society, the economy, and the environment. We do this as a reflection of our vision: “to work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the abundance of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.”

Together, let’s celebrate and recommit ourselves to building a just, equitable, and inclusive society.

Image used above is the Disability Pride Flag, designed by Ann Magill.

Holiday Background & Social Justice:

What is Disability Pride ? / What is Disability Pride Video

Why and how to Celebrate Disability Pride Month 2023

Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally

Disability Pride Flag Meaning

Why Disability Justice is Crucial for Liberation

When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a Chair: (Book)

British Vogue Magazine: Nothing Is More Fashionable than Visibility

Economy:

Economic Justice Is Disability Justice

(Video: Audio Described) Economic justice & disability, ft Dessa Cosma, Detroit Disability Power

Podcast: Understanding An Intersectional Framework of Economic Justice for People Living With Disabilities

Environment:

Why environmental justice research needs to include disability

Indigenous People With Disabilities Are on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis

Disability Rights Is a Climate Justice Issue. Here’s Why.

Video: Environmental Justice and Disability with Pauline Castres

In Person Events:

Disability Parade, Chicago (July 22^nd)

Pop- Up Shop supporting Disabled -Owned Businesses (DC)  (July 15^th)

Disability UNITE (In-Person & Virtual Event, July 16^th)

Virtual Events:

Documentary: "Neurotypical" (July 24)

Virtual Teen Comics Chat - Disability Pride Month and Summer (July 27)

Disability UNITE (In-Person & Virtual Event, July 16^th)

There has been a steady rise in pesticide use across all cocoa producing countries from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to Indonesia.

Alarmingly, children have been exposed to agrichemicals at a similar increased rate from 5% in 2008 to 24% in 2019. Yet, it is entirely possible and desirable to have a world without hazardous agrichemical with certified organic cocoa.  

Pesticide Harm

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Achieving Traceability

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Pesticide Exportation

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Cocoa-growing regions around the world are experiencing dangerous levels of deforestation.

Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are two of the largest cocoa producing countries. Over the past 30 years, Ghana is estimated to have lost 80% of its forest cover, while Côte d’Ivoire has lost around 94% of its forests.  

Ending Deforestation

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Achieving Traceability

Learn More

Promoting Agroforestry

Learn More

WASHINGTON, DC — JUNE 21, 2023 — Green America is proud to announce Dr. LaKeisha “Keisha” Thorpe as its new executive co-director for culture, planning & green business development. Dr. Thorpe brings a wealth of experience that promises to help take Green America’s operations and green economy programs to the next level.  

Dr. Thorpe’s doctoral dissertation focused on food and culture, she’s served on the board and executive board of the Bethlehem Food Co-op in Pennsylvania, and she’s always made justice and equity a major focus in her work. She has served in JEDI leadership roles at four colleges and universities, most recently, Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, creating better campus experiences for students, faculty, and staff. 

Dr. Thorpe also brings some 16 years of experience in human resources, fundraising, and public education to Green America. 

“Keisha’s brilliant strategic thinking, heart-centered organizing and deep experience in justice, equity and inclusion will create continuity from Green America’s current work and a bridge to our future,” said Alisa Gravitz, president and CEO of Green America. 

“The gratitude and excitement I feel at joining Green America are immeasurable. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work in tandem with folks who consider JEDI work not only a necessity, but a norm,” said Dr. Thorpe. “I cherish the work surrounding sustainability and social justice. I am looking forward to continuing the work I believe in so deeply within the mission of Green America."  

“We are really excited to welcome and work with Keisha at the Board level. She brings an exciting and fresh perspective to our organization. Dr. Thorpe’s professionalism, experience, energy, and leadership skills are exactly what Green America needs to help us continue to grow and make the planet a better place for all,” said Deepak Panjwani, co-chair of the Green America Board of Directors. 

Dr. Thorpe will take the reins from Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director of business, investing & policy, after 23 years of remarkable service to Green America. During her time at Green America, Teplitz shaped the organizational culture, including its focus on JEDI across programs; advanced socially responsible investing and better banking practices for individuals and organizations; steered the Green Business Network; and led organization-wide collaboration on planning, development, and budgeting. She earned the respect and admiration of everyone she worked with—from the staff team, board, individual and business members to the organization’s green economy allies. Teplitz now moves into what she calls her “rewirement.” 

“It has been my honor and joy to work with Green America’s staff, board, individual members, the members of our Green Business Network, and allies, to propel the green economy forward,” said Teplitz. “I am grateful to have shared this journey with all of you and will forever remain a Green American! I’m thrilled to pass the baton to Keisha as we expand our next generation of leadership.”  

“Fran Teplitz has been instrumental throughout the past 23 years in furthering Green America's stature in the green business community throughout our country. Her collaborations with other organizations have netted win-win situations for all involved, most importantly strategies for helping businesses do both well and good. Her recent leadership focus in JEDI throughout Green America established a strong foundation for this most important work to continue. We will miss her greatly, however we will feel her presence through her accomplishments and organizational planning for years,” said Julie Lineberger, co-chair of the Green America Board of Directors. 

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA 

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

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

The Athens Impact Socially Responsible Investments website says it all: “After years in corporate banking, Michelle [Wilson, founder of Athens Impact and financial advisor] came to the realization that finding peace in retirement doesn't mean having the most money; it means surrounding yourself with nature, community, and those you love. Money is simply a tool to help us accomplish the things we find important.” 

Wilson knows money is complicated and overwhelming—that’s why she wants to help people wield the tool as easily as possible. 

She started her career in banking at 18, working as a part-time teller. Several years ago, however, she noticed banking was going in a direction she didn’t like—more machine-oriented, less people-oriented. 

Now it’s her goal to financially serve people and planet, through things like individual financial advising, socially responsible investing (SRI) and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing, shareholder activism, and more. 

Help Should Not Be Conditional 

When you step into the Athens Impact office, Wilson is there to help you, no matter where you are on your financial journey. 

“It’s crazy to me that financial literacy is not taught in school,” Wilson laments. “When a client comes to me, the first part we go over is financial psychology—money scripts, things we learned growing up that keep us in bad financial situations. Society is set up to have us living paycheck to paycheck, and that’s not right.” 

Even if that’s your situation, though, Athens Impact wants to help. 

“When somebody walks in, regardless of their situation, they need to be able to get help.” 

That’s why Holly Fitch, Athens Impact’s office manager, trained to be a financial coach. Wilson meets with potential clients for a consultation, but not everyone is ready to invest. If you have limited funds, for example, Wilson advises keeping your money as an emergency fund. That’s where Fitch comes in as a financial coach, which is a more affordable option, and can get you on track to investing. 

The first step, Wilson says, is figuring out where money is being spent.  

“What I’ve seen many times is people will work and work and work on debt,” she explains. “They’ll get out of debt and then back into debt. Savings are what help them stay out of debt. Then they can use savings in an emergency, instead of putting it on a card.” 

She also recommends looking into financial community programs and for those struggling with debt, nonprofit credit counselors—not debt settlement companies, which often use language to make them seem appealing and helpful, but often take advantage of people struggling with debt. 

When you find yourself in a position to invest, Wilson aims for Athens Impact to be an ethical, comprehensive way to start. 

Investing Meets Activism 

One of the first things investing clients do is fill out the Impact Assessment, which minutely breaks down the causes most important to you to make sure your portfolio is both representative and specific. 

“I can build a custom stock index, directly related to your answers and different from anyone else’s,” Wilson says. “I can tell you why certain businesses and companies are in your portfolio, the positives and negatives, or replace it with another business so you never have to invest in a company you don’t want to.” 

According to Wilson, ESG investing is becoming a “norm in the industry... because [it] reduces the risk in the portfolio,” so it’s where her work starts, not ends. Athens Impact doesn't just use company reported information to screen companies, it also relies on publicly available information, like environmental fines, to avoid greenwashing. 

She doesn’t believe traditional screening methods alone can be called “socially responsible investing,” because it’s based on information from a company’s own reports—which can be manipulated and greenwashed. 

Wilson’s goals don’t end with her individual clients, however. Wilson is taking a holistic approach with her business, planting seeds to not only help individuals, but to empower her community and those around her. 

Athens Impact is based in Athens, Ohio—one of the poorest areas of the country. While the country’s general persons in poverty rate was 12.8% in 2021, Athens reported an average rate of 43.1% persons in poverty from 2020 to 2022. 

In 2022, Athens Impact began working with a nonprofit that helps women out of abusive situations and providing a six-month financial education course to help them land on their feet. This year, Wilson hopes to transition the program to a larger audience. 

Financial Advising Is About Trust 

There is a lot of shame and stigma around money in the US, but Wilson believes “people should be able to come to their financial advisor and talk about whatever their family looks like and whatever financial situation they’re in.” 

It’s why she’s open and candid about her activism and living as an out pansexual, polyamorous person using her financial expertise to do good.  

“I try to be an example,” she says. “It can help people who are not as exposed or open, to look at me and realize it’s not so bad I don’t fit into their boxes.” 

She helped start the first LGBTQ fellowship with Rotary International, and she currently serves as a member of the NAPFA DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) committee and a co-director of the Green America JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) committee. 

“I’ve always been an activist for LGBTQ issues, so I was trying to find a way to mesh my activism with my professional background of finance, and that’s how I got into socially responsible investing.” 

Wilson previously served on Equality Ohio’s board and saw firsthand the power of economics: “Without the financial piece, a lot of issues stagnate. I don’t believe companies care about anything but money, so when we attach money to issues we care about, suddenly, companies will be more aware of its own policies.” 

It’s why Wilson so strongly believes in shareholder activism: “I believe shareholder activism will create cultural change, especially as younger generations get older, inherit money, and engage in socially responsible investing.” 

Wilson acknowledges all of this—screening companies to understand their ESG policies, investing your money for the planet, getting your life on track financially—is hard work, but it’s work that makes a difference. It’s why she wants to help. 

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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.

After 30 years of dedication and hard work, Maggie’s Organics {GBN} founder Bená Burda is retiring. Maggie’s Organics has been a member of the Green Business Network for nearly three decades and in those years, we have immensely enjoyed our work and collaboration with Burda and her company’s sustainable clothing and soft goods. 

There are big and exciting changes coming to Maggie’s Organics following Burda’s well-deserved departure. 

“When I founded Maggie’s Organics over thirty years ago, it was with a commitment to always try to do the right thing,” Burda shares. “When I was ready to retire, that commitment led me to the natural next step: transferring ownership of the business to our employees. Since Teamshares has purchased Maggie’s Organics on behalf of the employees, our business will be able to keep treating people and planet with care for generations to come.” 

Staying true to its mission, Maggie’s will partner with Teamshares to transition the company to employee ownership over time. 

“Teamshares acquires businesses from retiring owners and immediately grants 10% of the stock to all employees, progressively increasing employee ownership to 80% over the next 15-20 years,” Maggie’s official statement explains. 

This move aligns with Maggie’s core values as a company dedicated to “total transparency, total sustainability, and true ethical practices from farm to finish.” 

For over 30 years, Maggie’s has developed, built, and worked with supply chains across five continents. Its farming and ranching partners practice regenerative agriculture to produce organic wool and cotton. Everyone who works with Maggie’s benefits from the company’s commitment to Fair Trade, including fair wages, benefits, support, and success to do better for people and planet. 

“Our founder Bená Burda had the passion and foresight to intertwine that mission into our DNA over 30 years ago,” the statement continues. “Our recent transition to employee ownership strengthened her legacy and safeguarded our ability to continue it.” 

It has been an honor and joy for Green America and the Green Business Network to know and learn from Burda over the years. 

“Singing with Bená, other staff, and attendees late into night at the Green Business Network Summit in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia will always be one of my favorite memories of working at Green America,” Rob Hanson, Green America’s membership marketing manager, fondly recalls. 

Alisa Gravitz, Green America’s president and CEO, adds: “Bená is a pathfinder at every level. A woman founder and CEO, she created an organic fashion company before that was a thing, let alone an industry.  She always walked her talk—from partnering directly with small-scale farmers to worker ownership to building the green business community. And her socks rock—the only ones my feet want to wear!” 

Sarah Queen will be the new president of Maggie’s Organics and is excited to build on Burda’s “incredible legacy.” 

She says: “I’m grateful for the work that has been done, proud of the work that is being done, and excited to continue serving the community with the same values that Maggie’s Organics has been living by for the last three decades.” 

The Green Business Network looks forward to continuing our work with Maggie’s Organics and Queen.

Timeline: Temporary (Roughly 20 hours per week for 5 weeks – schedule is negotiable) 
Payment: $5,000 
Location: Remote 

Green America is a national, nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable society by using economic strategies to help solve the many challenges facing our country and world. Green America's unique approach involves working with consumers, workers, businesses, investors, and supply chain stakeholders to build an economy that serves people and the planet.     
 

Background:  

Green America's labor program highlights labor abuses that affect workers throughout the world. We mobilize consumers to pressure businesses into adopting fair labor practices. We also help consumers find fair and sustainable shopping alternatives. The Toxic Textile campaign under the Labor Program specifically tackles industry-wide abuses that harm workers, the planet, and consumers. Building on our 2019 report and subsequent scorecard that focused on the toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing process, Green America successfully campaigned for companies such as Carter’s to adopt better chemical management practices.  
 

Description:  

Green America seeks a writer and researcher with a background in corporate sustainability, worker rights, and the fashion supply chain to collaborate on our 2023 Toxic Textile Report and scorecard which will expand our scope from toxic chemicals and build on the 2019 report to address the following questions: 

1. What are the top 3-5 most “toxic” aspects of the apparel industry? i.e. Chemicals, tannery, landfill/incinerator, labor abuse, etc. 

2. How does each toxic aspect impact workers, environment, and consumers? 

3. What advocacy tools are effectively being used, by whom? i.e. Accord, union contract, MRSL, Due Diligence, ESG, Social audits, etc. What tools do we need to advocate for each of the toxic aspects?  

4. Who and what do we need to make change? (Specifically breaking it down for consumers, investors, policy makers, workers orgs, and prefer using tools like infographic, scorecards, and other easy to digest graphics or 1-pagers) 

5. Which companies are leaders and laggards regarding the aspects/elements documented?  

The report will be approximately 20 pages long (including citations) and written for a general audience (including media and social media distribution). The scorecard would fit on one page and spotlight online retailers and athletic/athleisure brands. Both the report and scorecard will further our campaigns to get companies to improve their corporate social and environmental performance.
 

Process and Timeline: 

You will provide research and writing to Green America’s Labor Justice Campaigns Director who is overseeing research and development of the Toxic Textile campaign. The contractor will have an initial scope meeting to build on the existing outline for the report, as well as take part in weekly check-ins with the Labor Justice Campaigns Director to ensure the project is moving forward on schedule and that the contractor has the resources needed to advance the work. The work will begin in July and should be completed by September and your name will be listed as an author and researcher in the published report.  
 

To Apply:

Please send your resume and two published pieces in which you contributed writing and/or research to Jean Tong (she/they) at jtong@greenamerica.org by June 30, 2023.  

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

Green America works to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society and we value justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. 

WASHINGTON, DC — JUNE 21, 2023 — Green America is proud to announce Dr. LaKeisha “Keisha” Thorpe as its new executive co-director for culture, planning & green business development. Dr. Thorpe brings a wealth of experience that promises to help take Green America’s operations and green economy programs to the next level.  

Dr. Thorpe’s doctoral dissertation focused on food and culture, she’s served on the board and executive board of the Bethlehem Food Co-op in Pennsylvania, and she’s always made justice and equity a major focus in her work. She has served in JEDI leadership roles at four colleges and universities, most recently, Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, creating better campus experiences for students, faculty, and staff. 

Dr. Thorpe also brings some 16 years of experience in human resources, fundraising, and public education to Green America. 

“Keisha’s brilliant strategic thinking, heart-centered organizing and deep experience in justice, equity and inclusion will create continuity from Green America’s current work and a bridge to our future,” said Alisa Gravitz, president and CEO of Green America. 

“The gratitude and excitement I feel at joining Green America are immeasurable. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work in tandem with folks who consider JEDI work not only a necessity, but a norm,” said Dr. Thorpe. “I cherish the work surrounding sustainability and social justice. I am looking forward to continuing the work I believe in so deeply within the mission of Green America."  

“We are really excited to welcome and work with Keisha at the Board level. She brings an exciting and fresh perspective to our organization. Dr. Thorpe’s professionalism, experience, energy, and leadership skills are exactly what Green America needs to help us continue to grow and make the planet a better place for all,” said Deepak Panjwani, co-chair of the Green America Board of Directors. 

Dr. Thorpe will take the reins from Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director of business, investing & policy, after 23 years of remarkable service to Green America. During her time at Green America, Teplitz shaped the organizational culture, including its focus on JEDI across programs; advanced socially responsible investing and better banking practices for individuals and organizations; steered the Green Business Network; and led organization-wide collaboration on planning, development, and budgeting. She earned the respect and admiration of everyone she worked with—from the staff team, board, individual and business members to the organization’s green economy allies. Teplitz now moves into what she calls her “rewirement.” 

“It has been my honor and joy to work with Green America’s staff, board, individual members, the members of our Green Business Network, and allies, to propel the green economy forward,” said Teplitz. “I am grateful to have shared this journey with all of you and will forever remain a Green American! I’m thrilled to pass the baton to Keisha as we expand our next generation of leadership.”  

“Fran Teplitz has been instrumental throughout the past 23 years in furthering Green America's stature in the green business community throughout our country. Her collaborations with other organizations have netted win-win situations for all involved, most importantly strategies for helping businesses do both well and good. Her recent leadership focus in JEDI throughout Green America established a strong foundation for this most important work to continue. We will miss her greatly, however we will feel her presence through her accomplishments and organizational planning for years,” said Julie Lineberger, co-chair of the Green America Board of Directors. 

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA 

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

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

For the health of people and planet, people are reevaluating relationships with work and productivity, and pushing for a 4-day work week.

“No one on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business,’” said lawyer Arnold Zack to his friend with a cancer diagnosis. The quote has since been repeated by uncountable people who relate—that their life is about more than their time at the office.

“Employers understand they can work differently, employees recognize they want to work differently, and everyone realizes they can and should advocate,” explains Charlotte Lockhart, co-founder and managing director of the non-profit 4 Day Week Global.

The organization’s goal is reducing working hours while maintaining pay to prioritize the wellbeing of workers, the planet, and business success.

In 1926, Henry Ford dropped his company’s work week from six days to five. Four years later, economist John Maynard Keynes predicted a 15-hour work week in the future. Clearly, that hasn’t happened, even as productivity during a 40-hour week has risen significantly without corresponding pay increases.

“Burnout culture cannot be sustained,” says Dr. Wen Fan, a sociology professor at Boston College. “Employers need to find a way to recruit and retain. One option is to increase salaries, but not all businesses have that capacity—an alternative is more benefits, like a schedule change.”

Rejecting Burnout, Embracing Life

Some employers permanently reduced working hours long before the four-day work week concept gained traction—indeed, Green America has had a four-day work week since 2001; leadership had been considering it and made the decision to adopt it in the aftermath of 9/11, due to the pressures and uncertainties of those times.

Since helping implement a four-day work week at Green America for the past two decades, human resources director Dennis Greenia has seen why it’s a favorite benefit among staff.

“Recognizing that everyone on staff has a whole and complete life outside of work has helped us recruit and retain,” he says. “It provides the capacity for people to enjoy a fuller life over time.”

Ginger Leib, coordinator for Green America’s Soil & Climate Alliance and Clean Electronics Production Network agrees: “The four-day work week has been crucial to my mental health and well-being. It allows me time to get outside, rest, or spend time with loved ones.”

This experience is not unique to Green America. Research shows that a four-day work week creates benefits for employees and employers alike around the world.

Results from the most recent and biggest study yet, the UK’s four-day week pilot, were released in 2023. The research organization Autonomy, along with 4 Day Week Global, spearheaded the program.

This UK study, which both Lockhart and Fan worked on, ran for six months in 2022 involving 57 companies and 2,548 employees. Across the board, the study’s results showed promise.

Tyler Grange, an environmental consultancy firm and study participant, reported a 22% productivity increase. Most study participants agreed—78% found no change in workload, while 62% found their work pace increased but only 13% reported an increase in stress.

“More employers are recognizing the economic benefit, too, of a healthy workforce,” Lockhart says.
These economic benefits were present in the study results, including increased revenue (+34.5% compared to a previous, similar six-month period) and decreases in resignations and absences.

What researchers and activists are most excited about, however, is the impact on quality of life.

“My favorite one is the insomnia statistic,” says Lockhart, referring to 46% and 40% of employees reporting reductions in fatigue and sleep difficulties. “There are many reasons why we don’t sleep well—stress, poor eating, no exercise.”

Added time in a person’s week, to spend how they choose, can help holistically, suggests Lockhart and the study.

Mary Meade, editor and digital content manager at Green America, agrees: “Work-life balance is very important to me. I use my three-day weekends to take mini trips. It’s the perfect amount of time to get things done: Friday is for errands, Saturday is for fun, and Sunday is for relaxation. I am truly able to unplug from work with three days.”

By the end of the UK study, 92% of the participating companies continued with the program, 30% confirmed a permanent shift, and most employees said only a significant pay increase would get them to go back to a five-day work week.

Not Just People: Is the Four-Day Work Week Better for the Planet, Too?

There is research to suggest reduced working hours will benefit the planet, with an important caveat: intentionality.

Reducing commuting distance (691 million miles a week with a four-day work week, per one UK white paper) could be canceled out if people start jetting off on their three-day weekends. The UK study showed 52% of employees did increase leisure travel during the six-month period.

Where experts believe a four-day work week or similar reduction in working hours could help the planet is in people’s daily habits.

“There’s no denying the amount we’re working now is bad for the planet,” Lockhart says. “I’m looking at you, UberEats. How environmentally unfriendly is it to have a single meal delivered because you didn’t have time to grocery shop and make dinner.”

During the 2020 covid lockdown, research showed more people adopted more eco-friendly practices like recycling when at home and working less. This is the consistent intent required to maintain the climate benefits of decreased business traffic rather than offset them.

Data from the US Energy Information Administration shows potential positive outcomes with a reduced working week—Americans burn 10% less fossil fuels on weekends. Increasing a person’s weekend to three days, then, has the potential to significantly decrease fossil fuel emissions if people have more time for and choose low-carbon activities like hiking, gardening, or cooking for your friends and family.

It should be a communal effort, though, says Anupam Nanda, urban economics and real estate professor at the University of Manchester, UK: “Eco-friendly facilities and neighborhood green spaces should be created across urban areas in order to encourage people to spend their free time in a sustainable way.”

The Gift of Time Is Justice

“As business leaders, we need to remember that we borrow people from their lives,” Lockhart states.
People are more than the money they bring in or work output. Giving back time to workers to be with friends and family, cultivate hobbies, contribute to their communities, supplies not only benefits, but justice. People will get to define what productivity means to them, like pursuing education or volunteering, which is down in the US year over year since 2019, according to Gallup.

Some may discover justice in other areas. Following the UK trial, 21% of employees reported a decrease in childcare costs and more men than women reported an increased involvement with childcare duties. In the US, where childcare costs and gender roles are huge challenges to family life, such benefits could be life-changing.
It is also important to recognize who will benefit from reduced working hours.

“Typically, already advantaged organizations and sectors are more likely to be part of these trials,” Fan explains. “We also see an over-representation of highly educated workers.”

Fan says companies should work to extend these models to all employees, primarily less educated, marginalized, and immigrant workers, as well as non-office workers. Solutions could look like tax incentives for smaller businesses, and acknowledging this work is not one-size-fits-all. Some industries—hospitals or restaurants, for example—will need to hire more employees or reduce hours in other ways, like shorter shifts across five days.

Rep. Mark Takano’s (D-CA) solution is to make the four-day work week federal law with the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act.

“We have before us the opportunity to make common-sense changes to work standards passed down from a different era,” he said.

Organizations like Green America, or New Zealand’s Perpetual Guardian, which adopted a permanent four-day work week in 2018, have already seen and felt such increased happiness—it just might be time for more employers to follow suit.

For 40 years, Green Americans have been supporting workers. You’ve signed petitions to pressure and change companies with poor worker safety practices. You’ve joined picket lines with loud voices and poster board to spare. And you’ve incorporated activism into your own workplaces. Safe and healthy workplaces that pay good wages are essential to building a green economy. There are so many ways to support workers today, whatever you have to spare (time, money, or energy), and wherever your talents lie, we can all play a role in creating a healthier, safer, better-paid workforce. Here are eight ways to build a better world of work.

1. Buy from Unionized Shops

Unionized stores and union-made products mean workers have more power over their pay, safety, and other important issues. Many big box supermarkets are unionized and label local foods—which are more likely to adhere to safe labor standards than products made in other countries. While no union is perfect and even good working conditions can be improved, supporting unions provides a way for workers to establish a better balance of power for their protection and rights. Green America supports striking Starbucks workers, who have made a map of unionized and non-unionized shops—check that out at everyunionstarbucks.com.

If you are curious about whether a store is unionized nationally or at a local chain, do an internet search of “[store name] union,” and that should help you out. Of course, many stores don’t have unions because they may not have enough employees, they may not yet be organizing, or not yet successful in forming a union. Many corporations actively fight against unionization, but when you have a chance, choose unionized. Use Labor411.org to find unionized shops across industries.

2. Support Union Efforts

When workers go on strike—listen to them and support them with your dollars. That means lately, shopping at locally owned coffee shops when Starbucks is striking (or ones that have unionized). When Amazon workers are striking, do your best to avoid shopping from there. In fall 2021, Kellogg’s workers went on strike, so that would have been a good time to try a different cereal brand. After 11 weeks, 1,400 affected workers came to a new five-year contract with the company, which meant a successful strike, as it increased wages and benefits for the workers.

Whether a local or national company, always avoid crossing a picket line—crossing a picket line means going into the places that have striking workers and spending your money there anyway, which communicates not agreeing with what workers are asking for.

If you want to elevate your support, talk to people in the picket line and volunteer your time to join them if you can—adding your voice to the choir is free! If you have money but not time to contribute, dropping off snacks, water, hand warmers, or sunscreen will help those on the picket line stay stronger, longer.

“You can even participate in a community delegation to tell management the concerns from a community/consumer perspective,” says Jean Tong, Green America’s labor campaigns director. “It’s powerful stuff. Strikes have been won with that strategy.”

3. Share Information

When you hear of a worker strike or a petition to improve conditions for workers, share that information. Use social media to share posts, or bring up worker concerns and strikes in conversation. Many people may not know the what of a particular strike—what the workers are facing and fighting for. Sharing this information is a powerful way to get more people to support workers.

4. Ask Where Your Officials Stand

Elected leaders have an outsized say on state and local labor laws. Write an email, make a call, or go to a town hall with elected leaders and ask where they stand on labor issues, like union pushes and fair wages. If they answer in support of workers’ rights, hold them accountable when they get a chance to take action on these topics. If they answer in a way that is more supportive of corporations than workers, it may be time to start a pressure campaign to get them to reconsider their stance.

5. Vote Your Proxies

If you own stocks in individual companies or through mutual funds, you receive a proxy ballot every year to vote in advance of the annual shareholder meeting. Check those proxies for labor-related and other green issues and make sure you or your financial manager vote to voice your opinion. Many shareholders calling for labor rights can work.

6. Make Calls to Companies

When you learn that one of the companies you regularly purchase from pays low wages or treats workers poorly, make a call or write a letter. Let them know that you’ve been a loyal customer, but that you won’t return until they change their practices.

7. Buy US-Made, When You Can

“One of the most important ways to support workers and the labor movement is to know the workers as part of your community, that way when there are issues, it is not just a worker issue but a community issue,” says Tong. “The other huge benefit of supporting local-made is obviously reducing carbon emissions.”

Of course, innumerable amounts of goods are manufactured abroad and shipped to the states. But when possible, buy products that were manufactured in your community, your state, or your local region. The US has stronger labor laws than some (but not all) other countries, which means workers are more likely to be paid fairly, have the right to strike, or at least speak their mind. The extra expense of US production is a major reason why many companies outsource, but it is also a reason that workers might be treated more fairly. And, of course, when workers in your community are looking for support in seeking justice or better conditions, you’ll be more likely to hear about it and be familiar with it, to support them from the start.

When buying from overseas, look for credible certifications, from Fair Trade America, Green America’s Green Business Network, and World Fair Trade Organization. For larger apparel companies, look for companies that take part in the International Accord.

8. Buy Green

Green businesses represent the next evolution of the economy—they are designing products, services, and workplaces with people and the planet at the forefront. Green America works to create a supply of businesses worthy of the green economy—both by pressuring bad actors to do better and by uplifting small green businesses through our Green Business Network. The Network provides resources for businesses, has certification standards across over 30 industries, and provides media coverage to small businesses around the world.

In Latin American countries and lower-latitude communities around the world, researchers are finding a rise of chronic kidney disease in outdoor workers—a consequence of persistent dehydration.

“There are researchers who are saying this is the first epidemic of climate change,” says Dr. Kristina Dahl, a principal climate scientist for the Union of Concerned Scientists. In the US, Dahl says, this reality may not be far off for our own outdoor workforce.

In 2006, California became the first state to pass heat protection standards. In the 17 years since, only three other states have adopted outdoor workplace heat standards: Oregon, Washington, and Colorado (in Colorado, for agricultural workers only).

From farmers to construction workers, landscapers, garbage collectors, airport tarmac workers, emergency responders, and so many more, our country depends on the outdoor workforce, so why don’t we protect them when it comes to heat?

Dahl is focused on outdoor workers, climate, and bridging science with policy. In the next 30 years, she says, the frequency and severity of extreme heat will rise across the country, bringing with it an increase of heat illness and heat-related deaths for workers and worsening historic inequalities for this under-valued workforce. While average temperatures rise nearly every summer, we can start protecting our workers today by passing worker-safety laws and enforcing heat-protection standards and practices.

The State of Heat Standards

Adopting heat protection—for outdoor or indoor workers—involves a knotted web of factors, from policy to implementation. Currently, there are no federal heat protection standards in the US. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a rule that states employers have a duty to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, heat is not specifically mentioned. This means that basic standards for outdoor workers’ health may not be met, such as ample and accessible shade, cold and clean water, and cooling breaks, according to Dahl.

Even in states with protective regulations, when it comes to enforcement, Dahl has heard farm workers say: “There’s one law on the books and there’s another law in the field.”

In California, for example, science-informed heat protection standards do exist; however, implementation varies from employer to employer, field to field. Employees may not be informed of the laws protecting them or the signs and symptoms of heat illness, or employers may not offer that information in the appropriate languages. Some workers may have more incentive to stay quiet than advocate for their rights, like those who are paid by the pound of produce picked, for whom an increase of water and shade breaks would cut into earnings. Undocumented immigrants may fear deportation for speaking up, others may not have the resources to support their advocacy and feel the effort is in vain.

“It’s not a group of people that has been empowered in the past—quite the opposite,” Dahl says. Therefore, even with decent laws, employers must be the ones to hold themselves accountable to provide shade, water, and rest for their workers.

When people with little power, desperate to keep their jobs can’t speak up, it’s called a “lower-archy,” according to Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director for the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH).

“Heat is exactly the same scenario as all other poor conditions that workers face,” Goldstein-Gelb says. “Having the least voice is often equivalent to a death or harm sentence.” And so the system snowballs: when workers can’t speak up, harm and abuse go unreported, and policy is at a standstill.

How We Can Support Outdoor Workers

Build Power from Worker Voices

As with any demand for change and justice, it’s critical to engage with the affected communities. Organizations like National COSH develop campaigns based on a network of community-based worker organizations that speak directly with outdoor and indoor workers operating in extreme heat environments, asking about symptoms but also what would make their lives safer, then encouraging employers to take the steps to protect their workers.

“Without the workers being the eyes and ears on the ground, then it’s all going to be meaningless,” Goldstein-Gelb says. “You can have all the laws you want, but unless there are workers using them and taking action and speaking up, they’re just pieces of paper. Our role is to support workers in building their voice, power, and collective action.”

Advocate for Federal Standards

OSHA has announced that it has begun a rule-making process to regulate protections and enforcement; however, it may be years before we see finalization and real-world implementation.

While state policies and protections are important, federal standards are critical, as they can set protections based on human tolerance and health (compared to varying state-by-state in accordance to how people have acclimated to temperature).

“This is based on health, science, and research about what our bodies can take and can’t take,” says Dahl. “All people in all states deserve to be protected by standards and the only way we’re going to get there is with federal standards in place.”

Then comes on-the-ground enforcement: checking in on employers, reviewing their plans for providing education in multiple languages, and inspecting the quality and temperature of available water and access to ample shade. Goldstein-Gelb adds unionization, collective bargaining agreements, and strong worker committees are equally critical for this vulnerable workforce.

Educate on Heat Health and Safety

It’s important that workers are well-equipped for the immediate threats they currently face. Employers, employees, and advocates can all contribute to protecting outdoor workers with these steps:

• Support local worker-safety organizations in your state or county who protect workers facing extreme heat conditions. Personal testimony and comments of support carry weight in local legislatures, where even 10-20 people’s voices can sway policy.
• If you’re an employer, speak to your workers about what you can do better to provide a safer and more comfortable work environment.
• Provide multi-lingual (including written and verbal) education on the signs of heat illness, dehydration, and heat exhaustion. The CDC lists tips to prevent heat-related illness, such as wearing appropriate clothing, pacing yourself, and drinking plenty of fluids.
• Advocate or implement buddy systems, so workers can look out for their peers while also being looked out for themselves.

The economy can thrive without harming the environment or the beings that call our planet home. This is at the heart of Green America’s mission and why we work for a green economy. Yet that vision seems hard to reach when good jobs and workers’ rights are pitted against the environment—a narrative that doesn’t have to be true.
Historically, industry has exploited both workers and the environment through poor working conditions and pollution. Yet history also shows that people stand up to right these wrongs—whether that be enacting child labor laws, the Clean Water Act, or unionizing workforces.

Recently, some companies have adopted more just and green policies, helping to lead industry towards better standards, such as the minority-owned SUNS (Solar Uptown Now Services) Cooperative that employs people of color in steady, clean-energy jobs. While state-wide policies are failing the green economy movement, such as Texas’ mandate for fossil fuels over renewables, there is hope in the Inflation Reduction Act and the small businesses leading the charge.

It’s more important than ever that worker-organizers, unions, and organizations like Green America are working collectively towards a future where people don’t have to choose between a good job and a clean environment.

Blue Fenceline Communities

Blue collar workers are among the first people to face the impacts of environmental issues. Many live in fenceline communities—neighborhoods that are near high-polluting warehouse districts, industrial factories, and dumps.

In the north of Birmingham, Alabama, the Bluestone Coke plant (which makes fuel for steel manufacturing) has been polluting historically Black neighborhoods for decades. The EPA has designated it as “the 35th Ave Superfund site.” Arsenic and lead have been found in residential soil due to leaks from the plant, and residents bear the burden of disproportionately high rates of respiratory issues and cancer.

For generations, residents have worked at the coke plant without knowledge of the harm it caused to their health and their communities. As blue-collar factory workers, this circumstance demonstrates the tragic intersection of environmental injustice and workers.

Jean Tong, Green America’s labor campaigns director, says that this issue spans industries, from the 35th Avenue Superfund to southeast Los Angeles, where garment workers make clothes that contain harmful chemicals for low pay.

“Low-wage workers who face poor working conditions on the job are often living in highly polluted fenceline communities,” says Tong. “Low-income working families are also vulnerable consumers to products sold by companies such as Amazon or Shein that may contain toxic chemicals because of their low prices.”

Tong calls these compounded stressors the “triple-whammy”on low-wage workers—unsafe working conditions, high exposure to environmental risks, and limited access to affordable and healthy essential daily products and food. They are the reasons why organizing at the intersection of workers’ rights and environmental justice is so important.

Where Blue Collar Meets Green

With environmental issues affecting blue collar workers acutely, shouldn’t labor groups and environmental organizations to work together? It’s not that simple.

For example, Native American communities led the fight against the Keystone XL Pipeline, joined by environmentalists and other concerned citizens. When President Biden canceled the pipeline, it was celebrated as a win among these allies. However, the Laborers’ International Union of the North and more labor unions supported the Keystone XL for its creation of steady union jobs. Today, these same unions applaud Biden’s approval of the long-delayed Willow Project in Alaska, which once again is being fought by local Native American communities and allied environmentalists. While these fossil fuel projects contribute to the climate crisis, they also provide steady good-paying jobs for union workers.

“It’s not fair or practical to ask workers to choose between feeding their families and saving the environment,” says Tong. “The responsibility falls on a comprehensive national ‘just transition’ plan toward green jobs and renewable energy. They are two sides of the same coin.”

BlueGreen Alliance, an organization which unites labor unions and environmental organizations for the shared interest of a clean environment and quality jobs, seeks to create policy solutions to these issues.

“We don’t want folks to have to choose between a good job and a clean environment,” Katie Harris, BlueGreen Alliance’s legislative director, says. “We advocated for the Inflation Reduction Act [IRA]. For the first time, labor standards are attached to clean energy tax credits.” This will incentivize companies to invest in clean energy resources that pay a prevailing wage for the tax credits they will earn—prevailing wage means a basic hourly rate given to people who work the same job, used by the government to ensure that tax credits or dollars only go to businesses that pay workers fairly.

This means that under 2022’s IRA, investments in clean energy must also consider the wellbeing of the workers—a major step forward for energy justice. More than nine million clean energy jobs could be created over the next decade with these rules in mind.

Community in Clean Energy

Responsibility falls on corporations to switch to clean energy and support good jobs. Corporations are responsible for 75% of all energy used in the US, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Telecom companies are expected to grow in influence as society becomes more dependent on telecoms to communicate and conduct business, according to Green America’s “Calling for a Just, Clean Transition” 2021 report. They have power to influence clean energy investments with their massive energy use and advance energy justice in the workforce by employing underserved communities.

Dan Howells, Green America’s climate campaigns director, says that public pressure is needed to get companies to transition to clean energy. Whether that’s publicly on social media or calling your provider directly, it’s important for the public to take part.

“The inevitable is coming,” says Howells. “We’ve already reached peak-oil, -coal, and the fossil fuel industry is in decline. The next step is, who’s going to build, install, and maintain all new renewable energy infrastructure and systems?”

Howells uses the example of electric charging stations. As electric vehicles grow in popularity, charging stations are built to serve the same function as gas stations—refueling. However, as more stations pop up across the nation, a workforce will have to maintain them. Our report urges companies to employ women and people of color, to protect workers by honoring the right to organize, and offer prevailing wages.

ChargerHelp! in Los Angeles is a company growing this workforce. ChargerHelp! offers electric vehicle supply equipment technician training and certification, re-skilling for workers looking to change fields, and trainings for workforce development organizations.

As companies like ChargerHelp! transition the workforce into an emerging energy landscape, Howells emphasizes how important conversation between communities and companies is to workers.

“It starts with a conversation: companies with market power should consult with communities where they have current or future projects,” says Howells. “And, they should make sure that the good jobs that come along with renewable energy projects benefit those communities.”

Under the IRA, corporations are eligible for clean energy tax credits, which incentivizes them to invest in good jobs for clean-energy workers.

An Energy Transition for Everyone

Historically, low-income communities and communities of color have been the last to see the benefits of energy transitions and the first to experience negative effects—the neighborhoods near the 35th Avenue Superfund site are a prime example of many environmental injustices around the country. But Green America’s telecoms and labor justice campaigns as well as organizations like BlueGreen Alliance are working to make sure history won’t repeat itself in the clean energy transition.

“In the times we’ve had big economic shifts, there are people who’ve been left behind,” says Harris. “There has to be intentional investments in keeping communities whole. We can make sure that the communities that want these investments actually have a say.”

Harris references coal miners in Appalachia that support the transition to clean energy jobs. United Mineworkers Association members urged Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to support Biden’s 2022 budget bill for its policies of employing former miners in new industries. With the passing of the IRA later that year, there is $369 billion allocated for the transition to renewable energy, some of which will be spent to bolster a clean energy economy in West Virginia.

“Labor union apprenticeship programs have the power to uplift immigrants and communities of color by providing a pathway toward middle class jobs and access to crucial benefits like affordable health care and pensions,” says Tong.

The US can reach for the new frontier of clean energy without leaving anyone behind by addressing the triple win of a just transition: supporting workers’ needs and rights; safeguarding the environment and tackling climate change; and addressing the communities affected. With these tools, labor unions and environmental groups can work towards a future where good jobs and a healthy environment go hand in hand.

Anna Ortega is a lifelong resident of San Bernardino, California. That city is part of the “Inland Empire” north of Los Angeles, once known for its agricultural industry, now known for being a center for warehousing, trucking, and shipping. In April 2021, Amazon started air operations at the San Bernardino airport. In November of that year, Ortega started working there, sorting packages and braving the sometimes stifling heat. Ortega once dreamed of working her way up the ladder with promotions at Amazon. After finding momentum with an organizing workers’ committee, she is now passionate about making her (in)famous workplace better for her colleagues and community. Ortega shared her story with Green American in April, 2023.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you come to work for Amazon?

I was burning through my savings and I really needed a job. [My mom] was working at an Amazon fulfillment center and I was going to apply to the one she was working at, but when I pulled up the Amazon application website, I saw that there was a sign-on bonus for the airport, so I decided to apply there instead. I was actually scared to work at Amazon because I had heard things from other people that have worked at Amazon about the working conditions and what it was like, and so I was fully prepared to quit after six months. But I ended up liking it because of my coworkers. And especially now—the environment that we’re creating, the culture that we’re creating… I really enjoy it.

How did you become involved in worker justice advocacy?

In 2021, the Amazon building where Ortega works had an unannounced closure. A group of affected workers started a petition asking for back pay and policy change regarding unpaid workdays.

When they approached me with the petition, I was honest with them. I told them, ‘I think what you guys are doing is cool, but I don’t want to jeopardize my chances for promoting.’ I thought anybody who signed it was going to get fired. I was scared, and so I declined. But then, the committee delivered the petition and none of them got fired. They didn’t get back pay, but the company gave us a month where we could pick up all the extra time we wanted.

That sent a message. My coworkers got together, they worked, they told the managers, ‘Hey, this is wrong, and you should fix it.’ And they fixed it. And none of them got in trouble. They’re all still here. I thought that was incredibly powerful and after that, I started thinking, hey, that positive change is good. What more can be done?

What is your role?

My department is called Mez [referring to the upper mezzanine level of the building, according to an Amazon job posting]. We do most of the sorting for the building. Most of the sorting happens manually: we take one package at a time, place it on a conveyor or on a robot, scan it, and the conveyor or robot automatically will take it where it needs to go. I get in at 7 a.m. and I leave at 5:30 p.m.

We’re seeing an influx of being sent out of our department to help another department that’s understaffed. It’s pretty unpopular, because we don’t get refresher training on how to do things, and we have to look to the people near us for help because it’s difficult to track down a management member.

I definitely noticed that whenever we hold a delegation, where a group of us goes to talk to a manager, they never say it but we instantly kind of get penalized for it. [Editor’s note: ‘delegation’ is what the workers call it when members of the organizing committee approach management with complaints or concerns. The committee is not recognized formally by Amazon.] We get back from the delegation and back to working and after a few minutes you know, we get sent out of the department and then down in the other department, they’ll say, ‘Why did they send you?’

After the first big action that I took as part of the committee, the next day not a single manager or PA [process assistant, functionally a manager] said anything to me until after like six hours into the shift. Then they pulled a bunch of us to the side like, ‘We just want to let you guys know like we appreciate you, you are welcome to raise your concerns, you can talk to us,’ but it took them six hours to say that.

Anytime we’re going to do a delegation, with work friends who are not part of the committee usually, I give them this talk: ‘They might treat you differently, you’re not imagining it. They will do that.’

Do you feel safe?

It doesn’t always feel like a safe place, no. There’s definitely times when it feels very hectic and everyone seemed frazzled and stressed. Whenever something goes down or something gets jammed, there’s alarms that go off. In those cases, management will still try and push for productivity over safety. I feel like they tend to forget that we’re actual human beings sometimes.

Tell us about the heat you deal with at work and how you addressed issues with it last summer.

The outside department working directly with the planes, they are outside all day in the sun, breathing in the jet fuel and the fumes. They had to walk and walk to find water and have a cool space to sit down and rest if they needed it. On the inside we were dealing with similar issues. There’s an entire department that works adjacent to outside, so they’re letting out the building’s air-conditioned air. There were no fans for them down there, and they didn’t have water in easily accessible areas. If they left their workstations to go and get some, by the time they’d came back, their supervisors were there asking why they were gone for so long, giving them a hard time, when all they wanted was to go and get water.

We realized, no, this isn’t okay, we shouldn’t be dealing with this, so we did two ‘heat delegations.’ We went up to the building’s manager so that we could share our stories and raise our concerns. After that, we saw some pretty big changes. Outside they started giving them their heat breaks, they got really big misters, more ice chests with water. We saw this push from management, letting us know, ‘Hey, remember, pace yourself; don’t overwork yourself; make sure you’re drinking water; if you don’t feel good, take a break.’ We weren’t seeing that before.

Does this create permanent change?

We definitely still have to keep them accountable, we still have to be the ones to [say], ‘Hey, there’s an issue here.’ It needs to be addressed. And then again, ‘Hey, has that issue that I raised the other day been addressed yet?’ [Heat safety measures have] definitely declined a bit since immediately after they were on top of things. Little by little they decline.

[But our organizing committee meets] with each other very often, talk about the issues to try and come up with ways to solve them. At this point, I consider this committee my family because I know that when I have an issue, as hard as it may seem to me in the moment, I know that at the end of the day, I can talk to any one of them. We can get through this together.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m pretty hell-bent on staying here. My involvement over the past year and a half, it’s definitely changed who I am. I really do hope to make this job a better one, and a good one. A job that someone in this community can go to and be able to support [their] family with.

I was born and raised in this city. This is my community. The people who live here deserve better. I do genuinely want to make this a better [opportunity] for the community.

In movies, robots oscillate between good and evil. Wall-E cleaned up trash on an abandoned planet while childlike M3gan committed murder without remorse.

In the workplace, robotics issues looks more like 2019’s Oscar winning documentary “American Factory,” which shows automation bringing an Ohio glass-making factory back to life, but not necessarily giving a good life to workers in it.

When it comes to workplace robotics, the first equipment was introduced by engineers at General Motors in 1961: a robotic arm that could lift and stack 75 pounds of hot metal at a time. With this, dangerous tasks for people were made safer by a machine.

Jessie HF Hammerling, co-director of the Green Economy program at the University of California Berkeley Labor Center, emphasizes that robotics are not inherently bad or good—we have to ask, how are they being used? The answer has huge impacts on workers and the climate.

Robots in the Workforce

Amazon, known for its cheap finds and speedy deliveries at the expense of workers and the planet, employs about 1.6 million people globally and has deployed more than 520,000 robots in its fulfillment and sorting centers. According to investor and CEO of ARK Invest, Cathie Wood, Amazon is adding about a thousand robots per day, which could lead to robots outnumbering human staff in just seven years.

But robots are making the fulfillment centers less safe. Amazon experiences 5.9 serious injuries per 100 employees at non-robotic warehouses (already double the rate of non-Amazon warehouses), but an astonishing 7.9 serious injuries per 100 employees at facilities with robots.

At the Labor Center, Hammerling and her team’s research shows that robotics and enhanced technologies will have a greater impact on job quality than job quantity for human workers. Their multi-year studies covered five of the most robotized sectors—warehouses, trucking, retail, healthcare, and food delivery.

“Job losses were concentrated in specific occupations and limited in scope, but the consequences for workers’ job quality overall were far more substantial, in ways that can have pretty significant negative outcomes for workers, such as lower wages, de-skilling, work speed-up, loss of autonomy and privacy, and the worst impacts were in particular for women and people of color,” Hammerling says.

Outsized impacts on women and people of color come because technological changes can worsen existing inequalities. Many front-line occupations like warehouse workers, cashiers, health aides, and nurses are more likely to be women, people of color, or both.

But, Hammerling says, the effects come from how technology is being developed and deployed. For example, tracking devices used by Amazon to track warehouse workers compromise worker privacy and increase work speeds.

But a similar type of technology has been designed for hotel housekeepers, where location tracking can be activated by a worn panic button, which can help staff get quick help in dangerous situations with guests.
As robots aren’t inherently good or bad for labor, so too with climate—it’s all about context.

Robotics and the Climate

People aren’t thinking enough about the climate impacts of robotics, says Dr. Fiachra O’Brolcháin. He does, as a philosopher and professor at Dublin City University. In his paper, “Environmental Impact of Robotics: Ethical Concerns and Legal Alternatives,” published in Springer Nature in 2020, he and his co-author say that sufficient attention has not been paid to environmental concerns.

“There’s a huge sort of techno-philic attitude in Western cultures—we’re always very excited about new technologies and equate that with progress,” O’Brolcháin says. “Insofar as there’s a focus on the downsides, that I’ve come across, it is the focus on labor and the potential huge loss of jobs from AI and robotics. The environmental aspect has been overlooked.”

The paper brings light to a multitude of issues that should be addressed as robotics are developed and popularized: e-waste, raw materials and chemicals in supply chains, energy use, and environmental justice. For example, if robots become consumer products (as they already have, with robotic vacuums and autonomous vehicles), they might become quickly obsolete status symbols that constantly are tossed away and upgraded, instead of well-fabricated, durable machines meant to be used and repaired for a long life cycle.

Workers really need to have a voice in the processes of technological change, whether it’s climate-related or not.

— Jessie HF Hammerling, UC Berkeley Labor Center

Like many products, the issue with robotics is that the environmental impacts—using a green and just supply chain, with fair pay and without polluting marginalized communities—are often only examined after they have happened. O’Brolcháin says there is a need for governments to consider environmental impacts and create regulations to make products in a green way.

“You’d hope that governments would regulate the market so that we are protected from the more pernicious effects of robots. But with governments, it depends on who you vote for and what sort of lobbies are there,” O’Brolcháin says.

Policymakers in the European Union are starting to look at potential issues, with The Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, and GDPR, a data protection act, but while those do reference human rights, they are not designed to address environmental concerns.

Many roboticists are looking to create climate good with their technologies, which can take on dull, dirty, and/or dangerous tasks—for example SS MAPR, an autonomous boat that can be used to check river pollution and collect data at multiple depths, which could drive stronger pollution laws. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is working on developing robots to repurpose retired electric vehicle batteries to be used as energy storage for buildings—using robots for this can reduce human exposure to toxic chemicals and high voltage.

What’s Next

What’s clear from both Hammerling and O’Brolcháin is that robotic technologies have potential to better human lives and the environment. Tech companies, governments, and potential purchasers of robotics need to participate in ensuring that outcome.

Both experts hope a change in perspective could be what’s next.

“Is it progress to develop a huge number of robots, if they’re very detrimental to the planetary system that we rely on for survival?” O’Brolcháin asks. “Or should there be some notion of a collective good for us all [including nature]?”

Hammerling says for any type of technological change, as workers’ processes change, their feedback needs to be considered.

“Robotics is just one of many types of technological change. The transition to a low-carbon economy is also a form of technological change,” Hammerling says. “Workers really need to have a voice in the processes of technological change, whether it’s climate-related or not.”

At the end of the day, she says that comes down to soliciting feedback from workers and allowing organizing among workers as their workplaces change.

Technology continues to advance, with robotics in the past, present, and future. To ensure that they contribute to an environmentally sustainable society and people-first economy, we must institute technologies while considering the collective good of workers and the planet.

Pressure is rising, creating real progress. Workers are pushing for unions and an end to poor treatment at some of the country’s most recognizable companies. Meanwhile, workers in every sector of the economy are recognizing a need for work/life balance and interest in the four-day workweek is growing.

At the same time, there have been alarming setbacks. Arkansas passed a law making it easier for children to work grueling jobs and other states are following suit.

Needing to push against child labor, organize in protest of poor working conditions and advocate for shorter work weeks… we feel like we’ve seen this before. With this issue, we explore the challenges and victories that workers face today, which are iterations on justice and equity issues from the past. We delve into the power of collective action, the potential of a just transition when it comes to climate solutions, the challenges of facing profit-driven corporations, and the tragedy of kids working dangerous jobs.

Workers across the labor force—whether doing manual labor, employed in the service industry, or sitting behind computers everyday—are feeling discontent and ready to do something about it. National Labor Relations Board chairman and professor Mark Pearce says that the pandemic was the wakeup call and catalyst—for people asking the question, “Is there another way to work and live?” Vulnerable workers in the pandemic were “not only scared, they were pissed,” Pearce said to CNBC.

With companies pivoting and shuttering, work looks and feels different since the start of the pandemic. Jobs and paychecks disappeared for the estimated 9.6 million workers who lost their jobs in the first three quarters of 2020. Some social systems provided support, such as stimulus checks and paid sick leave, and other systems failed, as up to 14% of families didn’t have enough to eat at the peak of the crisis.

After the pandemic laid bare the problems with work across the economy, people want a better way forward—and ways to build our communities to help ourselves. For ideas about how to do that, turn the pages to read more about workers organizing with new momentum, the rise of the climate-labor connection, and the growing interest in the four-day work week.

We also explore those areas where system change is most needed—and the most difficult. People who are already marginalized due to systemic racism and inequality are too often stuck in low-wage jobs and in workplaces where it is unsafe to demand change. Consider, for example, children workers and outdoor workers.

In 2022, Americans witnessed, and some participated in, union resurgences across the country, along with the highest approval of unions since the major labor organizing in the 1960s. At the same time, we are seeing a corporate backlash to worker power with companies engaging in massive layoffs and outright denial of poor treatment.

Labor victories happening right next to attacks on labor organizing and laws is why we need governments at all levels, companies of all sizes, and communities everywhere to create a culture, alongside policies, that values workers in the long term.

Green America’s labor campaigns director, Jean Tong, reminds us not to forget that each worker we meet in these pages or hear about on the news is a member of a community—maybe yours. As we support a local union or call for better safety standards, we lift up our communities. As we build greener, more just workplaces, we make our cities, towns, and country stronger, too.

In March 2020, our country experienced a profound shift. Streets emptied, classrooms turned virtual, office buildings closed—and a spotlight turned brightly on a workforce that had been historically overlooked and undervalued.

“For the first time ever, frontline workers were a central part of the picture,” says Gina Falada, associate director of advancing worker justice at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR).

At the onset of covid-19 and in its aftermath, labor issues like paid sick leave and workplace health and safety have come to national attention, including to investors.

“The pandemic created an opportunity to shine a light on all these issues,” says Falada.

But we shouldn’t have to wait for a crisis to address glaring problems.

ICCR is a shareholder advocacy group which organizes institutional investors to use their power to push companies towards better policies through shareholder proposals and resolutions. Gina Falada and Nadira Narine, senior director of strategic initiatives at ICCR, help guide and inform investor-members so that their shareholding power uplifts workers and their basic human rights every day.

“Shareholder resolutions are intended to benefit the company and its shareholders by encouraging the company to employ high-road employment practices: preventing discrimination or harassment, respecting workers and their freedom to join trade unions, adopting health and safety protections, and more,” explains Brandon Rees, deputy director of corporations and capital markets for AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions that represents nearly 17 million workers.

Shareholder Resolutions on Labor Rights

Currently, freedom of association and collective bargaining, the protected rights of unionizing employees, are gaining significant momentum among shareholders. After votes last year at Amazon and Tesla, ICCR is now tracking 12 resolutions demanding that company policies protect worker leadership and unionizing efforts, especially at Starbucks, Amazon, and other major corporations.

For example, Starbucks, as well as Apple, both had high-profile cases of suppressing staff organizing efforts. Hyewon Han, director of shareholder advocacy at Trillium Asset Management, is working with investors on shareholder resolutions that call on these companies to examine their commitment to human rights—particularly, the right to form trade unions. Han says the first step is for companies to hire independent auditors to assess a company’s alignment to its own commitments and incorporate workers’ experiences into the analysis. Apple agreed to hire an independent firm to do this audit, so shareholders withdrew their resolution.

AFL-CIO also protects working people by filing resolutions such as a Wells Fargo resolution on freedom of association that received 34% of the shareholder vote in April. Rees says he is hopeful Wells Fargo will take action, “given the significant percentage of shareholders that supported the proposal.” Another resolution at Amazon encourages the board of directors to consider all company employee pay when setting CEO targets. Amazon famously has the highest CEO-to-worker pay ratio of all S&P 500 companies, Rees says, with the CEO making more than 1,000 times the median employee’s compensation.

Other pro-worker resolutions in 2023 address paid sick leave, gender and racial pay disparities, and workplace diversity. According to the 2023 Proxy Preview report, about 50 shareholder proposals asked about fair pay, working conditions, and benefits.

Everyone Benefits When Investors Stand with Workers

Responsible investors don’t want to profit from exploitation. Many investors have already aligned their portfolios with their values via divestment, shareholder resolutions, corporate discourse, and community development investments to further workers’ rights, green manufacturing, racial and economic justice, and other issues benefiting workers and communities.

For the investors who are only interested in maximizing their profits, what is their incentive to care about workers?

Han looks at the example of union-busting tactics used by corporations historically and in the present, like at Amazon and Starbucks. Old-school management tactics say that unionized workers cost the company more, but Han points out the additional resources needed to put out legal fires and handle a PR crisis, plus the hit taken to morale of all employees.

“There’s research showing that if you develop high-quality partnerships between labor unions and management, you can have productivity gains, among other benefits,” Han says, referring to process improvements, higher morale, and less turnover.

In addition, ICCR points to the recent wave coined as The Great Resignation where people are walking away from poor treatment.

“If [companies] want to be able to grow and sustain themselves as a business, they really have to take a deeper look at what it means to ensure that workers walk in the door and stay there,” says Narine. “I think investors are recognizing that and signaling it in their vote support.”

Whatever is holding national attention—whether that be the pandemic, an investigation, debate, or exposé—is an opportunity for shareholders to enact policy change that reflects their values.

In the exasperated words of Dolly Parton, “Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living!”

The world of work is evolving, such as strictly in-office workspaces becoming hybrid-remote, to robots in the workplace. Many of today’s workers seek to bring personal interests and causes to their job.

It is possible to bring these interests in environmental and social issues to nearly any job, even if “climate” or “justice” isn’t part of the description. More than 60% of workers want their employers to act on issues like climate change, equality, and poverty, according to a 2021 study by Atlassian. Though, unfortunately, in many parts of the nation, policies or cultures can make it dangerous or even illegal to fight back against racism or speak up on climate.

If you can bring your interests to the workplace, it’s important that you do. The climate crisis is affecting people around the world and social tensions are at a high. Learning how to address these issues as best you can in your current role is a great place to start.

Start Where You Are

Ask yourself: how can you align your job with climate and social justice goals?

Look for places to make change. If you work in finance, can you move the company’s finances towards sustainable investments or switch to a community development bank or credit union? If you work in human resources, could you offer greener benefits like socially responsible retirement plan options or add goals to job descriptions that seek climate and social justice outcomes? Communications teams can help translate complex climate language into something that makes sense for their audience. Supply chain managers can seek partnerships with manufacturers that treat their warehouse workers fairly.

“Legal teams inside companies are often the liaison with the board of directors and we need ESG [environmental, social, and governance] outcomes tied to executive compensation and tied to board performance,” says Jamie Alexander, director of Drawdown Labs at Project Drawdown, a nonprofit providing science-based climate solutions to help the world reduce and draw down greenhouse gas emissions. “The more legal teams can [make] carbon reductions and other climate outcomes legally binding within the company is hugely important.”

You don’t have to work at an office to make a change. Hair stylists can recycle foils and use vegan products as Head Case Hair Studio does in Dallas, Texas. Coffee shops are hubs for conversation, so baristas can support climate conversation by putting up flyers in support of local climate events, making vegan milks the default, and providing discounts for customers that bring in reusable cups.

Some actions require approval from management. With your request, point to a 2021 report from GreenPrint that says 66% of people are willing to pay more for sustainable products. It may not be so hard to convince your boss when profits might increase. Just make sure that the products you offer are truly sustainable—do your research.

You don’t have to stop there. Addressing social tensions is possible when leading with empathy.

Listen, Amplify, and Represent

Matt Scott, director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, suggests listening to those that are historically excluded from social justice conversations. Amplifying marginalized voices forwards representation, says Scott, who knows first-hand as a Black, queer storyteller featuring underrepresented voices in the series “Drawdown’s Neighborhood.” Sometimes that may be amplifying coworkers of color, low-wage workers without safe workplace conditions down the supply chain, or interviewing underrepresented voices in an article.

“Open up those lines of communication and have conversations that allow you to better understand,” says Scott on connecting with marginalized groups. “What would be best for business and most impactful at the same time? How could you leverage your superpowers as an organization, as an employee, to make an impact?”

As a writer or filmmaker, how could your story benefit from an interview with marginalized groups? Workers in government and community affairs can look towards how a company can use its influence to support social justice policy that is informed by affected groups. Human resources professionals can offer workplace diversity trainings. Clothing and handmade goods could come with tags that say the names of artisans. Bookstore clerks can put anti-racism and local history books on display.

Mitigate Risks Through Community

No matter your role, anyone can work towards building a vibrant workplace. Conversations in the break room or check-in questions at meetings are all pulse checks on what co-workers are interested in, whether that’s a conscious choice or not. Bringing social and climate justice issues into these conversations helps normalize these topics.

“This work is hard to do alone. There’s this fear of, ‘What will my supervisor say if I try to make these changes?’” says Alexander. “Having a solid group of people who are working on this together and have one another to learn from—strength in numbers is really important.”

No one should lose their job for bringing up their concerns, but it could be a risk, depending on management, and what and how you ask. Start pragmatically by outlining the benefits to the company. For example, purpose-driven companies have 40% higher workforce retention than competitors, according to a 2020 report from Deloitte. If leadership learns that climate action and social justice results in improved profits, customer loyalty, and more, they are more likely to agree.

“Center the why” when presenting arguments, says Scott. Personal examples and science-based ones appeal to the emotional and analytical sides of people. “[Make sure] folks will understand the benefit. When it comes to diversity, for example, studies have talked about and continue to talk about how diversity leads to more creative organizations and leads to more profitable organizations,” he says.

In the workplace, this may look like developing a pitch for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice trainings—you don’t have to work in human resources to ask for this. Use science-based research like the 2021 report from Catalyst that states empathetic workplaces have stronger cultures and productivity, as well as personal examples of reduced burnout and increased morale.

However, if that doesn’t work, and you opt for collective action approaches such as walkouts and strikes, developing a community is vital.

“Having folks you can turn to for support and just validate your work or speak up for the efforts you are trying to forward could go a long way,” Scott says. “It gives you a position of being more resilient in facing the challenges you could have.”

No matter what your position, ask yourself how you can forward climate outcomes and social justice in the workplace. Small solutions are just as vital as large ones—and working towards them together will bring ideas to reality.

How do you approach climate and justice concerns in your work? Email us to share your story.

Thank you to Krista Kurth, who inspired this piece.

Don’t think child labor in the US is a thing of the past. In 2022, the US Department of Labor (DOL) discovered over 100 children, aged 13-17, employed in dangerous jobs at meatpacking plants across the country by Packers Sanitation Services Incorporated (PSSI).

“This isn’t kids working at Dairy Queen for too many hours, it’s kids working in meat factories, ankle deep in blood and cleaning saws,” explains Reid Maki, director of child labor advocacy at the National Consumers League (NCL) and coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition.

The DOL reported at least three children suffered chemical burns from the caustic cleaning supplies they used. Many worked night shifts after attending school all day.

“It harkens back to a Dickensian idea of child labor,” Maki says.

Though horrifying accounts of dangerous child labor conditions may seem out of place in the 21st century United States, child labor has always been present, if hidden. Exploiting children for labor has followed the familiar thread of targeting the most vulnerable, from enslaved African children on plantations to immigrant children and families experiencing severe poverty.

In 1938, advocates for children won a victory when the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) placed limitations on child labor, like prohibiting children under 16 from working in manufacturing or mining. Later amendments introduced more restrictions, but child labor has nonetheless persisted—in 2023, the DOL found a 69% increase in illegal child employment since 2018, with over 3,800 children employed illegally, likely a significant undercount. The Child Labor Coalition estimates more than 300,000 migrant children work in agriculture alone.

States Are Racing to the Bottom

Less than a year after the PSSI investigation, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law a bill loosening child labor restrictions, by removing parental consent and age verification requirements. In the past two years, 10 states introduced or passed legislation rolling back protections for child laborers.

“Most of these bills are put forward by conservative legislators who believe in untrammeled parental rights [like allowing their children to work],” Maki says. Other legislation that claims to be about “parents’ rights” attack books in school libraries, LGBTQ+ content and speech. These are dog whistles that willfully ignore the consequences and already marginalized communities that will be hurt.

“They don’t consider the repercussions of child labor—the injury rates, the school dropout rates,” Maki says.

Another twisted justification for allowing child workers is labor shortages, due to factors like long-covid keeping people home sick, covid deaths, and a decline in immigration during the height of the pandemic. Also, the most dangerous jobs are often underpaid, which makes it difficult to attract adult workers, opening the door for exploiting children.

Maki speculates that legislators who support loosening child labor laws do so because they see it as a way to address labor shortages.

“Don’t address labor shortages on the backs of teen workers, especially in dangerous workplaces. Instead, raise wages and hire better-equipped adults,” Maki says.

Agriculture is a dangerous industry—and one that benefits from FLSA exemptions. In agriculture, children as young as 16 can work hazardous jobs like operating a forklift or handling and applying chemicals for over eight hours a day.

The United States Government Accountability Office found in 2018 that more than half of all work-related deaths among children occur in agriculture, though the industry employs less than 6% of all child workers (again, likely an undercount).

“We’re particularly concerned about kids working in tobacco fields because the crop is toxic,” Maki says. “Kids wear black plastic garbage bags while they work in oppressive heat to protect themselves.”

One such kid was Jose Velasquez, who immigrated to the US with his mother from Mexico when he was ten months old. When he was eight, he began working on a blueberry farm and switched to a tobacco field at 13.

“A typical day spanned from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with an hour for lunch,” Velasquez, now a college sophomore, recalls. “Tobacco is grown in the summer and North Carolina is a humid state. Some couldn’t even eat or keep down lunch because they were so dehydrated and exhausted.”

It wasn’t just physical hardships, either. Velasquez remembers the pain of returning home so exhausted, he didn’t have the energy to play with his friends during the sun-filled summer evenings.

A typical day spanned from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with an hour for lunch. Tobacco is grown in the summer and North Carolina is a humid state. Some couldn’t even eat or keep down lunch because they were so dehydrated and exhausted.

—Jose Velasquez, who worked as a child harvesting tobacco in North Carolina

Children Face Unfair, Unequal Treatment

It’s no coincidence that in the 1930s when the FLSA was written, and agriculture was exempt from various restrictions, Black people disproportionately worked in agriculture.

In no uncertain terms, Maki states the underpinnings of child labor in agriculture are racism, stemming from slavery and now most prevalent among migrant children. Most migrant children today are Latin American, seeking asylum from countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, he says.

Mary Miller Flowers, director of policy and legislative affairs at The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, adds that these children are already coming from the margins of society, fleeing poverty, violence, and climate change displacement.

“Our narratives about teenage Black and brown boys, gang and infiltration language, all of it is coming from a racist perspective on who does and doesn’t belong,” Flowers says.

The number of unaccompanied minors arriving to the US reached a high of 130,000 in 2022. Upon arrival, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) takes responsibility for placing children with sponsors. With many children and pressure to move them quickly out of detention centers, which cannot adequately serve children’s needs, HHS caseworkers were overloaded and may have made mistakes in the vetting process for sponsors, according to a 2023 New York Times investigation.

Once on the farm, Velasquez describes a “power dynamic” that puts undocumented immigrants at further risk.
“Sometimes we worked on small family farms,” he says. “The farmer’s children, most often white, got longer breaks, got to go inside and wait for the day to cool down. We didn’t have those benefits; we were expected to work 11 hours non-stop.”

Instability also contributes to disproportionate risks of child labor exploitation. UNICEF, for example, reported a correlation between a rise in poverty and an increase in child labor.

The COVID lockdown accelerated these conditions. While many families faced tight economic situations, children were resigned to remote learning. This reality made for a perfect storm for child labor as Human Rights Watch reported remote schooling and financial hardship led to more children working.

Low grades and dropout rates are intrinsically tied to how many hours a child works, according to NCL and studies that found children who work over 20 hours a week are more likely to drop out.

The Kids Need Our Help

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) reintroduced the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety of 2022 (CARE Act) before retiring at the end of the last congressional session. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) recently reintroduced the legislation in June 2023.

The bill proposes several new federal child labor restrictions, including pesticide use and undoing agricultural exemptions. It also imposes new reporting requirements for work-related injuries and deaths of agricultural employees under 18, as well as new and more severe criminal violations and fines.

Maki is a strong advocate for steeper fines.

“The $1.5 million fine PSSI got this time is one day of revenue for them,” he says. “This was not enough of a consequence—all the owners got off scot-free even though they knew the children were there.”

This kind of work can’t be solved overnight, but Maki is committed to it: “Here we are, 80 years later [after the FLSA], and we’re still trying to fix it. At every session [of Congress], [NCL] will support a bill to raise the age that children can work until it passes.”

Don’t address labor shortages on the backs of teen workers, especially in dangerous workplaces. Instead, raise wages and hire better-equipped adults.

—Reid Maki, National Consumers League (NCL)

Systemic change is at the core of the issue, especially for migrant children.

“Family separation means children end up in more vulnerable positions and there’s very little opportunity for them to develop trusted relationships with anyone, let alone someone managing their care,” Flowers says. “The less institutionalization of children the better.”

Community and peer-based support and resources are also key.

“We don’t want the government to regularly check in on these families,” she explains, noting their inherent and understandable distrust of the government. “They should be able to access meaningful services with people they can trust, like a church or peers who have navigated this reality themselves.”

Velasquez wants people to educate themselves on the reality of child labor and make changes in their everyday lives.

“Learn what companies are profiting from child labor and don’t buy their products,” he says, recommending instead to buy Fair Trade certified and avoid meat from large corporations.

You can also contact your representatives and demand support for legislation like the CARE Act and immigration reform, report labor violations to the DOL, vote in shareholder proxy ballots, and choose socially responsible investments.

Workers across the country are fighting for similar rights and protections as decades and centuries ago. As we lift their voices, we lift our communities.

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee held a hearing this month on environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices as the result of a letter sent from 21 state attorneys general to top asset managers that warned them against using ESG considerations in their investment decisions. It’s the latest GOP attack on responsible investing and, according to Dana Milbank’s May 14 Sunday Opinion column, “The party of capitalism comes for the free market,” the free market.

Research shows that returns on socially responsible investments are on par or better than returns on investments not based on ESG principles, especially over the long term.

Legislation in Texas banning cities from contracting with banks with ESG policies cost investors an extra $303 million to $532 million in higher municipal bond interest rates. Taxpayers in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and West Virginia could have owed up to $708 million in additional interest charges on municipal bonds because of anti-ESG laws and bills.

ESG investing seeks out information about risk and opportunity that is not necessarily reflected on a company’s balance sheet. Individual, institutional and public asset managers should be free to consider all information when making critical investment decisions. It is not the role of federal or state government to tell asset managers how to manage investments for their clients.

The extremist attorneys general opposing the freedom to invest responsibly — and the fossil fuel, firearm and mining industries supporting them — should know: This is how the free market works.

The most important thing we can do in the face of partisan attacks on ESG is to keep supporting socially responsible investing.

Cathy Cowan Becker, Washington

The writer is the responsible finance campaign director at Green America.

In 2021, Juneteenth became a national holiday—for many this was their first time hearing about the holiday. But this day isn’t about a free day off work or no school. For Black people this has been a holiday celebrated for years. The legacy of Black Americans is often overlooked by this country, which is why July 4th is not the day that marks their independence, June 19th is!

Juneteenth marks the 19th day in June 1865, when Black people in Galveston, Texas were informed—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation—that slavery was abolished, and the Civil War had ended. This brought liberation to Black Texans (and Black Americans everywhere). The significance of Juneteenth is more relevant now than ever, because “freedom” is represented in Black communities through their influence, art, music, and cultural foods.

We hope the information, events, actions, and suggestions of Black-led organizations to support will strengthen your commemoration of Juneteenth.

History/ Community /Social Justice

History of Juneteenth

History of Juneteenth: Information for kids

From Juneteenth to Reparations: Reclaiming Our Stolen Stories

Juneteenth Virtual Toolkit – Smithsonian

Walking Black History Podcast 

Economy:

Invest in Black Communities

How Systemic Racism Keeps Black Americans Out of Investing

The Investing Industry Takes On Economic Justice

Shop Black Owned: Green America

Environment:

8 Black Leaders Who've Revolutionized the Climate Movement

'Black Nature': Poems Of Promise And Survival

Black Americans’ Connection to Land Leads to Serenity

Take Action: Environmental Justice

Events:

Search “Juneteenth” and your city or state to find celebrations and ways to volunteer near you

In-person event 6/17: Community Day ( Washington DC)

Free virtual event 6/17 : Celebrating Juneteenth - KIDS CRAFT

Free virtual event 6/24: Juneteenth Summit: Blacks & Jews Alliance for Justice and Liberation

Header photo: Three young women celebrate Juneteenth in Grant Park, Chicago on June 19, 2020. Photo by Antwon McCullen.

On June 6 a subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability will hold the second in its series of hearings against investing using Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles).

The witness list includes longtime climate deniers such as Stephen Moore of the Heritage Foundation and Jason Isaac of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, both heavily funded by fossil-fuel interests.

If this hearing is anything like the first anti-ESG hearing on May 10, it will peddle in the latest scare tactics from the far right to whip up fear while hiding their real agenda.

Testifying then were two members of the Republican Attorneys General Association: Steve Marshall of Alabama and Sean Reyes of Utah.  

“ESG is a clear and present danger to democracy,” Marshall told the committee: “An unelected cabal of global elites is using ESG to hijack our capitalist system to capture corporations and threaten the hard-earned dollars of American workers.”  

ESG is “an open conspiracy to bypass Congress and instead impose costly changes on American consumers” that would “impact everything from how we grow our food and what we eat to how we power our homes and businesses and even what kind of cars we are allowed to purchase,” Reyes said. 

Such wild conspiracy theories didn't just pop up from nowhere. It's important to understand where they come from -- and why.

Largest known political donation in U.S. history 

In April 2020, a Chicago electronics manufacturing magnate named Barre Seid worked with Leonard Leo – known for leading the Federalist Society, which pushed the U.S. Supreme Court far right – to donate all shares of his business to a newly created entity, Marble Freedom Trust, which Leo chaired. 

The business, Tripp Lite, had made a fortune by manufacturing police, fire, and ambulance lights, then producing surge protectors for home computers. After Marble Freedom Trust gained ownership, it then sold Tripp Light – reaping $1.6 billion for itself and avoiding $400 million in taxes for Seid. 

Leo stepped down from full-time leadership of the Federalist Society to become chairman of another new company called CRC Advisors, which advises and manages conservative nonprofits. Now he was aiming to remake all American society in the way he had remade the court.  

“The idea behind the network and the enterprise we built is to roll back liberal dominance in many important sectors of American life,” Leo told The New York Times. “I had a couple of decades or more of experience rolling back liberal dominance in the legal culture, and I thought it was time to take the lessons learned from that and see whether there was a way to roll back liberal dominance in other areas of American cultural, policy and political life.” 

Through Marble Freedom Trust, Leo is funding a sprawling network of interrelated organizations that work to roll back progress in a variety of areas, including reproductive rights; diversity, equity and inclusion; voting access; and climate action.  

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

Players in the anti-ESG network 

Dozens of organizations, both old and new, are part of the anti-ESG network, funded by both Leo and other donors, notably fossil fuel corporations. In the past year alone, Marble Freedom Trust spent $183 million, funneled primarily through the Concord Fund, previously known as Judicial Crisis Network, and the 85 Fund, previously known as Judicial Education Project. The trust still has $1.2 billion on hand. 

Here are some groups that benefit from the ant-ESG largesse – can you spot the themes in italics? 

• CRC Advisors. Chaired by Leo, CRC Advisors is the paid consultant and sometimes funder for many of the other groups in the network, as well as for corporations such as Chevron. CRC Advisors has made $43 million from its clients, enriching Leo in the process.  

• Consumers Research. Founded in 1929 to test and report on consumer products, Consumers Research split from the better-known Consumer Reports in 1981 and became a watchdog of liberal causes. Turbocharged with funding from Leo, Consumers Research has spent almost $10 million on an anti-ESG campaign, personally attacking BlackRock Chair and CEO Larry Fink and pushing Vanguard to drop out of the Net Zero Asset Managers Alliance. They also issue “woke alert” text messages on brands they consider to be too far left, such as Target and Bud Light.  

• State Financial Officers Foundation. Based in Shawnee, Kan., SFOF once pulled together state treasurers to discuss issues like borrowing costs and debt loads but has recently emerged as a key player in using state governments to blacklist companies that employ ESG practices. In response to President Biden’s plan to transition to clean energy, SFOF began working with other organizations that have deep ties to the fossil fuel industry to combat climate action by passing state legislation, scuttling federal appointments, and attacking ESG.  

• Republican Attorneys General Association. Funded in part by Koch Industries, Chevron, and Exxon, RAGA has sued to stop the Department of Labor rule allowing ESG investing, told 53 top asset managers that ESG investing may violate the law, and motioned to stop BlackRock from voting shares in utilities that adopt ESG investing. They also filed a brief supporting Trump’s claims of election fraud and rallied Trump supporters to the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. 

• Heritage Foundation. A prominent conservative think tank funded by the Koch brothers and long opposed to climate action, Heritage has recently turned its attention to ESG. They produce articles, podcasts, and a website attacking ESG as a threat to the American way of life, and fund ads portraying an oil driller denied a bank loan because he doesn’t identify as nonbinary. 

Other anti-ESG organizations include: 

• American Legislative Exchange Council. A longtime corporate bill mill funded in part by the Koch brothers, ALEC endorsed model legislation that would ban states from using ESG criteria in pension investments. Bills were introduced in 33 states this year, passing in five. ALEC also considered model legislation that would forbid states from contracting with companies that practice ESG, in some cases mandating a blacklist of firms that restrict or boycott fossil fuels. Although ALEC did not officially endorse the contracts legislation, bills were introduced in 40 states, passing in five.  

• Heartland Institute. Another climate denial think tank, Heartland has also recently turned its attention to ESG. Its April report claims ESG threatens individual liberty, free markets, and the U.S. economy. Heartland has long hosted an annual climate misinformation conference, now featuring anti-ESG speakers such as Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks, who compared ESG to Nazism.  

• Texas Public Policy Foundation. Heavily funded by fossil-fuel interests, TPPF wrote the 2021 Texas law banning state agencies from doing business with companies they claim boycott the fossil fuel industry. The law, aimed at BlackRock, became ALEC model legislation and was passed in West Virginia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, and Kentucky. Studies have found these laws cost states hundreds of millions of dollars in higher interest rates. 

Other organizations in the anti-ESG orbit include National Center for Public Policy Research and National Legal and Policy Center, which file anti-ESG shareholder resolutions and publish anti-ESG proxy voting advice; Teneo Network, a Leo-organized group of elected officials, journalists and public affairs professionals who aim to roll back what they see as liberal dominance; and 1792 Exchange, which has ties to Cleta Mitchell and Ken Blackwell, who worked with Trump to overturn the 2020 election.  

What do all these groups have in common? They want to roll back progress on clean energy and human rights because they profit from a system based on exploiting workers and extracting fossil fuels. 

What are they doing with all that money? 

Center for Media and Democracy, Documented, and InfluenceMap have charted how these anti-ESG groups are tied together. They sit on each other’s boards and staff, sponsor and speak at each other’s conferences, and strategize with each other on legislation and administrative rules. They publish reports, post websites, testify at hearings, and issue letters to government officials and corporations. 

Among their activities:  
 

• On the federal level, pressure from state treasurers pushed two of Biden’s nominees to withdraw: Saule Omarova for Comptroller of the Treasury, who came under attack for saying fossil fuel bankruptcies would help fight climate change, and Sarah Bloom Raskin for the Federal Reserve because she argued financial regulators should crack down on climate risks. 
   
• On the state level, a parade of representatives from many of these organizations have testified at hearings on proposed anti-ESG legislation. Of the 162 bills and resolutions in 37 states, 20 have passed so far with three more expected, and 64 have died, including all bills in 10 states.  
   
• On the business level, state attorneys general sent a letter telling members of the Net Zero Insurance Alliance they may be violating antitrust laws. Meanwhile, state treasurers sent BlackRock a letter demanding answers to nine pages of questions about proxy voting. 

The pressure on BlackRock is having some effect. Fink has been backtracking on public discussion of climate.

In 2020 BlackRock CEO Larry Fink's annual letter mentioned climate 29 times. “Climate risk is investment risk,” he wrote. “In the near future – and sooner than most anticipate – there will be a significant reallocation of capital” because of it. Now BlackRock is backing off its 2050 commitments and touting its fossil-fuel investments.  

BlackRock is not alone. In a classic example of green hushing, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincy explained that while right-wing attacks have made public discussion of ESG toxic, the company isn’t going to stop ESG practices. “I’m just going to stop saying ‘ESG’,” he said.  

Third stage of climate denial 

The anti-ESG movement may seem sudden and virulent, but it does not come out of nowhere. Rather, it can be understood as a new stage in the long history of climate denial. As InsideClimate News and other outlets confirmed, Exxon knew as early as the 1960s that burning fossil fuels would cause global warming; yet instead of changing their business model, they launched a campaign of climate denial. 

The “Exxon Echo Chamber” – a group of public relations agents and lobbyists from the tobacco and oil industries and Exxon-funded think tanks including ALEC and Heartland Institute – pushed the Senate to pass the Byrd-Hagel Resolution in 1997 that prevented ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. 

A decade later, the “Kochtopus” – a network of Koch-funded PR agents, lawyers, lobbyists, academics, think tanks, PACs and politicians – created an astroturf campaign to defeat the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, which would have established a cap-and-trade program in the United States.  

Now, another decade-plus later, we are at a similar crossroads in which the fossil fuel industry has joined with conservative activist Leonard Leo to defeat what it sees as another threat to its profits – ESG – by attaching climate action to broad culture war controversies on race, gender, and sexuality. 

Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Brian Schatz and Martin Heinrich explain why this is happening: 

“The underlying problem is that the fossil fuel industry is running up against a 'risk wall,' where long-established economic risks associated with climate change are now sufficiently clear and present to trigger ordinary risk-reporting requirements in financial markets. Rather than reduce their emissions, or face up to the risks that they cause, the fossil fuel industry is trying to break and remake traditional risk reporting to selectively remove reporting of climate-related risks.” 

The underlying problem is that the fossil fuel industry is running up against a 'risk wall,' where long-established economic risks associated with climate change are now sufficiently clear and present to trigger ordinary risk-reporting requirements in financial markets."

-- Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Brian Schatz and Martin Heinrich

In past stages of climate denial campaigns, the fossil fuel industry tried to rewrite the science. Now that the climate crisis is impossible to deny, it is trying to rewrite our economic system by treating the material risks of climate chaos as if they are political and subjective, when they are fact. 

ESG train has left the station 

Although the Leo-funded anti-ESG campaign is pushing some businesses to stop talking about their commitments to sustainability and equity, in many ways the ESG train has left the station. Already $8.4 trillion – or 1 in 8 dollars under asset management – use sustainable investing strategies, according to US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment.  

Moreover, the consensus among investment managers is that ESG works. As journalist Peter McKillop recounts, ESG is thriving: “85% of investment managers and 96% of S&P 500 companies use ESG to mitigate risk, find opportunities, and build profits. Among U.S. institutional investors, 81% plan to increase ESG allocations, boosting more sustainable assets under management 84% by 2026.” 

That means the most effective way we can fight the anti-ESG campaign is to keep voting with our dollars. Leonard Leo and the fossil fuel industry have a lot of money, but what they don’t have is people. By voting with your dollars, you are telling businesses that the people who buy their products and services want them to use their financial assets to create a more sustainable and equitable world. 

Take action! 

When consumers and investors work together to encourage companies to adopt climate-friendly policies and support workers and human rights, it has an impact – and makes companies more profitable over time. Here are multiple ways you can urge companies to improve corporate responsibility: 

Banking 

• If you are still using one of the big banks, now is the time to move your money. Here are 10 steps for breaking up with your megabank and switching to a community bank or credit union. 
• Ensure your transactions support community development and climate solutions by finding a socially and environmentally responsible credit card. 
• Tell 44 executives at the Big 4 banks to stop bankrolling the climate crisis. 

Shareholding 

• If you own stock, you have a voice in how companies are run. Learn how you can engage in shareholder activism. 
• Be sure to vote your proxy ballots on 2023 shareholder resolutions to demand better business practices.  

Investing 

• Ensure that your investment portfolio does not support fossil fuels by finding fossil-free financial planners, mutual funds, and other products and services.  
• Check out our guide to adding socially and environmentally responsible investment options to your employer’s retirement plan. 

For more information on responsible finance and community investing, check out our Guide to Socially Responsible Investing and Better Banking (to be updated this summer). 

Spread the word! Share information about the fossil-fuel driven attack on ESG and how it harms us all. You can start by sharing this blog series and social posts and articles about the true motives of the anti-ESG crusaders who want to keep us addicted to fossil fuels and fight basic human rights. 

Credits 

For more information about the anti-ESG campaign and the groups behind it, check out the work of these tireless research organizations: 

• Center for Media and Democracy, especially its website sfofexposed.org, as well as its many articles on the State Financial Officers Foundation, American Legislative Exchange Council, Heartland Institute, Heritage Foundation, Republican Attorneys General Association, and more. 
• Documented, especially its research on the State Financial Officers Foundation.  
• Grassrootbeer Investigations, founded by Connor Gibson, which has been tracking anti-ESG legislation in the states and documenting state hearings. 

Masks and distancing remain as COVID cements its presence, but the world still calls. Traveling is happening again, as weddings resume and that private rental on the beach beckons.

But while traveling is a great way to appreciate the world, or, more safely, your city or state, by immersing yourself in diverse lands, histories, and traditions. It can also wreak havoc with carbon footprints, disruption of local ecosystems, and more.

But that unexplored neighborhood in your city is calling, and you can answer—sustainably.

Travel Slow

You’ve been anxiously waiting to stretch those travel legs and we understand the desire to hit the ground running. But while tour groups may encourage thirteen countries in just seven days, sometimes the best way to take it all in is by slowing it all down. Rather than exploring a new place in the fast lane, stop by the visitor center or do an online search for local walking, biking, and hiking tours to travel slowly and sustainably.

Carolyn Crouch, founder of Washington Walks, the first company to offer walking tours of our nation’s capital, says it plainly: “The beauty of a walking tour, apart from the fact that it is inherently sustainable, is that it’s also slow travel.”

By exploring a new place on foot, tourism becomes more intimate as you consider the immediate locale around you, whether that be in local restaurants or historic neighborhoods. “I love that about walking tours,” says Crouch, whose tours may take two hours to travel a single mile. “It allows you to take a concentrated experience of a city home with you.”

Planning and Packing

When it comes to travel, planning and packing is part of the fun, so before you even set sail, consider the small ways you can make your next adventure greener.

Packing a reusable water bottle and toiletries (bar shampoos and soaps from Tangie and Vermont Soaps travel especially well) will save money and reduce plastic use. Before you leave, research public transit, and as always, living a more eco-friendly life revolves around habit-building, so re-adjust the thermostat and turn off the lights before leaving your hotel room for the day, and pass on linen and towel service when you can.

Make sure you also pack plenty of masks for whenever you’re using transportation or in crowded spaces.

Stay Local

When visiting a new city, you can find joy—and sustainable travel—in getting to know a place from the ground up.

“You could do something quite extraordinary if you said, ‘I’m going to dine at locally owned places, I’m going to see about accommodations in a home or a small inn operated by locals,’” Crouch says. “Then you’re really contributing to the local economy.”

For example, if you’re heading to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, consider a stay at Montfair Resort Farm. Further north, you can find Thyme in the Country B&B in the Hudson Valley region of New York.

Voting with your dollar is not a concept that only exists where you live. As a visitor, you can give back to the city welcoming you by supporting small businesses, local restaurants, and experiences that pay into the community.

Instead of a magnet that was made overseas from a busy tourist shop, find souvenirs at local brick and mortars or packable food from a farmers market.

Watch Out for Your Footprint

You’ve heard of your carbon footprint, but what about every other footprint you leave wherever you go?
A crucial consideration when traveling is how you will leave a place, including its ecosystem and residents. Strive to leave a positive footprint or, in many cases, no footprint at all.

“Sometimes you can’t help it,” Crouch concedes. “You must get on that motorcoach or plane to get from A to B.”

Do your part, then, to try and offset those emissions by making greener choices elsewhere and buying carbon offsets if you can afford to. If you’re renting a car and can afford it, opt for an electric rental or, as Crouch would encourage, walk as much as you’re able. Public transportation and rental bikes are also fun options.

Finally, understand your presence’s impact on the people and living creatures of your destination.

Travelers can leave bitterness amongst locals when there is a lack of courtesy, which is why it’s important to first and foremost respect wherever it is you’re traveling to and all the living beings who inhabit that place. Especially now, this includes considering the health and safety of the communities you’re going to.

“Research tours and experiences before booking and understand how they impact the local ecological environment, but also the local population, who plays a role in the tourism industry,” Crouch advises.

Advocate for Sustainable Travel

Choosing sustainable travel doesn’t end when the trip is over. Based on what you learned or experienced, start conversations with friends and family, and inspire others to do more. If you have feedback for a restaurant or hotel you patronized, get in touch with them—for example, Crouch has written to accommodations to ask that they stop using Styrofoam and plastic dishware.

Traveling is already overwhelming without considering sustainability, but with the right knowledge, you, too, can become an eco-friendly traveler!

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have a long history in the US with major contributions to technology, science, and entrepreneurship.

Today, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the US. The vast diversity of this group of people, spanning from India to Hawaii and Korea to the Polynesian Islands, means that their businesses are informed by an array of cultures and experiences.

However, AAPI has the largest intragroup income inequality of any racial group. Because AAPI people have many different countries of origin, their reasons for immigrating can range from refugee status to work visas. And facing persistent discrimination can adversely affect their ability to accumulate wealth.

In fact, the struggles of AAPI are often invisible. Only New Jersey and Illinois require teaching Asian American history in public schools. As a result, 1/3^rd of all Americans are unaware of the anti-Asian racism in the US. Additionally, the model minority myth—the false idea that certain racial groups are high-achievers and others are not—hides the systemic racism that AAPI face.

To combat systemic racism and recent acts of violence, it’s important to support AAPI people, communities, and businesses. Here are four ways to support Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in your community and beyond:

Buy from Asian- and Pacific Islander-owned Businesses 

Spending money at AAPI-owned businesses is one of the most effective ways to support economic prosperity and fight income inequality.  

At Green America, we call this tactic “voting with your dollar”—essentially, putting your money in causes and companies that align with your values. Whether that be shopping at your city’s Chinatown or Little Tokyo, or donating to AAPI-led nonprofits, your dollars will support AAPI families and communities.  

Search “AAPI businesses near me” online to find options in your town—there are many articles listing collectively hundreds of companies both big and small. Google also offers an “Asian-owned” label for business profiles, which can help in your search. 

ChowBus is a meal delivery app, much like GrubHub or UberEats, but it’s for authentic Asian-owned food and restaurants. So far it’s only available in some US cities, such as Chicago, Seattle, and Boston. 

Support AAPI Organizations 

Donating to organizations such as Stop AAPI Hate, AAPI Equity Alliance, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, is valuable to ending hate speech and crimes. These groups work to support AAPI people as well as enact legislation to protect and empower communities. For example, in 2021, President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Bill to address the rise of hate crimes during the pandemic, with a particular focus on Asian American victims. 

Donating to community organizations that work to preserve culture is also important. With over 75 countries represented in the AAPI umbrella, there are hundreds of languages and dialects that may be lost over time. Cultural organizations, such as the Filipino Language and Cultural School of Jacksonville, offers conversational Tagalog and cooking classes. 

Partner with AAPI-owned Businesses 

If you are a business, try partnering with local AAPI-owned businesses. By letting your customers know that you are partnering with the AAPI-owned business, you are helping to make AAPI-owned businesses visible. For example, Ti Café in Denver, Colorado is a Vietnamese-owned coffee shop that hosts themed weeks several times a year, where all the drinks and pastries are themed around an anime show or movie. The owners—three sisters—partner with other AAPI-owned bakeries for their pastries and snacks for their themed foods. 

Additionally, partnering with AAPI-owned businesses builds equity. AAPI people are the least likely to seek help from institutions, turning to personal resources like family and friends for financing. Using your resources as a business to partner with and highlight AAPI-owned businesses is a great way to support.  

Get to Know the Different Cultures Within “AAPI” 

AAPI people come from 75 different countries, representing just as many cultures, traditions, and languages. Acknowledging diversity is important to dispel the monolith myth and invisibility problems that AAPI people face. 

One of the best ways to get to know a different culture is through food. Food can demonstrate the type of climate a people live in as well as histories of trade and colonization, but most importantly, the practice of breaking bread opens room for conversation and friendship. Whether it be through an AAPI festival in your town or visiting your local Little Seoul, seeking out food at AAPI-owned restaurants is a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with a different culture. 

Other ways to learn about the diversity of AAPI people is to attend events in your town or state catered to different Asian countries. Filipino American History Month is in October and Native Hawaiian History Month is in September, for example, which can include family-friendly events like dance shows, food festivals, and language classes. 

Purchase from Companies that Care About Workers 

The majority of the world’s garments come from Asian manufacturers and  the industry employs some 60 million workers. While public pressure has helped in securing better wages, the reality is that workers are still vulnerable and experiencing poor working conditions. Long hours, lack of safety measures, and violations of rights still occur in the workplace. 

We can do our part to prevent this by shopping at companies that offer clothes that are made by workers in safe workplace conditions that are paid fairly. Find them at GreenPages.org  

Stop Anti-Asian Hate 

Beyond spending money in support of AAPI businesses and communities, speaking up against hate is crucial to ending discrimination and racism. Asians are often scapegoated in times of crisis, from the Japanese internment camps during WWII to the increase in crimes against Asian Americans during COVID-19. Developing our knowledge of historical patterns and the AAPI experience can help us collectively move away from the invisibility problem and racism that AAPI people face. 

Reading is a great way to start. Here are some books and pieces that we recommend: 

1. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong. This book is an honest exploration of the self-hatred Asian Americans feel, neither white enough or black enough to be in conversations about racial identities, and validates the Asian American experience.  

2. The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee. This book describes the history of Asian Americans, from the first Asians in the Americas to the 21^st century experience. It helps to fill the gap of AAPI history that is lacking in educational institutions.  

3. How White Women Can Move Towards Anti-Racism. This piece in an interview with the authors of What’s Up With White Women: Unpacking Sexism and White Privilege in the Pursuit of Racial Justice. Ilsa Govan and Tilman Smith give us a sneak peak of the lessons they’ve learned through experience in working towards anti-racism for all races in the US. 

While these tips are a place to start, don’t let it be the end of your education and support of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Celebrating AAPI joy and successes is important, too—together, we can move towards a more equitable and sustainable world for all people. 

Legislators across the United States have introduced a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills this year. From proposed laws targeting classrooms and books to bans on gender affirmation healthcare, LGBTQ rights are facing an onslaught of attacks on their legitimacy. Less than halfway through the years, nearly every state has introduced at least one bill (but often more) seeking to ostracize and punish the LGBTQ community. This needs to be combatted on various levels, including in the business world. 

Whether you’re a customer or a business owner, being tangibly and explicitly supportive of the LGBTQ community is crucial. 

From shopping LGBTQ-owned businesses to cultivating safe workspaces, there are several reasons why such actions are not only the right things to do, but also profitable. 

Below are some ways to choose and advocate for an LGBTQ-inclusive economy: 

For Business Owners 

Instead of: Keeping politics and business separate 

Try: Speaking up 

If anti-LGBTQ legislation is proposed where your business is located, take a stand against it. The choice will be beneficial for both the bottom line as well as a company’s reputation and legacy. 

According to a report by Submittable, Millennials and Gen Z make up 64% of the global population. They are also getting older and gaining more access to a disposable income. Publicly, they still have an enormous impact on trends, what’s popular, and boosting a company’s name recognition and reputation. 

And provided you don’t want a negative TikTok review that could garner millions of views, it’s smart to listen to their demands. According to Submittable’s report, 64% of these consumers expect brands to “use resources and power to help people” and 72% want businesses to be “positive contributors to society.” 

This could be several things, but according to the Public Religion Research Institute, 67% of young adults in the US believe small business owners should not be able to refuse service to LGBTQ people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

When anti-LGBTQ legislation is passed, such as North Carolina’s “bathroom bill,” businesses take a bit hit economically and people are statistically more likely to work—and work hard—for a business that welcomes and respects them and their contributions. 

Instead of: Rainbow Capitalism 

Try: LGBTQ products year-round with monetary support for the community 

It’s June, which means companies across the globe are starting to brand their products with rainbows. Many of these companies get accused of rainbow capitalism, or pandering to the LGBTQ community simply to make money off the community. 

Good news? It’s easy to avoid rainbow capitalism. 

Simply offer LGBTQ products and support for the community year-round. This means not just releasing LGBTQ products or donating to LGBTQ charities in June, but also in October and March because LGBTQ people also exist then. 

Instead of: Operating alone 

Try: Finding a community and fostering an inclusive workspace 

Businesses can play a bigger role than simply offering products or services. For small businesses, especially, there’s a chance to have an impact on your local community, including the LGBTQ folks who live in your city. 

Beyond making your advocacy for LGBTQ rights known, you can tangibly get involved. 

For your employees, strive to make the workplace as inclusive as possible, from respecting pronouns to offering gender-neutral facilities. It is also important to listen to what your LGBTQ employees need, whether its health benefits or a different uniform to fit their gender identity. 

In your community, consider offering your space to host LGBTQ events and partnering with LGBTQ organizations, charities, and if you’re not an LGBTQ business owner, but an ally, working on cross-promotion with LGBTQ-owned businesses. 

For Consumers 

Instead of: Shopping at Amazon, Target, etc. 

Try: Supporting LGBTQ-owned businesses 

This one probably seems obvious—but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. Along the lines of Green America’s Vote with Your Dollar toolkit, monetarily supporting LGBTQ-owned businesses can do a lot of good. 

Your money sends a message just as a vote does. It lets business owners know what products and services, as well as what kinds of businesses, are worthy of your dollar. For small businesses, it helps them stay afloat in a competitive market and helps foster an inclusive and diverse economy. 

If you want to support a green LGBTQ-owned business, look no further than the Green Pages. There’s Green Business Network member MuLondon for all your skincare needs, or The Big Bad Woof for pet owners. 

Instead of: Keeping your sweet new purchase to yourself 

Try: Telling your friends 

Did you buy something your love from an LGBTQ-owned business? Did someone ask where you got your amazing shirt? Spread the word! 

Businesses thrive through word-of-mouth. If you love an LGBTQ-owned business, let the world know. Recommend them to friends, family, colleagues and post about them on social media! 

Going back to Millennials and Gen Z, young adults expect brands and companies to interact with them in ways previous generations never considered. Now on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, you can make your voice heard to companies, or converse with them. This relationship is key for a company’s image and recognition. 

Instead of: Not knowing your own power 

Try: Educating and researching 

There are more ways you can impact a small and LGBTQ-owned business than simply buying their products. Educate yourself on local legislation and politicians who support small businesses and a diverse economy—then vote. 

You can also support organizations like Open for Business, which works to show how LGBTQ inclusion supports the economy, and stay up to date with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. 

In 2023, Pride Month means summer is here—stores fill up with rainbow merch and you might celebrate with some drag queens or throw confetti at a local parade. But the month isn’t about rainbow capitalism, it's about liberation, an active fight for people in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities. We use the acronym LGBTQ+ at Green America, adding the + to symbolize the many identities, such as intersex or asexual, not all named under LGBT, that fall under the queer umbrella.   

LGBTQ+ people have always existed, but in American culture, those identities were not just unaccepted but criminalized throughout history. There was a turning point in June 1969, when patrons, led by transgender women of color, at the New York City gay bar The Stonewall Inn fought back when police attacked them during a routine raid of gay bars. Protests where activists demanded the right to live openly popped up in New York and around the country. The first pride marches took place during the anniversary of the riots, in June 1970, in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. In 2015, the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. Stonewall was named a national monument in 2016, and for the 50^th anniversary of the riot in 2019, five million LGBTQ+ people and allies marched in New York. Finally, the city’s police commissioner gave a formal apology for police actions that night in 1969.  

Now, Pride is celebrated in cities across the country and the world during different months of the year, besides June, which was first named Pride Month nationally by President Clinton in 1999. The community recognizes those who paved the way for living proudly and openly, such as Marsha P. Johnson, a drag queen and founding member of the Gay Liberation Front, who was one of the prominent figures of the activism following Stonewall. Also recognized in these events are the leaders and members of each LGBTQ+ community, who come from all different backgrounds and identities. 

Today, though being LGBTQ+ and out is more common and accepted than ever, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is on the rise, which comes alongside homophobic and transphobic individuals with large public platforms. The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking 490 anti-LGBT+ laws in the 2023 legislative session alone, which disproportionally target transgender people and LGBTQ+ youth. Trans people and LGBTQ+ youth are also likely to face hate, bullying, and violence in their lives if they are not accepted by their families and communities. According to The Trevor Project, “LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.” The Trevor Project provides free and immediate crisis counseling by chat, phone, or text for LGBTQ+ young people (and will not turn people away due to age). The Trans Lifeline is run by and for trans people and provides peer support, even for people who are not in crisis or not sure they are trans.  

As with all heritage months, we celebrate our differences, acknowledge historical victories and setbacks, and fight for justice for people who may be of different backgrounds than oneself. This month brings us together to remember, honor, and be inspired by LGBTQ+ pride and history as well as the countless individuals of those backgrounds who have made tremendous contributions to our country. We also highlight the continued fight for equality. 

To help enhance your celebration with content you can use all year long, Green America is pleased to share Pride resources that highlight accomplishments and the justice still needed in society, the economy, and the environment. We do this as a reflection of our vision: “to work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the abundance of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.”  

Together, let’s celebrate and recommit ourselves to building a just society.  

History/Community 

Untraditional Bonds, Unconditional Care 

How historians are documenting the lives of transgender people 

Library of Congress – Pride Month History 

Economy 

Why LGBTQ Inclusivity is Good for Business 

For LGBTQ People, Anti-Discrimination Advances Could Lessen Barriers to Economic Inclusion 

LGBTC Economic Security 

America’s LGBT Economy Report 

Social Justice 

Take Action Against Trans Hate in Your State 

ACLU Podcast: Why and How Trans Hate is Spreading 

Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally 

We Must Fight Trans Disinformation 

PFLAG: Join the Fight 

Environment 

Queering Outdoor Spaces Heals People and the Earth 

We Grow Where We Go: LGBTQ+ Farmers Put Down Roots 

Striking a Pose in Sustainable Drag 

Why Queer Liberation is an Environmental Justice Issue 

Nature is Queer. Queer Ecologists Want us to Learn From it 

Events

Virtual Pride Trivia  

Inclusive Spaces: LGBTQIA+ Places and Stories (Virtual) 

Beyond Pride Month: Usualising LGBT+ Inclusion (Virtual) 

Here to Stay: Transgender Trailblazers Throughout History (Virtual) 

In person event: Native Pride Extravaganza American Indian Museum 6/23 

Search “Pride” and your city or state to find celebrations and ways to volunteer near you 

Hours: 32 hours per week/4 days 
Salary: $72,000 - $80,000 
Grant Track: This is an 18-month position with opportunity for extension 
Reports to: Soil Carbon Initiative Managing Director 
Benefits: Excellent benefits including health care, dental care, paid leave, socially responsible retirement plan, friendly work environment, 4-day work week 
Application Deadline: June 15, 2023, details below 
Apply to: scihiring@greenamerica.org with cover letter, resume and writing sample  

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY: 

Green America is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change.  

The Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI) is an outcomes-based, scientific, agricultural commitment and verification program designed to help farmers and supply chains measure improvements in soil health and scale the adoption of regenerative agriculture across food and fiber acres. The SCI Company Program empowers food and fiber brands, processors, aggregators, and other supply chain participants to advance regenerative outcomes through their support of farms in the program.  

We are seeking an experienced finance specialist with knowledge of federally funded agricultural conservation programs, technical assistance, and regenerative management. This role involves developing and disseminating educational materials, templates, and training, and providing targeted farmer support. The Finance Specialist will also play an integral role in managing, expanding, and evolving the SCI Farm Transition Fund, which has committed over half a million dollars in regenerative transition finance to date. The Finance Specialist will collaborate closely with the rest of the SCI team to build relationships of trust and respect as we deliver outstanding support to a diverse set of stakeholders across the country. 

SCI team members can choose to work remotely or in our Washington, DC office. This position will involve occasional travel to Network meetings, conferences and business cultivation meetings, staff training, and other purposes. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

The Farm Finance Specialist will work closely with the SCI team, as well as our organizational partners in the farm community, to expand farmer access to transition finance as they pursue their soil health and regenerative goals. Responsibilities include: 

• Conduct a landscape mapping of federal funding opportunities for advancing farm-level regenerative outcomes, especially via Inflation Reduction Act funds and related sources 
• Work with SCI farmers and partners to understand obstacles and opportunities for funding the regenerative transition on-farm 
• Contribute to the management and evolution of the SCI Farm Transition Fund, including by seeking new and expanded sources of funding, and developing impactful models for maximizing fund impact 
• Map and assess existing technical assistance resources available to farmers and develop guidance on accessing this support 
• Disseminate findings through various channels, including member meetings, newsletters, webinars, and other communication platforms. 
• Develop new communications resources, such as webinars and guides, to facilitate farmers' understanding of funding opportunities and technical assistance. 
• Provide application templates and assist farmers in compiling the necessary information for their funding applications 
• Provide direct coaching and application assistance to a limited number of farmers seeking federal funds to support their farm transition 
• Organizational Support: The success of our work and the strength of our organization depend on the voluntary participation of staff members from all levels of the organization in various cross-departmental teams, in addition to the core responsibilities of each staff position. While staff members are not required to participate in a voluntary team every year, we do depend on volunteers throughout the year for teams such as: Operating Plan & Budget Team; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Team; Pulse Survey Team; and our annual in-person staff gathering. 
• Other duties as assigned 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• 5+ years' experience working with farmers and/or farm technical assistance providers to advance soil health and conservation outcomes. 
• Experience with fundraising and grant-writing, including for federally funded programs. 
• Strong knowledge of USDA-NRCS granting programs, including EQIP and CSP.   
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex topics and information into easily digestible educational materials. 
• A passion for and strong knowledge of regenerative agriculture. 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with internal and external audiences 
• Strong technology skills, including videoconferencing and website platforms (e.g., Squarespace), Microsoft office tools, with mastery of PowerPoint, and the ability to pick up a variety of data/project management platforms. 
• Demonstrates a high degree of adaptability to work on a rapidly growing team 
• Creative approach to problem-solving  

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

HOW TO APPLY: 

Please email your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to scihiring@greenamerica.org  Applications are due by June 15, 2023 and will be considered on a rolling basis.  

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

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.

“There’s so much to a t-shirt,” Adila Cokar, founder of The Good Tee, says. 

Maybe you’re wondering what more there is than a piece of cotton fabric but talking to Cokar for only a few minutes quickly answers that question.  

“I've always been into fashion. I thought it was so cool,” she says, recalling her childhood in Canada and finding a passion for fashion from a young age. When her interest in business began to evolve, it was a perfect combination. “I love the creative element. I love thinking of an idea and making it happen.” 

Cokar’s brand, The Good Tee, which offers sustainable fashion basics, was created in 2020 after she spent 15+ years working to source and manufacture sustainable clothing. Acting as a middleman between manufacturers and brands helped her recognize the disconnect between labor, brands, and consumers. 

“My mission is to help people understand clothes are made by people, not machines,” she explains. And more importantly to understand the people who are making these clothes and what the conditions they work in are like.  

Cokar sources from cotton farms in India and she frequently travels to the most populous country in the world, where her family traces their roots. On one of these trips, Cokar learned the alarming rates of suicide amongst Indian cotton farmers—more than 300,000 since 1995, according to The Guardian. 

Researchers trace these staggering numbers to things like climate change, GMO seeds, and, above all, debt. 

“It’s a family run business and they don’t necessarily know how to run a business,” Cokar says. “They’re buying Monsanto, now Bayer, seeds that aren’t natural that they must keep buying and they’re going into debt.” 

Vikas Rawal, an economics professor at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University concurs, telling CBC: “It's a loss-making enterprise, but these farmers don't have anything else to do, so they just keep doing it. Your cost of production has gone up and then you've been made to compete with the world.” 

He added farmers can’t afford the costs for basics, like fertilizer and equipment, to keep their cotton farms afloat and successful. 

When Cokar learned the extent of this reality, everything changed. 

She was inspired by Shiva Vandana, an Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, ecofeminist and anti-globalization author who has been speaking for decades about food crises and environmentalism. 

Following in the footsteps of Vandana, Cokar wrote her own book, Source My Garment, to help spread the word about ethical and sustainable manufacturing. 

“I initially wrote it for my clients, as a simple PDF,” she explains. “It snowballed into a book after I made a bet with my dad—who's going to write a book first?” 

The book, which covers everything from how to prepare for production, plan effectively, lower costs, avoid manufacturing problems, design sustainably, and more, is now in trade schools. 

All of this—her own experience, everything she’s learned, the people who have inspired and spurred her on—informed Cokar’s creation of The Good Tee and how her own clothing brand operates. 

The Good Tee works with Fairtrade Canada to give 3% of products costs back to the cotton farmers in India. 

“Fair trade is more than just being paid fairly,” Cokar says. “There’s an element of sustainability, there’s an element of justice for these farmers who are killing themselves.” 

Running a well-intentioned small business, unfortunately, cannot sustain itself simply by making a positive impact on the world. And in the era of fast fashion, Cokar understands this intimately. 

“It’s cheap, it’s dirty, it’s convenient, but who can blame them [consumers]? There’s inflation, I can barely afford to go out and eat,” she laments. “The best we can do is educate people, give them time, remind people we’re here, we exist. It’s hard for small businesses to compete but we have to do whatever we can.” 

Cokar remains focused on her mission—using her business expertise to better people and planet, from Indian cotton farmers to consumers looking to spend their money ethically. She knows the uphill battles she faces, frustrated by the lack of people of color in more positions of power in her industry, but she wants to turn her attention to our similarities and trying to do good, one t-shirt at a time. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, recognized in the United States since 1949 by presidential proclamation. 

The purpose of the month is to raise awareness about all types of mental health and illnesses, provide support and resources to the nearly 60 million people (about twice the population of Texas) who live with a mental illness, and reduce stigma. 

While mental health is best addressed with a medical professional, who can provide options including different types of therapy, medications, and lifestyle adjustments to support specific needs, in a world where mental illness is increasingly acknowledged there are more resources available than ever before. 

Consider these three areas in your life and how re-evaluating them might help you show yourself grace and compassion. 

1. Finances 

There is a clear connection between financial stability and mental health. According to a 2023 survey from Bankrate, money is the most frequent factor negatively impacting Americans’ mental well-being (52%), above health for oneself (42%) and family and friends (36%), as well as current events (41%), relationships (32%), and work (31%). 

“Stress about all things money is real and individuals, families and business owners can make their lives easier if they are willing to work with trusted financial professionals who are fully licensed and serve as a fiduciary (meaning always doing the best for the client),” says David Roth of Fair Planet Advisors. “Serving as a trusted advisor who also is able to incorporate clients' values into their financial lives is what our firm is all about.” 

The rate of money negatively impacting people’s mental well-being increased by 10 percent since 2022 and with increasing wealth inequality, inflation, job insecurity, and crises like student and medical debt, it’s no wonder nearly a third of all Americans worry about money daily. 

Rachel Infante, a financial advisor at Birchwood Financial Partners, acknowledges that “financial decisions are hard for most.” 

“Education is what empowers people to have a more sound financial future. Even if the answers aren’t known, knowing when to include your trusted financial advisor is a huge step.” 

Rachel Infante

Fortunately, no matter where you’re at in life or where your finances stand, financial aid is always available. 

“Financial literacy and planning are vital for preserving mental well-being,” Michelle Wilson of Athens Impact Socially Responsible Investments adds. “By gaining knowledge about personal finances and making informed choices, individuals can alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, and enhance overall happiness.” 

The Green Business Network’s Green Pages offer over 100 financial advisors and planners across the country, with specialties from retirement to 401(k)s and investments to wealth management. 

2. Self-Care 

Self-care may have gotten a bad rap in the past several years as a cliché full of face masks and baths, but let’s take a step back. 

What’s the number one safety rule on an airplane? Put on your own oxygen mask before helping those around you.  

There’s no helping your loved ones or tackling your to-do list until you’ve taken care of yourself and your well-being, and one step in this process is self-care—and yes, that can look like face masks and baths, but it’s different for everyone. 

Maybe it is your own personal spa day where you take the time to give yourself the facial you’ve been putting off or trying natural remedies for things like stress or digestive health. 

You could also try listening to the wise words of Elle Woods: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” 

One tried and true practice is yoga, which has been around for thousands of years and is proven to provide both physical and mental benefits to practitioners. 

Self-care for you could also look like allowing yourself time—time to work on your hobbies, time to pursue your dreams, time simply to be. Work on that painting you’ve been putting off or consider a sustainable travel experience. 

3. Giving Back 

Now that you’ve put on your metaphorical oxygen mask, it’s time to turn to your community. 

One study found people who give to charitable causes experience “greater life satisfaction,” research has shown an increase in oxytocin in those who volunteer regularly, and professors from John Hopkins University and the University of Tennessee found lower overall blood and arterial pressure among those who offered social support to others in their network and gave back to charities. 

Look for volunteer opportunities in your area or, if you can afford it, pick a charity or two with a mission close to your heart and consider donating on a regular basis. 

With the rise in climate anxiety, look for groups doing work for people and planet. Use the American Community Gardening Association’s map to find a community garden in your area, or consider starting your own Climate Victory Garden. 

The work is hard and long, but together we can do it. 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. 

If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away. 

Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. 

Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). 

Text HOME to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line.  

Go to 988lifeline.org for more information or to chat online. 

During Jewish American Heritage Month, we pay tribute to Jewish Americans who helped  make our country what it is today. Jewish people have a broad range of life experiences, coming from different countries, ethnicities, and all walks of life. While there are different ways of identifying as Jewish, according to Pew, Jewish people, both those practicing Judaism as a religion and nonpracticing people who consider themselves Jewish because of family, culture, or ethnicity, make up 7.5 million Americans.  

Jewish American heritage month originated in April 1980, by President Jimmy Carter, who acknowledged that specific month of 1980 had significance as the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Solidarity Sunday for Soviet Jewry, Israeli Independence Day, and the Days of Remembrance of Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust. The week was expanded to several weeks and finally to the month of May in 2006 by President George W. Bush. 

Jewish people have been present in the US since the colonization of the country and by the time of its founding, and as immigration from Europe increased, Jewish communities grew stronger in many American cities. Jewish people have faced dangerous and deadly Anti-Semitism throughout the course of American history to the present day. At the same time, Jewish Americans have created vibrant communities across the country and also faced concerted efforts for learning English and assimilating.  

As with all heritage months, we celebrate our differences, acknowledge historical victories and setbacks, and fight for justice for people who may be of different backgrounds than oneself. This month brings Americans together to remember, honor, and be inspired by Jewish American history and culture as well as the countless individuals of those backgrounds who have made tremendous contributions to our country. 

To help enhance your celebration with content you can use all year long, Green America is pleased to share Jewish American Heritage Month resources that highlight accomplishments and the justice still needed in society, the economy, and the environment. We do this as a reflection of our vision: “to work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the abundance of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.” 

Together, let’s celebrate and recommit ourselves to building a just society. 

Holiday Background & Social Justice: 

Jewish American heritage month 

14 Ways to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month 

18 Ways to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month 

Keshet: Works for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and our families in Jewish life 

Ken Burns: The US and the Holocaust 

Reform Judaism: Racial Justice 

Jews for Racial Justice 

Economy and Labor: 

Dayenu: Tell Big Banks – Move your Dough 

Jewish Center for Justice: Labor and Economic Justice Work 

Environment: 

Repairing Our World: Jewish Environmentalism through Text, Tradition, and Activism 

Dayenu: The Jewish Movement to Confront the Climate Crisis 

Regenerating Traditions in Growing 

If you are looking at our profile, you are curious about what it means to invest according to your values. For the past decade Longwave has pursued investment returns through a scientific approach and repeatable process. With our 2023 merger with JSA Sustainable Wealth Management, a firm with 30 years experience in values based and impact investing, we have brought together the heart and mind. Through this depth of knowledge and experience, Longwave has created portfolios can help you do well while doing good.

Our ESG Investing Principles:

• Make an authentic contribution to the ESG space. We focus on only the most devout and rigorous ESG solutions. 

• Focus and capture all tracked ESG categories, not just one. 

• Use the weight of our capital as a voice for structural change, including using our voting power to make real change.

We may be a great fit if you see yourself in the following description: People in our client family care about leaving a positive legacy, whether it’s with their children, their community or in the creative equity of the world. Their sense of curiosity drives them to travel, explore, teach, heal, create and advocate. Work is both a passion and a means to share their time and resources with the people and activities they care deeply about.  

We hope to hear from you soon!

We have big news from our leadership team here at Green America!   

We’re celebrating our beloved Fran Teplitz, Green America’s Co-Executive Director of Business, Investing & Policy, and her 23 years of remarkable service here at Green America, as she moves into “rewirement,” as Fran calls it, not exactly retirement!

“Fran cares hard – about justice, the environment and the well-being of people everywhere,” said Alisa Gravitz, Green America’s CEO.  “She’s been a driving force at Green America for all these years.  My colleague, my friend, Fran always brought love and magic to this work.  We’ll miss her every day – and are so happy that she’ll have more time for family, friends, her faith congregation, community activism and projects of all kinds, including attending more protests!”   

During her time at Green America, Fran shaped the organizational culture at Green America, including our organization’s focus on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) across all of our programs, advanced social investing and better banking practices for individuals and organizations, steered our organization’s Green Business Network and led organization-wide collaboration on planning, development and budgeting.  She earned the respect and admiration of everyone she worked with – our staff team, our board, our individual and business members and our green economy allies – always listening deeply and bringing out the best in all of us. 

 “It’s been a great pleasure and gift to work with Fran over the past 23 years,” said Todd Larsen, Green America’s Executive Co-Director, Consumer & Corporate Engagement.  “Fran advanced Green America’s work on so many fronts and brought compassion and commitment to everything she does.”  

And we’re welcoming Dr. LaKeisha (Keisha) Thorpe as our new Executive Co-director for Culture, Planning & Green Business Development.  Keisha brings a wealth of experience that promises to help take Green America’s operations and green economy programs to the next level.  “Keisha’s brilliant strategic thinking, heart-centered organizing and deep experience in justice, equity and inclusion creates continuity from Fran’s work and a bridge to our future,” said Alisa.  “We can’t wait for our members to meet her!”  

Keisha’s doctoral dissertation focused on food, transculturalism, and cultural humility, she’s served on the board of her local food cooperative, and she’s always made justice and equity a major focus in her work.  In her academic career, Keisha advanced justice, equity, diversity & inclusion (JEDI) initiatives, creating better campus experiences for students, faculty and staff.  She served in leadership roles for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion or conducted research at the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, PA; Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA; Princeton University in Princeton, NJ; and at Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA.   

Keisha also brings passion for healthy food and food access, and experience in grassroots organizing. Her work with the Bethlehem Food Co-op allowed her to educate members and build bridges in the community to involve more people. “Green America’s work on food and agriculture has grown substantially, and Keisha’s insights on food equity and supporting local green businesses will help advance our regenerative agriculture, Climate Victory Gardens programs, and support our Green Business Network members,” said Todd. 

Dr. Thorpe shared, “The gratitude and excitement I feel at joining Green America are immeasurable. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work in tandem with folks who consider JEDI work not only a necessity, but a norm. I cherish the work surrounding sustainability, social justice, and honoring foodways; I am looking forward to continuing the work I believe in so deeply within the mission of Green America and the bedrock of all the wonder that Fran has done. I’m wishing her all the best, all the joys of life, on her “rewirement.” I know we will all miss her, and I know that we are all thrilled about what’s to come”.  

Fran added, “It has been my honor and joy to work with the Green America staff team, board, our individual consumer and investor members, the members of our Green Business Network, and our allies to propel the green economy forward, always interwoven with both social justice and environmental sustainability. I am deeply grateful to have shared this journey with all of you and will forever remain a Green American!  And I’m thrilled to pass the baton to Keisha, as we expand our next generation of leadership.” 

Our entire leadership team, staff team, and board members extend a warm welcome to Keisha and deep thanks to Fran.   

That was seriously weird.

JEVA LANGE•MAY 10, 2023

Of all the nonsense spouted during the House Oversight Committee’s “ Examination of Environmental, Social, and Governance Practices with Attorneys General: Part One” on Wednesday, perhaps the most patently false comment came from Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs. “Always interesting to hear people say things,” the congressman mused.

It is not, in fact, always interesting to hear people say things, something that the GOP-controlled House’s ESG hearing illustrated time and time again. In the three-and-a-half hours that Utah’s Attorney General Sean Reyes, Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshall, and minority witness Michael Frerichs, the Illinois state treasurer, were grilled by House members, it became obvious that “there were two different hearings occurring,” as Chairman James Comer, Republican of Kentucky, noticed in his closing remarks.

Comer’s comment was intended as a dig at Democrats, who certainly shopped their own agendas during the event, but his party was guilty of the same offense. ESG stands for “environmental, social, and governance” and refers to a mainstream financial investing philosophy that considers factors beyond pure earnings numbers, such as a company’s diverse board, which has been shown to improve performance, or the momentum behind the transition to renewable energy, which might make investing in an oil company a bad long-term bet.

For one half of the committee room, ESG investments are also “an attack on capitalism” and a grave violation of fiduciary duty in pursuit of a “left-wing agenda”; for the other half, ESG investments are prudent and beneficial, informed by a greater reach of “data,” and in observation of the basic principles of the free market. Ne’er the twain arguments did meet, or even especially engage with one another.

The hearing began with Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, tracing the Indo-European roots of the word “woke” and went downhill from there. Republicans played all their hits: They got emotional talking about their big, beautiful pickup trucks; cited China’s ambitions to “rule the planet”; and if you had “socialist utopia,” “radical left,” “pronouns,” “the Bible says…,” and “get woke, go broke” on your bingo card, you’d have won a cash prize.

There were “anti-Semetic overtones up to 11,” as The New Republic’s Kate Aronoff pointed out, and Rep. Glenn Grothman, Republican of Wisconsin, complained that “there are certain disfavored groups in our society” who might be disadvantaged by ESG principles because “people don’t like men, people of European backgrounds, that sort of thing.” The University of Alabama vs. University of Tennessee football rivalry was, for some reason, relitigated. There was a requisite dig at tofu. Godwin’s law — that all lengthy debates bend toward an eventual Nazi reference — was proven.

As incredibly dumb as the hearing was, though, it was also incredibly important. Republican state treasurers and right-wing think tanks and donors have moved to punish companies, banks, and investors that have seen the writing on the wall — that “natural disasters and warming temperatures can lead to declines in asset values that could cascade through the financial system,” as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned earlier this year, and that “the industries of the future,” like renewables, “are winning,” as Rep. Seth Magaziner, Democrat of Rhode Island, who is not on the Oversight Committee but spoke in a guest appearance at the hearing on Wednesday, said.

Already, though, some 15 states have introduced legislation to effectively penalize businesses that have aimed for more climate-friendly policies, with West Virginia’s state treasurer pulling $20 million out of a fund managed by Blackrock over the firm’s push for companies to reduce emissions and Texas passing a law barring the “energy discrimination” of firms that choose not to do business with fossil fuel companies. It’s a trend that has many in the climate space deeply concerned.

“Using ESG principles to help inform investing is not a breach of fiduciary duty. On the contrary, not taking all factors related to risk and opportunity into account can be seen as a breach of fiduciary duty,” Cathy Cowan Becker, the responsible finance campaign director for Green America, said in a statement. “Individual, institutional, and public asset investors should be free to consider all information when making critical investment decisions. This is how the free market works.”

The choice of Republican witnesses was telling, too. Both Marshall and Reyes were among 13 attorneys general who filed a protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last winter over the investment firm Vanguard’s attempt to buy electric-power utility company shares in what the AGs alleged was “contrary to the public interest” and an instance of “environmental activism.” The pair of AGs also signed on to sue the Biden administration over the Department of Labor’s new rule allowing for fiduciaries to make ESG considerations; additionally, Marshall and Reyes added their names to a letter sent to banks and asset management companies threatening legal action if ESG-informed investment strategies were pursued. Reyes, Utah’s attorney general, has also sued the National Association of Attorneys General “over their investment of public money into ESG funds,” The Center Square reports.

And as Rep. Magaziner, the Democrat from Rhode Island, pointed out, “The two Republican witnesses who are here, who may be very credentialed in other ways, between the two of them have zero degrees in investments or economics or finance, are not CPAs, are not chartered financial analysts.” Rather, “Our Republican witnesses have experience trying to overturn elections that were freely and fairly won.” The Democrats’ minority witness, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs, meanwhile, looked wearier and wearier as the day wore on and he remained the lone voice defending ESG investing as inherently being in the best interest of clients.

The outwardly strange battle lines of the ESG fight have resulted in some real moments of cognitive dissonance, and that held true at Wednesday’s hearing. “I just watched @GOPoversight’s hearing on #ESG and you might be surprised to hear how much the @GOP favors securities disclosures these days ... what is even going on here,” Brad Kutner of the National Law Journal tweeted after Republican congressmen bemoaned the lack of transparency around ESG investments. And Rep. Lauren Boebert, the MAGA provocateur from Colorado, used her time to slam Blackrock as a “primarily left-wing activist fund that uses its status as the fiduciary for several investment funds to coerce companies into introducing ESG politics into their retirement account savings.” Writer and analyst Kelly Mitchell, in a must-read Twitter thread chronicling the hearing, pointed out that irony.

Democrats weren’t exempt from cringe-worthy moments, either. “If you don’t have a woke capitalism you’re going to have a broke capitalism,” Raskin said, and then unfortunately repeated. And in one of the hearing’s oddest moments, freshman Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Democrat of Florida, used his time to veer off topic and advocate for gun reform, leading to a brief verbal spat with the chairman.

But Moskowitz’s tangent also produced perhaps the most relatable statement of the whole hearing. “I don’t know what we’re doing here, Mr. Chairman,” Moskowitz said, his frustration finally boiling over. “This is part one; there’s going to be a part two? I mean, part one was just so fascinating. I can’t wait for part two.”

Green America released the following media release on May 10, 2023 in support of socially and environmentally responsible investing as the Republican House Oversight Committee holds a hearing on environmental, social, and governance practices.

“This Is How The Free Market Works”: Leading Green Economy Organization to Conservative AGs Opposing The Freedom to Invest Responsibly

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 10, 2023 – This morning, Republican House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices at 10 a.m. The hearing is the result of a letter sent from 21 state attorney generals to top asset managers throughout the country, warning them against using ESG considerations in their investment decisions.

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization with 300,000 individual members and supporters as well as nearly 2,000 companies in its Green Business Network. It released the following statement in support of ESG investment practices.

Cathy Cowan Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director at Green America, said:

“Research shows that returns on socially responsible investing are on par or better than investing not based on ESG principles, especially over the long term.

“The reason ESG investing works is that it seeks out information about risk and opportunity that is not necessarily reflected on a company’s balance sheet. For example, if a company routinely dumps toxic chemicals into communities, underpays and overworks its employees, and skirts basic safety practices, that poses a financial risk. Eventually these poor practices will catch up with that company, and investors and shareholders will be caught holding the bag. On the flip side, if a company takes advantage of burgeoning markets in clean energy, provides fair pay and benefits for its workers, and contributes to its community, that company is positioned for stable growth and greater profitability.  

“Using ESG principles to help inform investing is not a breach of fiduciary duty. On the contrary, not taking all factors related to risk and opportunity into account can be seen as a breach of fiduciary duty. Individual, institutional, and public asset managers should be free to consider all information when making critical investment decisions. This is how the free market works. It is not the role of government on the federal or state level to tell asset managers how to manage investments for their clients.”

Additional data/resources:

• According to Morningstar’s 2022 Sustainable Funds US Landscape Report, most sustainable funds delivered stronger total and risk-adjusted returns than their respective Morningstar Category indexes. Over half of sustainable funds finished in the top half of their Morningstar Category, led by equity funds. Data for the previous five years showed even better results – the returns of 74 percent ranked in the top half and 49 percent in the top quartile returns.

• The Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing released a study, Sustainable Funds Outperform Peers during 2020 Coronavirus, that found that in a year of extreme volatility and recession, funds focused on “on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, across both stocks and bonds, weathered the year better than non-ESG portfolios.” The research analyzed more than 3,000 US mutual funds and ETFs, finding that sustainable equity funds outperformed non-ESG peer funds by a median of 4.3 percent in 2020.

• The NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business released a 2021 meta-study aggregating over 1,000 studies on ESG and performance. The report found that 59 percent of studies showed that ESG investments had a similar or better performance relative to conventional investment approaches, while only 14 percent found negative results. It also concluded that “ESG investing appears to provide downside protection, especially during social or economic crises.”

• Two 2021 Texas laws banning cities from contracting with banks with ESG policies cost an extra $303 million to $532 million in higher municipal bond interest rates.

• Taxpayers in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and West Virginia could owe up to $708 million in additional interest charges on municipal bonds due to anti-ESG laws and bills.

• Texas is paying 19 basis points more and Florida is paying 43 basis points more than California in interest rates on the bond market because they prohibit contracts with lenders that consider ESG.

To speak with a representative of Green America, contact Max Karlin at (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com.

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

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

Green America released the following media release on May 10, 2023 in support of socially and environmentally responsible investing as the Republican House Oversight Committee holds a hearing on environmental, social, and governance practices.

“This Is How The Free Market Works”: Leading Green Economy Organization to Conservative AGs Opposing The Freedom to Invest Responsibly

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 10, 2023 – This morning, Republican House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices at 10 a.m. The hearing is the result of a letter sent from 21 state attorney generals to top asset managers throughout the country, warning them against using ESG considerations in their investment decisions.

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization with 300,000 individual members and supporters as well as nearly 2,000 companies in its Green Business Network. It released the following statement in support of ESG investment practices.

Cathy Cowan Becker, Responsible Finance Campaign Director at Green America, said:

“Research shows that returns on socially responsible investing are on par or better than investing not based on ESG principles, especially over the long term.

“The reason ESG investing works is that it seeks out information about risk and opportunity that is not necessarily reflected on a company’s balance sheet. For example, if a company routinely dumps toxic chemicals into communities, underpays and overworks its employees, and skirts basic safety practices, that poses a financial risk. Eventually these poor practices will catch up with that company, and investors and shareholders will be caught holding the bag. On the flip side, if a company takes advantage of burgeoning markets in clean energy, provides fair pay and benefits for its workers, and contributes to its community, that company is positioned for stable growth and greater profitability.  

“Using ESG principles to help inform investing is not a breach of fiduciary duty. On the contrary, not taking all factors related to risk and opportunity into account can be seen as a breach of fiduciary duty. Individual, institutional, and public asset managers should be free to consider all information when making critical investment decisions. This is how the free market works. It is not the role of government on the federal or state level to tell asset managers how to manage investments for their clients.”

Additional data/resources:

• According to Morningstar’s 2022 Sustainable Funds US Landscape Report, most sustainable funds delivered stronger total and risk-adjusted returns than their respective Morningstar Category indexes. Over half of sustainable funds finished in the top half of their Morningstar Category, led by equity funds. Data for the previous five years showed even better results – the returns of 74 percent ranked in the top half and 49 percent in the top quartile returns.

• The Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing released a study, Sustainable Funds Outperform Peers during 2020 Coronavirus, that found that in a year of extreme volatility and recession, funds focused on “on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, across both stocks and bonds, weathered the year better than non-ESG portfolios.” The research analyzed more than 3,000 US mutual funds and ETFs, finding that sustainable equity funds outperformed non-ESG peer funds by a median of 4.3 percent in 2020.

• The NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business released a 2021 meta-study aggregating over 1,000 studies on ESG and performance. The report found that 59 percent of studies showed that ESG investments had a similar or better performance relative to conventional investment approaches, while only 14 percent found negative results. It also concluded that “ESG investing appears to provide downside protection, especially during social or economic crises.”

• Two 2021 Texas laws banning cities from contracting with banks with ESG policies cost an extra $303 million to $532 million in higher municipal bond interest rates.

• Taxpayers in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and West Virginia could owe up to $708 million in additional interest charges on municipal bonds due to anti-ESG laws and bills.

• Texas is paying 19 basis points more and Florida is paying 43 basis points more than California in interest rates on the bond market because they prohibit contracts with lenders that consider ESG.

To speak with a representative of Green America, contact Max Karlin at (703) 276-3255 or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com.

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

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

JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America – the Big 4 banks – have collectively invested $1.37 trillion, or 25%, of all fossil-fuel financing worldwide since 2015. It's time to hold them accountable. Join us in calling on the Big 4 banks to fund people and planet, not climate chaos.  

Kroger has a major problem with super-polluting, greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These HFCs have thousands of times the warming capacity of carbon dioxide, and supermarkets are leaking millions of tons of them every year. Grocery stores are major HFC emitters and need to act fast to eliminate HFCs.

Girls performing Hmong traditional dances at a 2019 Asian Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

During Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, we spend time thinking about the people who share that heritage and represent a broad range of backgrounds and who make our country what it is today. Even the month’s official website acknowledges how broad this group is, as it encapsulates people from all 48 countries of the Asian continent and the 25 island nations that make up Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Like any heritage month—Black history, LGBTQ+ Pride, Latin-American Heritage, etc, May’s celebration of Asian and Pacific Islanders does not represent a monolith of people, but encompasses people of an immense range of backgrounds, identities, and stories. 

Asian Pacific American Heritage month originated in Congress by Frank Horton (R-NY) and in the Senate by Daniel Inouye (D-HI) in 1977 as just a week, but the commemoration was broadened to a month in 1990. The month of May was chosen in commemoration of the first Japanese people to immigrate to the US, recorded as May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869—an important milestone made possible by mostly Chinese immigrant workers who laid those tracks.

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have a long history in the United States, certainly dating back before 1843, and have faced systemic racism by the government, such as the colonization and US annexation of Hawaii in 1898 and Japanese American incarceration from 1942-1945. While fighting stereotypes of “perpetual foreigner” and “model minority,” this broad group, which is estimated to make up 22.9 million Americans and rising, have faced growing hate-related attacks, according to the FBI. Green America believes that a truly green society is one where all people are healthy and safe, so we aim to fight dangerous stereotypes and lift voices of our Asian and Pacific Islander allies during this month.

This month brings Americans together to remember, honor, and be inspired by Asian and Pacific Islander history and culture as well as the countless individuals of those backgrounds who have made tremendous contributions to our country.

To help enhance your celebration with content you can use all year long, Green America is pleased to share Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month resources that highlight accomplishments and the racial justice still needed in society, the economy, and the environment. We do this as a reflection of our vision: “to work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the abundance of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.”

Together, let’s celebrate and recommit ourselves to building a just society.

We will be updating this list in May with new articles from Green America and new events as we learn of them!

Holiday Background & Social Justice:

How One Woman's Story Led to the Creation of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

31 Stories for 31 Days of AAPI Heritage Month

How AAPI Thinkers are Redefining Asianness

What is AAPI Heritage Month? Learn About Its History and How to Celebrate Respectfully

Theme for 2024 

YES Article – Home is where the Art is 

Movement Hub: a living library of curated resources for AAPI organizers, activists, and community members 

The Asian American Foundation Heritage Month Toolkit 

Economy:

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month by learning more about trailblazers and leaders who have left an undeniable mark on the labor movement

Understanding economic disparities within the AAPI community

Factory Exploitation and the Fast Fashion Machine

Meet Green Business Network Member The Good Tee

UFCW Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month 

6 Ways to Support Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities 

Environment:

Reclaiming Victory Gardens from Our Racist History

Through the Eyes of a Grassroots Leader: How the Asian American Community Reclaims Its Voice in Environmental Justice

Pacific Islanders are embracing their cultural past to better their climate future

Meet 13 Asian and Asian Diasporic Nature and Environment Writers

Asian American Pacific Islanders in the Environmental Movement 

Why the Environmental Movement Should Stop Ignoring Asian Americans 

8 AAPI Climate Voices to Follow 

Virtual Asian American/Pacific Islander History Month Events:

See virtual events here: https://www.asianpacificheritage.gov/

On TV: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month — May 2024 

A Conversation with Author Celeste Ng and Harvard Professor Ju Yon Kim 

LA County Library Events 

Search “AAPI month events [your town]” to find local celebrations near you!

Books:

How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang 

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See 

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen 

Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So 

Severance by Ling Ma 

Disability Visibility by Alice Wong 

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel 

Penguin Random House List of books to celebrate Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month 

Green America participated in the Federal Trade Commission’s 2023 public comment period on the Green Guides, formally endorsing the continuation and expansion of these important guides. 

Started in 1992—and updated in 1996, 1998, and 2012—the Green Guides are tools for marketers to help avoid greenwashing. The FTC offers several areas of guidance for businesses and marketers, including: 

1. General principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims 

2. How consumers are likely to interpret particular claims and how marketers can substantiate these claims 

3. How marketers can qualify their claims to avoid deceiving consumers 

Consumers are increasingly demanding green products, spurred by a desire to do their part in combatting the climate crisis. Unfortunately, factors like language, hyperbole, and generalization can muddle a company’s green claims, or even outright lead to false claims. 

“Core to the work we do is ensuring that marketing claims made by companies regarding the sustainability of their products are valid,” the Green America’s letter states. “The FTC’s Green Guides have played an important role in addressing misrepresentations of environmental practices by companies, and we would like to see the FTC expand the guides and their enforcement.” 

The letter goes on to outline the importance of these guides as well as their various effects on consumers, the economy and the planet. 

Green America cites data which supports expansion of the Green Guides, negative impacts on both consumers and small businesses due to corporate greenwashing, a need for expanded enforcement and education, and more.

“The FTC should increase the scope and depth of the Green Guides and should increase enforcement to address the growing risk to consumers, businesses, and the environment of misleading marketing claims regarding sustainability and green practices by companies.” 

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.