Content by specific author

WASHINGTON DC – APRIL 19, 2022 – With “Invest in Our Planet” as the theme of Earth Day this year, Americans will be looking for ways they can move their money to support the planet. With many of the largest banks in the US actively supporting fossil fuels and mutual funds holding the stocks of corporate polluters, Americans who care about climate change and other environmental issues need a trusted source of information for where they can learn how to bank and invest for a greener planet.

Green America, with 40 years of experience in offering advice on green finance, provides a complete set of free resources for green banking and investing:

• The Break Up With Your Megabank campaign helps people move their money from polluting banks to banks and credit unions that serve their communities and the planet. 
• The Get a Better Bank database provides a useful list of community development and minority depository institutions in the US, so people can find a responsible bank or credit union near them.
• The Find a Socially and Environmentally Responsible Credit Card resource helps people ensure that with each charge they are supporting people and the planet.
• The Divest & Reinvest campaign provides resources to help everyday investors move their money away from supporting fossil fuels to supporting renewable energy instead.
• The Shareholder Activism hub has resources to help people vote their proxies to urge corporations to green their practices, including a list of the Key Resolutions to Vote in 2022.
• The Guide to Socially Responsible Investing & Better Banking has resources for everyone, from a novice investor to high-net worth individuals, to promote a better world with their money.

“Increasingly people are looking for ways to use their banking and investing to support the planet and Green America has all the free resources they need to get started,” said Fran Teplitz, Executive Co-Director for Business, Investing & Policy at Green America. “Whether it’s banking for a better planet or using our investments to create greener corporate practices, we can all vote with our dollars for a greener world.”

“Many people have changed the foods they eat, the car they drive, and reduced their purchases to create a greener world, but have yet to look at the impacts of their banking and investing,” said Todd Larsen, Executive Co-Director of Consumer and Corporate Engagement at Green America.  “Earth Day 2022, with a theme of Investing for Our World, provides the perfect opportunity for people to look at the impacts their banks or mutual funds are having on the world, and move their money to greener options if those institutions are actively harming the planet.” 

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 for Green America, (703) 276-3255, or mkarlin@hastingsgroup.com. 

Our kitchens should be a safe space where families create and serve healthy meals, but all too often there are toxic chemicals and other hazards lurking. When our kitchens are healthier, so is our planet.

The kitchen, after all, is closely linked to the climate, and our choices in the heart of our homes can be actions against climate change. The food we buy and eat has huge potential for benefits to our body and the planet. Agriculture, the way our food is grown, is one of the most important industries in the world, but also makes a major impact on the changing climate. The food supply chain includes cutting down trees to create grazing lands, cows passing gas, applying pesticides to plants, and the food that gets tossed without ever being tasted. The food supply chain is responsible for 16.5 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to a 2021 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report.

Read more about how your food choices can make your family and the climate healthier:

Then there’s the energy pent up in your kitchen. Besides heating and cooling, your refrigerator is the top energy consumer in your house, according to the US Energy Information Administration. These big appliances are historically cooled by hydrofluorocarbons (HFC gases), a super potent greenhouse gas. Now non-HFC refrigerators are coming to market that are cleaner and far more efficient than the models of years past.

Dirty energy and greenhouse gases have no place in your family dinner but they’re there—the natural gas that powers a gas stove comes from dirty energy and likely fracking that harms communities and the Earth in the US and around the world. Even when the stove is off, it’s leaking methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to a 2022 study from Stanford University. Plus it contributes to indoor air pollution that can lead to health problems like asthma, according to a 2013 study. By switching to clean energy like solar or wind and swapping out gas stoves for electric or induction models, we can save energy and money.

Then there’s the chemicals. There are tens of thousands of chemicals in use in US manufacturing, most of which are unregulated—so we don’t really know if they’re safe. Many of them likely are not. In the US in particular, regulating agencies allow industries to claim that their products are safe, even if there is no evidence. Plus, workers who are involved in making products with toxic chemicals, from plastics to cleaning supplies, are put at even more risk than we are.

As we find safe foods, protect our ourselves from toxic chemicals, and choose clean energy when we can, we also have the power to put pressure on companies to clean up their acts. Green America has long worked for consumers and workers in these crucial areas. Find our active campaigns to sign on to our actions or tell companies how you feel in a letter.

From the most recent issue of our magazine, Green American, where we update readers on the progress we've made over the last quarter on climate, finance, food, labor, social justice, and more.

Green America: Leading on Climate

Wildfires, heat waves, and massive storms were just a few of the ways people across the globe experienced the climate crisis in 2021. Yet the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit fell far short of what is needed to keep global warming and its associated disasters in check. The US Senate failed to pass the Build Back Better Act, which would have provided $500 billion in government spending on clean energy and other climate solutions.

Yet youth and Indigenous leaders gave us reason to hope, as they put pressure on world leaders and corporations at COP26 and are a major reason progress was made on forests, methane, and climate finance at COP26.

The Clean Energy Future is Now

Solar and wind installations around the world are soaring. There are now 100,000 MW of solar installed nationwide, enough to power 20 million homes, and over 130,000 MW of wind, enough to power over 40 million homes.

Green America’s work helped drive this tremendous growth in renewable energy, with our Solar Catalyst thought leadership papers and Solar Circle network providing the blueprints for taking solar to scale. Our campaigns lead several of the largest corporate clean energy purchases ever. Our “No New Coal” campaign resulted in 15 coal-fire power plants not being constructed.

Moving Forward on Policy

Green America and our more than 250,000 activist followers are promoting the solutions we’ll need to ensure a livable planet for future generations. We’re mobilizing consumers, investors and businesses to support up to $500 billion in climate-related spending. We collected 165,000 comments from Green Americans to support stricter methane regulations by the EPA. We’re working to enact regulations in the US and Europe to get banks to end their financing of fossil fuels. And, we’re working to ensure that the upcoming Farm Bill focuses on building regenerative agriculture while supporting Black, Indigenous, women, young and small-scale farmers.

In the financial world, our work with allies resulted in the Department of Labor proposing that employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k) plans be allowed to take the economic impacts of climate change into account when selecting investments.

Changing the Way America Does Business

While we work on better climate policy, Green America has never waited for the government to create the change we need. Here’s where we’re going with our climate programs:

Energy:

Green America’s Hang Up on Fossil Fuels campaign has already resulted in major progress, with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile making several of the largest corporate purchases of clean energy ever. We are building on this campaign to:

• Get all telecom companies to reach 100% renewable energy by 2025. Plus, we’ll ensure that as telecom companies announce “net zero” goals for all their emissions they are not using dubious carbon offsets and vague commitments in place of meaningful climate emissions reductions.
• Ensure that as the big three telecoms adopt renewable energy, the benefits of those changes go to communities and workers, especially people of color.

Refrigerants:

HFC refrigerants are a major driver of the climate crisis with up to thousands of times the global warming potential of CO2. Our Cool It campaign, with the Environmental Investigation Agency, mobilized over 100,000 consumers and shareholders and has already resulted in a commitment from Walmart to move on from HFCs by 2040. We’ll keep the pressure on, since its goals and timeline are still weak. This year we will:

• Continue to build shareholder pressure on Walmart and other major grocers to urge them to move faster on switching to climate-friendly refrigerants.
• Increase public pressure on the laggards—on social media and in traditional news outlets.
• Highlight the environmental justice benefits of switching from HFCs to lower-impact refrigerants.

Agriculture:

Green America is a leader in promoting regenerative agriculture that builds soil health and sequesters carbon. Regenerative agriculture can transform agriculture from a major polluter to a vital climate solution. Working with several of the largest food companies and farmers across the country, we are working to transition 90% of North America’s food and agriculture acres to the regenerative pathway by 2030. We are also leading the way in getting all Americans involved in regenerative practices through Climate Victory Gardens in their yards and communities. This year we will:

• Launch a Soil Carbon Initiative label for farms and food companies that verifies progress toward regenerative agriculture goals. This will be a game-changer for agriculture, communities, and the climate!
• Grow the number of registered Climate Victory Gardens from 15,000 to 20,000 and reach millions of Americans with tools they need to launch a regenerative garden of their own.

Finance:

Green America has been mobilizing investors to support a green economy for decades. Our Climate Safe Lending Network works with banks, investors, nonprofits, regulators and others to bring bank lending in line with the Paris Agreement. Green America is mobilizing our members to pressure the largest banks to stop financing fossil fuels.
This year we will:

• Work with leading corporations to use their relationships with major banks to get those banks to end their financing of the climate crisis.
• Work with our nonprofit ally As You Sow, to mobilize employees to urge their employers to offer fossil-fuel free options in their retirement plans.

We can’t do it without you! When Green America calls on corporations to protect climate, people, and the planet, they listen to us because we have 250,000 people and 2,000 green businesses joining us in our calls to action. Thanks to you we’re making progress on climate and we look forward to further gains in 2022!

Make sure the heart of your home is healthy for your family and safe for the planet.

States and municipalities raise money through issuing bonds, but they rarely fund green infrastructure or activities, and they are usually too pricey for most individual investors. But a new bond from Connecticut offers a new way for any investor to support clean energy.

In 2008, the World Bank was the first institution to issue a green bond—a bond designated for environmental and climate projects—and ever since, green bonds have been available from a variety of institutions. However, municipal bonds often require several thousand dollars to invest, making it hard for the average American to participate.

For the past several years, Connecticut raised millions to fund residential solar projects by issuing Green Liberty Bonds. In December 2021, the bank issued a short-term green bond (called a “note”) for $100, to support small business’ energy efficiency, making investing even more accessible to the average person. This Green Liberty Note was offered through FINRA-regulated funding portal Raise Green and closed in January 2022.

“Green America has been encouraging governments at all levels to offer affordable green bonds for investors, and it is great to see Connecticut’s innovative Green Bank taking the lead,” says Todd Larsen, Green America’s executive co-director for consumer & corporate engagement.

Green America proposed this idea to Connecticut and several other states beginning in 2012. We are excited to see the green bond come to fruition. Connecticut Green Bank partnered with Amalgamated Bank{GBN}, a Green America ally, on the bond.

Connecticut’s Green Bank will next issue a Green Liberty Note on Earth Day 2022. Learn more at greenlibertybonds.com.

Fridges tend to last a long time, which is great for sustainability in your home. But if you’ve heard about Green America’s Cool It! campaign and the not-so-cool greenhouse gases hidden inside of refrigerators you might be wondering if your fridge could be a climate problem.

Our campaign targets grocery companies that own millions of fridges that leak HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) into the atmosphere and escalate the climate crisis. These refrigerant gases regularly leak out of poorly maintained equipment and through irresponsible disposal of appliances.

While our focus is not fridges in people’s homes, appliances have other hazardous components besides HFCs that can also pose threats to the environment and communities if (and when) they leak out. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to safely manage that old fridge and protect the environment.

Refrigerants called HFCs are 9,000 to 12,000 times more potent than CO₂ as greenhouse gases

Keep Your Fridge Working Well

Move your fridge a few inches away from walls. This helps hot air from the compressor disperse, making it easier for the appliance to stay cool. Place a board behind (and on the side if it’s in a corner) to keep it from inching back to the wall.

Vacuum the coils in the back of your fridge (or across the bottom front, behind a grille) at least annually.

Keep it full—if you’ve got chronically bare shelves, add some jugs of water—then the fridge doesn’t have to work so hard to cool warm air that rushes in every time you open the door.

Keep an eye on the temperature. Your fridge doesn’t have a check engine light, so keep a thermometer inside if it doesn’t have one built in, to make sure you’re not in the danger zone (over 40 degrees). For less than $10 you will potentially save hundreds in food or fridge replacement costs.

Be aware of the signs of a coolant leak, which compromise the freshness of your food and also your health. Warning signs that you may have a leak: food feels warm; electric bill is unusually high; the motor runs constantly; odd musty smell. A prolonged leak could also cause physical symptoms such as headache, nausea, fainting, or other inexplicable symptoms.

If your fridge makes loud or prolonged sounds, that’s another way to know to call for repairs.

My fridge isn’t working right

When hiring a technician to make repairs in your home ask if they are certified under Section 608 from the Clean Air Act.

Renters, urge your landlord to hire section 608-certified technicians and create a schedule for monitoring leaks on your property annually.

If you suspect that a repair technician you hire is venting out gases instead of responsibly containing them, you can report it on the EPA’s tip line—search online for “Report Environmental Violations EPA.” If the technician is emptying the gas into a plastic jug or no container at all, it’s not being recovered properly and should be reported. If the refrigerant is being properly recovered, your technician will be using a machine and a reusable cylinder to capture the gas.

My fridge is beyond repair

Check out Energy Star’s Flip Your Fridge calculator to see how much you could save by replacing your fridge with an energy-efficient one based on its size, shape, age, and your electricity rate. You can also use that tool to find a free pickup and rebate for recycling an old fridge.

Check with your electric utility to see if it sponsors a turn-in program that will pay you for your old appliance. Many do!

Use the EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal Program to find retailers and utility companies who will dispose of your old appliance. These partners send appliances to certified technicians to responsibly remove the substances. See affiliated cities and utility partners at epa.gov/rad.

Do not attempt to cut any refrigerant line yourself or remove items like the compressor, which will result in venting out the gases.

I’m ready to buy

When you’re ready to get a new fridge, get one that’s Energy Star-rated or HFC-free. Energy Star is a high-efficiency ranking from the EPA. Fridges with this rating are 9% more efficient than the federal standard for that year and are sold by most major brands. Energy Star also certifies A/C units and other appliances. HFC-free refrigerators are sold in the US by many major brands, though they are not yet the standard. Find a list of HFC-free models by searching “EIA HFC-Fridge Buyer’s Guide” online.

I own fridges (and A/C units) at a business

Commit to monitoring leaks on a quarterly or annual basis.

Make a plan so you can make a quick repair if you detect a refrigerant leak, and make sure to contract with technicians who are Section 608 certified under the Clean Air Act.

How can I help supermarkets and other retailers be climate-friendly?

You’re working to cut HFC emissions—tell companies to do their part. Supermarkets in the United States are a major source of HFCs. Their refrigerant leaks are responsible for the emissions equivalent to having 9.5 million more cars on the road each year.

Green Americans have already made a difference—100,000 petition-signers pushed Walmart and in 2021, it announced it will transition to “low-impact” refrigerants by 2040. But 20 years is too long to wait, so we’re asking Walmart to release a detailed plan to meet the scale of this crisis. We’re also asking Walmart to commit to all its new stores being HFC-free. We’re asking Trader Joe’s, a company known for being a friendly market, to be more transparent and up its game after entering a settlement for its violation of the Clean Air Act after allegedly leaking refrigerant greenhouse gases. Join Green America in urging popular grocers Walmart and Trader Joe’s to cut HFCs at coolitforclimate.org.

Green America is also working with Walmart shareholders for direct shareholder action. If you own Walmart shares and would like to get involved, email Todd Larsen at toddlarsen (at) greenamerica.org.

It’s hard to grasp the sheer volume of plastic in our lives, and many people are wondering, is it really safe? Since 1950, more than 8.5 billion tons of plastic have been produced. In the seven or so minutes it will take you to read this article, there will be seven million more plastic water bottles on the planet. Half of plastic produced is designed only to be used once. If you look around your kitchen you’ll see a lot of it. This article aims to answer five of the biggest questions on plastics safety we get at Green America.

Don’t see your question? This article is the second in a series—check out “Your Top 10 Plastics Questions, Answered” for the answers to questions about single-use plastics, how China processes our recycling, and more.

Is BPA still a concern? Wasn’t it banned?

The FDA banned BPA from infant formula packaging and sippy cups for kids in 2013 following many states and counties banning the plastic chemical from various packaging items.

Since BPA has gotten a lot of bad press, many companies are phasing it out, including in invisible inner liners of canned goods and coating on receipt paper. But now, those products that may be labeled “BPA-free” are likely using similar chemicals with less regulation but similar effects, so they should still be avoided. The journal of Environmental Research published a report showing over 100 studies confirming significant effects from exposure even to low doses of BPA, enough to cause hormone disruption or cancer. We can expect that may be true of BPS and other chemicals of this group, though we don’t know for sure.

How much plastic actually gets recycled?

Only about 9% of plastic is recycled, the EPA reported in 2018 (the most recent year with reported data). Plastic is the most complicated material to recycle because each number (noted on the bottom usually, but not always) designates a different chemical makeup. With current technology, the numbers can’t be mixed because they melt at different temperatures. Municipal funding, community pressure, and demand for recycled plastics determine what gets recycled.

Only 9% of plastic is recycled

It’s not the fault of regular people that more plastic isn’t recycled. While tossing your water bottle into the trash instead of the recycling bin isn’t ideal, most of the problem comes from manufacturers making plastics that are difficult to recycle or inadequate infrastructure to facilitate recycling. A 2020 report from NPR and PBS Frontline found that the plastic industry, as early as 1974, spent millions on campaigns to convince the public that recycling could keep the environment clean, then made billions on selling plastic. Check out our Plastic Free Toolkit for dozens of tips on how to reduce the amount of plastic you add to your life at
greenamerica.org/plastic-free-toolkit.

What happens to recycled plastic? Is it made back into the bottles and food packaging it comes from?

Even though only about 9% of plastic is recycled, that’s over 3 million tons, which can get made into a lot of recycled plastic items.

Plastics degrade each time they’re processed, unlike glass and aluminum which are infinitely recyclable. That means plastic is unlikely to be recycled into something of equal value. Recycled plastic bottles often get made into polyester fabrics, building materials, and more.

Should we be more concerned about consuming microplastics or about creating microplastic waste?

…Unfortunately, we should be concerned about both.

As far as creating microplastics, we don’t have much control over that. Microplastics are prevalent because there is so much plastic out there that breaks apart relatively easily—but corporations are to blame for both situations. Besides reducing your demand for plastics, one thing you can do at home is to be gentle to your laundry, since so much of our clothing is also made from synthetic materials. Washing only full loads and only when items are truly dirty are great first steps for reducing microplastics from your laundry.

A 2019 study commissioned by WWF and carried out by the University of Newcastle Australia, combined data on microplastic ingestion by people and found that we could be ingesting about 5 grams of plastic a week in drinking water—that’s the weight of a nickel. People who drink bottled water are exposed to much more than those who drink tap, since their water is stored in plastic. Most water filters have not been tested for microplastics filtration, but pore size in filters should be a good measure. A 2018 study from State University of New York, Fredonia, found microplastics as small as 6.5 microns.

We could be ingesting about 5 grams of plastic a week in drinking water—that's the weight of a nickel.

The effect of plastic particles on our bodies is not yet understood. The smaller the particle, the harder it is to study its effects. It’s potentially similar to other tiny particles that can build up and cause serious damage, like particle pollution from car exhaust, or thin fibers of asbestos, according to a 2021 article from the journal Nature.

Is plastic less toxic as it ages? So that Tupperware (and other brands of plastic containers) I have had for 10 years is harmless now?

It’s probably time to toss your Tupperware and other very old plastic containers. Dr. Larry Silver, medical advisor for the Collaborative on Health and the Environment wrote that the older the plastic container, the greater the leaching activity. The same is true for non-food-grade plastics too, like shower curtains, which shed phthalates more as they age, especially when encouraged by heat and moisture—like your food containers—according to Mike Schade at Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.

The Tupperware brand has officially been manufacturing without BPA since March 2010, but as we learned before, that means they are likely manufacturing with one of thousands of lesser-known chemicals. Truly vintage Tupperware should not be used for food either—the stuff made famous by parties in the 70s has tested positive for lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium, depending on the color and style.

If your plastics, no matter the brand, are scratched up or cloudy, it’s time for them to go. To make the most of the newer containers you do have, don’t put them in the microwave or dishwasher, and avoid storing acidic or greasy foods in plastic.

Have more questions about plastic safety? If you have an unanswered question, send us an email!

When it comes to eating green, making sure your leftovers don’t go to waste is important. But not all storage containers for those leftovers are created equal. Avoid harmful chemicals entering your food by choosing safer storage and cooking options.

Avoid plastic containers (plastic numbers 1-7)

You might have heard of BPA (p. 14), a chemical used in plastic until around 2013 when increasing regulations reduced its use in products that touched food. Manufacturers replaced BPA with BPS or BPF, which are similar in structure and effects in animal studies but are not yet regulated, so companies that use them to make containers can claim their products are BPA-free. Food-grade plastics have recycling numbers 1-7 on the package, but that doesn’t mean they’re truly safe for food.

However, if you spend time on restaurant supply store websites, you will find lots of claims that say “safe to microwave,” particularly as regards #5 plastic, polypropylene, which is often used in takeout containers and is easily poised for reuse.

Endocrinologist Dr. Frederick Vom Saal of University of Missouri explains that plastics like BPA are harmful to human health, though not technically “toxic,” because toxicology studies what quantity a material could kill a person. Hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPA are harmful at trace amounts, far before the level at which they could kill you, Dr. Vom Saal explained.

Although it’s environmentally friendly to reuse takeout containers, avoid heating food in those containers or putting hot food in them, as plastics shed chemicals faster when exposed to heat and moisture. It’s better to reuse them to store dry foods. If you choose to use them to store cold leftovers that have cooled on the counter before putting them in plastic in the fridge, be sure to transfer the contents to a glass or ceramic bowl before heating.

Choose this: Stainless steel or glass storage containers are both safe for hot foods; glass is safe for microwaving food. You can get a set of glass containers for $30, or use jars from items like pasta sauce.

Avoid plastic films (numbers 3 or 4)

Unfortunately, these plastic films pose the same risks as other plastics when heating food, as far as chemicals interacting with heat and moisture. Furthermore, plastic films for wrapping cold foods are not sustainable because they are a petroleum product, cannot be recycled, and don’t break down in the landfill. They are designed to be used once and tossed.

Choose this for heating: When heating food in the microwave, place a bowl or glass casserole topper over your plate to prevent splatter.

Choose this for wrapping: For a more sustainable and healthy option for wrapping cold foods like a cut apple or a sandwich, use wax wraps. Wax wraps come in various sizes and are made of cotton cloth and nontoxic beeswax (or vegan wax like soy) and can be molded with the heat of your hand to fit around foods or plates going into the fridge. They can’t be heated in a microwave, but they can be washed and reused for years then composted for disposal. Get one wrap from Beeswrap{GBN} for $7, or a set for around $18.

Avoid aluminum foil

Made with bauxite, which is extracted through damaging open-pit mining, aluminum is infinitely recyclable. Yet as of 2018, only about 35% is actually recycled, according to the EPA—though aluminum cans are recycled at about 50%, making them the most successful recycling item. It is far less energy-intensive and damaging to recycle aluminum than to make it new from raw materials. A 2019 study published in Food Science & Nutrition found that using aluminum foil when baking contaminates food, particularly meat and fish, with some level of aluminum. Even though the aluminum amounts found in baked foods were not alarming, the researchers noted that aluminum can present a risk for children and certain susceptible adults. Another study from 2020 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health came to the same conclusions.

Choose this: In 2018, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and Toxic-Free Future investigated the toxic chemical PFAS in food packaging from paper-based takeout containers and found it absent in baking and cooking supplies like paper baking cups and parchment paper sold in the grocery section. Parchment paper comes in both sheets and rolls and can be used in baking, grilling, frying, and steaming.

Silicone baking tray liners or mats are often used for lining baking pans, and are considered inert (non-leaching) as long as the silicone is marked food grade, baked at the temperatures recommended, and not scratched or heavily worn. Silicone is not made from plastic, so if it smells plasticky out of the package that is a sign it might not be 100% silicone. Since there is no at-home test for pure silicone, the safest bet is to skip the silicone and use a longer-lasting nontoxic option.

We spend 90% of our time inside, where the concentration of air pollutants can be two to five times higher than outdoors. One 2019 study from the University of Colorado found roasting meat and vegetables for just a few hours can produce higher amounts of air pollutants than the streets of Delhi, India, one of the most polluted cities worldwide.

It doesn’t need to be this way. Follow these five steps for better kitchen air quality.

1. Check Your Stove

We know the lure of the blue flame of the gas stove. But do you know their dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde, and other pollutants? A 2020 UCLA report found levels of NO2 and CO when cooking with natural gas appliances exceeded national and state air quality standards. In addition, children growing up in households with gas stoves were 24% more likely to be diagnosed with asthma and 42% more likely to have asthma symptoms than kids who grew up in homes with other types of stoves, according to a 2013 study from the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Gas stoves are also associated with bad climate outcomes, as even gas stoves that are turned off release methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The methane emissions of gas stoves in the US is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of half a million cars per year, according to a study in Environmental Science and Technology in 2022. Another 2022 study, from the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, confirmed these findings and determined gas fittings and connections in gas lines are responsible for emissions, not age of the appliance or amount of use.

A New York Times article originally recommended not ditching your gas stove yet but was retracted in September 2022, for these health and climate reasons, and because of new government rebates for electric stoves.

The lesser-known induction stove uses electromagnetic energy, making it the safest choice and the best for air quality. However, it also comes with a high price tag.

Electric stoves are a great option that pollute less than gas and are more affordable than induction. If electric is your choice, choose an Energy Star model to meet strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy standards. Finally, if you aren’t replacing your gas stove, invest in a range hood that covers the entirety of your stove, to collect and vent or filter fumes. If you can’t install a hood or new stove, simply opening the windows will help improve the air quality and consider a portable induction or electric cooktop, both of which can be found for around $100, to reduce air pollution or see to which you’d prefer to switch.

2. Avoid VOCs

Just like any room, you want the kitchen to be a space that fits your vibe. But before you paint it a bright, sunflower-yellow, make sure you get VOC-free or low-VOC paint.

Many traditional paints contain VOCs, which emit as noxious fumes as the paint dries. The EPA has identified numerous health effects—headaches; damage to liver, kidney, and the central nervous system; possible carcinogen—of VOCs in the air and they are believed to contribute to negative environmental air quality.

Luckily, VOC-free and low-VOC paints are available at regular hardware and paint stores for not much more than their noxious counterparts. Shop the Green Business Network for eco-friendly paints and stains.

3. Swap Cleaning Products

A healthy kitchen is vital—no one wants bacteria as a side dish, and the cleaning products you use are key.

Less is more: For daily cleaning, water and unscented soap will do the trick. When using harsh chemicals, apply only as much as you need. Stay away from air fresheners and scented products. Scents are chemically manufactured and add toxic chemicals to the air.

Wet mop—don’t sweep. While sweeping moves dust around, mops capture it. Chemicals emitted from paint or plastics can collect in dust, making it toxic and close to little hands or paws in your home.

See which cleaning products Green America staff love. Or learn 10 eco-friendly ways to clean green.

4. Ditch Nonstick

Do you know how cookware becomes nonstick? Manufacturers apply fluoropolymer coatings, or, as you may know it, Teflon. The main chemical in Teflon is PTFE (see p. 14), which breaks down and releases toxic fumes when met with hot temperatures.

The safest bet is switching your cookware for safer material. Better options include cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic.

5. Refresh the Air

There are many tools big and small to better your home’s air quality. The simplest? Your windows. Provided the outdoor air quality is good (most weather apps provide information on this), open them wide! Windows will vent bad kitchen and other indoor fumes while letting the fresh air in. And your neighbor will be jealous of that delicious paella dish you’re making.

It’s not just you who has to do all the work, though, which means it’s time to invest in a high-efficiency filter for your air system and vacuum. Most filters use the MERV rating system, which stands for “measure particle removal efficiency.” The higher the MERV number, from 1 to 20, the more efficient the filter is at removing fine particles. The best of the best are filters that meet the high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) standard, though they are not compatible with every system.

In rooms that have particularly bad air—like a kitchen—you can also get a portable air purifier.

Want to take the next steps? Consider growing plants that clean the air in your home. Or read the issue of Green America Magazine devoted to "Your Home, Detoxed."

Updated December 2022

The refrigerator is stocked with fresh veggies, the pantry is full of whole grains, and the windowsill is glowing with sun-kissed tomatoes and herbs. Yet the pots and pans hiding in the cabinets threaten to derail all your carefully laid efforts to eat healthy.

What’s the Problem with Nonstick?

Nonstick cookware is popular because it’s cheap and easy to clean. Yet behind that convenience lies a secret: many nonstick pots and pans are coated with Teflon, the brand name for polytetrafluoethylene (PTFE). Before it was banned in 2013, Teflon cookware was sold with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical that has been linked to cancer, thyroid issues, damage to the immune and reproductive systems, high cholesterol, hypertension, and birth defects. While Teflon cookware is not made with PFOAs in the US anymore, it is made with other perifluorinated substances (PFAS) that have lesser-known effects. See the glossary on p. 14 for more on PTEE and PFAS.

All in all, the chemicals in nonstick cookware are better to keep out of your body. Teflon cookware typically lasts one to five years, so if it’s not scratched up or older, yours might be relatively safe to use at medium to low temperatures. If you’re not sure what your cookware is made of, but it is nonstick and not ceramic, cast iron, or carbon steel, it’s probably coated with Teflon or PFAS.
Ready to get nontoxic cookware now? We’ve created a list with some alternatives. Choose among these options based on your cooking habits and budget.

CAST IRON: 8” skillet starts at $13

Cast iron cookware is loved by generations for a reason—it is nonstick when seasoned properly; it’s durable and tolerates all stovetops, as well as the oven and broiler; and it’s easy to clean. Cast iron handles high heat well and can last for generations when treated right. It leaches iron, which is a necessary micronutrient and can be beneficial especially for vegans, vegetarians, and people who menstruate. Ask your doctor if you’re concerned about extra iron in your diet.

Watch out: Cast iron and Dutch ovens with a decorative coating may contain lead if it predates 1978, the year lead was outlawed in consumer goods. Cast iron can also be used to melt other metals, so if you have a vintage cast iron, get an inexpensive lead test to make sure it’s safe. One of the biggest disadvantages of cast iron is its weight—a 12 inch pan can weigh almost nine pounds—and that it needs to be seasoned regularly and should not be soaked in water.

STAINLESS STEEL: 8” 18/0 coated pan starts at $40

Stainless steel cookware can tolerate high heat on all stovetops, is durable, and is even safe to use in the oven. Be generous with oil or soak in the sink to make it easier to clean.

Watch out: Stainless steel cookware is stamped with numbers like “18/10,” which stands for 18% chromium and 10% nickel. The nickel makes the stainless steel corrosion- and rust-resistant, but a 2017 study in the National Library of Medicine shows that trace amounts of nickel may leach out when cooking acidic foods for several hours. If you prefer nickel-free stainless steel, purchase cookware with the numbers “18/0” for 18% chromium and 0% nickel—although the legal limit for “nickel-free” is 0.75%, so if you are very sensitive it might be best to avoid stainless steel altogether. 18/0 stainless steel pans may contain an aluminum core to conduct heat evenly and reduce the weight of the pan, and are safe to use.

CERAMIC: 8” ceramic-coated pan starts at $20

Ceramic does not leach toxic chemicals, is easy to clean, is safe to use on the stovetop, and 100% ceramic is safe to use in the microwave and oven. It is nonstick when used at low to medium temperatures, which is why crock pots and instant pressure cookers are often ceramic. Check out Xtrema{GBN} for 100% ceramic skillets, pots, Dutch ovens, and even tea ware.

Watch out: Cheap ceramic-coated pots and pans may have a nonstick coating of PTFE or PFAS. Check the label or contact its maker to make sure there’s no unwanted coatings to your ceramic cookware.

GLASS: Small saucepan starts at $25

Glass cookware is a safe, nontoxic option that does not leach chemicals and can be cleaned easily when soaked. The major disadvantage of glass cookware is that it can break if dropped or exposed to rapid changes in temperature. That’s why it is most often used in the oven, where the temperature change occurs evenly and slowly. Some pots are safe on the stovetop, but it’s best to check the seller’s use recommendations first.

CARBON STEEL: 8” carbon steel skillet starts at $20

Carbon steel is cast iron’s lighter cousin. It is made with 99% iron and 1% carbon, two nontoxic materials. Since it has no additional coatings, it doesn’t release toxic gases, although it does release iron like cast iron does. It tolerates all stove tops, ovens, and broilers, making it as versatile as a cast iron or stainless steel. Carbon steel pans usually have round walls, making them ideal for woks and stir-frying foods. With proper care, carbon steel can last generations.

Choosing the eco-eating lifestyle doesn’t have to be boring—it’s not just shopping at a health food store and eating organic bran (but it can be, if that’s what you’re into). Whether you’re all-in for a nontoxic pantry or just dipping your toe into farmers market shopping, follow these tips for a menu that’s whole-planet oriented.

Sunday: Shopping Day

Going to the grocery store is a great way to vote with your dollars about what kind of world you want to see. Get to know labels like Non-GMO Project, Animal Welfare Approved, USDA Organic, FairTrade, and other labels pertaining to environmental, human, and animal health. The best of the best labels offer assurance by third-party organizations that audit, test, and check standards at supply chain providers. The worst labels, which you can ignore, are just marketing phrases like “all-natural,” “farm fresh,” and “cage-free.”

Monday: Meatless/Vegan Monday

During WWI, the government encouraged Americans to reduce their intake of staple foods to aid the war effort—in part by adopting Meatless Mondays. Nowadays, climate activists have also pushed for people to eat meat-free at least one day per week, to reduce emissions from animal agriculture, which is responsible for about 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2021 study published in the journal Nature Food.

Tuesday: Try Local Flavors

Ever heard the term “locavore,” meaning someone who eats local food? It’s not possible for all foods all the time, but there are great benefits to eating local when you can:

• Taste: Local food might taste better because it was picked at its peak, instead of weeks earlier, like produce you find at the grocery store.
• Climate impact: It travels less of a distance to get to you, which lowers your carbon footprint.
•  Supporting local economies: Buying local keeps money circulating in your local economy. Plus, knowing the farmers means you can ask questions about how your food was grown and engage in conversations about important topics, like how regenerative agriculture helps soil health and fights climate change.

Incorporate local food by finding a farmers market in your area or joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which delivers boxes of local food to your door or an easily accessible location every week.

Wednesday: Feeling Fishy

Fish is broadly considered a healthy food, with less fat and just as much protein as other meats, plus omega-3s, calcium, and other minerals. There’s not currently certification for USDA organic fish. But some methods of fishing aren’t sustainable, like bottom-trawling, which can speed up coral reef destruction, and is used in some regions for bottom-feeders like catfish. Other types of fish may not be as sustainable because they are chronically over-fished, like cod and Chilean sea bass, or unhealthy because they may have high concentrations of mercury, like swordfish.

These examples all come from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s SeafoodWatch.org which has resources for finding safe, sustainable options of whatever you have a taste for. There’s also an app you can use in the grocery store.

The best way to get high-quality seafood that’s caught in an eco-friendly way is to buy local and check labels. If you have a fish market in your community, talk to the employees about where fish comes from. In stores, look for labels including Marine Stewardship Council, Fishwise, and Seafood Safe.

Thursday: Be Aware of Food Waste

A study from the Natural Resources Defense Council found that 40% of food in the US is wasted. Much of it never makes it to fridges and pantries as it goes bad on farms, in trucks, or at grocery stores. But it’s estimated that households waste a quarter of the groceries they bring home—that’s like leaving a bag of groceries you’ve paid for at the store every week!

Make sure you use up the food you buy. Make sure to keep and safely reheat those leftovers.

Friday: Eating Out and Staying Green

Many folks who are interested in their health and the health of the Earth avoid restaurant food because it tends to be more processed, or when it’s organic and unprocessed, it can get rather pricey. That doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to a night out once in a while. Check GreenPages.org for certified green restaurants, as well as the Green Restaurant Association{GBN} dinegreen.com. The Happy Cow app is an easy resource to find vegan and vegetarian restaurants near you, at all price points.

Saturday: In Search of Healthier Soils

Corporate agriculture is driving the climate crisis and flooding the market with processed products and food grown on degraded land. Instead, opt for food grown in healthy ways, like using regenerative agriculture practices. Regenerative agriculture is a holistic land-management practice that uses the power of photosynthesis in plants to sequester carbon in the soil while improving soil health, crop yields, water resilience, and nutrient density.

Regeneratively grown food isn’t just better for the Earth; those healthier soils mean your fruits, veggies, and even regeneratively raised meats have higher nutritional value, and you lessen your exposure to toxic pesticides. Food companies should be driving the use of sustainable practices, including pesticide reduction, through their supply chains.

Until that is a widespread practice, buying whole foods from regenerative farmers is your best bet. Ask questions, like “who grew this and what farming practices did they use?” And listen for answers that involve not using synthetic chemicals, growing diverse crops, and composting.

There is currently no way to tell what soil health practices are being used in the supply chains of foods at your grocery store, but Green America’s Soil Carbon Initiative is working on a label. Until that comes to stores near you, look for USDA organic, Non-GMO Project, and biodynamic certifications.

One of the best ways to be an eco warrior is to be an eco eater, whatever that might look like for you! The most important thing is to be healthy, which you can do by exploring the world's flavors and experimenting with various eco-friendly foods and diets.

Taking Action for the Climate & Community: United Methodist Women at Chevy Chase, MD Switch to a Better Bank

Judy Smith, past president and current secretary-treasurer for United Methodist Women at Chevy Chase (CCUMW) in Maryland, is devoted to Creation Care and the well-being of communities, the environment, and our precious Earth – including the climate. 

As treasurer for the group, she would go to the bank regularly to make deposits. Like most people, her focus was on the good works that the funds would ultimately make possible – not on the funds’ impact by virtue of being held at Bank of America.

Problems with a Big Bank

Eventually, however, Judy learned that big US banks are driving the climate crisis through their investments in fossil fuels. With that knowledge, going to the bank just didn’t feel the same.

Judy learned more about her bank’s role in financing the crisis from Green America. And she brought her concern – and that of United Methodist Women/Baltimore Washington Conference – for racial justice and climate justice to her thinking about what a better bank would look like.

What to Consider When Switching Banks

Fran Teplitz, Green America’s Responsible Finance director, talked through with Judy the range of banking institutions that might work for UMW. Whether for an individual or an institution, choosing a bank or credit union needs to meet a variety of needs that are specific to the customer. 

• Is a brick and mortar bank needed? 
• Do you need/are you comfortable with mobile banking? 
• Is the account minimum an issue?
• What fees might be incurred? 
• What banking products do you need?

What Are Better Banks?

Fran introduced Judy to the concept of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs). The U.S. Treasury offers a certification to CDFIs for working constructively with low-to-moderate income communities to build financial stability and local wealth.    MDIs, as defined by the federal government, have minority ownership and/or have a majority of board directors who are minority and a customer base that is predominantly minority.

As smaller institutions with community-based missions, unlike many conventional big banks, CDFIs and MDIs are also not financing the way forward for fossil fuel infrastructure. 

Even as many big US banks announce plans to support renewable energy and to “decarbonize” their portfolios, they are still providing the financing for new fossil fuel development. 

Collectively from US big banks alone, this comes to hundreds of billions of dollars in new fossil fuel financing. 

“I could not have switched banks without the resources from Green America,” Judy said. “I studied the resources and got our group to agree to use Industrial Bank, a leading African American-owned bank that is also a federally certified CDFI that supports community development. It was a bit of a long process since they are in Washington, DC and UMW is in Maryland, and I needed to provide additional paperwork. But I feel much better about our banking now.”

Saying Goodbye

Judy sent a “goodbye” letter to her local Bank of America branch and to customer service, explaining her multiple reasons for leaving. The “last straw” for Judy was the big bank’s refusal to be flexible with its fees when the CCUMW bank balance fell during the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented the group from holding their usual fundraisers. 

“Those funds were intended to support children and women world-wide, so it felt terrible to see the balance drop every month due to bank fees,” Judy explained. She tried negotiating with the bank, but ultimately her outreach went nowhere.

During the process of switching banks, Judy realized that switching banks can actually be a strategy for addressing the climate crisis. She also learned that some banks play a significantly bigger role than others in supporting community businesses and the success of economically marginalized communities.

In the end, with Industrial Bank, she was able to meet all her organization’s banking needs, from basic bank services and better fee structures to mission alignment with their core values and faith.

Does your bank reflect your values? Use Green America’s Get a Better Bank resources to help you switch to a bank or credit union that supports people and the planet.

GMO foods and pesticides have a toxic relationship that’s playing out in your grocery store and probably your kitchen. Here’s why, and how, to steer clear of toxic pesticides and their GMO partners.

What are GMOs?

As defined by the Non-GMO Project, “a GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.”

What foods are GMOs in?

Genetically engineered (GE) crops currently on the market are: corn, soy, alfalfa, canola, cotton, papaya, sugar beets, zucchini, yellow summer squash, potatoes, and apples.

In the US, GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food and more than 95% of animals used for meat and dairy eat GMO crops.

The following product ingredients are likely derived from GE crops: Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Dextrose, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Citrate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Yeast Products, and many more.

GMOs can also be found in newer products like plant-based meat substitutes, such as the genetically modified yeast in the Impossible Burger.

Note that the USDA’s bioengineered (BE) label has a narrower definition of GMOs, meaning several food products are exempt from carrying the label or have a QR code label, putting the onus on consumers to get out their phones and do research themselves while in the store.

In addition, when modified seeds spread pollen, or seeds are spread from birds or fruit, GMO foods can contaminate non-GMO crops.

Globally, GMOs are treated as more of a concern than they are in North America, with several countries banning their cultivation.

Should I avoid GMO foods?

GMO foods are modified and grown to be resistant to synthetic pesticides and herbicides, which can easily lead to overuse of these chemicals linked to serious health problems.

Pesticides are substances meant to protect crops from various pests. In industrial agriculture, synthetic chemical pesticides are commonly used to protect plants from insects, weeds, and fungi. GMO foods are modified and grown to be resistant to synthetic pesticides, which can easily lead to overuse.

The herbicide RoundUp’s usage rose 1500% between 1995 and 2015—because GMO crops had been grown to be resistant to it. In 2015, the World Health Organization classified glyphosate, the main chemical in RoundUp, as a possible carcinogen. Since then, there have been several successful lawsuits against RoundUp producer Monsanto/Bayer for people who developed cancer after exposure to RoundUp. Monsanto/Bayer is also one of companies that manufactures GMO seeds.

The toxicity of pesticides most directly affects farmworkers but can also have negative impacts on consumers over time. Research on the effects of glyphosate residues on the foods we eat are in the early stages but scientists in the Environmental Working Group warn that the chemical is biologically persistent and chronic, and that food companies should be driving the reduction of glyphosate use by their supply chains.

As weeds and other pests evolve to become resistant to glyphosate, the agricultural industry is turning to even more toxic pesticides.

A 2022 report from George Washington University revealed that one in three Americans have detectable levels of the herbicide 2,4-D—a 23% rise since 2001. This chemical is one of the main ingredients in the bioweapon Agent Orange.

How do GMO crops affect the environment?

Another big question surrounding GMOs is how they interact with the world around them. The production of GMO foods requires mono-cropping—growing the same variety of crop in the same area year after year. This depletes nutrients and fertility in the soil, thereby forcing farmers to turn to damaging products like nitrogen fertilizers made from fossil fuels.

In addition, overuse of pesticides doesn’t just pose a risk to health. Increasing their use has also led to pollinator decline, creation of chemical-resistant superweeds and pests, and disruption of local ecosystems.

How can I avoid GMOs and pesticides?

Avoid GMOs by looking for products that carry the Non-GMO Project Verified label. To avoid pesticides, look for the USDA Organic label. The best option, when available, are products with both labels.

Why Switch Banks? On Account of the Climate and Chickadees (and whatever you love) 

Not too long ago, those sentences would not have made sense to many people. And while there is still a big learning curve, more and more people are understanding the role that conventional big banks play in financing the climate crisis.

Unfortunately for people and the planet, the big US banks continue to dominate global financing of oil, natural gas, and coal infrastructure. And – unconscionably – even the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. All this, despite the increasingly dire warnings about the escalation of the climate emergency.

Clearly we need to take every action we can, individually and collectively, to build the clean energy economy that the times demand. And one more important strategy to pursue is to use a bank or credit union that does not invest in fossil fuels and that supports the well-being of communities.

Joelle Novey, a former Green America staff member and now the executive director of Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA), shared her banking switching experience with Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director for business, investing, & policy.

Fran: Joelle, it’s great to reconnect with you! I was delighted to hear about your bank switch, but before we dive into that, please tell our readers a bit about your background and how green living became a priority for you.

Joelle: I grew up in Baltimore and remember receiving what was then called “Co-op” America’s publications in the mail as a teenager, which first introduced me to the idea that our choices to buy and not buy could advance or contradict our values.

Many years later, I re-discovered the organization through the DC Green Festivals, and then for several years I joined the Green America staff as a writer and screener of applicants to the business network.

For the last dozen years, I’ve been working with communities of faith and spirit as the director of Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA) inviting communities to reflect on how their own values call them to respond to the climate crisis.

And in that time, I’ve also become the parent of two kids, ages 7 and 3, with both the deepened purpose and endless balancing and distraction that brings.

Fran: When did you first start thinking about the social and environmental impacts of your banking?

Joelle: To be honest, more than a decade ago, when I was still a writer at Green America, I interviewed someone for the National Green Pages, who was an avid bird watcher who changed financial institutions out of concern about the impact climate change was having on the animals she loved.

And I got to write one of my favorite opening lines I ever wrote for a piece in a Green America publication: “It was on account of the chickadees” that this lady “switched banks.”

Why, more than twelve years after I myself wrote an article celebrating switching banks, with step-by-step instructions, was my own day-to-day checking account still in a conventional name-brand bank that invests in fossil fuels?

It’s not something I’m proud of, but perhaps those reading this can relate. Every time I looked into it over the years, I got tripped up by the conveniences of my old bank, which seemed to me to be unavailable at the better banks. As the demands on my time had grown, I’d become completely reliant on the conveniences of mobile deposit, of my bank having an app on my phone, and of having a major brand debit card tied to that checking account.

Fran: What spurred your leap to a better banking option, in your case, a credit union?

Joelle: I’d explored and rejected switching banks a few times over the years, but finally a friend posted on social media that the Clean Energy Credit Union had mobile deposit, a phone app, and a name brand debit card, and it got me to look again.

So one lesson is – share the green steps you’re taking publicly! Don’t be shy. We can get so much encouragement and good information from each other on this journey.

When I looked into the Clean Energy Credit Union and concluded I’d at last found my new, green, everyday checking bank, I recalled the advice of my long-ago interviewee who switched banks on account of the chickadees. She advised people seeking to switch banks, as does Green America, to do things incrementally, over a number of months, which is what I did: open the new bank account first, move routine things like direct deposit of one’s salary and other regular payments over to the new account and new card over time, and then the very last step of all is the closing of the old account – and telling the old bank why you left

Over time, various different apps I use that had my old debit card information stored had to be set up with my new account, taking a little bit of work each time, but spread out over a long time: the rideshare apps, the Paypal and venmo apps, subscriptions to various media, parking and car-charging apps. One at a time, I just had to remember, “oh I have to update this too,” and take the moment to enter new payment information.  

But I took it slow and just let myself get it done incrementally over the course of a number of months, as each thing arose in the course of daily life.  

Fran:  What were the most important reasons for you personally to switch banks? 

Joelle: Look, we’re not in a climate crisis because I was keeping a few thousand dollars in a conventional bank’s checking account, or because of the daily purchasing or recycling or lightbulb choices of anyone reading this. We’re in a climate crisis because a few enormous corporate polluters have been allowed to damage our earth’s climate without limit or consequence for the last few generations.  

And the only answer to that is the formation of a grassroots movement strong enough to change laws and shift our entire society off of the extraction and burning of fossil fuels.  

That said, we are all deeply enmeshed in the fossil fuel-based economy of the past, and I think it’s important and meaningful to try and disengage our daily lives from those systems even as we come together to fight for systemic change.  

I once heard the prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba say that every single time you resolve a conflict successfully without involving the state or the police, you are helping to create openings in your own life for the future we need.  

And that’s a little bit how I feel about my new green steps this year, which were that my family finally had the opportunity to transition to an electric (hybrid) car, around the same time that I also began moving my daily checking to a bank that reflects my values.  

I have a lot of compassion for all of us in this generation who find ourselves so enmeshed in fossil fuel-based systems of transportation, food, and finance that we have come to understand are inconsistent with a livable future. Living partly or mostly stuck in those systems while carrying that knowledge with more and more urgency and clarity takes a psychic toll on all of us; it makes me heartsick and requires compartmentalization to keep carrying on like that.  

But every time we successfully get where we’re going, manage to prepare a meal or cash a check, without burning more fossil fuels, we’re showing ourselves and each other that another world is possible. Around the Jewish holiday of Passover this year, I’m planning to participate in an action in DC that will be calling out Bank of America, BlackRock, Chase, CitiGroup, and Wells Fargo. It feels liberating this Passover to know I’ll take that action having removed at least the most frequently used bank account in my name from its complicity in what these financial institutions are doing. 

Fran: So what ultimately made the bank switch possible for you? 

Joelle:  For me, the technical and practical convenience was a precondition for doing this. The other thing I was looking for was a bank that didn’t just not invest in dirty energy but was actively hastening the clean energy transition. I know from my work with congregations that the availability of financing for solar panels, for example, can make all the difference in moving clean energy projects forward. So I wanted my funds not to just stop being complicit in bad things but actively invested in support of good things.  For these reasons, I chose the Clean Energy Credit Union.  

Fran: That’s terrific! The Clean Energy Credit Union is also a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network.  

Every credit union has membership requirements, and it’s great that your membership in Green America and Solar United Neighbors opened the door to your eligibility to join the credit union. 

We’re very pleased that all Green America members -- and the people in their households -- are eligible to join the Clean Energy Credit Union. 

So how’s it going with the credit union? What advice do you have for others who want their banking life to reflect their values? 

Joelle: It’s great! This is a small and symbolic thing, but the Clean Energy Credit Union debit card actually has a happy painting of a future climate stable world on it, with a vegetable garden, solar panels, a rain barrel, people biking and charging up vehicles, and a wind turbine in the background against a blue sky. Several times a day as I took out my old debit card – too often because I needed to gas up my old car – I used to just try and push aside the misalignment I felt, or the futility I felt that even I, a full-time climate activist, couldn’t manage to do any better. Now each of those little moments of feeling defeated has been transformed by my happy little debit card into a jolt of hope, a reminder that we’re prototyping and creating the new world we need already, inside the shell of the old.  

Fran: How are you spreading the word and encouraging others, whether individuals or institutions/congregations, to ensure their banking is in accord with their values and the imperative of building a clean energy economy? 

Joelle: Doing things in community is always easier – that’s the insight that makes Green America such a powerful and encouraging organization, by letting people know we’re all working to shift into the kind of life and world we need together. I know one synagogue near me, Adat Shalom, had a months-long campaign during which dozens of members opened a Green America credit card in community, and began the process of shifting away from their old cards. 

Fran: That’s right! We worked with that congregation and feature the congregation’s “card switch”. What are your next green finance steps?  

Joelle: As we speak, I’m waiting for one more thing to clear through my old account, and then I’ll be closing the account for good. I’ll use Green America’s resources to make sure to tell my bank why I’m leaving – they’re well known for investing in mountain-top removal coal mining and other destructive practices – and share what I did on social media to spread the word. 

The next steps are to work with my spouse on some of the accounts that we share jointly. In cases where we can’t get the absolutely lowest rates or best conveniences with the better banks, then we need to have the serious conversations about how much it’s worth to us to align in this way.  

It was on account of everything and everyone I love that I finally switched banks.  

In the wise words of Donna Summer, “She works hard for the money.”

And shouldn’t she get to decide what happens to it, how it’s invested, where it goes? Shouldn’t you? That’s why socially responsible investing (SRI) options in an employer’s 401(k) package are so crucial to maintaining a healthy economy for both people and the planet.

An Intro to SRI

SRI (also called mission-based investing, sustainable investing, or impact investing) is an approach to investing, which adheres to ESG (environmental, social, governance) criteria. Recently, ESG has become the more widely used term.

There are many long-term benefits to practicing SRI, including improving corporate conduct through shareholder action, community development, and reducing financial risk.

“Offering SRI retirement options is an excellent way for employers to help secure the financial well-being of their employees,” says Fran Teplitz, Green America’s executive co-director. “For employees, it means putting their money where their values are, while saving for retirement at the same time.”

The Employee and the 401(k)

According to The Investment Company Institute’s (ICI) 401(k) Resource Center, only 60 million Americans were participating in a 401(k) program, as of September 2021.

But that doesn’t need to be the case.

“Research shows that Americans will save more through defined contribution plans [editor’s note: defined contribution plans are retirement plans that either or both the employee and the employer contribute to] with proper incentives, services, and guidance,” ICI states on its Resource Center page. “Better understanding of 401(k)s, through education and disclosure, will also boost participation.”

There are ways to encourage and foster participation, including offering more ESG investment options.

According to the 2019 Defined Contribution Plan Participant Survey by Natixis Investment Managers, 61% of “all workers surveyed would start saving or would save more for retirement if they had SRI/ESG options.” Of those surveyed, only 13% had access to ESG options within their employer-provided retirement plan at the time.

Three-quarters of all surveyed employees also said it was important “to make positive social and environmental impacts while increasing one’s assets.”

Unfortunately, the benefits of a 401(k) are only available to employees who have access to them at all—and many don’t. According to a 2018 Stanford report, “only half of all households are offered work-based retirement plans.”

If you’re fortunate to have access to one, what does a 401(k) with SRI options actually get you? Control of your money and financial health.

Make Your Finances Work for the World

“A lot of people don’t know there are investment opportunities that consider environmental and social justice and good corporate governance factors,” says Jeff Scales, Managing Principal at JSA Sustainable Wealth Management{GBN}. “And this may be the only place that they’re doing anything more than a bank account and a savings account.”

Spending and investing your money where your values lie is called voting with your dollars, and it’s a great way to support local communities and a healthy planet.

It goes back to the stats showing people will be more likely to join a 401(k) program if it offers ESG options.

“If you’re offering me a choice between General Motors, Exxon and Pfizer,” warns Rob Thomas of Social(K) on employer-provided 401(k)s. “I’m going to opt out.”

Before you opt out, consider that having a retirement plan, whether it includes a 401(k) or other financial products, is key to building a retirement safety net. According to PwC’s Retirement in America report, one in four Americans have no retirement savings. With SRI-oriented mutual funds plans, employees can build a retirement savings that avoid fossil fuels, tobacco, and firearms. They still hold many Fortune 500 companies, and push these companies to improve on their social and environmental performance.

Easily accessible and ethical retirement programs could make a major contribution to making saving for retirement far more egalitarian than it has been historically.

It’s going to take a huge amount of education and an enormous activist movement to drive this change, but if we did that, the shift of capital would be immense.

Jeff Scales, JSA Sustainable Wealth Management

How to Approach Your Employer for SRI Options

An employer offering an ethical, comprehensive, and progressive 401(k) plan may seem like a no-brainer.

“Many companies don’t offer SRI plans,” says Teplitz, “even when they would boost employee morale and loyalty. That’s why Green America and Social(k) created this great resource to help employees vouch for SRI plans at work.”

Follow these steps from Green America and Social(k)’s Plan for a Better Future, which you can download at greenamerica.org/SRIretirement:

• Educate yourself about SRI, including its benefits, example SRI example providers, and data on SRI performance. A good place to start is The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment’s (US SIF) Resource Guide for Plan Sponsors.
• Identify and meet with co-workers who share interest in having ESG options in your 401(k) plan. This can be done via informal emails or instant messages, staff meetings, or wherever your water cooler conversations happen.
• Schedule a meeting with HR and plan a presentation detailing why employees want greater investor choice and why you are requesting SRI options.
• Follow up with HR after your presentation. As Scales boldly puts it: “Don’t take no for an answer.” Especially since the Biden administration has proposed a new rule to make adding ESG options to an employer’s retirement plan easier, according to the Federal Register.

Visit investyourvalues.org for resources to launch conversations with your employer about offering SRI retirement options. The site includes information on the retirement plan offerings at several large employers and more corporate employers will be added. Even if your employer isn’t currently listed, you can still use the employee tips provided wherever you work.

“It’s going to take a huge amount of education and an enormous activist movement to drive this change [to widespread availability of SRI retirement plans], but if we did that, the shift of capital would be immense,” says Scales. “We must insist in all the products and services that we choose—as consumers and investment professionals—that they provide us with carbon disclosure, compensation practices, diversity and inclusion information and more. And if we don’t like what we see—we need to engage, speak up and in some cases divest.”

Wasted food comes at a cost to the planet, to your wallet, and to hungry bellies everywhere. The monetary value of that cost is over $408 billion just in the US—accounting for 130 billion meals thrown in the trash. Globally, 11% of all food waste occurs in the home, compared to the 7% that occurs in food service and retail, according to a 2021 UN study. It’s time to stop wasting food in any way we can. Whether you have two minutes or a few hours, make room in your schedule for these ways to reduce food waste!

Check the Expiration Dates: 1 Minute

Don’t be fooled by the “best by” and “sell by” dates on food. These time stamps do not indicate safety, but rather when a manufacturer thinks the food is at peak freshness. Yet because this is not made clear to the buyer, people automatically throw out food past its stamped date, resulting in wasted food. Instead of depending on arbitrary sell dates, get used to sniffing out spoilage—such as sour or rancid smells, and looking for discoloration, slimy film, or mold—to make your food and your dollar last a little longer.

Properly Store Your Produce: 5-10 minutes

Keeping fruits and veggies perky is possible when stored properly. Plastic bags can hasten the ripening of potatoes, which need to breathe. Refrigerated fruits and veggies can benefit from being stored in airtight containers, which prevent the cold air of the refrigerator from drying them out. Leafy greens and spring onions will stay fresh and crunchy when their ends are placed in a jar with water, much like a bouquet of flowers, or when they are swaddled in a damp towel and placed in the refrigerator. Lastly, some produce release ethylene gas as they ripen, such as bananas, apples, and tomatoes. Others, such as lettuce, broccoli, and onions are sensitive to ethylene and will age faster next to them. It’s best to keep the ethylene-emitting produce away from the ethylene-sensitive ones.

Arrange Your Refrigerator for Your Eating Habits: 20 Minutes

We often grab what’s at eye level—it’s the most convenient. That’s why the leftovers in the back are forgotten and the produce in the bottom drawer goes bad. Instead of loading the door full of sauces, try putting those in the bottom drawer—you’ll dig for what you want when you need it. Put produce and healthy snacks in the door. Put your prepped meals at eye level and in order by the days it will be eaten. Choices that are easy to find are more likely to be eaten and less likely to go bad.

Plan Your Meals: 2-3 Hours

The more precise you are about what you’re going to eat and when, the less food you’ll waste. Meal-planning apps can help! For example, Yummly (free online or for iOS, Android), features millions of recipes, allowing you to choose your meals and export grocery lists. Visit your local food co-op or browse their website for recipe inspiration. French Broad Food Co-op{GBN} has several recipes on their blog—your local co-op probably has some, too!

Start a Little Free Pantry: 1 Hour a Week

A little free pantry is a publicly accessible cabinet, bookshelf, or drawers stationed in a neighborhood and filled with pantry goods. Little free pantries, created and managed by the community, operate best when supplies are stocked organically—meaning someone gives when they have excess, and someone takes when they need. This can include produce, dry foods, canned goods, and personal care items.

Volunteer With Food Rescue Groups: 4 Hours or More

Find groups across the country that are gleaning dropped produce from fields or rescuing wasted food from stores and restaurants and sending it to food pantries for food-insecure households. The National Gleaning Project has a nationwide map to help you find a gleaning group in your state or city. Additionally, you can volunteer at a food bank, where you can sort food in the warehouse, pass out food at distribution sites, or make home deliveries.

Wasting less food in a food system focused on mass production will not solve the issue completely. Choosing to purchase from slow food and seasonal restaurants, and shopping locally bring the food system to a smaller scale. When growers don’t have to focus on the mass production of food, they can grow smaller batches that are less wasteful to begin with.

As we know, where our money is invested it’s having an impact – either benefiting or harming people and the planet. If we’re fortunate enough to have a retirement plan, we also know it can be hard to know all the companies we “own” by investing in them and what their social and environmental impacts are. 

Green America is pleased to partner with As You Sow to help you find out what you own in your retirement plan – and how to be an advocate for better investment options from your employer. 

If you are employed at one of these large US companies:  

You can get information on your employer’s 401(k) plan by simply selecting the company where you work.

You’ll find out the extent to which you are invested in fossil fuels, deforestation, weapons, for-profit prisons, and more. 

Chances are you won’t like what you see – what then? 

You can be a force for change!  

These 5 Steps to a Sustainable Retirement Plan outline the steps for knowing what you own, working with the person in charge of selecting your investment plan options, and tips for reaching out to co-workers to build support for sustainable investment options.   

If your employer is not one of these large US companies: 

You can still find out how individual mutual funds in your retirement plan rate on key issues.  

1.    Identify the funds you own by logging in to your retirement plan portal.  

2.    Look up each fund for its investment rating on fossil fuels, gender equality, guns, military weapons, deforestation, prisons, and tobacco.  

3.    To find a fund’s rating across all seven of these issues, visit this website and scroll down to Search Mutual Funds & ETFs by Name or Ticker and type in the fund’s name for a full report. 

More corporate employers will be added to this list over time by As You Sow – you can sign-up for updates. 

Thank you for taking stock – and then changing your stocks as needed so that your investments match your values.  

Let’s make our money work for the kind of world we really want – 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.  

-

Coming soon.

Contact GreenMark Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn 

To provide the seed money for starting GreenMark Media in April 2006, Sue Markgraf sold her collector car—a red Corvette. 

"I like to say it ‘revved’ the engine for something else – something very green,” she says. 

In fact, it sparked her life’s mission to help share information and education about the glorious, wonderful planet we live on. GreenMark Media was born with a mission to provide custom, specialized professional communications services to green spaces, places and issues™. 

Nearly 16 years later, GreenMark Media continues to share news of sustainability and environmental justice for its green-collar clients. But what exactly does that mean and how does the firm achieve its goals? 

“GreenMark Media's clients represent the pillars of the sustainable industry,” Markgraf says. “This provides networking and cross-promotable synergies that impacts their bottom line and grows their business, while elevating awareness of important sustainable issues. It all works together.” 

As a strategic storytelling firm for business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients, GreenMark Media offers an important messaging workshop at the start of every professional client relationship. The Grow Your Message Workshop™ helps businesses “articulate their values and purpose in the marketplace.” 

“It’s surprising how eye-opening this workshop can be,” she says. “There is oftentimes a direct disconnect between the branding of the company in the c-suite and the branding of the company at the team level.” 

After all, you don’t know what you don’t know, and Markgraf is on a mission to help people know more. That matters because she believes that getting everyone on the same page in a business means not only better success for the company – but correct storytelling about the company’s work to B2B and B2C publics. “When a message is clear and a company’s work is clearly defined – success happens and the Earth wins,” she says. 

Markgraf’s own passion for our blue-and-green planet started with a red tomato. 

“When I was very young, my parents gave me a small area of our yard, and I grew tomatoes,” she reveals. “I gave the very first tomato I grew to my mother. The delight on her face! That’s where the connection between Earth and goodness was made for me, and where my passion in my work comes from.” 

Markgraf’s career in sustainability was nurtured through her career along the way and grew to fruition through her work at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There, she essentially created a viable public relations and marketing communications department that helped take the messaging of the Garden to a creative new level. During her time there, the Garden launched science initiatives and exciting new gardens. She was also part of the team that created a major branding and fundraising campaign.  

“I remember the day distinctly when I knew I had to leave the Garden, a place I truly love to this day,” she says. “It was early October and the morning was beautiful – the start of a crisp, fall day. As I opened my bedroom curtains and I said to myself, ‘I absolutely love my job. I could retire from there.’ And I literally plopped myself down on the side of my bed and broke out in a cold sweat. I then knew there was something else I was meant to do. GreenMark Media, I know now, is it.”  

So GreenMark Media was born and Markgraf’s mission to do her part for the industry-at-large was truly ignited. Her skillset uniquely blends years of experience in journalism and strategic storytelling for business. 

“It is a very good planet” she says, “and we all have a responsibility to ensure that it lives and breathes as it was created to do. I do not want to see us make the mistakes we are making just because we don't know any better. “Increasing awareness, supplying education, and communicating while supporting our clients’ work is near and dear to me. It isn’t my job – it’s my calling.” 

Beyond the Grow Your Message Workshop, GreenMark Media provides a full suite of professional communications services, including content creation, digital marketing, social media, reputation management, and much more. 

“GreenMark Media is part of the sustainable industry, too,” Markgraf says. “By adopting our own green policies and sustainable practices – by being invested in the industry overall – we provide a unique platform for communicating about issues and getting straight to the heart of our clients’ work in sustainability.”  

For green businesses who may be intimidated about costs when working with a professional communications and marketing firm, Markgraf offers one piece of advice: 

“Don’t be scared. Reach out and let’s talk,” she says. “We have a unique gift as an industry. That is to articulately guide and lead so others will understand why Earth not only matters – but why its life needs protecting.” 

In the new year, the Green Business Network ® launched programming tied to a resolution we want to help all of our business members achieve--moving toward zero waste.

The concept of “zero waste” addresses the entire lifecycle of a product, including its initial design, reuse, repurposing, composting, and other strategies that support a circular economy in which resources are valued and circulate in the economy and society in new forms to avoid waste. Although zero waste goals require rethinking production and consumption, businesses’ bottom lines benefit when they effectively steward resources.

GBN and our business members have addressed waste issues for many years, and we know there is always room for improvement. For those newer to the concept of “zero waste,” it can also be challenging to rethink one’s business operations and related waste production.

For that reason, we turned to Moji Igun, founder of Blue Daisi Consulting {GBN}, who is dedicated to helping small businesses become more environmentally sustainable, to explain what she calls the “zero waste mindset.” On our recent webinar, Moji partnered with Green Business Network member and CEO Gloria Ware who described her sustainability journey. Ware’s quarterly subscription and online community for Black women entrepreneurs, Get the Bag {GBN}, is dedicated to supporting the success of Black women in business.

Moji teaches that while achievements like getting all of one’s trash to fit into a small jar, might get a lot of views on social media, that isn’t exactly the goal. The zero-waste goal is actually much larger – it is to understand “how did we get into a society, into circumstances, where we are outputting so much waste, and sending it all to a landfill with no real regard for how much resources we are using?”

The linear economy – a straight line from store, to use, to the trash - is destroying the planet and needs to be replaced with a circular economy, Moji explains.

So how do we proceed towards zero waste?

With the zero waste mindset – “a lens for adjusting our consumption and production habits through intentional and consistent action.” Moji helps businesses make small shifts over time, which results in real change that builds over time without the overwhelm that can lead to inaction. She’s inspired by Arthur Ashe, the great tennis star and civil rights icon, who said: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Gloria explained that Moji affirmed her decision to offer quarterly versus monthly Get the Bag subscriptions, gave her a broader list of environmentally friendly vendors, and encouraged her to provide educational materials to her customers on how to properly recycle or creatively repurpose the boxes. “The biggest take-away from my session with Moji was to start where I am and take steps in the right direction over time. That was important, because it reduced the stress of trying to do all the green things at once,” Gloria underscored.

Now Ware is educating her audience of Black women entrepreneurs on an ongoing basis about waste reduction. Those many steps are making a real difference, especially as Get the Bag network members learn and make changes too. Gloria notes that the number of Black women business owners in the US has increased 168% from 2008-2018, and Get the Bag is providing resources to help this audience adopt sustainability practices so they and the planet can thrive.

If you are an entrepreneur seeking to improve your social and environmental impacts, learn more:

Green Business Network | BlueDaisi | GetheBag

For a recording of this session:

The header image features products from FariOrganics, a Black woman-owned business that works with Ware, using compostable packaging.

Get The Bag, LLC is a community to connect with Black women who are aspiring and current entrepreneurs, motivated, courageous and fired-up about becoming more financially informed to start and scale successful businesses. For community members, Get The Bag helps you:

Get The Bag delivers three forms of capital to our community members and their champions:

Financial Capital -  Source real grants, pitch competitions and funding opportunities designed to help more Black women get the bag. Bonus: Finance and funding focused content to help you to get funding ready.

Social Capital - Connect with a network of value-aligned businesses, professionals and business support organizations ready to help Black women power-up our businesses.

Customer Capital - Purchase a Get The Bag Boss box for yourself or the Boss in your life to make an immediate economic impact supporting the lovingly curated collection Black- and Black-women owned makers, artisans and brands featured.

Are you a values-aligned business or non-profit? Purchase our Get The Bag giftboxes for your team, students, clients or next event. We ship nationally.

Industrial agriculture is a leading source of the climate crisis. Big Ag causes continual topsoil loss (costing the US more than a trillion dollars every year), and pollutes our waterways.  

Restoring soil health and its natural ability to draw down carbon from the atmosphere to slow global warming is a critical step to addressing these crises. 

Healthier soil also produces more nutrient-rich food for us.  

That’s why Green America, in partnership with over 150 farms, companies, NGOs, and soil scientists, launched the first-of-its-kind certification for regenerative agriculture in 2019, open to all farms and food companies: Soil Carbon Initiative.  

We’re looking for the next 100 farmers and food companies to become part of our “2022 Go-to-Market” pilots.

What is regenerative agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is farming with, not against, Mother Nature and improves soil health, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality, climate resiliency, food security, farm profitability, and rural community economics.

What is the Soil Carbon Initiative?

The Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI) is a world-changing, outcomes-based, commitment and verification program that empowers and incentivizes farmers, food companies, and the entire food supply chain to transition acreage to regenerative farming.

The initiative requires demonstrated improvement of soil health and carbon sequestration, which means real benefits for the climate, our soils, and our health. Backed by farmers and other leaders in this space, the standard is designed to be practical, accessible, and both farmer- and business-friendly.  

And it’s changing the way we do agriculture.  

Steve Tucker at Tucker Farms in Venango, Nebraska, said: 

SCI is the most encompassing soil health program that I have ever seen, and the fact that it is non-exclusive with other certifications makes it even better! There are so many great aspects to SCI – access to guidance and support with farm planning, an emphasis on outcomes and progress, and the opportunity to improve farm profitability and market recognition.

Benefits to farmers participating in the 2022 Go-to-Market Pilots Program include:

• Information: Access to the world’s best soil health tests that provide real data on soil health progress – and interpretive guidance and planning for the producer’s best next steps, depending on farm goals, since every farm is different  
  
• Farm Profitability: Focusing on soil health helps farms reduce input costs and increase profitability
  
• Network: Farmers who are part of the Go-to-Market pilots become part of SCI’s Founding Farmer network to exchange ideas with other farmers – and provide advice to shape the future of SCI
  
• Market: SCI helps farmers get ready for the growing market of companies and consumers looking to connect with farms focusing on soil health and climate outcomes
  
• Label & Verification: Farmers earn the SCI label to very their soil health progress for consumers and companies
  
• 2022 Financial Benefits: Pilot costs are covered for soil health tests and a cost share for expert regenerative consultants 
  
• 2023 and Beyond Financial Benefits: Annual fees will always be waived for members of the SCI Founding Farmers network, and members have first eligibility for the SCI Farm Fund for transition investments and ongoing dividends (starting in 2023).

Please share this pilot with a farmer or company who might be interested.

Erin Gorman, Soil Carbon Initiative director and Maryland-based farmer, said:

We welcome all producers who are interested in beginning or deepening their soil health journey to join our Go-to-Market pilots.

The deadline for applications is April 5.

Together, we can transform our food system into one that is sustainable, healthy, and beneficial for all. 

Our Skip the Slip campaign confronts the problem of super long receipts, which are a waste of paper and water and usually not recyclable, and receipts coated in BPA and BPA, which are harmful to human health.

We focused on CVS since it was notorious for its very long receipts, urging CVS to boost customer access to and participation in its digital receipt program instead of providing paper receipts.

In response, CVS has achieved the following:

• Initially marketed digital receipts to their ExtraCare members and then expanded it so all customers could choose digital-only receipts.
• Started explicitly asking customers at cash registers if they want a printed receipt, digital receipt or no receipt in April 2022. Within four months, CVS saved 87 million yards of receipt paper, enough to circle the globe twice. At this rate, it will have saved enough paper to reach the moon in a year and a half.
• Implemented recyclable, BPA/BPS-free receipt paper in all 10,000 of its stores.
• Shortened paper receipt length for those customers who choose paper receipts.
• Phased out print circulars with ads in 2/3 of its markets, resulting in a 70 percent reduction of paper use.
• Converted its pharmacy bags to unbleached paper made with 90 percent recycled content that are recyclable. 
• Launched a new online portal to replace paper-based drug fact sheets, saving an additional 700 million pages of paper.
• Continues to send more and more digital receipts, sending 58 million digital receipts in 2019, 104 million digital receipts in 2020, and even more in 2021.
• Saved $50 million in reduced paper expenses by cutting waste and boosting digital communication.
• Enrolled 7.3 million ExtraCare members in digital receipts — an 11% increase over 2020.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Skip the Slip campaign. Thanks to you, CVS made big progress on saving resources and protecting human health. This is a very big win for people and the planet.

Together, we are creating change.

Read more about the impact of receipts and what CVS and other major retailers such as Apple, Ben & Jerry's, and Target are doing in our most recent Skip the Slip report.

Green America in the News

Green America has been featured in many news outlets. Here are just a few.

Cousins and neighbors, Tim (who has always had a green thumb, growing loofahs on his back fence as a kid) and Kory Byrne, started growing hops out of curiosity in 2017. Their neighbor was a homebrewer, so they thought, “Why not try growing a few hops?” The Byrne cousins and I sat down in early December at Our Lady of Perpetual Hops brewery in New Albany, Indiana to enjoy the hops of their labor. Our conversation covered a plethora of topics, from to Knob View Hops to beekeeping to school curriculum. 

A Dream and a Couple of Beers

Tim and Kory shared that they started farming hops “on a dream and a couple of beers”, reading everything they could about growing hops (“One book. There is one book on growing hops.”). They started with just three hop plants. The hops started growing so quickly (6-8 in/day!) that they added three more plants that first season. From the start, the Byrnes were concerned about soil health and began taking soil samples. They began fine-tuning the soil to ensure the PH was right for growing hops (5.5-8).

Finding a brewery to take a chance on them proved to be quite the challenge. They tried to connect with several local breweries, but none were willing to speak to them before their first harvest. Fortunately, the folks at Our Lady of Perpetual Hops (OLPH) were in the beginning stages of opening a new brewery and were willing to speak with them. A few years later, the Byrnes’ hops--Knob View Hops--are used for OLPH’s flagship beer, and their kids are growing up together.

Mother Nature is a Cruel Teacher

Kory and Tim are quick to admit that they have learned many lessons along the way, sharing that it often felt like they did everything four times before doing it right the fifth. It seemed that every step of the way to becoming hops farmers was riddled with obstacles, including a wobbly trailer hauling their new-to-them hops harvester that turned a 10-hour trip from east-central New York into a 19-hour trip to southern Indiana. No teacher, however, was as cruel as Mother Nature. The more erratic the weather becomes, the harder it is to plan and prepare for the season. In 2020, there was hardly enough water. In 2021, there was far too much water, and the over-saturated field threatened the harvest. The Byrnes collect data each season in hopes of using it to prepare for whatever weather comes their way.

Farming Practices

In addition to tracking their soil health from the start, the cousins explained that they wanted to both care for the soil and make sure they were producing the safest possible product for consumers. Tim and Kory follow regenerative agriculture as close as they can, using minimal tillage, rotating inputs, and planting cover crops—including turnips, winter wheat, rye, and white and crimson clover—which all help to put nitrogen back into the ground. And hops themselves are perennials! They are continuously learning how to work with nature to produce the best possible crop. Since Tim started caring for bees, they have also been conscientious about including plants to feed their pollinators. 

Finding a Community through Bees

In early 2020, Tim signed up to take a bee-keeping course in Louisville. Unfortunately, the class was cancelled due to COVID-19. Since he had already paid for the materials and bees, Tim finished the course via books and YouTube. By caring for and protecting the bees, Tim and Kory realized they have an entire ecosystem to protect. They kept adding more bee boxes and are now up to 10. The Byrnes heard from their neighbors that their blueberry and pumpkin crops have improved greatly since the bees have joined their ecosystem. While their neighbors still use chemical inputs, they have either started using less-toxic chemicals or spray at night when the bees are sleeping.

Fitting in with Industry

Industrial agriculture—particularly growing hops at scale—poses several obstacles to starting out as a hop farmer in the US. For example, the most popular hop in the US is the citra; but to grow citra hops, a farmer must live in Iowa or Washington state and have $1 million cash on-hand. The Byrne cousins shared that everyone warned them against getting into the hop growing business, telling them that it is difficult to get a foot-in-the-door. They both admit that they would not have done so had they known then what they know now.

Farming, however, has become a family affair. They shared that the lessons they learned in farming and small business—lessons they are passing down to their children—are the real payoff from growing hops. 

One of the biggest lessons they’ve learned is how fragile our food supply chain is, explaining you don’t realize its fragility until there is a problem in one part of it. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that fragility even further. The Byrnes are here to do their part, growing a crop they love, protecting their soil, and making sure their colony of bees thrive. 

Saving our soil is key to reversing climate change and Green America's Soil Superheroes, Knob View Hops included, are doing the real work.

LOS ANGELES – MARCH 8, 2022 – The Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI), the first-ever independently verified, outcomes-based regenerative agriculture certification program open to all farms and companies in the food supply chain, announced its newest 2022 pilots focused on farmers. While SCI’s earlier pilots concentrated on the technical aspects of soil testing protocols, the 2022 Go-to-Market Pilots build on that work by inviting farmers to apply for 100 new spots to benefit from information, market access, networking opportunities, and SCI labeling to verify progress to companies and consumers. The deadline to apply is April 5, 2022. 

SCI was launched in 2019 in partnership with over 150 farms, companies, NGOs and soil scientists. The initiative is a commitment and verification program that empowers and incentivizes farmers and the food supply chain to transition acreage to regenerative management. It drives soil health, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality, climate resiliency, food security, farm profitability, and improved rural community economics. 

Alisa Gravitz, president and CEO of Green America, said: “The Soil Carbon Initiative is a world-changing commitment and verification program designed to address the soil health and climate crises, scale regenerative agriculture and contribute to farm prosperity.” 

Erin Gorman, SCI director and Maryland-based farmer, said: “We welcome all producers who are interested in beginning or deepening their soil health journey to join our Go-to-Market pilots.”

Benefits to farmers participating in the 2022 Go-to-Market Pilots Program include:

• Information:  Access to the world’s best soil health tests that provide real data on soil health progress – and interpretive guidance and planning for the producer’s best next steps, depending on farm goals, since every farm is different  
• Farm Profitability: Focusing on soil health helps farms reduce input costs and increase profitability
• Network:  Farmers who are part of the Go-to-Market pilots become part of SCI’s Founding Farmer network to exchange ideas with other farmers – and provide advice to shape the future of SCI
• Market:  SCI helps farmers get ready for the growing market of companies and consumers looking to connect with farms focusing on soil health and climate outcomes. 
• Label & Verification: Farmers earn the SCI label to verify their progress to companies and consumers
• 2022 Financial Benefits:  Pilot costs are covered for soil health tests and a cost share for expert regenerative consultants 
• 2023 and Beyond Financial Benefits:  Annual fees will always be waived for members of the SCI Founding Farmers network, and members have first eligibility for the SCI Farm Fund for transition investments and ongoing dividends (starting in 2023).

Backed by farmers and other leaders in this space, the standard is designed to be practical, accessible and both farmer- and business-friendly. It is open to any company and farmer, in any production system.  

Scott Park at Park Farming in Meridian, California, said: “SCI was clearly designed with farmers in mind. It meets farmers wherever they are on their journey to regeneration and is particularly helpful to farmers who are just starting out.”  

Steve Tucker at Tucker Farms in Venango, Nebraska, said: "SCI is the most encompassing soil health program that I have ever seen, and the fact that it is non-exclusive with other certifications makes it even better! There are so many great aspects to SCI – access to guidance and support with farm planning, an emphasis on outcomes and progress, and the opportunity to improve farm profitability and market recognition.”

Raquel Krach at Massa Organics in Glenn, California, said: “Having a solid farm plan is a critical tool that farmers need to succeed with regenerative agriculture. By providing education and guidance, SCI can ensure that farmers who enroll in this program have the best chance to get it right from the start.”  

Conventional agriculture is a leading source of climate impact and causes continual topsoil loss, costing the US more than a trillion dollars every year. Restoring soil health and its natural ability to draw down atmospheric carbon is a critical step to addressing these climate and soil crises.

The Soil Carbon Initiative’s outcome-based verified standard also gives food producers and manufacturers the ability to measure and motivate soil health improvements. Producers in any system – conventional, organic, non-GMO, biodynamic – are eligible for SCI verification. Centered in the Climate Smart discussion and based on demonstrated soil health and carbon sequestration results, the SCI standard rewards commitments, improvement, and achievement in soil health and soil carbon. 

SCI independent verification is conducted by SCS Global in Emeryville, California, and soil health testing by Regen Ag Labs in Pleasanton, Nebraska. For more information, including details for joining an information session webinar for farmers and interested companies on March 15, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. EDT/9:00 a.m. PDT, go to https://www.soilcarboninitiative.org/pilots.  

ABOUT

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 most pressing social and environmental problem.  For more details on the Soil Carbon Initiative and applying for the 2022 SCI Go-To-Market pilots, https://www.soilcarboninitiative.org  

SCS is an international leader in third-party certification, validation, and verification for environmental, sustainability, and food safety and quality performance claims.  https://www.scsglobalservices.com  

Regen Ag Lab’s focus is to assist the restoration of our soil, water and air resources by delivering quality, integrity and accuracy in every analytical result. Our primary goal is to use proper testing, scientific data and consultation to guide producers through their personal journey of regenerative agriculture, economic stability and land restoration.  https://regenaglab.com/

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

Spencer Tierney (Mar 4, 2022)

Some banks that uphold social and environmental causes let outside groups evaluate their values to show their commitment.

"A champion for good causes" may be the last way you would characterize a bank, but some fit that profile.

Part of how banks make a profit is by using the money in your checking, savings and other accounts to make loans to businesses, home buyers and other customers. But you don’t have a say in what your bank supports with those funds. They could be activities you don't support, such as projects that lead to deforestation or new oil pipelines.

.....

Green America Certified

• Includes fewer than 10 U.S. banks, credit unions and fintechs.

Since 1982, the national not-for-profit Green America has built a green network of small businesses. Green America defines “green” to mean a focus on social justice and environmental responsibility. Certification requires submitting an assessment, and eligibility includes companies at least four months old that fulfill a host of requirements.

Specific to banks and credit unions, eligibility involves over two dozen requirements across four categories: company (business practices), company employment (fair worker wages and benefits), education (truthful marketing) and sustainable facilities. Under the company category, banks must have clear policies around where customers’ money may or may not be invested. Any banks that fund certain industries, including but not limited to weapons and fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal, aren’t eligible to be Green America Certified.

Read full article.

WASHINGTON, DC – March 3, 2022 – Whether it’s to fight the climate crisis, boost mental health, or defray food costs in the face of rising inflation, Climate Victory Gardens have grown to 14,632 registered gardens in 2022, up from 8,670 in 2021, according to the nonprofit Green America. By using climate-friendly, regenerative agriculture techniques, the gardens equate to 4,667 tons of annual carbon drawdown or offsetting the emissions of 39 million miles driven.

Gardeners gearing up for the spring planting season can visit the Climate Victory Gardens resource page for more information for beginner and seasoned gardeners, as well as tips for improving mental health through gardening and a new series about gardening for people with disabilities.

Emma Kriss, food campaigns manager at Green America, said: “Our Climate Victory Garden campaign continues to grow by leaps and bounds as we head into the spring. Planting a Climate Victory Garden is the best way to provide nutritious food, promote biodiversity, and keep the soil healthy, all while drawing down the atmospheric carbon dioxide driving the climate crisis. It’s a win-win for people and the planet.”

Green America’s Climate Victory Garden resources cover additional popular topics such as:

• Annuals and perennials
• Knowing when to grow
• Container gardening
• Raised garden beds
• Growing food indoors
• Seeds vs. transplants
• Soil testing
• Composting
• Organic pesticides
• Supporting pollinators
• Joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

Niko Kirby at Denver Urban Gardens, which is working with Green America to promote the Climate Victory Garden campaign locally, said: “Denver Urban Gardens is excited to be in partnership with Green America to spread awareness of the positive climate impacts of gardening. We're looking forward to inspiring 10,000+ more people to grow a Climate Victory Garden in 2022 together!”

Climate Victory Gardens help to fight climate change by fostering healthy soil that can draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Inspired by the “Victory Gardens” campaigns during WWI and WWII that at the time produced 40% of the fresh produce consumed in the U.S., Climate Victory Gardens empower Americans to grow gardens with regenerative agriculture techniques to help address the climate crisis.

Climate Victory Gardens are being tracked through Green America’s searchable map. To add your own Climate Victory Garden to the map, visit: https://greenam.org/garden.

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 for Green America, (703) 276-3255, or mkarlin@hastingsgroup.com.

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

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

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

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

It’s a new year and a new chance for each green business to make environmental progress. 

The GreenBiz Group released its annual State of Green Business Report for 2022, revealing major innovations happening in the sustainable business world across numerous fields. Given the rapid escalation of climate change across the world, momentum and hope are what we need—and exactly what visionary businesses are doing. 

Below are the five biggest trends to be on the lookout for as the year continues.  

1. Climate Tech on the Rise 

Green chemistry, low-carbon steel, cleaner energy. Technology is a huge ally in the fight against climate change and as inventive minds create more awe-inspiring tools, businesses are smart to start using them, if possible. 

As Joel Makower writes in the report: “Individually and in concert, these future-facing advances stand to reinvent large swaths of the economy.” 

2. ESG Investing 

In the financial world, there’s a strategy taking people by storm: socially responsible investing (SRI), or sustainable investing. This intentional approach to being conscious of where our money is going considers ESG (environmental, social, and governance) criteria. Individuals and groups are recognizing that issues like environmental impacts, board diversity, and more actually do have financial impacts as well as societal impacts and need to be considered when debating where to invest. 

“The world’s largest banks, insurance companies, institutional investors and pension funds are increasingly moving funds out of polluting industries,” Makower explains. “And into companies and funds that seem to be part of the solutions.” 

It’s an imperfect science, with several industries and companies making loud promises (like going net zero, or carbon neutral) while severely lacking actual progress. Still, the divesting movement is going in the right direction. 

To find out more, and learn how your workplace can adopt more sustainable investing practices, visit Green America. 

3. Lobbying for Change 

In 2021, US greenhouse gas emissions rose by 6.2%, according to NPR. When statistics like this get worse, it’s easy to lose faith in the powers that be—but people aren’t giving up. 

The sustainable business community that lobbies for progress on environmental stewardship and social justice needs to be more politically engaged than ever; business voices in support of strong action to address the climate emergency, for example, can make a real difference.

“That’s just beginning to change,” Makower writes. “The pressure of activist and advocacy groups pushing businesses to get off the sidelines and take a stand is rising.” 

Green Americans have seen this kind of pressure work. In March 2021, after the action taken by over 40,000 people, Godiva announced steps to address child labor in the cocoa industry. Last October, Green Americans put the pressure on CVS with Skip the Slip campaign and now in all 10,000 stores, CVS uses non-toxic, recyclable receipt paper. 

Makower warns that if businesses don’t adhere to the knowledge and pressue of activists, “it will be that much tougher to make progress,” but the fight is worth it. 

4. Wealth and Accessibility 

Many of the great technological advancements and abilities to address climate change are exclusive to the wealthier nations of the world. This is an especially egregious fact given the countries hit hardest by environmental disasters are the ones least prepared for them, and with the least amount of wealth to mitigate damage.  

“If the inequitable distribution of COVID vaccines is any indication, the world’s richest countries are ill-prepared to adequately care for those in need,” adds Makower. 

This was a major talking point at last year’s COP 26, the latest United Nations meeting to forge agreements between nations on climate change. 

Rich countries, including the United States, are refusing to contribute to a loss and damage fund that would provide poor countries with money to address the billions of dollars in damage already resulting from the climate crisis.  This continues a pattern of wealthy countries failing to provide the funds needed to help poorer countries reduce their emissions and invest in climate adaptation. 

Todd Larsen, Green America Executive Co-Director

To truly create equity in our planet’s fight against climate disaster, the wealthiest nations—and companies—need to step up. 

5. State of the Planet 

Being honest about the state of climate change is not an easy truth to swallow, but it is necessary in order to address and ideally prevent future disasters. 

The Green Business Report notes the various areas of progress are impressive and crucial, but they are not happening at a fast enough pace. 

As stated previously, greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2021, exceeding scientists’ expectations. These dangerous emissions will likely rise even more this year. Unfortunately, that’s not all. 

The Report also points out a continued loss of biodiversity across the planet, the loss of fisheries of marine ecosystems, and the growth of water stress as it’s predicted over half of the world’s population will live in water-stressed regions by 2050. 

These are sobering, and sometimes frightening, truths but it’s not over yet and there’s much more to be done, in the sustainable business world and beyond.

As of November 2021, there were 10.5 million monthly jobs available in the US, yet many employers still say they’re seeing mass labor shortages. This is being further complicated by what many are referring to as The Great Resignation—masses of people leaving their jobs in search of better pay, better treatment at work, their passions. In September 2021, the rate of resignation rose to an all-time high of 4.4 million people. 

So, despite the availability of jobs, and aside from accessibility issues with becoming employed at all, willing workers are now also holding higher standards for themselves. 

But what if while employees demand better treatment, at the same time, employers also started seeing employees as whole humans? 

This is the core of Open Hiring, a practice based on a simple premise: radical empathy. 

What Is Open Hiring? 

Picture this: You sign up for a job on a first-come, first-served waiting list. When your name gets to the top of the list, you’re offered an apprenticeship at above minimum wage—no questions asked. Once the apprenticeship is completed, you’re offered a permanent position. 

It all began with the American Zen Buddhist and social enterprise pioneer Bernie Glassman. 

In 1982, Glassman opened Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, New York, creating a variety of baked goods and eventually becoming the main brownie supplier for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. The company’s main goals remain hiring people who face employment barriers and donating profits to the Greyston Foundation for community projects like low-income housing, day care, a medical center for HIV/AIDS, and more. 

As current Greyston Bakery CEO and President Joe Kenner tells me, however, Glassman’s original goal was not open hire. 

“What he wanted to answer was: ‘How do we create a thriving community?’’ Kenner explains. “It didn’t start with, ‘Hey, I want to bake brownies for Ben and Jerry’s,’ or ‘I want to do open hiring,’ he just wanted to get people jobs.” 

He understood creating a thriving community meant focusing on the whole community, and people previously left behind by the system, by simply offering a hand. 

"There Is a Second Chance Shortage” 

When Leah Farrington made this tweet on February 1, it received tens of thousands of likes, thousands of retweets and engagements, clearly striking a chord.  

Farrington explained receiving her 24^th job rejection—after having already gotten an offer—once her potential employer ran a background check.  

A background check can reveal various information, from a person’s medical history, credit report, legal history, housing record, and more, all of which can affect a hiring decision. Several of the so-called “red flags” in background checks, namely legal history and housing record, are steeped in racism and other notions built on white supremacy. 

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, Black Americans make up 40% of the incarcerated population, despite only making up 14.2% of the US population. This statistic reflects other intersecting issues in the US that disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and LGBTQ communities, including a lack of housing, mental health, access to education, and more. 

When these subjects come up in the hiring process, Loranger has one question for employers: “What are you committed to as an organization by shielding your hiring managers from information that might bias them against somebody, not based on their potential, not based on what they can bring to your organization, but what might have happened in the past?” 

For those released, however, the white supremacist system remains stacked against them. The US has one of the highest rates of recidivism (the chance for a convicted person to reoffend) at 76.6%, writes Liz Benecchi for the Harvard Political Review. 

Across the ocean, Norway boasts one of the lowest recidivism rates at 20%. One key difference? People unemployed prior to their incarceration in Norway saw a 40% increase in their employment rate following release. 

In the US, the current hiring system completely neglects millions of people. And it goes beyond a background check. 

“They might have transportation issues, they might have care issues at home, they might have school or can’t get daycare,” notes Alina Sanchez, founder of Accelerating Purpose.  

“It’s reframing how you support your employees.” 

A Shift of Thought Towards Empathy 

Implementing open hire at your company doesn’t need to be difficult change—and there are people who want to help. 

Mark Loranger is the President and CEO of Chrysalis, a non-profit which helps people who face employment barriers, including those who have experienced incarceration or who may be unhoused. 

Getting employers to consider these people requires a shift of thought and prioritizing empathy. 

“We have to have the conversation about the intrinsic advantages of hiring folks with lived experience that have been in the community,” explains Loranger of his experience getting employers to consider Chrysalis’ clients. 

“Our lead with strategy, always when we're talking with employers is: ‘You are in business to create a product, provide a service, whatever it happens to be, and you need great people to do that. We've got great people, let's talk about how we can match them to the needs you have.’” 

It comes down to intentionality and not being afraid of failing.  

Kenner notes that fear of mistakes and failure can be paralyzing, but it can also stop real progress from happening. Implementing open hire needs to be done with purpose and commitment. 

Chrysalis is not the only organization out there willing to help, either. 

“If there's an organization that wants to do open hire and they haven't done it before, I would help support them to develop that program,” Sanchez says. 

Especially for small businesses who don’t have the resources or a program in place like Greyston Bakery to start open hire, she notes. 

How to Make Open Hiring Work 

But it’s not just about employing people—it's about retaining their employment. This means committing to a constant process of investing in people holistically, including their mental and physical health, their work-life balance, their education, and beyond. 

For Loranger, a key part of this is being realistic. 

“You have to understand people facing employment barriers, such as housing insecurity or the criminal justice system, they’ve got complicated lives and may not have a good support system,” he explains. 

Loranger also suggests a few ways to help, including implementing a buddy system, providing informal networking opportunities, and always being willing to educate and never assume. 

Providing help for people is key, especially mental health care, childcare, transportation, and education resources. 

In the same Harvard Political Review article, Benecchi notes 37% of incarcerated people have mental health struggles, but 66% say they never received medical attention or care during their full sentence. Incarcerated people who have education opportunities, either while incarcerated or after, also have a lower chance of being reincarcerated. 

Taking care of one another is a win for everyone. 

Kenner concludes: “When we address these issues, when your employees are doing well personally, they’re going to be doing well professionally because they're not worried about the family being in crisis, they're not worried about getting evicted.” 

Join millions of Green Americans and support campaigns that, like open hiring, provide people dignity and working opportunities.

“It's never a Me thing. It's a We thing”  

Roberta Eaglehorse-Ortiz (Oglala Lakota/Yomba Shoshone) is the founding farmer and owner of Wombyn’s Wellness Garden. Although Roberta had never read a seed package when the Oregan Food Bank in Portland offered her a small plot of land five years ago, serving her community was nothing new. Roberta began helping her community as a doula. She is guided by something she likes to call “earthwork and birth work." Garden work has been a true manifestation and calling in Roberta’s life. 

Roberta, a Native American woman, had a “fear” of societal pressures when she began gardening. She did not want people to assume she knew everything about gardening or the land because of her ancestry. The land that the city gave to Roberta did not come with supplies, a teacher, or even a tractor. She had to learn how to say, “I don’t know” and “I need help.” During her journey, Roberta remembers "giving up to the soil”, leading her to certain practices that she still honors today. Since its inception, the Wombyn’s Wellness Garden uses organic and regenerative practices. Healthy soil means healthy, pesticide-free food for a healthy community. Many of these techniques were invented and still used by Native and Indigenous communities across the US.

“As people watched me with their tractors and water hose… I didn’t know what tools to start with and didn’t have anyone to teach me.”

Roberta learns from intuition and experiences, sharing, “It was trial and error, and I didn’t write anything down. [I learned] through storytelling and experiences.” Portland, Oregon's rising temperatures forced Roberta to learn faster, because her “plants were melting." The extreme weather was a challenge, so Roberta joined Oregon State University’s dry farming collective and learned how to dry farm. She began to see the heat as an opportunity to see what would grow resiliently in 118 degrees. As a result, she was still able to grow a significant amount of produce for her community.

Community Impact

Roberta’s community impacts go far and wide. Wombyn’s Wellness Garden partners, for example, with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Roberta personally delivers supplies to families and offers virtual cooking classes with a Native American nutritionist. Many of these classes incorporate native foods that Roberta grows herself.

Every time there is a new crop rotation, the Wombyn’s Wellness Garden hosts a sale to allow the community to come and buy starter plants. This way, folks in the community can grow alongside the garden, interacting with each other on social media to learn more and see their mutual progress. This brings feelings of joy and shared success to the community.

“Even though I love people buying my products, I love for people to grow their own.”

What’s next for the Wombyn’s Wellness Garden?

Roberta recognizes the importance of landownership for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and hopes to move into a new space of her own soon. She explained that "it is the greatest gift to be a family of color and own property... I never thought I would be here.” She advocates for members of her community to have access to their own land as well. Roberta wants her space to reflect her culture. When she owns her own land, Roberta can bring ceremonies, sing traditional songs, and create a sacred space for births and passing.

Click here if you would like to support the Wombyn’s Wellness Garden’s Earthwork and Birthwork.

Report Covers the Disproportionate Fossil Fuel Damage to Marginalized Communities, Identifies Requirements Companies Should Adopt to Address Inequity as Shift to Renewables Continues.

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 17, 2022 – Energy equity is at the center of a new report calling on major U.S. telecommunications companies to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2025. The report titled Calling for a Just, Clean Transition features the voices of leading experts in the energy justice movement and builds on previous versions of Green America’s Clean Energy Calling reports, which analyze renewable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of the main U.S. telecoms operators.

The report was developed by Green America and Silleck Consulting Services, LLC and will be released as a two-part series. Part one (released today) details the disproportionate damage inflicted by fossil fuels on marginalized communities and delves into the goals of the energy justice movement. Part two (set to release in spring 2022) will analyze the status of clean energy deployment by the major telecoms companies and assess their energy procurement on key elements of energy justice.

Olivia Nedd, policy director, Access & Equity Program at Vote Solar, said in the report: “Sometimes those of us in the clean energy transition movement become so focused on deploying megawatts that we don’t stop to think about who is benefitting. Who has access to the technical assistance, lawyers, modeling experts? How are these decisions being co-created (or not) with impacted communities? The connection between what people are asking for and the policies being discussed just doesn’t exist.”

Lead report author Elizabeth Silleck La Rue said: “The inextricable connection between social oppression and environmental degradation means a solution for either must tackle both. In fact, the intersections between racism, sexism, classism, fossil fuel production, environmental degradation, health and climate change are firmly entrenched, and artificial compartmentalization creates gaps and delays that we cannot afford. A clean energy movement that does not proactively correct inequitable distribution of its costs and benefits is failing to fully live up to its promise.”

In addition to providing overviews of the climate crisis, economics of renewable energy, impacts of the fossil fuel industry on Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, and how the telecommunications industry fits into the picture, the report also includes:

• Voices from the energy justice movement in case studies highlighting professionals working on the front lines to advance equitable, clean energy initiatives.
• A list of social and environmental justice criteria for companies to include in clean energy contracts to assess the extent to which electric power production aims to rectify racial, gender, and other inequities resulting from energy production and within the energy sector, reduce environmental harms and support workers’ rights.
• Calls to raise the bar for energy companies seeking reputations as corporate stewards and to shine a bright light on energy equity issues, so energy producers are compelled to prioritize them.

Beth Porter, climate campaigns director at Green America, said: “The main theme of this report is simple: Listen to communities. Frontline and environmental justice communities are too often excluded from the decision-making processes that directly impact them. In order for companies like the telecoms to support energy justice, they must begin by learning from and incorporating impacted communities’ needs and guidance into their practices.”

Chandra Farley, founder of the Good Energy Project, said in the report: “Ask [communities] what they need!” In the report, Farley illustrates the imperative of community consultation by discussing a case study related to project siting: “We looked at the map and saw what appeared to be a great site for a resilience hub. After speaking with the community, we learned our assumptions were off. Without listening to the community, the project team wouldn’t have had the benefit of knowledge that comes with lived experience, which is necessary to create tangible community benefits.”

Because third-party contractors are used to help undertake clean energy projects, the report compiles a criteria list which telecommunications companies should adopt when they issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs). The list takes into account energy justice issues across four categories:

1. Communities
2. Economic Opportunities
3. Worker Justice
4. Environmental and Local Ecosystem Protection

Coming in Spring 2022, part two of the Calling for a Just, Clean Transition report will assess the major telecommunications companies’ (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) progress towards clean energy, energy justice, and the extent to which the electricity they purchase is generated by companies leading (or lagging) on selected energy justice markers. In order to address climate change and promote equity, all three companies need to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2025 and need to do so in a way that centers benefits to workers/business owners in disinvested communities, including those most harmed by fossil fuels.

###

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA 

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

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

Written by Fran Teplitz

For the past twenty years I’ve educated and engaged people in how to bank and invest in ways that can help them achieve the kind of world they want for themselves and future generations. At Green America we talk about “voting with your dollars” – doing all you can to direct your purchasing and investing toward options that reflect your values, such as food grown organically, apparel not made in sweatshops, or banks that don’t finance fossil fuels. While I’m a big enthusiast for socially responsible investing strategies, I don’t exactly think of cozying up for a good read on the topic of investing.

Or I didn’t until I read Amy Domini’s new book, Thoughts on People, Planet & Profit.

The book is a collection of pieces Amy has written over the years and comes in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Domini’s first socially and environmentally responsible mutual fund. Amy is the founder and chair of Domini Impact Investments, a global leader on socially responsible investing, and long-time ally of Green America. Her's is not a typical “how to invest” book, but rather a “why to invest” book based on one’s deepest values.

Amy shares her childhood experiences, reflections on her investment clients’ goals, and insights about how positive change happens over time – far from perfectly, but in ways that matter. Our conversation about the book sheds more light on Amy’s thinking:

Fran: First off, congratulations on the 30th anniversary of the first Domini fund. What have you found most gratifying in your socially and environmentally responsible investing work over the decades? Most surprising? Most challenging?

Amy: Thank you! The 30th anniversary of launching our first mutual fund is indeed a thought to ponder.

What shifts we have seen through the years – not only in our world, but also in the acceptance and even admiration of Wall Street for the socially responsible investing field.

In terms of gratifying, there are a few landmarks, like the creation of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing and the evaluation of the legal framework for responsible investing by the acclaimed, international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. I certainly hoped for the likes of these, but never expected them. The leadership of global institutions towards encouraging -- and in some cases mandating -- integration of environmental and human impacts in investment decisions has been stunning. We have gained acceptance by all major financial asset managers, leading to growth of the field to levels that actually move the needle. Our approach is affecting what corporate management follows, reports out, and therefore implements.

What surprises me? I am surprised that we cannot gel on a single vocabulary for the field. From where I sit, responsible investing, impact investing, socially responsible investing, ESG investing, triple P bottom line (people planet profit) investing, and other terms all refer to the same methodologies and goals, so why is it so hard to pick a definitional phrase and stick with it?

For most challenging, I think I’d put lack of full support for socially responsible investing by U.S. regulatory bodies near the top. We need a few simple things. We need the Securities Exchange

Commission to identify a handful of ‘starter’ reports that are mandatory and monitored. Currently we basically have four: Environmental liabilities that may be material (severely under-reported and never subject to SEC challenge), occupational health and safety (very useful), mineral extraction from certain nations (relatively new, but helpful), and CEO compensation (helpful but not yet leading to impact). My hope would be that a half-dozen more simple reports be added, developed, studied for efficacy, altered and expanded.

Just think about it – disclosure can drive change. The Home Mortgage Disclosure act was created in 1975, when concern over discrimination in mortgage lending in certain urban neighborhoods was rising. Its purpose was to highlight areas that seemed to be held aside for white purchasers. The Act doesn’t require any remedy, just disclosure. But over the years, the existence of this data has made a huge difference. Advocates for fair housing use it, banks attempting to remedy inequalities use it. Just the disclosure makes important change possible. Or today, Carbon Disclosure Project was formed in 2002. CDP helps companies report on their environmental impact from a risk management perspective. Since then over 8,400 companies have reported, as have hundreds of cities. This information is then used by the corporations themselves to remedy low scores or by regulators working to create a lower risk future. Again, merely having data leads to change.

We also need the Department of Labor to specifically state that the beneficiary of a retirement plan is a human. The economic benefit of a plan is NOT an appropriate outcome of pension management. The well-being of the human is.

Fran: Re-reading these columns with the passage of time, what stood out for you the most about their meaning when you first wrote them, and today?

Amy: I was particularly pleased with the way these columns wove together into an overarching storyline. There are three basic components to my field and to this book: people, planet and profit logically intertwine. The intertwine can be very positive if we investors are deliberate about prioritizing that outcome. A second point of pleasure was in realizing that by dating each piece, it became clear that the thoughts were quite timeless. The messages did not seem dated to me, the needs are still real, and seem more achievable in some cases.

Most disappointing, however, is knowing that we have lost the chance forever of a stable climate. Mitigation cannot get us back to where we were. Perhaps 200 years of making planting trees a global priority could, but can we survive the wait? Still, in general I am actually startled at how current the various thoughts still feel.

Fran: I found your stories very compelling in part because they are so personal; you link life experiences and events with investment decisions. A poignant example is your description of growing up in Newton, MA and attending Sandy Hook Elementary School. The horror of the mass shooting at the school years later furthered your resolve to avoid investment in weaponry. For people who haven’t thought about investing in line with their values, what have you found to be the most effective approach for introducing that concept?

Amy: Gosh Fran, thank you. That idea, of personalizing the stories, was in fact a core one for the essays. My assumption is that we each of us have had experiences that can be looked at differently and can help us grow. My hope was that the reader would see something of themselves in some of my past and would thereby see the reasoning behind my conclusions. One story I shared was that of my mother

reusing the wax paper she wrapped her lunch sandwiches in. So many people have told me how much they relate to that. And they realize that they themselves could be doing the same, taking small steps just because waste is wrong.

Fran: Institutional investors hold significant power for positive changed that they often under-utilize, as you discuss. What actions by individuals and small businesses do you think are most effective to encourage institutional investors to “wake up” and invest responsibly?

Amy: I hope that the book helps the reader to understand and believe in the power of the many. I like to ask, “Do you believe that Amazon woke up one day and decided to improve its packaging?” Of course not. The company heard from consumers, advocacy groups, shareholders and the management of the company, being human beings as well, saw the disconnect with their own lifestyles and beliefs. Years ago public television ran a show about how fishing with nets was drowning dolphins. A major fishing company immediately announced changes (I honestly do not remember which). But that show happened because for 20 years people had been writing, protesting, donating funds to organizations that advocated for the dolphins. The fishing company did not come up with the idea in a vacuum, public television did not come up with the idea in a vacuum.

The power of small is the power of all. So I say, start somewhere!

Fran: As you know, Green America’s mission is to harness economic power for social justice and environmental sustainability and we provide resources for people to essentially vote with their dollars for the kind of world they want. What feedback have you received from others about how changing their purchasing and investing practices can gradually lead to a “journey of personal redefinition?”

Amy: Again, you go right to the heart of such an important point. Start with consumer patterns. Perhaps it is a new pair of shoes, made with organic materials in a sustainable and humane way. You may make the purchase because they are kind of a fad and besides they are very comfortable. Still, each time you put them on you feel a prick of pride in the purchase decision. It makes you a little different, a little more important, a bit of a leader. You look at the world a little differently, you think a little better of those you see doing likewise. You make a second decision with your values up front, and then a third. The interrelationship between purchasing decisions and a better planet become every more clear to you. You may feel that investing in your IRA is a purchasing decision that could be more consistent, you get our impact reports, you like what you are doing. You like being part of a community. As with your last question, the answer is to start somewhere.

Fran: Do you have a favorite story about the impact of a shareholder resolution?

Amy: My favorites are when we connect with a company -- notifying them that we can push for our shareholder rights -- and that we have a question; when that is all we need to do to make change, I get a thrill! I’ve had it happen when asking about pulling weapons-related items off the shelves, when asking about a jump in the corporation’s carbon emissions, and when asking for labeling on plants treated with pesticides that kill honeybees (most gardeners don’t want to kill honeybees). I have had it happen when discussing the concept of building a salt facility on a shoreline which borders a bay necessary for whales to give birth in. These quiet conversations that lead to change are my very favorites.

Fran: Many community development investments have a long and solid track record. Green America and our allies consistently convey the grassroots impact story of these investments which is often new

news to investors. When and why did Domini Impact Investments include community development options among your offerings?

Amy: Responsible investors, including Domini and The Sustainability Group, where I manage personal assets, have long included commitment to community development financial institutions in their suite of investments. But it is hard to do. It is beyond the scope of a large institutional manager to do the due diligence needed to justify the relatively minor investment it could make.

Now due diligence isn’t much on the public’s mind, but to a financial asset management company or a large pension fund investor, it is everything. Neither the fiduciaries of the asset management company nor the trustees of the pension fund want to be sued for making risky and inappropriate investments. There is a legal safe harbor for them if they have performed adequate “due diligence.” For instance, I sat on a pension board that was considering buying an interest in a building that rented out apartments. We liked the social impact, as it was a fairly attractive area and the building had specific below-market rents. But we wanted to be sure, so in addition to reviewing years’ worth of rental flows and upkeep expenses, we conducted eight focus groups with residents. This was an enormously expensive and time-consuming effort, but the investment was about $50 million and we had to be sure. No financial professional is going to go through this so that their client can lend $10,000 to a charity.

This is an area where federal regulation could help. I have two ideas. There is a federal CDFI Fund. Could it offer bonds as a means to both increase its own size and to open the field to more conventional investors? Secondly, could the Department of Labor simply declare that any investment that the federal CDFI Fund has invested in is automatically appropriate for a fiduciary to invest in? It is the due diligence that prevents many in my field from getting more involved. But you began by asking about Domini. I’d urge people to explore our reports. There is a lot to do for underserved communities.

Fran: What question do you most like to be asked about the book? Please answer it as well!

Amy: I do love being told that, “there is so much in there.” It is a small volume and not comprehensive, so I interpret this to mean that the essays raise so many questions and posit so many opportunities for the readers that, taken as a whole, they feel like a great deal of material. I will also say that I love being asked why now. The answer to that is partially that I’d wanted to publish this collection for years but really, now I see the glimmer of hope for success for the field and thereby for the planet’s occupants.

Fran: What do you think will be the next big developments in SRI?

Amy: We have discussed the U.S. regulator developments I’d like to see. But this year we have seen a long overdue resurgence of focus on racial diversity, which I anticipate will continue. Much early momentum for this field came from racial discrimination taking place in South Africa. In some ways we owe our awareness of the power of investors to that debate. Yet addressing racism at home did not become core to our practice. This year we began to see real indications of change in our own commitments.

It is a simple matter, but working to collect the data necessary to assess corporate commitment on racial equity is a great start.

If this continues, we will refine new standards, new concepts and finally a new set of metrics for evaluating ourselves and our investments. I hope we succeed. At Domini our twin goals are ecological sustainability and universal human dignity. The world has a long way to go, but if we are sincerely committed to change – it will happen.

Amy Domini’s book is available at bookshop.org or wherever you buy books. 

To find SRI-dedicated financial advisors, mutual funds, and asset managers, visit our Green Pages.

With late winters come school delays, temperature drops, and long lines clearing out aisles at the grocery store. For many of us, winter nights are accompanied by hot cocoa and cozy blankets. But how does winter look for people living with food insecurity? How are their food needs met?   

According to Feeding America, In 2020, an estimated 1 in 8 Americans were food insecure, equating to over 38 million Americans, including almost 12 million children. Food insecurity increases in winter. Food insecurity is not only a health problem but also a policy issue.   

With increases in home heating and cooling costs in many parts of the U.S., it is important to understand the extent to which households make tradeoffs between heating and cooling costs and other basic needs that affect their food security.  

“In high-cooling states, the odds of exceptionally low food security for poor, elderly only households were 27% higher in the summer than in the winter. In high-heating states, the pattern was reversed for such households; the odds of exceptionally low food security were 43% lower in the summer”.  

There are several ways to prepare to restore communities that are suffering from food security. In a recent interview with the founder of the Wombyn’s Wellness Garden, Roberta Eaglehorse- Ortiz, she shares that to help her community meet food needs in the winter, "It is all about Preservation and Dry storage.” Harvest work does not have to go to waste in the winter months. Food preservation and dry storage are sustainable ways to keep eating fresh long after the harvest season. Many dry storage facilities can provide warehouses, containers, and rooms with specific air temperature and lighting levels. These are also things you can manage at home to prepare for the winter months.   

Here are 5 ways you can preserve and store your goods: 

• Dry Herbs: Herbs are quick and easy to dry and store for year-round use. They can be dried in a dehydrator or an oven, or even air-dried. When air drying, hang small bundles of clean herbs in a dry, airy place, out of direct sunlight. Herbs are sufficiently dried and ready for storage when they are crisp and brittle.  

• Dry Salting: When fermenting vegetables, dry salting refers to massaging or mixing salt into fresh produce to draw out the liquid from the produce naturally. The liquid that is created through dry salting is the natural brine you will ferment with. 

• Sealing: Sealing is one of the methods that does require a particular piece of equipment, but home food sealers are generally inexpensive appliances. This method merely seals the air away from the food to prevent spoilage. You can combine sealing with freezing or drying. Green America suggests seal containers when performing this method of preservation.  

• Canning: Canning is a process of heating and sealing foods (generally in glass jars), which kills the bacteria and preserves the food. Canned foods usually last for years. Canning is useful for many types of foods, including vegetables, fruits, meats, and even seafood. 

• Below the Brine:  When fermenting produce, it’s important to keep the fruits and vegetables below the brine level. Brining is a salt solution, and traditional brining is done by soaking ingredients, predominantly meat or fish, in brine prior to cooking. Anything above the brine is susceptible to mold. If everything is held below the brine (usually with the assistance of a fermentation weight or other food-safe weight alternative), it will be safe in an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment. 

Little Free Pantry  

For more community needs that are immediate and local, there are pantries, soup kitchens, and churches such as the Little Free Pantry. The Little Free Pantry was started in 2016 by Jessica McClard. Jessica wanted to raise awareness of food insecurity while connecting and helping her neighbors. These pantries have now gone global and may be found near you. If you aren't able to find a pantry near you, there is also an option to build a pantry for your community, much like the "Little Free Libraries" you may have spotted in a neighbor's lawn. When winterizing the pantry, community leaders ask for more nonperishable items. The food can freeze or mold during the winter months. There are many ways to help the community by building or contributing to your local food pantry. 

Don’t Buy the Shelves Out  

If you're hitting the grocery store to prepare for winter weather, please just buy what you need and leave some for others!

You may have noticed empty shelves in some stores due to national supply chain issues, but there is no need to buy more than you normally would. pic.twitter.com/RcCNNa4Zj4

— DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management (@DC_HSEMA) January 15, 2022

When preparing for winter, most of us make our first stop at the grocery store or local market. It is common in moments of high stress or panic to clear shelves and overstock our cabinets- don't. Taking more than you need at the grocery store does more harm than good. Shopping in moderation is beneficial to families that face food insecurity. 

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSAs, is a setup where consumers connect directly with a farm and buy shares of the season's harvest. Typically, you buy into a CSA in the spring, purchasing crops upfront for weekly or bi-weekly pickups during the entire season.

Some CSAs have various sizes to choose from; some even let you choose what goes in your box each week. If you think a share might be too much produce for you, find a friend to split it and you can take turns picking up your weekly produce box!

There are other models, like Old City Acre’s year-round CSA, where patrons can use their CSA buy-in like a debit card, ordering what they would like each week, their credits never expiring.

Joining a CSA is also a great opportunity to ask the farm about their growing practices. They may very well use organic and regenerative practices, or even consider their farm to be biodynamic, but cannot afford the certification.

Why Are CSAs Important

The CSA model is more sustainable than traditional grocery stores as it connects consumers directly to more local food sources. That means that the produce travels a much shorter distance, saving fuel, and the direct-to-consumer relationship means the farmer retains a larger share of the profit.

CSAs also allow consumers to eat more sustainable, in-season produce.

Additionally, CSAs benefit farmers by distributing both the bounty and risks of the harvest across the farmer and consumers. For example, if one crop doesn’t do well in a season, the CSA member could get more of another crop that did grow better.

You can also save up to 40 percent on in-season and organic (or close-to-it) produce over buying from the grocery store by joining as well according to DailyFinance.com.

How to Join a CSA

Spring is the best time to purchase shares of a CSA. Many of them have long waiting lists, so be on the lookout for when to sign up!

You can find a CSA near you by visiting https://www.localharvest.org or https://www.eatwellguide.org/.

You might also visit your local farmers’ market and see if any of the farmstands there offer CSAs.

What’s more, flower CSAs are growing in popularity. If you like having fresh-cut flowers regularly in your home, consider supporting a local floral CSA as well.

You will have to commit to a weekly (or bi-weekly) pickup or you will lose out that week. And, you’ll need to be flexible and creative with your recipes, as you can’t predict exactly what you’ll get each week. But, it will be fresh. And some farms include recipes for the week's produce. It's a fun way to learn about new vegetables and try new recipes.

Try out a CSA yourself and help support local, sustainable agriculture which is better for you, the farmers, the climate, and the planet.  

Learn more about the issues with industrial agriculture and how agriculture affects the climate.