Green businesses adopt principles, policies, and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, communities, and planet. But just because a business claims they are “green” doesn’t mean they uphold the standards of social responsibility and sustainability. So how can you determine what is in fact a sustainable business, or how can your business achieve that high…

The days of single-use plastic is numbered. In 2018, Seattle became the first US city to ban single-use plastic cutlery. Starbucks followed suit with a plan to eliminate plastic straws by 2020, and several airlines joined by phasing out single-use plastic straws and stirrers. The anti-plastic movement became so prolific that “single-use” was named the word of the year by Collins…

The Green Business Network is pleased to share the following news from our member Naturepedic: When environmental engineer Barry Cik went to a baby store to buy a crib mattress for his first grandchild in 2003, he was concerned by what he found in the products: a wide variety of toxic chemicals including vinyl and PVC with phthalates, polyurethane foam with flame retardants, formaldehyde, glues…

Green Business Network director Fran Teplitz submitted the following letter to the Natural Resources Committee of the California Assembly in support of new “Skip the Slip” legislation. The bill was inspired by Green America’s Skip the Slip campaign urging businesses to use electronic receipts rather than toxic and wasteful paper receipts. Progress! On March 25, 2019 the Skip the Slip…

March is celebrated as Women's History Month to commemorate the accomplishments and contributions of women to American history. It originally began as a local, week-long celebration in Santa Rosa, California after the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a Women's History Week celebration in 1978. Other communities caught onto…

Big companies have a history of oppressing small businesses and putting a heavy burden on low-income communities, including Black communities and Black-owned businesses. For example, Amazon’s presence in Seattle caused rising housing costs and pushed out local mom-and-pop shops. But diversity builds economic vitality, uplifts communities, and promotes productivity and resilience. For a green…

By Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, a member of our Green Business Network My family and I have a Climate Victory Garden in the suburbs of Washington DC. I wanted to give you a tour of our tiny garden with the hopes it will inspire you. Permaculture designer Geoff Lawton is known for saying, “All problems can be solved in a garden.” The real problem of climate change is no…

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)—also called sustainable investing; impact investing; Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing; mission-based investing; faith-based investing; and other names—is a powerful tool more investors are using both to meet their financial needs and to make their money work toward their social and environmental goals. The Forum for Sustainable and…

In May, Global Labor Justice uncovered active gender-based violence in Asian factories supplying American apparel giants H&M and Gap. Results conclude that abuse against female garment workers stems directly from the way fast fashion meets its bottom line: outsourcing, contract work, and accelerated labor. We're living in the era of fast fashion. Boasting 52 micro-seasons a year,…

While plastic straw bans represent progress in the movement against single-use plastics, the bans have been criticized for negatively impacting individuals with motor disabilities who rely on plastic straws to drink. In this article, we discuss why plastic straws are still a necessity for some and how you can support effective anti-plastic initiatives that are accessible to all. Summer is in…