May is Mental Health Awareness Month, recognized in the United States since 1949 by presidential proclamation.  The purpose of the month is to raise awareness about all types of mental health and illnesses, provide support and resources to the nearly 60 million people (about twice the population of Texas) who live with a mental illness, and reduce stigma.  While mental health is…

We have big news from our leadership team here at Green America!    We’re celebrating our beloved Fran Teplitz, Green America’s Co-Executive Director of Business, Investing & Policy, and her 23 years of remarkable service here at Green America, as she moves into “rewirement,” as Fran calls it, not exactly retirement! “Fran cares hard – about justice, the environment and…

Green America released the following media release on May 10, 2023 in support of socially and environmentally responsible investing as the Republican House Oversight Committee holds a hearing on environmental, social, and governance practices. “This Is How The Free Market Works”: Leading Green Economy Organization to Conservative AGs Opposing The Freedom to Invest Responsibly WASHINGTON,…

Green America participated in the Federal Trade Commission’s 2023 public comment period on the Green Guides, formally endorsing the continuation and expansion of these important guides.  Started in 1992—and updated in 1996, 1998, and 2012—the Green Guides are tools for marketers to help avoid greenwashing. The FTC offers several areas of guidance for businesses and marketers, including:…

The 2015 Paris Climate Agreement was considered a historic breakthrough in putting the world on a trajectory to limit global warming to no more than 1.5°C, the level scientists say is required to prevent irreversible climate chaos.  Yet since then, the world’s 60 largest banks have plowed $5.5 trillion into fossil-fuel financing, including expansion projects, tar sands oil, Arctic and…

As President Biden was vetoing a Congressional resolution that attacked our freedom to invest in companies that practice responsible environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), a pitched battle has been raging in the states.   So far this year, 138 bills and four resolutions have been proposed in 33 states that would roll back the ability of fiduciaries to consider ESG factors…

Over time we will know more about what the collapses this month of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank mean for U.S. banking. Some financial analysts say there is not a systemic banking problem. Others point to poor governance in the current system. Reasons for the collapses were specific to these banks and include having a very high percentage of deposits not covered by FDIC insurance, a…

There are many reasons to garden—getting actively involved in the natural world around you, practicing a hobby that results in delicious snacks, and perhaps even helping the planet. That’s why Green America’s Climate Victory Gardens program is so important. It’s focused on climate-forward gardens which prioritize healthy soil and reducing carbon emissions, and anyone can register their own…

The recent Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, illustrates why socially responsible investing is so important.   Norfolk Southern, owned by a who's who of Wall Street banks, ranks poorly on corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) guidelines that socially responsible investing promotes:  They killed almost 44,000 fish, amphibians…

For decades, Green America has promoted better banking options. We’ve educated the public and businesses on problems with conventional mega-banks, from their financing of fossil fuels to a history of racist and abusive financial practices, to lack of support for micro-enterprises. We’ve also educated people on the wide array of better banking options that are available, from community…