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…

One thing has become clear: sustainable and green businesses are not a fad, and they are here to stay. Customers are shopping with sustainability in mind more than ever and calling out companies for greenwashing and unethical practices. With the prevalence and importance of prioritizing people and planet, what new trends are shaping up for green businesses in 2023?  The Report and Green…

In August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to fight the climate crisis, grow domestic clean energy production, lower prescription drug costs, expand access to affordable health care coverage, and raise taxes on high-earning corporations—all to rebuild the US middle class for families, workers and businesses. Within this massive bill come numerous opportunities for small…

By: Joanne Dowdell (board member representative) and Fran Teplitz (staff member representative), co-chairs of Green America’s Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Team Green America Staff Contributors: Brooke Bennett, Anya Crittenden, Emma Kriss Black History Month February 2023 The national theme of this year’s Black History Month, Black Resistance, recognizes how Black…