GA's 2020 Green Economy Victories

Green America is fighting for a more just world as we push businesses to join a green economy that prioritizes people and planet.
Hands reaching toward the Earth.
Source: Photographer

Together with our members, we’re getting the largest companies on the planet to change the way they do business for the better—sourcing clean energy, engaging in agriculture that protects the soil and sequesters carbon, and ending practices that harm workers, communities, and consumers. This is the green economy.

Indeed, our successes come from our 200,000+ members sending tens of thousands of messages to corporate CEOs, the hundreds of news and social media stories we generate each year, the guidance we provide companies to adopt truly green practices, and all the information we provide to families to deepen their green journeys for people, planet, and economic justice.

At a time when covid-19 is exposing and increasing the inequalities in our country and world, Green America’s work to create a green economy is more important than ever. Here are just a few of our successes from the past year.

 

Climate Action

 

 

Amazon Victory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re getting the telecom giants AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile/Sprint to rapidly adopt renewable energy to power their massive networks. Thanks to our campaigns, T-Mobile/Sprint is nearing 100 percent renewable energy, Verizon is committed to 50 percent renewables, and AT&T is sourcing over 25 percent renewable energy. This is all up from the industry using near zero percent just three years ago. 

We successfully pushed Amazon to commit to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030 and to finally disclose the company’s massive climate impacts and plans for addressing them. 

Walmart announced it would be transitioning to low-impact refrigerants by 2040, but does not specify what refrigerants it will use or provide solutions to its current refrigerant leaks. Our Cool It! campaign will keep the pressure on Walmart to accelerate its timeline and provide a more detailed plan to end its HFC emissions. 

 

 

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Climate Victory Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re helping companies like food industry giant Danone North America make their brands regenerative and carbon positive—that is, removing more carbon from the atmosphere than it takes to grow, make, and transport the products. For example, Danone’s Horizon brand announced it will be “climate positive” by 2025. As the largest organic dairy brand in the world, this marks a key shift for the dairy industry. 

We’ve reached millions of people with our Climate Victory Gardens campaign and there are now over 4,050 registered Climate Victory Gardens in the US. These gardens are drawing down 10,855 tons of carbon every year, which is the equivalent to eliminating emissions from nearly 90,000,000 miles driven. And, gardeners nationwide are growing healthy foods for their families. 

 

 

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JP Morgan Chase Victory

We pressured JPMorgan Chase, the world’s largest funder of fossil fuels, to stop financing fossil fuels; the bank has agreed to end new financing of coal and arctic drilling, and to phase out existing financing for coal mining by 2024. 

We’re working with leaders in the banking and investing community worldwide to promote climate safe lending—ending the financing of fossil fuels and rapidly scaling up renewable energy in the entire banking sector. 

 

 

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Carter's Victory

We pressured Carter’s, the largest baby and kid’s clothing retailer in the US, to restrict the toxic chemicals used in their clothes, protecting the most vulnerable consumers and the workers making these baby clothes. 

We’re working with the largest tech companies—including Apple, Dell, and HP—to remove the most toxic chemicals from their supplier factories to protect millions of workers worldwide. 

Join us and our work for a more just world by voting with your dollars and supporting small, sustainable business to help build the green economy and generate more green victories!

From Green American Magazine Issue