Brands Taking Stands

ENVIRONMENT

Farmers Say U.S. Immigration Policies Are Making Food More Expensive

Federal immigration agents began targeting agricultural communities in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas last month, leading livestock organizations to issue a joint public statement in protest. The farming and ranching advocates warned the violent arrests and deportations of working people will raise the price of beef and other staples.

Tina Casey

October 9

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

U.S. Cities Set Limits As Data Centers Feed the Urban Heat Island Effect

Urban policymakers are struggling to keep pace with data center development. The consequences of the policy vacuum are evident in cities like Phoenix, the hottest major city in the United States and an area of high interest for new data centers.

Tina Casey

October 2

JUSTICE + EQUALITY

Battling Deception: Advocates Rally Against Misinformation and Voter Suppression as U.S. Midterms Near

Election integrity advocates say misinformation and voter suppression efforts are rampant ahead of the U.S. midterm election. They’re fighting back in the court of law and the court of public opinion.

Tina Casey

September 16

JUSTICE + EQUALITY

The Devastation in Nepal is a Canary in the Coal Mine as Flood Risk Rises Worldwide

Climate-related floods are becoming more frequent, deadly and unpredictable worldwide, forcing emergency planning professionals to rethink their strategies for keeping communities safe.

Tina Casey

September 4

SOCIETY

Libraries Are Beacons of Credible Information in the Age of Fake News

As credible sources of information are cut off in the United States, from lost newspapers to deleted government data, the nation’s public libraries play a crucial role in educating the public and serving communities. But budget cuts threaten their mission.

Tina Casey

August 28

JUSTICE + EQUALITY

Flock Safety is Under Fire, But It’s Only a Part of Modern Mass Surveillance

A community cancelled their contract with Flock Safety almost every single day last month. While Flock is getting the most press and community blowback, it’s far from the only company assisting U.S. law enforcement with surveillance technology.

Tina Casey

August 13

ENVIRONMENT

Planned USDA Restructuring Will Hurt Farmers Already at the Brink, Advocates Say

Amid heavy criticism, the USDA plans to go ahead with a massive reorganization and forced relocation of nearly 3,000 workers. Advocates say it couldn’t come at a worse time, as a Super El Niño threatens a return to the Dust Bowl and a parasite eradicated 60 years ago reemerges on U.S. livestock farms.

Tina Casey

August 7

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The U.S. is On a Wartime Spending Spree As Critical Infrastructure Crumbles

The U.S. federal government is spending billions in taxpayer dollars on foreign wars and immigration enforcement while basic needs at home go unfunded and unaddressed.

Tina Casey

July 24

SOCIETY

While Mainstream Media Was Sleeping, Citizen Journalists Were Still Watching ICE

Frequent contradictions between witness testimony, video evidence, and official accounts underscores the powerful role of citizen journalists in making the truth about violent ICE interactions known to the public.

Tina Casey

July 17

ENVIRONMENT

It’s Not Just Election Suppression: New Rules Aim to Cut the Public Voice from Public Policy

While not as attention-grabbing as the yearly election cycle, the comment period on new federal projects is a critical way the public can influence policy under the American form of government.

Tina Casey

July 2

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

As Community Pushback Grows, Data Centers Are a Major Election Issue Ahead of the U.S. Midterms

As the data center boom becomes an election issue ahead of the November midterms, some state and local office holders are taking action, while others are caught flat-footed.

Tina Casey

June 26

ENERGY

America’s Re-Industrialization Hits a Speed Bump

Planning for the United States' first new aluminum plant in almost 50 years is underway in Oklahoma, but local opposition is mounting.

Tina Casey

June 11

ECONOMY

With Roots in Tar Sands Oil, Alberta’s Separatist Movement Linked to Cross-Border Privacy Breach

Government investigators say Alberta’s controversial separatist movement is behind a major voter privacy breach, with roots that stretch across the border to influential U.S. Republicans.

Tina Casey

June 5

SOCIETY

Follow The Money: New Voting Rights Campaign Targets College Sports Revenue

A new campaign spearheaded by the NAACP reminds athletes, fans and the general public that schools in vote-restricting states depend on Black athletes to keep their programs competitive — and keep millions of dollars flowing into their coffers.

Tina Casey

May 28

ENERGY

Coal Power in the 21st Century: Make America Gasp Again

The Trump administration continues to prop up the U.S. coal industry, relaxing emissions and discharge rules at power plants even as environmental organizations, state agencies and utilities push back in court.

Tina Casey

May 21

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Philanthropists Rush to Bridge the USAID Gap. Will Congress Ever Act?

Activists and philanthropists have scrambled to fill the need for humanitarian relief after USAID was dismantled at the start of Donald Trump's second term. But private charity is no substitute for public policy.

Tina Casey

May 13

JUSTICE + EQUALITY

Trump’s Redistricting Push Will Fail, If Activists Fight Back

Within hours of the U.S. Supreme Court decision gutting the Voting Rights Act, Southern states showed the world why it was passed in the first place. But the fight isn't over yet.

Tina Casey

May 6

ENVIRONMENT

The Public Lands Transfer Battle Takes On a New Form in Forest Service Reorganization

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's new overhaul of the Forest Service would increase the lumber industry's access to public lands. Outdoor recreation businesses are allying with recreationists and conservationists to push back.

Tina Casey

April 30

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

U.S. Communities Fight to Control Data Center Development

Adding fuel to the fire is rising public awareness — and anger — over the wealth gap and the concentration of money and control in the tech sector. Ordinary households are grappling with high electricity rates and potential job loss while big tech companies make billions from AI growth.

Tina Casey

April 22

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

The MAHA Movement Meets the Glyphosate Buzzsaw

The Trump administration’s support for the notorious herbicide glyphosate shocked voters attracted to Make America Healthy Again messaging during the 2024 election. That anger could ripple into midterms.

Tina Casey

April 9

SOCIETY

What the Return of ACT UP Can Teach No Kings Protesters About Sustaining a Movement

No Kings has organized millions, but protest marches are only part of a grassroots movement. The 1980s organization ACT UP New York offers a powerful example of how to follow marches with the sustained pressure and direct action needed to truly influence change.

Tina Casey

April 2

SOCIETY

At the Height of NCAA March Madness, Activists Pressure Charter Airlines on Deportation Flights

U.S. immigration authorities are using so many charter planes that university teams playing in March Madness are competing with the government for bookings. The surrounding discourse puts pressure on the companies profiting from escalated immigration activity.

Tina Casey

March 25

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Target Answers Boycotts and DEI Criticism With…Cleaner Stores?

Last year Target became an unwilling poster child for the cost of compliance with the Donald Trump administration's stance on corporate diversity. Will the retailer's renewed focus on store experience actually win back customers, or come across as tone deaf?

Tina Casey

March 18

ECONOMY

Iran War Casts a Shadow on U.S. Conservatives’ Push to Prop Up Coal

Attempts to defend an economically outdated and unwieldy source of power look even more misguided as war underscores the urgent need to invest in domestic energy resources that are buffered from global volatility. 

Tina Casey

March 11

ENERGY

Beyond Oil: How Trump’s War on Iran Will Impact Power Prices

Along with the grave human toll of the U.S. and Israel's military strikes in the Middle East, people around the world are already feeling the effects on their cost of living.

Tina Casey

March 4

JUSTICE + EQUALITY

‘Freedom 250’ Collides with Detention Camps and a Massive Sewage Problem

Concerns about human rights, taxpayer money and public infrastructure collide as plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence stand in stark contrast to the growing U.S. detention machine.

Tina Casey

February 25

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Warehouse Owners and Communities Are Blocking ICE Detention Centers

The U.S. federal government plans to spend more than $38 billion in taxpayer money to convert windowless warehouses into immigrant detention centers. Real estate developers, local lawmakers and communities across the country are pushing back.

Tina Casey

February 18

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Trump Policies Are Losing in the Court of Law, and the Court of Public Opinion

From violent immigration raids to rising energy prices, the public is increasingly unhappy with U.S. President Donald Trump. Some of the president's policies also cost companies a lot of money, and a growing number are taking the matter to court.

Tina Casey

February 11

SOCIETY

When Boycotts Work: Corporate Cowardice and Cultural Backlash

Political scientists who study authoritarian governments cite cultural repression as a key tactic for reaching and holding power. U.S. President Donald Trump is clearly failing in that regard.

Tina Casey

February 4

JUSTICE + EQUALITY

We, the People: Defending the U.S. Constitution As Immigration Raids Threaten Basic Rights

With administration officials saying agents are immune to accountability, many are understandably wondering: What rights do I have when interacting with federal immigration forces, and do those rights even matter in an environment where free speech or simply existing in my own neighborhood can be met with violence?

Mary Mazzoni

January 29

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Gradually and Then Suddenly: Gen Z Consumers Also Vote

U.S. President Donald Trump's falling approval rating with Gen Z could carry big implications for business.

Tina Casey

January 21

ENVIRONMENT

Can Worms Help Fight Antimicrobial Resistance?

Beyond improving soil health, new research indicates vermicomposting can be helpful for stopping the spread of antimicrobial resistance from farms to people.

Tina Casey

January 14

ENVIRONMENT

Signs Point to a Bright Future for U.S. Green Steel in 2026

Some fear the resurgence of the U.S. steel industry could mean an uptick in emissions, but recent investor activity indicates the green steel sector could change that.

Tina Casey

January 7

ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIES

What Is “Crocodile Economics,” and What Does It Mean for Fossil Fuels?

The past 12 months have been harsh on climate advocates. But surveys show it's less about abandoning the work and more about changing how it's discussed. Enter "Crocodile Economics," a new term for an old concept that's taking hold around the world.

Tina Casey

December 17, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

How The Solar Grazing Movement Can Support Sustainable Materials

Solar grazing offers a new revenue stream for farmers, with the potential to reinvigorate the long-dormant U.S. sheep farming market and create a sustainable materials boom.

Tina Casey

December 10, 2025

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Virtual Power Plants Create New Pathways for Business Action on Climate Change

These software systems manage power supply from multiple sources and sell it to utilities as if it came from a single power plant. This takes serious strain off the grid, while creating financial incentive for homes and businesses to cut energy use during peak times.

Tina Casey

December 3, 2025

ENERGY

When U.S. States Speak on Climate Action, Companies Listen

The United States was noticeably absent from the U.N. climate talks in Brazil this month, but the more than 100 state and city leaders in attendance continue to invest in climate action — and they have major sway with U.S. companies.

Tina Casey

November 19, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

With Global Emissions Rules Held Off, What’s Next for the Shipping Industry?

Voting on the first international emissions standard for the shipping industry was pushed back another year, but innovators are still scaling new ways to reduce climate impacts from shipping.

Tina Casey

November 12, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

As the Net-Zero Banking Alliance Fades Into History, Biodiversity Takes Center Stage

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance ceased operations as a member organization earlier this month, but U.S. banks are still pursuing climate investment plans on their own.

Tina Casey

October 22, 2025

ENERGY

Trump’s ‘Dominance’ Plan Could Create a Marine Energy Boom in the U.S.

Marine energy from wave and tidal sources could meet over half of U.S. energy needs, and unlike other renewables, marine power meets the requirements of the Trump administration's "American Energy Dominance" plan.

Tina Casey

October 15, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

Decarbonizing Carbonated Beverages With Direct Air Capture

Carbon dioxide gas is essential for giving soft drinks their famed fizz, and a growing number of beverage companies are looking toward captured carbon as an option.

Tina Casey

October 8, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

New Alliance Picks Up the PACE on Decarbonizing the World’s Buildings

Even as U.S. federal energy policies shift and some decarbonization programs are eliminated, one model designed to resolve the cost hurdle in modernizing buildings is still standing and set to expand.

Tina Casey

October 1, 2025

ENERGY

Mars’ New Solar Plan Could Help Save the Family Farm

Mars' new Renewable Acceleration program aims to decarbonize the company's entire value chain. The consumer goods giant is bringing something new to the table as one of the first to support the emerging solar grazing industry.

Tina Casey

September 17, 2025

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

A New Business Organization Helps U.S. Farmers Forge Community Connections with Solar Power

Community solar projects offer relief to farmers in financial distress, and by integrating agrivoltaic principles, installing solar doesn't mean losing usable land. A new partnership aims to capitalize on solar benefits for farmers by connecting them with opportunities to lease their land.

Tina Casey

September 10, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

Hyundai Explores a New Low-Carbon Leather Alternative

Hyundai is among the automakers exploring the potential for next-generation plant-based materials to replace leather and plastics in vehicle interiors.

Tina Casey

September 3, 2025

ENERGY

The U.S. Solar Industry Keeps Moving Forward Despite New Obstacles

Even as U.S. federal policies change, market researchers still see big potential in the nation's solar sector.

Tina Casey

August 27, 2025

ECONOMY

Debunking the New Debanking Executive Order: It’s Complicated

Debanking is normally a straightforward matter of de-risking. In today’s hyper-partisan environment, its under fire as a politically-motivated practice.

Tina Casey

August 20, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

Three Signs the Electric Vehicle Movement is Unstoppable

It's a big month for electric vehicles. Two of the biggest U.S. automakers just announced billion-dollar investments in EV production, and a national program for installing public charging stations is restarting.

Tina Casey

August 13, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

More Signs of Life for EV Sales in the U.S., With a Second-Life EV Battery Twist

As the global demand for electric vehicles continues to surge, so is the second-life batteries field. Retired EV batteries still have plenty of capacity to store excess energy from renewables and the grid.

Tina Casey

August 6, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

From Pharma to Fabrics, the Green Chemistry Field is Growing Fast

With the global demand for green chemicals and processes set to nearly double by 2030, U.S. researchers and investors continue to be drawn to new opportunities in the field regardless of shifting federal policies.

Tina Casey

July 23, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

Vertical Farming: New Ventures Rise from the Ashes of Failure

The closure of some once buzzed-about vertical farming companies has some questioning the future of the sector, but this nascent field is still showing strong signs of growth.

Tina Casey

July 16, 2025

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Two Leading EV Makers, Two Sides of the Brand Reputation Story

From the killer of the electric car to an EV leader, General Motors is now the No. 2 seller of electric vehicles in the United States. The automaker's hard work building consumer trust positions it to capitalize on the widely-reported missteps of Tesla, or more specifically of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Tina Casey

July 9, 2025

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

LEED v5 and the Low Cost of Renewable Energy Create a New Momentum for Green Building

As renewables get cheaper, countries around the world are also seeing stronger momentum toward building electrification: replacing systems in buildings that rely on natural gas with electrically-powered alternatives. That could spell good news for the green building sector, which is already having a busy year. 

Tina Casey

July 2, 2025

ENERGY

The U.S. Energy Transition Takes Many Forms As New Players Step Forward

Billions of dollars in U.S. renewable energy projects have been cancelled since the start of this year, but with new corporate investors and local players stepping in, the country's clean power sector may prove more resilient than some thought.

Tina Casey

June 26, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

Despite Changing U.S. Policy on EVs, Fleet Electrification is Here to Stay

Only about 14 percent of U.S. commercial fleets included electric vehicles last year, but even as federal policies shift, signs point to continued and accelerated growth. Companies like Amazon are adding thousands of EVs to their fleets, and research shows fleet operators using EVs today have a 90 percent likelihood of purchasing more.

Tina Casey

June 18, 2025

ECONOMY

EV Charging and the New Waffle House Index

Waffle House plans to install EV charging stations at dozens of restaurants. It's a bold step for the beloved Southern-style chain, offering a strong indication that vehicle electrification has broad appeal regardless of the politics of the moment.

Tina Casey

June 11, 2025

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

The Myth of the Silent Executive

The prevailing narrative in the media seems to be that business is mostly staying silent about how changing U.S. policies affect them for fear of legal action, government reprisal or social media backlash, but coalitions including the Leadership Now Project question how much that's really true. 

Mary Mazzoni

June 4, 2025

ENERGY

Are We Finally At a Tipping Point for Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

Sustainable aviation fuel accounted for less than 0.15 percent of total fuel used among 77 leading airlines last year, but new supplies could soon change that. 

Tina Casey

June 4, 2025

ENERGY

3 Signs the Renewable Energy Transition is Here to Stay

Wind and especially solar already far outpace natural gas for new power generation additions to the nation’s grid, and that trend is expected to continue as signs indicate the demand for renewable energy has nowhere to go but up.

Tina Casey

May 28, 2025

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Should Companies Still Make Their Sustainability Goals Public?

In the latest episode of "What the...?," we asked Laura Gitman, chief impact officer of BSR, whether sustainability goals are still the right tool for driving corporate progress, if companies should make their goals public, or if it's time to rethink the model entirely. 

Mary Mazzoni

May 14, 2025

ENERGY

New Alliances: Oil Companies Make the Case for Renewable Energy in Texas

Legislation aimed at restricting renewables in Texas could raise energy prices and wreck the state's business-friendly reputation, says an advocacy group representing none other than fossil fuel companies.

Tina Casey

May 14, 2025

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

In Chicago, a New Food Waste Solution Combines Renewable Energy and Urban Farming

At the Green Era Campus, a nine-acre remediated brownfields site on Chicago’s South Side, a newly opened anaerobic digester will process local food waste into renewable natural gas and support urban farms with nutrient-rich compost.

Tina Casey

May 7, 2025

ECONOMY

With Federal Climate Finance in Limbo, the Power is in Our Pockets

Climate finance isn't only the work of bankers, politicians and white-collar folks. It's everyone's business, says Trenton Allen, CEO and founder of Sustainable Capital Advisors. "We're not voiceless," he said in our new video series. "We have agency."

Mary Mazzoni

April 30, 2025

ENERGY

Is the U.S. Headed for a Geothermal Energy Comeback?

While wind and solar are now locked out of federal support, geothermal is among the resources granted favorable treatment alongside fossil energy — and it offers a number of advantages for business.

Tina Casey

April 30, 2025

ENERGY

A 'Mammoth' Agrivoltaic Project Crosses the Political Divide in Indiana

The new Mammoth Solar project in the red state of Indiana is building local support across the aisle and aims to showcase how the emerging field of agrivoltaics can benefit farmers across the United States.

Tina Casey

April 23, 2025

ENERGY

What's Next for the U.S. Wind Industry?

While the offshore branch of the U.S. wind industry depends on coastal waters under federal jurisdiction, onshore wind is much less vulnerable to shifts in federal energy policy.

Tina Casey

April 16, 2025

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

From Tariff Woes to Construction Worker Shortages, Can 3D-Printed Homes Solve Our Problems?

The notion of 3D printing homes has quickly grown from a high-tech curiosity to a potential means of constructing more affordable housing, a remedy for worker shortages and tariff disruptions, and a strategy for reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry.

Tina Casey

April 9, 2025

ECONOMY

The Global Green Bond Market Already Shows Signs of Surviving U.S. Pullback

Shifting climate and energy policies in the United States led to shrinking green bond activity, but other nations are stepping up to fill the gap and help emerging markets meet their climate goals.

Tina Casey

April 2, 2025

ENERGY

How Electric Vehicles Can Support Grid Resiliency in the Age of Renewables

Utilities in the United States are looking for new, decentralized ways to boost grid resiliency and prevent power loss. Some are turning to electric vehicles (EVs), using their energy storage capabilities to help manage the grid.

Tina Casey

March 26, 2025

SOCIETY

Gen Z is Looking for Purpose at Work: Will They Find It?

We explored these questions and more with Net Impact CEO Karen Johns in the latest edition of "What the...?," a new video series co-hosted by TriplePundit and our parent company 3BL to dive into the big questions on business leaders' minds as the incoming U.S. administration throws shakeups across the impact space.

Mary Mazzoni

March 19, 2025

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

The Time is (Still) Now for Fleet Electrification

Despite the abrupt change in federal electric vehicle policy under the new U.S. administration, the attraction of fleet electrification continues to grow, with an assist from innovators in the EV charging space.

Tina Casey

March 19, 2025

ENVIRONMENT

Trade Wars Aside, Canada's Clean Tech Startups Help to Decarbonize the U.S. Economy

Even as trade wars heat up, three leading Canadian companies in the electric vehicle battery and solar energy fields are set to expand their presence in the U.S. this year.

Tina Casey

March 12, 2025