Posted on December 14, 2018
Climate change is worse than we thought. Here’s what you can do.
The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reaffirmed our worst fears: Climate change is progressing much faster than we all thought, and our planet is headed for catastrophe if governments and individuals don’t take drastic action now.
Without a major transformation of the global economy, the UN panel found that, as soon as 2040, the earth could experience devastating food shortages and famine, coral reef die-offs, more devastating wildfires, increased poverty and massive population migrations that could lead to armed conflict, with “no documented historic precedent.”
While scientists previously believed the worst impacts of climate change would come when the earth’s temperature rose 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the report found that a change in just 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit would trigger catastrophic disasters across the globe in just a little over 20 years time.
We’re already seeing the devastating effects of climate change now. Melting glaciers and polar ice. Sea level rise. Sinking land and eroding coasts. Ocean acidification. Rising global temperatures. More extreme wildfires and more intense hurricanes.
The IPCC believes stabilizing global temperatures will “require unprecedented efforts to cut fossil-fuel use in half in less than 15 years and eliminate their use almost entirely in 30 years,” which is made all the more difficult given the current anti-environment, pro-fossil fuel administration here in the United States, one of largest energy consumers and polluters in the world. Donald Trump packed his administration with climate deniers and fossil fuel executives, withdrew us from the Paris climate agreement and has begun dismantling the Clean Power Plan, so it appears unlikely the Trump administration will heed the warning, particularly when Trump himself has called climate change a “hoax.”
So in the face of such dire warnings, what can we do? In addition to a restructuring of the global economy and swift action by governments across the globe, we can do our part to pressure lawmakers, change our daily habits and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
First, we must keep up the pressure on the Trump administration and our elected officials to address the climate crisis immediately. That means rejoining the Paris agreement, reinstating the Clean Power Plan, stopping fossil fuel infrastructure projects, passing legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fighting for climate justice and tightening regulations on the fossil fuel industry. Right now, CREDO activists are taking action to stop coal exports at military bases, prevent Trump’s weakening of environmental regulations and preserving rules regarding methane emissions.
Second, we can do our part in our daily lives to reduce our impact. Even though many in our current government are putting their heads in the sand, we must take it upon ourselves to act until we elect new leaders who will. For example, we can reduce our waste, bike to work, eat less meat, plant trees and reduce our energy consumption.
Third, we must begin transitioning to clean, renewable sources of energy now. To keep our planet from hitting the catastrophic 2.7 degree threshold, the IPCC believes we must increase renewable energy production from sources like solar and wind, which accounts for roughly 20 percent of our current consumption, to as much as 67 percent.
Here at CREDO, we’re helping to make the transition to renewable energy a top priority and easy for consumers. With CREDO Energy, you can offset your home’s electricity usage with renewable energy credits to give you access to clean, sustainably produced electricity.
And with CREDO Energy, you will be powering progressive change, because we give to progressive causes fighting for the environment and climate justice, civil rights, women’s rights and more.
Posted on December 11, 2018
Tuesday Tip: 7 ways to improve your indoor air quality
For most of November, CREDO’s home city of San Francisco was submerged in smoke drifting south from the massive Camp Fire, the most destructive wildfire in California history. For weeks Northern California had the worst air quality in the world, as air pollution levels consistently registered in the “very unhealthy” range.
We learned a lot about air quality last month, including some things we didn’t know about the quality of the air indoors. We were surprised to learn that the air inside the typical home can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside—information that is especially relevant as winter sets in and we spend more time indoors.
Fungal spores, fumes from cooking and toxins that off-gas from paints, varnishes, cleaners, mattresses, carpeting, furniture, and building materials all pose a threat to your health. They can cause headaches, asthma, allergies, nausea, crankiness, even cancer.
If you’re concerned about the air in your home, here are seven tips to mitigate indoor air pollution and breathe easier.
Open the windows
This is a simple, effective way to clean your air at home. It may be briefly uncomfortable if it’s cold outside but opening your windows for even 5 minutes every day can significantly reduce the accumulation of indoor air pollution.
Another way to circulate air and get the toxins out is to install fans in your attic, bathroom, and kitchen. This is particularly important if you live in a damp climate where mold is a problem. A dehumidifier will also help. Aim for a target of under 50% humidity.
Get more plants
Houseplants are air-cleaning workhorses. They pull all sorts of toxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) out of your indoor atmosphere, including CO2, formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. Some of the best plants for cleaning your air are aloe, bamboo palm, spider plant, English ivy, and philodendron.
Houseplants also produce oxygen, which helps you sleep well. And they release phytoncides, which boost your white blood cell count and neutralize microorganisms in the air. To keep your plants in peak condition, read our post on healthy houseplants.
Choose non-toxic cleaners
“Clean” is not what you get when you use most mass-market cleaning products, because those products contain toxic chemicals that contaminate your air and threaten your health. Instead, choose green cleaning products. Or make your own from ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, citrus juice, and essential oils.
Service your fuel-burning appliances
Make sure to maintain your gas heater, stove and oven, furnace, water heater, and other fuel-burning appliances. They can leak carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide if not regularly serviced.
Air out new furniture
Most large furniture pieces are made with fabrics, glues, varnishes, and fire retardants that off-gas VOCs and cause all sorts of health problems, from headaches and dizziness to cancer.
If your furniture is packaged when it arrives, remove the packaging outdoors and let the furniture air out as long as is realistic, preferably in the sun. Or put your new furniture in a seldom-used room, open the windows and air it out there. Use fans to increase air circulation.
When you can, choose floor samples, which have likely been sitting out and off-gassing their VOCs for some time. Or look for non-VOC furniture.
If you have kids or you’re particularly sensitive to airborne chemicals, consider pulling up any carpeting you have in your home. It can emit VOCs for five years or more.
Clean your ducts and change your filters
The ducts in your forced-air heating system may also be forcing in mold spores, dust, and other contaminants. You’ll need a professional to clean your ducts but you can change the furnace filters yourself. Do it every three months and use the thickest filter you can find.
Avoid (most) scented candles
Winter is a great time to light a scented candle and get cozy. But if your candles are made of paraffin, you’ll be getting a lot of nasty byproducts with that pleasant aroma. Paraffin wax is a petroleum derivative and candles made from it waft highly toxic benzene and toluene into the air when burned.
The wicks of many scented candles contain heavy metals like lead and emit them when lit—as much as five times the amount of lead considered dangerous for children. The artificial perfumes and dyes used in many candles are also hazardous and the petro-soot from paraffin candles is the same soot found in exhaust from diesel engines.
A far better alternative is beeswax. Beeswax candles release negative ions when burned, which helps clean the air by binding with positively charged pollen, dust, dirt, and other pollutants, weighing them down and causing them to drop from suspension.
Soy candles are another option but most soy candle companies use a blend of soy and paraffin and legally label their candles “soy.” Look for 100% soy candles. Also look for non-GMO soy candles.
Air pollution is the world’s single largest environmental health risk. We tend to think of it as an outdoor problem but indoor air pollution is a serious threat to your health, because the air indoors is typically worse and because we spend as much as 90% of our time inside. Follow the seven tips above to ensure the air in your home is as clean as you can make it.
Posted on December 10, 2018
How does CREDO’s progressive donations process work?
Ever since we were founded more than 30 years ago, CREDO has given consumers a powerful alternative to doing business with huge corporations whose conduct is antithetical to the political, environmental and social values we share.
Part of that mission is giving each CREDO member the ability to be a philanthropist to the progressive causes we all care about. Whenever our members use one of our products or services – CREDO Mobile, CREDO Energy, long distance or credit card — they contribute to our mission of progressive social action.
That’s because every month, we give to progressive causes like civil rights, women’s rights, peace, LGBTQ equality and climate justice. Since 1985, we’ve given more than $94 million.
Many members ask how our donations process works. Today we’d like to give you an inside look.
Our giving process is democratic
Each month, we donate to nonprofit groups fighting for progressive change – groups like Planned Parenthood, Rainforest Action Network, Social Security Works and so many others.
This money is generated entirely by our members. When they use one of our products or services – CREDO Mobile, CREDO Long Distance, CREDO Energy or the Working Assets Credit Card – we dedicate a portion of the revenue to our donations program. Many CREDO Mobile and CREDO Long Distance members also make additional donations by rounding up their monthly bills by a few dollars to send extra support to the causes we fund. Then, at the end of each month, we distribute these donations to the three nonprofit groups we’re supporting that month.
The groups we support are chosen democratically. Representatives from all CREDO departments meet monthly to vote for the three nonprofit groups that will be on the “donations ballot” and receive donations.
Our donations are distributed democratically. Each month, we send the donations ballot to CREDO members, activists and supporters, and they vote for the group (or groups) they’d most like to see funded. Donations are then distributed according to their votes.
Voting is open to all
Monthly voting is open to anyone who wants to take a few seconds to vote on our ballot and direct funding to the progressive nonprofit(s) of their choice. However, the votes of CREDO members carry a little more weight. The vote of a member with one CREDO product or service counts twice. The vote of a member with two CREDO products or services counts three times. And so on.
Posted on December 7, 2018
This Holiday Season, OUR Walmart Demands $15/hr, Real Raises for Long-Term Employees and Full-Time Hours for Associates
Madeline Chambers is a mother, OUR Walmart leader, and Walmart associate of two years living with two kids in Gastonia, NC. OUR Walmart improves the lives of workers in the country’s largest employer and job sector and is a long-time ally of CREDO. Since 2014, CREDO members have voted to donate over $186,000 to OUR Walmart.
This time of year, Americans everywhere head to stores like Walmart for the biggest shopping season of the year. When they arrive, they’re be greeted by people like me – retail workers ready and willing to help find that “something special” for their loved ones this holiday season.
But even as retail jobs become one of the most common occupations in the country, there’s a dark side to this holiday shopping craze our customers need to know. Behind the smiles and festive store decorations, hundreds of thousands of Walmart employees are struggling during the holidays to get by on poverty wages and limited access to the full-time hours we need to survive.
I’m one of those Walmart associates. After two years of working at the company, I still make just $11 an hour. As a single parent of two children, this means that I’m forced to make tough decisions about what bills to pay and how I’ll make ends meet every day. Only a year and a half ago, my family and I were homeless. I worry that we’ll find ourselves in that position again if things don’t change soon.
And I’m not alone. I know others – many of whom have dedicated years to this company – that have to rely on food stamps and other forms of government assistance just to get by.
As a mother, the pain caused by being in this position is even harder during the holidays. Like many parents, I want to make this time of year as special as I can for my children, and it’s heartbreaking to still be struggling despite the blood, sweat and tears I have poured into this job.
But while working families at Walmart suffer this holiday season, people at the top of the corporate ladder are counting their blessings with room to spare. The Walton heirs – who own 50 percent of the company– have a net worth of around $180 billion, with top executives like Marc Lore, Greg Foran and Doug McMillon regularly bringing home millions in annual compensation. Walmart is even preparing to spend $20 billion to buy back its own stock, funneling more and more of the company’s profits back to executives and the largest shareholders like the Waltons.
Posted on December 5, 2018
Victory: The Senate rejects racist judge Thomas Farr
Activism works.
In response to sustained opposition by progressives across the country, including more than 77,000 CREDO members, the Senate rejected the nomination of Trump’s racist nominee Thomas Farr to a lifetime federal court appointment.
Thomas Farr has lifelong connections to segregationist organizations and individuals and was an expert at suppressing Black votes as the protege of notorious racist Jesse Helms. Farr spent decades developing close ties to one of the most despicable white supremacist organizations in the United States, the Pioneer Fund.
Even though Mitch McConnell is determined to ram through as many right-wing judges as possible before the end of the year, two Republicans broke with their party – Jeff Flake of Arizona and Republican’s only African-American senator, Tim Scott – joined all 49 Democrats in opposing Farr’s nomination.
Thank you.
Thank you to all progressives who stood up against hate and rejected Republican attempts to ram through another racist judge for a lifetime appointment.
Posted on December 5, 2018
Victory: AT&T finally drops right-wing lobbying organization ALEC
Thanks in part to the activism of more than 67,000 CREDO members, AT&T finally dropped its membership in the secretive right-wing lobbying organization the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
After progressives ramped up incredible pressure, the telecom giant left after it was reported that ALEC and its funders invited notorious hatemonger David Horowitz as a featured speaker at ALEC’s annual conference this year.
Horowitz has long history of hate and bigotry. He’s attacked marriage equality and made hateful references to the LGBTQ community, people of color, public education, feminism and gender equality, and women’s access to reproductive health care. He even downplayed the tragedy and the legacy of slavery in America. The Southern Poverty Law Center has called David Horowitz one of “America’s most dangerous hatemongers.”
It’s not really surprising that it took so long for AT&T to leave ALEC, though.
The extreme right-wing lobbying organization is notorious for promoting policies that limit voting rights, block climate action, expand the detention of immigrants and prevent localities from creating gun safety laws.
Likewise, AT&T has a long history funding right-wing causes and fighting progressive change. The company donated more than $2 million to Donald Trump’s inaugural slush fund to buy influence and stop net neutrality and gave $600,000 to Trump’s now-convicted personal lawyer Michael Cohen. AT&T helped re-elect white supremacist Rep. Steve King to another term in Congress. They even donated to racist Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith, before asking for their money back when progressives called them out.
AT&T and ALEC were like two peas in a pod, but we’re glad to see at least one more corporation dump ALEC after progressive outcry – but there are many more to go. You can keep up the pressure on other companies by signing our petition here: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/alec-hate
Posted on December 4, 2018
Tuesday Tip: 5 Ways to Have a Green Holiday
The holiday season can be a time for family, cheer, generosity and love. But the waste, packaging, and travel can take a real toll on the environment and our climate.
Recent studies – including one report that the Trump administration attempted to bury – reveal that our climate is changing even faster than we thought, and it’s up to us, in part, to change our habits to make a difference.
This holiday season, we can do our part to reduce our impact on the environment.
Here are five steps you can take to have a green holiday.
Get a real tree
Real trees are greener than plastic ones. Yes, you’ll be cutting down a tree—or buying a tree that someone else has cut down—but this tree is a crop raised to be harvested. And when you purchase it, you’ll be supporting a tree farm, which is good. Trees on farms work year-round cleaning the air, protecting water supplies and providing wildlife habitat. Tree farms are also economically important. There are over 15,000 tree farms in the U.S. and most of them are family-owned.
Fake trees are made overseas out of plastic and other toxic materials. Shipping them to the U.S. produces a lot of pollution. A study several years ago by environmental consulting firm Ellipsos found that buying a fake tree does far more environmental damage than cutting a real tree. You can use your fake tree again, true, but the Ellipsos study concluded that you’d have to use that tree for more than 20 years for it to be greener than buying a cut tree annually.
Consider purchasing your tree locally, which can minimize the impact of driving and transport and help your local economy. Be sure to recycle the tree when you’re ready to take it down, too.
If you have space, of course, the best choice is to have a living tree. Keep it outside in a pot and move it in and decorate it for the holidays. After a few years, you’ll feel like old friends.
Buy sustainable gifts
We know. It’s hard enough to come up with gift ideas for family and friends as it is. Limit yourself to sustainable gifts and you might as well throw in the holiday hand towel. Right? Well, not exactly. Try Googling “sustainable gifts.”
We did. And we came up with a list of good ones (check out our gift guide here). Like the Pela Case, a line of colorful, non-plastic phone cases made of a plant-based material called Flaxstic that is tough and child-safe (no BPA, lead, cadmium or phthalates). Or Elephant Pants, each pair of which supports the fight for elephant preservation.
Don’t waste food
A meal is the centerpiece of most holiday get-togethers. If you’re cooking this season, be mindful of waste. It’s a serious problem. Around 40% of the food produced in the U.S. is wasted—an average of 400 pounds per person annually. Globally, one-third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, along with all the work, water, energy and land that goes into producing it.
There are ways to minimize waste. Shop smart: plan your meals, check what you already have on your shelf and then make your shopping list. Don’t shop hungry (seriously, it works). Don’t buy food just because it’s on sale. For more tips on reducing food waste, check out our post How you can help stop food waste.
Use less paper and packaging
You might have grandparents who insist upon saving all the wrapping and ribbons after gifts were opened for reuse later. That’s a great start – but we can do even more to reduce or reuse the things we would normally throw away during the holidays.
Saving paper is easy. Fold it up, put it in the closet and use it later, maybe for a birthday. Or save the Sunday comics and wrap gifts in those. Burlap makes an attractive package, as does a colorful box or basket.
The Stanford University Recycling Center reports that if every American family wrapped just three gifts in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold every year in the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. So this year consider sending e-cards instead.
Make the most of staying home
The holidays, of course, are peak travel season, and flying and driving to your destination can produce a lot of CO2 along the way. A round-trip flight from California to New York produces a fifth of the greenhouse gases that your car emits in an entire year—nearly 1 metric ton of CO2 per person.
If you’re staying home instead of getting on a plane, we have 8 tips for better video calls. If you can’t be with grandma, we want to help you make sure she feels as close and connected as she can.
We wish you cheer this holiday season. We also wish you change—the power to make it and the courage to embrace it. If you’d like to make a change every day, consider joining CREDO Mobile, the only phone company that works for your progressive values. Another way you can help our planet is to switch on clean energy in your home. It’s now easy to do with CREDO Energy with Energy Rewards.
Posted on December 1, 2018
Our November grantees thank you for your support
Each month, CREDO members vote on how we distribute funding to three incredible organizations. Those small actions add up – with one click, you can help fund groups fighting climate change, holding corporations and politicians accountable and defending immigrants’ rights. In November, over 50,000 CREDO members voted to distribute our monthly donation to 350.org, the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Women’s Refugee Commission.
These donations are made possible by CREDO customers and the revenue they generate by using our services. The distribution depends entirely on the votes of CREDO members like you. And for that, our November grant recipients thank you.
350.org
$57,645
“Thank you for your support of 350.org – we’re thrilled you’re with us. CREDO members like you help us oppose new coal, oil and gas projects and build a 100 percent renewable energy future for all.” To learn more, visit 350.org.
Center for Economic and Policy Research
$40,605
“CREDO members like you make it possible for CEPR to ensure that policymakers serve the broad public interest, rather than corporations’ narrow political agenda or their own personal advancement. CEPR values your partnership. Thanks for your support!” To learn more, visit cepr.net.
Women’s Refugee Commission
$51,750
“On behalf of all of us at the Women’s Refugee Commission, thank you to CREDO and to everyone who voted to support us and our work on behalf of migrant and refugee women and girls.” To learn more, visit womensrefugeecommission.org.
Now check out the three groups we are funding in December, and cast your vote to help distribute our donations.
CREDO members who use our products are the reason why we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile, the carrier with a conscience.
Posted on December 1, 2018
Vote for these three progressive groups this December
Every month, CREDO members vote on how we distribute our monthly donations between three great progressive groups. This month, you have the opportunity to fund organizations supporting progressive economic policies, standing up to the Trump administration and fighting for the rights of immigrants by voting for Americans for Tax Fairness, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action and Cosecha.
Americans for Tax Fairness
Americans for Tax Fairness mobilizes public support for progressive tax reform so we have the revenue needed to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and make new investments in education, infrastructure, and health care to create an economy that works for all.
Funding from CREDO members will support ATF’s state-based public education and legislative accountability work with members of Congress who voted in favor of the Trump tax cuts and against the Affordable Care Act.
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Bend the Arc is a movement of progressive Jews all across the country that has worked to build a more just society with members who are rising up in solidarity with everyone threatened by the Trump agenda.
A grant from CREDO members will help Bend the Arc ensure that the new Congress fully and unequivocally rejects white nationalism. The organization’s new campaign, launched in partnership with CREDO and our allies, is sending a clear public message to our elected officials that they cannot remain neutral in the fight against this dangerous and destructive political ideology, and that we will hold them accountable for building a country where all of us can live, love and thrive.
Cosecha
Cosecha is a nonviolent movement fighting for permanent protection, dignity and respect for the undocumented community. Committed to winning real victories, Cosecha leverages our labor and spending power as immigrants to shift political opinion and policy.
A donation from CREDO members will help fund a new Cosecha house in Michigan, where the organization has a strong campaign to win drivers licenses for immigrants. Funding will also help support 10 new local leaders in Michigan, Georgia, Indiana and New Jersey as well as 10 new national full time organizers.
Your vote this month will determine how we divide our monthly donation among these three progressive groups. Be sure to cast your vote to support one, two or all three by December 31.
CREDO members who use our products everyday are the reason why we are able to make these donations each month. Learn more about CREDO Mobile, the carrier with a conscience.
Posted on November 27, 2018
Tuesday Tip: 4 Tips for How to Talk Politics with Your Family Over the Holidays
Headed home for the holidays? You could be in for a little heat. If you’re a progressive who’s spending time with friends and family, there is a chance you might find yourself in the company of Trump supporters at some point.
We know it can be difficult to engage with friends and family members whom you may care deeply for, but who also hold wildly different — and sometimes racist, xenophobic, or misogynistic, viewpoints. You may choose to avoid the conversation altogether. Or, you may find yourself, year after year. in full-blown arguments.
We’ve been thinking about our own holiday plans and found three articles we thought were really helpful:
- Here’s how to talk to your Trump-supporting relatives this Thanksgiving
- How To Talk About Racism, Sexism, And Bigotry With Your Friends And Family
- How To Argue With Trump Supporters In Your Family This Thanksgiving (And Yes, You Have To)
Here are four highlights for how to talk politics with your family over the holidays.
1. Avoiding the conversation may mean avoiding your responsibilities
“It’s our responsibility to go home and have the hard conversations with our family members, because, in many cases, only we have the power to reach them and begin the long work of rooting out bigotry in our communities.”
“The stakes are simply too high to sacrifice conversation for comfort…If your family is white, or wealthy, or any other kind of privileged, you might not feel as compelled to interrupt your turkey and gravy to speak up. That’s exactly why you have to. The people who have the most to lose are already doing all they can to stop Trump. We must all act with the same urgency, especially if you or your family is privileged because when one of us is unsafe because of our skin color, or sexual orientation, or gender identity, all of our values are threatened.”
2. Model respectful communication (in how you listen and how you speak)
“Hearing them out is affirming to them as humans and we’re more willing to listen to someone who’s willing to listen to us.”
“Use humor, but don’t belittle. Be passionate, but not condescending. It can feel cathartic to mock, scream, or taunt people who seem dedicated to misinformation and offensiveness, but this approach is ineffective if your goal is social change. So unless you’re dealing with outright trolls, it’s worth the extra effort to model the kind of respectful discourse you want to see in the world.”
3. Make it personal (in both directions)
“If you can share a personal story or connection, take advantage:…personal stories are an important way to change people’s minds,”
“Instead of having a policy-oriented conversation, talk about the people in our lives we love and care about… This might mean telling them about your own experience as a woman, queer person or minority group. It might mean telling them about a friend you have who fits into one of the categories Trump has targeted… and explaining to them the way the election has affected them. Or just tell them a story about their lives, their families, what they do for a living.”
“If you want your friends and relatives to understand why you support Black Lives Matter or LGBTQ rights (and if you wish to persuade them to do so, too), you need to ask about their beliefs, really listen to their answers, and demonstrate that you care where they’re coming from. How do they feel these movements impact their own lives? What’s at the root of their opposition to freedom and dignity for people from different racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, or countries, and what would it take to change their minds? Once you’ve shown that you’re listening, ask questions that force them to step outside their experience.”
4. Know when to walk away
You don’t have to continue any conversation that is hurtful or that is giving a bigot more of a platform, but sometimes it can be hard to let go. Figure out your own boundaries and how you’ll hold them. You can even ask for help from other loved ones. A hand sign, code word, or subtle kick under the table can be a good reminder to take a breath and see if you want a conversation to continue, if it needs a reset, or if it’s time to pull the plug.
