As I write this letter, Hurricane Ida is pummeling Louisiana and Mississippi. Fires are raging across the western U.S., and around the world. Flooding earlier this summer killed hundreds and wreaked havoc in Germany, Brussels, and China. And drought is devastating farms across the west. All of these events are fueled by climate change which makes droughts and extreme precipitation events more common, hurricanes more powerful, wildfires hotter, and the fire season longer. Of course, so many of you are LIVING these events. Our hearts go out to you.

With the recent release of the groundbreaking report from the UN IPCC, there is no longer any doubt of the threat posed by our changing climate. But the good news in the report is that we still have a small window of opportunity to lessen or even stop the threat. There are solutions to prevent the worst impacts, but our window is closing which is why we must act now. As Laurence Tubiana, an architect of the Paris Agreement said, “Scientists did their job, it is time for leaders to do theirs”.

Over the next month, the U.S. Congress will debate the most important climate legislation in a generation. This could be the only bite at the apple that our leaders take for many years.

If you have ever considered using your powerful voice as a business, now is the moment.

Our community is responding in the way we know best---collaboratively. We have partnered with Fossil Fuel Media to create the #Call4ClimateNOW campaign. More than one hundred of your peers have joined the campaign to reach out to their stakeholders, including their employees and the people who buy their products and services, to call on our lawmakers in D.C. to urge them to take bold climate action NOW! B Lab, 1% for the Planet, ASBC, and Ceres have partnered with us and are engaging businesses in the campaign.

Join Clif Bar, Aveda, PCC Markets, Grove Collaborative, Ben & Jerry’s, Legacy Vacation Resorts, and many more businesses from across the U.S. in the #Call4ClimateNOW campaign launching on September 8^th.

Find information on the campaign, access the toolkit, and sign-on here.

Next month, our new Executive Director, Courtney Pineau, will be at the helm full-time and we will usher in a new era at the Collaborative. Courtney is eager to meet you all! If you are planning to attend Natural Products Expo East and would like to meet Courtney, let us know at [email protected], and be sure to check out our programming in Philadelphia too.

In the meantime, join us by bringing your company’s voice to the choir calling for bold climate action!

For a brighter future for all,

Nancy

#Call4ClimateNOW Launch Event

Wednesday, September 8 1 PM ET // 12 PM CT // 11 AM MT // 10 AM PT

Join your peers as we celebrate the launch of the #Call4ClimateNow campaign. You will get the latest briefing on the status of climate bills in Washington and the outlook for the month of the campaign. We will share updates on the campaign and answer any last-minute questions. You’ll also have a chance to hear what companies have planned for reaching out to the American people through their communication channels! Register here!

Partner Event: The Carbon Sequestration SOILution: Soil  Health & Community Farm to Fork

Tuesday, September 21 4:30 PM ET // 3:30 PM CT // 2:30 PM MT // 1:30 PM PT

Our friends at Business Climate Leaders have an upcoming event that might be of interest to many of you. Soil carbon sequestration holds tremendous potential for climate restoration and agronomic growth. Learn more and register here!

Climate Programming at Expo East

Friday, September 24 10:15 am - 12:30 pm ET

Natural Products Expo East climate programming will take place on Friday, September 24^th from 10:15 am-12:30 pm. Can you make it? We hope you will join us for two exciting sessions where you'll hear updates on two new projects, food waste reduction strategies, and an opportunity to meet our new ED Courtney Pineau! Register for Expo East here!

Partner Event: Renewable Energy Markets 2021

September 27-30, 2021 - Online

Join the clean energy industry at REM™ 2021 and be a part of guiding our energy future. Held online and co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, REM™ 2021 will host hundreds of clean energy decision makers and offer ample opportunity for dealmaking and networking, giving you a ringside seat for energy policy discussions. Register here!

Partner Event: VERGE 21

October 25 - 28, 2021

The urgency of the climate crisis is accelerating — and so, too, is the opportunity to build a clean economy. We are proud to be Community Partners at VERGE 21: The climate tech event. Join more than 10,000 leaders online — from the private and public sectors, utilities, solution providers, investors and startups — advancing systemic solutions to address the climate crisis through five key markets: clean energy, sustainable mobility, carbon removal, regenerative food systems and resilient infrastructure. Register here with our 15% discount code! 

America Is All In Coalition Commercial

This video showcases the robust and diverse coalition of individuals, leaders, businesses, institutions and citizens who are committed to going all in on climate change and symbolizes America's readiness for bold action at this crucial time.

This new technology could help cool people down--without electricity

As climate change brings more extreme heat, air conditioning use is going to skyrocket, baking the planet even more. What if there were a way to cool without making warming worse?

Is remote working better for the environment? Not necessarily

Companies have a rare moment to reset working models. But climate calculations of remote v office work are complex. 

Sweden's HYBRIT delivers world's first fossil-free steel

Swedish green steel venture HYBRIT has made the world's first customer delivery of steel produced without using coal as it looks to revolutionize an industry that accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

'Best For The World' B Corps includes 40 natural products companies

B Lab recognizes the top Certified B Corporations doing the best for the planet and its inhabitants in community, environment, and workers sectors. Congrats to Dr. Bronner's for best in the world in Community and Environment! Congrats to honorees REBBL, Alter Eco, Amavida Coffee and Trading, Bi-Rite Market, and Peace Coffee for Best in the World for Community! Congrats to honorees W.S. Badger Co, Rogue Creamery, ChicoBag Company, Preserve, and Seventh Generation for best in the world for Environment! A special congrats to honorees King Arthur Baking Company and KeHE for Best in the World for Workers. View the list here!

INFRA Recognizes 2021 Award Winners

INFRA announced the 2021 INFRA Award winners at the INFRA Virtual Conference this month. Each year, the INFRA community comes together to recognize members and industry partners who go above and beyond in a variety of categories from sustainability to innovation to leadership. Congrats to CC companies Natural Factors, Miyoko's Creamery, Paku Misra from Sunflower Natural Foods Market, Kimberton Whole Foods, and Jimbo's Naturally! Read the press release here!

The 'queen of vegan cheese' wants to change the dairy industry

Miyoko Schinner has been on a years-long quest to make tasty vegan cheese. Now she wants to help dairy farmers switch to plant-based farming. Read the article here! 

Natural foods companies continue to lead fastest-growing businesses

Inc. Magazine's list of 5,000 fastest-growing private companies again illustrates the dominance of natural foods. Hats off to Pathwater, Rebel Green, Country Archer, LesserEvil, Back to the Roots, "I and Love and You", and EO Products! See the list here!

Share your good news with us! In this new section of our newsletter, we want to share out climate-related progress, announcements and good news from our community in action. Send us an email at [email protected] to contribute to next month's section.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Have you had any climate impact successes you think we should know about? Send them our way and we’ll make sure that your lessons learned benefit the whole community. 

Send us any blog or social media posts your company publishes about your experience reducing your impact on the climate and we’ll spread the word!

Twitter: @climatecoll     Instagram: @theclimatecollaborative    Facebook: /climatecollab

If you haven't already made a commitment to Climate Action please visit the Climate Collaborative website and check out the nine areas in which your company can make a commitment to bold climate action.