It's Black History Month
This year’s Black History Month theme is “Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity,” which explores the African diaspora and the spread of Black families across the United States. While we know that colonialism, segregation and legalized racism have become officially obsolete, systemic racism still very much exists, and the legacy of such regulations has left Black people and other minority populations excessively vulnerable to ecological degradation.
Finch understands that, for most, sustainability is not a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. We’re tired of the fact that the vast majority of sustainable products have been whitewashed and marketed towards white, upper-middle class women. Climate change not only disproportionately affects members of disadvantaged communities, including many people of color, but people of color are more concerned than white people about climate change. According to the Yale Climate Communication Study from 2010, Hispanics, African Americans, and people of other races and ethnicities were often the strongest supporters of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even when informed that some of these policies would entail individual costs. Many believe that climate change is primarily a concern of upper- and middle-class whites, while minorities are focused only on issues of environmental justice, or the fair treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or income with respect to the development of environmental laws and policies. This national study strongly suggests that these assumptions are wrong and that the Latinx and African Population populations were often the strongest supporters of climate and energy policies even if they incurred greater costs.
In June of 2020, I wrote about how climate justice and racial justice were inextricably linked and urged my followers to further educate themselves from people who are far better equipped to speak on these issues than I am. Since then, we’ve added a few more. Enjoy, and please let us know what you think.
Robert Bullard on how environmental racism shapes the US: “ From the ‘30s up until 1978, 5 of 5 of the city-owned landfills [in Houston] were in black neighborhoods…and 3 of the 4 of privately-owned landfills were in black neighborhoods….it was not random. Everybody produces garbage but not everybody has to live next to the landfill. It wasn’t just a poverty thing.”
Troy Riddle on Black History Month: “The environmental movement shouldn’t just stop at calling out racism. It needs to raise more voices and make sure they’re heard in order to imagine and illustrate the future and make real the world we want to have.”
Glory Edim nominates Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: “I yell into the void, ‘Global warming is ruining the planet. We are doomed!’ and she whispers, ‘Make the plan. Implement the plan…’ She understands that the environmental movement must address its legacy of systemic racism. Johnson is recruiting everyone to do the work.”
Elizabeth Yeampierre on The Deep Links Between Racism and Climate Change: “A lot of times when people talk about environmental justice they go back to the 1970s or ‘60s. But I think about the slave quarters. I think about people who got the worst food, the worst health care, the worst treatment, and when freed, were given lands that were eventually surrounded by things like petrochemical industries.”
Colette Pichon Battle & Miya Yoshitani on communities of color saving the planet: “Now that Biden has pledged a ‘climate administration’...it is urgent that we aim the country’s attention on a part of the climate movement that often gets siloed or dismissed as ancillary to the cause of solving the climate crisis: the grassroots BIPOC-led powerbuilding groups that center justice in all the work they do. These groups understand what many white activists - however well intentioned - fail to see: without the power, boldness and genius of BIPOC communities, we will not defeat climate change. We are not ancillary. We are necessary.”
1. Break it down
Flatten those boxes like your life depends on it. It saves space in your recycling bin and makes processing easier at recycling facilities.
2. Cut away plastic
Any plastic wrapping, bubble wrap, or those weird air pillows need to go. They're not recyclable with cardboard.
3. Keep it clean
Pizza boxes are actually fine in most cities (but worth checking your local municipality), but anything with excessive grease or food waste should be composted or trashed.
4. Organize your bins
If you're expecting a tsunami of packages, set up a designated cardboard station.
Congrats, now you’re a cardboard wizard, Harry.
It goes without saying: reuse these boxes where you can (like storing your favorite memories or packing away the fall decor), and recycle as the next best option. Recycling just one ton of cardboard saves around 9 cubic yards of landfill space and 46 gallons of oil. For the other waste that comes inside cardboard, we love Ridwell, which takes what curbside recycling can't (And I can give you a free month to test it out! If interested, slide into those DMs).
TRENDING
The Great Tree Debate: Real vs. Fake (It's Complicated)
Every year, I get asked about the environmental impact of real trees versus fake trees. It depends on how long you want a relationship with said fake tree. Real Christmas trees typically cary an average carbon footprint of 3.5 kg of CO2 if disposed through burning or wood chipping. If they're left to decompose in landfills, their carbon footprint multiples to 16kg. Here's the thing, though: while they're growing, Christmas trees are doing all that good tree stuff: absorbing carbon, providing wildlife habitat and preventing soil erosion, and more. For every tree purchased, farmers plant 1-3 seedlings in its place, which guarantees future green space and farmland.
A two-meter artificial Christmas tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg, more than 10 times that of a real tree that is burned after Christmas. These plastic beauties are made from petroleum-based PVC, manufactured mostly in China, and shipped across the world. They're nearly impossible to recycle, so when we're done with them they get landfilled.
The Real Deal:
Real Christmas trees typically carry an average carbon footprint of 3.5 kilograms of CO2 if disposed of through methods such as wood chipping or burning. However, if they are left to decompose in landfills, their carbon footprint multiplies fourfold to 16 kilograms of CO2. Here's the thing though: while they're growing, Christmas trees are doing all that good tree stuff—absorbing carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and making the world a slightly less terrible place. For every tree purchased, farmers plant 1-3 seedlings in its place according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
The Fake Facts:
A two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg, more than 10 times that of a real tree that's burned after Christmas. These plastic beauties are predominantly made from PVC (yes, petroleum-based), manufactured mostly in China, and shipped across the world. And when you're done with them? They're heading straight to landfill because they're nearly impossible to recycle.
So Which One Wins?
Here's the mythbusting part: Fake trees are NOT always better for the environment. To break even with a real tree's carbon footprint, you need to use your fake Christmas tree for a minimum of 10 years to make it worth your eco while.
The Best Options:
- If you go real: Buy local, dispose responsibly (compost, chip, or donate it—never landfill), and look for FSC-certified trees.
- If you go fake: Commit to that tree like it's a marriage. Buy secondhand if possible.
The same logic applies for wreaths. Real wreaths are made from harvested branch tips, which actually promotes tree growth. They're renewable, recyclable, and don't require fossil fuels to produce. Artificial wreaths need to be reused for years to justify their plastic footprint. Choose wisely. For more wrapping paper tips, check out our videos on Instagram here and here.
TRENDING
DIY Fire Starters That Won't Burn Your Conscience
Want to feel like a woodland fairy while also being practical? Make your own fire starters using pinecones and beeswax.
Just melt some leftover candle wax or beeswax, dip pinecones in it, let them cool on parchment paper, and voila—you've got gorgeous, natural fire starters that work like magic. Store them in a basket near your fireplace and pretend you have your life together.
Bonus: they make great gifts that say "I'm thoughtful AND crafty" without requiring you to actually be crafty year-round.
You can also use dried citrus peels, cinnamon sticks bundled with twine, or egg cartons filled with dryer lint and wax (sounds weird, works great). Just avoid petroleum-based products or anything with toxic chemicals—we're trying to cozy up, not poison ourselves.
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