American business leading on climate change

It’s great to see so many American businesses taking action against climate change. Leaders in corporate America recognize the overwhelming consensus of climate-change science and are finding solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It proves that we are an innovative nation where business adjusts to market changes to continue to prosper. CEOs, responsible for quarterly earnings and maximizing shareholder returns, are a risk-averse group. So, they do their homework before deciding to make big changes in how they do business.

Consider the maker of Cheerios.

Early this year, General Mills committed to convert one million acres of farmland to regenerative agriculture.

These practices (such as cover crops and reduced tillage) store carbon in the soil instead of emitting it.

Currently, agriculture generates at least 25 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Why would this 150-year-old company, the home of Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and Gold Medal flour, choose to make such a bold change? Government wasn’t forcing them — and neither were their shareholders.

It’s because General Mills views climate change as the biggest threat to their continued existence.

To harvest basic ingredients such as oats and wheat in future years, they recognize they must improve soil health rather than contribute to the problem.

Other innovative companies are actively working to reduce their carbon footprint. John Deere continues to “aggressively seek ways to reduce our energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions” by taking actions like designing energy-efficient factories and dealerships. Cargill is committed to achieving a 30 percent GHG reduction across its North American beef supply chain by 2030. Disney, Starbucks, Tesla, Patagonia and others are leading the way.

Companies including Walmart, Nestle, McDonalds and PepsiCo are reducing their environmental footprint by pledging to use 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025 or earlier. American ingenuity is also seen in startups who are finding cleaner ways to heat our homes, manufacture clothes and dispose of waste.

Because these companies operate in our capitalist economy where they must run a profitable company, they don’t change business practices until they have the facts.

They know that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree on human-caused climate change.

For example, the Union of Concerned Scientists says increased carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas acts like a blanket warming our world.

GlobalChange.gov, made up of 13 government agencies including the Department of Defense, reports Earth’s climate is “changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities.” The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says “reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors is essential if global warming is to be kept to well below 2 degrees C, if not 1.5 degrees C.” These are only a few of the reputable scientific bodies showing consensus on climate change.

Leading CEOs are working with their industry peers and the government to advocate for smart environmental policies. You may remember when the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement, more than 1,000 companies voiced their disagreement, stating they had no intention of moving backwards. Companies like Facebook, Gap and Johnson & Johnson said they remained committed to working toward a sustainable carbon-neutral economy. Obviously, these leaders don’t view climate work as a job-killer or anti-Western. They recognize that extreme weather events wreak havoc on our economy and that cutting emissions often results in cost savings.

These businesses prove it’s possible to prosper and create jobs while reducing GHG emissions. However, the main contributors of carbon emissions — the fossil fuel industry — are not stepping up. Switching to paper straws will accomplish next to nothing. We need the biggest polluters to act like their more innovative peers to reduce their carbon footprint, too. The triple bottom line — people, profit, planet — benefits all Americans.