Publishers Note by Cliff Feigenbaum, GreenMoney
Before I begin, here is some big news: GreenMoney’s e-Journal is going monthly in January, featuring a new and improved design. See more details and our list of upcoming writers below.
We chose “Integrating Sustainability” as a theme to reflect the growing desire of people to divest from companies with non-sustainable or even harmful practices and reinvest in sustainable enterprises that make positive impacts on our current and future well-being, both financial and environmental. In truth, GreenMoney knows that a healthy environment is not only good for business, but in the long term, key to our survival.
First among the divestment targets are the fossil fuel companies. Logan Yonavjak recently wrote at Forbes.com “There are still ample reserves to continue building our economy based on fossil fuels…, but if we want to stabilize the climate and avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, we have to stop investing in extracting, refining and burning them.”
The big extractive industries of oil, coal, and natural gas (that use controversial fracking methods), all come with impossibly expensive externalized costs, from not only climate change, but also from direct environmental damage, not to mention the taxes Americans must pay for a military to keep oil pipelines and shipping lanes open around the globe.
Yes, we all use gasoline, coal-generated electricity and natural gas, but through divestment and reinvestment we can promote a global paradigm transition to clean renewable energy through ever-expanding technological innovations.
We are in the age of clean energy discovery. Why is this vital and important? Logan Yonavjak says “going forward we must leave 80 percent of the current coal, oil and gas reserves in the ground in order to stay below a 2 degrees Celsius temperature increase and avoid the worst effects of climate change (which, at current levels, we are expected to reach by 2052). Read Logan’s article at- http://onforb.es/18NzEbR
Extractive industries make lasting and often destructive environmental impacts. True, all energy has impact, but our demanding western lifestyles leave an environmental footprint that must be paid for by generations to come.
So how do we begin to address that impact and move from a demand economy to a sustainable or even a restorative one? During the coming year we will explore solutions to many environmental challenges, including resource scarcity, clean water, and renewable fuels, while focusing on companies and funds that sustain rather than deplete our planet.
We are seeing a real upswing in the number of such investors, looking to divest from fossil fuels, mining, and natural gas, and reinvest in companies that are addressing issues such as climate change, clean energy, affordable housing, infrastructure, education, healthcare and job creation.
I personally prefer to invest in innovative clean and renewable energy. We need, as I’ve mentioned many times, an innovative clean green energy future. How do we get there? Basically through companies involved in Cleantech, Greentech, Naturetech (biomimicry) or all of the above. Natural ecosystems, enduring and resilient, already demonstrate many proven answers for a sustainable future.
Investors and financial professionals must ask themselves and their clients – what do you want to profit from and what do you not want to profit from? For myself I do not want to profit from guns, tobacco, alcohol, slave labor or environmental pollution, to name a few “screens.” On the other side I do want to fairly and reasonably profit from sustainable agriculture, organic food, and renewable energy.
Time to rethink your investment goals? What impact do you want your money to have?
So I close this note with, well, some optimism. Yes, there are many challenges in today’s world, but there are innovative solutions discovered every day. I am constantly inspired via social media or publications on investing, business, and innovation, etc. Most recently I read about Jay Harman’s new book on biomimicry entitled “The Shark’s Paintbrush.” I recommend it. Also look for new books in 2014 from Paul Hawken and Biomimicry expert Janine Benyus.
Though the recent and seemingly continuous dysfunction in Washington, DC reminded me of something I wrote last year about Government that still rings true for me:
“The immediate need to manage debt here and around the world is more pressing than ever. In truth, debt mismanagement has compromised the economic recovery everywhere. It is time to stop over-spending and begin managing our budgets responsibly. As Europe and America in all their financial arrogance have figured out, (we hope!) deficits at some point become untenable. Borrowing is easy, paying your bills is responsible. And yes, unrestrained money is ruining our political systems. Unlimited and untraceable dollars for candidates and political parties is not how a democracy sustains itself. It seems both parties and their PACs are taking huge sums of money from anyone or any company or any country.”
Finally, some news for our financial professional readers: Selected GreenMoney articles are now available on Bloomberg Terminals as part of their expanding interest in sustainable business and investing.
More on our BIG News: GreenMoney’s e-Journal is going ‘monthly’ in January 2014. We have been pleased and encouraged by the expanding activity of impact investors and by the encouraging stories that need to be shared about sustainable business and investing. We are increasing our frequency to help spread that information. How can you be involved? Be sure to tell your friends and colleagues to sign up for the free e-Journal on the GreenMoney.com homepage and consider sponsoring or cosponsoring an issue. Find those details at- greenmoney.com/advertising-sponsorship/
Here is the lineup of writers for the first part of 2014:
January – Joe Keefe of Pax World on 2014 Sustainable Investing Outlook
February – Amy Domini of Domini Social Investments on 2014 SRI Outlook
March – Green Biz 2014 Report on The State of Green Business
April – Mindy Lubber of CERES on Sustainable Responsible Business
May – Lisa Woll of US SIF on the World of Sustainable Investing
June – Special Issue on Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Foods
July – Justin Conway of Calvert Foundation on the Next Generation of Sustainability Leaders
Let us know if there are certain topics you’d like us to cover during the year,
– Cliff Feigenbaum, founder and publisher, cliff@greenmoney.com
