After a 15th anniversary year of big issues, exciting interviews and excellent articles, many of which were widely reprinted, we return with even more information for this Spring 2008 edition.
It all took time, especially the highly anticipated "SRI Trends Report," which reveals that the SRI expansion has led to new possibilities in sustainable investments for institutional and individual investors, private and public pension plans, university endowments, foundations and expanding SRI mutual funds.
It's exciting that the world is catching up to the ideas we've shared together over the last decade and a half. The multibillion-dollar Green Business sectors of the U.S. and global economies will prove vital in the years ahead. Thus, venture capital seeks innovative green companies and technologies while mutual funds reflect soaring demand for cleaner energy and greener investments.
SRI growth in community investing and shareholder activism also continues. Community development loans are stimulating local economic development and social change around the world. Community investing and microfinance resources like kiva.org and Microplace, a new subsidiary of EBay, are providing impactful investment opportunities around the world.
Could the Greening of America actually be happening?
Publications such as Business Week, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and US News and World Report have given SRI more mainstream coverage then ever before, encouraging discussions in many new arenas including the now frequent 'Going Green' segments on CNBC.
Indeed, the green spectrum is getting a bit thin in places. Although we appreciate the increasing media coverage and stated corporate commitments, we are concerned about greenwashing. Standards must be applied to green claims. Authenticity matters.
Is there a way to enjoy growth and prosperity…and save our planet too?
This issue offers some answers. We begin with the new SRI Trends Report from the Social Investment Forum, Joe Keefe of Pax World Funds continues his series on SRI and sustainable investing, and GreenMoney's Ted Ketcham looks into ten of the new green mutual funds. We close with vital insights for our future: Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, a blueprint (or greenprint) for a more sustainable world.
Here on greenmoney.com you'll find more then a dozen additional SRI articles, including three exclusively for GreenMoney: SRI in the UK & Europe by Lisa Hayles and Stephanie Maier of EIRIS (Ethical Investment Research Service Ltd.), and a profile of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center as well as a look inside a new book by Richard Asplund entitled "Profiting from Clean Energy." Also, see the 2008 Social Capitalist awards from Fast Company.
Green and sustainability-focused conferences around the globe are yet another indicator of increasing awareness. In the coming year on our greenmoney.com calendar we currently count over 150 conferences and events. Participate. Educate yourself so you may educate others.
Globally much is happening with SRI, including the new UK Ethical Investment Week in May, marking the first occasion on which the financial services industry and grassroots organizations will join to encourage people to consider ethical investment, details at- http://www.neiw.org . Also in May, the Triple Bottom Line Investing (TBLI) Asia conference will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, details at- http://www.tbli.org. See our global green events calendar (http://www.greenmoneyjournal.com/page.mpl/calendar.html ) for more spring events like the Green Festivals in Seattle and Chicago as well as the BALLE Conference in Boston.
A bit closer to home, at the LOHAS 12 Forum on June 18-21 in Boulder, CO, leaders will gather to promote and discuss the $209 billion lifestyles of health and sustainability marketplace. Global executives from various sectors will intersect to share common interests and develop unique business relationships. The expected 700 attendees can attend keynote speeches as well as sessions on the LOHAS Market Size and Consumer Trends, Conscious Money, How to Pitch to Conscious Investors, The Future of Green Media, Authentic Leadership, Ethical and Fair Trade Sourcing, and Sustainable Product Design. More details at- http://www.lohas.com
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