SUMMER 2015 ISSUE 102 LIVE BETTER. SAVE MORE. INVEST WISELY. GREEN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AMERICAN GreenAmerica.org IN SID E Investing Can 4 C H IP O T LE M AKES A BIG NON-GMO Change the World M OVE REAL GREEN LIVING 6 H O W T O G REEN YO UR IN T IM A T E MOMENTS 11 H E R SH E Y KISSE S GM OS GOODBYE IN SELEC T P RO DU C T S N SIX SIG N S YO U N EED A N EW F IN A N C IA L A DV ISO R If you think you don’t have enough money to become a socially responsible investor, think again— for the health of our planet. 4 ECO AC TIONS 8 G REEN BUSIN ESS N EW S 11 A C RO SS GREEN AM ERIC A 3 8 LET T ERS & ADVIC E Find out how socially responsible investors changed Michelle Holland’s life on p. 3. The Purpose of Investment “The purpose of socially responsible investing is to infiltrate and pervert finance to do good.” – Amy Domini According to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, “economics is fundamentally about efficiently allocating resources so as to maximize the welfare of individuals. It is about improving people‘s standard of living.” Finance, including the stock market, should help to drive that larger economic purpose. This is not a new idea—the Securities and Exchange Commission was created in the midst of the Great Depression to address the serious risks to society posed by unregulated capital markets. Too many economists and investors, however, have ignored that larger public purpose, focusing instead on one all-consuming problem: how to understand and predict the movements of the stock market, and how to “outperform.” Little attention has been paid to how investors can effectively allocate capital to maximize the welfare of individuals, or society. The damage caused by that massive blind spot is all around us. The annual Financial Times 500, a list of the largest corporations in the world by market capitalization, can also be seen as a list of the choices global investors have made. The annual list has included a mix of value-creators and value-destroyers, including companies allegedly responsible for some of the most egregious harms. Humanity is now using natural resources 50 percent faster than what Earth can renew, meaning that we are currently operating as if we lived on 1.5 Earths. In the developed world, the news is even worse. Our deficit relationship with the Earth is the result of many macroeconomic factors. A key factor, however, has been a myopic focus on stock price that ignores the consequences of investment decisions and the real-world impact of the corporations whose shares are bought and sold. Even for many investors that recognize these challenges, climate change and biodiversity loss are treated as financial risks to be avoided, or hedged against, not critical problems to solve. And what of the hidden multitudes that manufacture our products and grow our food? Who will consider their interests? What about the bees that pollinate the crops we need to survive? These considerations rarely turn up in the corporate reports that form the basis for investor decision- making. Socially responsible investors explicitly incorporate these broader concerns into investment decisions. We advocate for more sensible corporate disclosure that includes impacts on communities and the environment. We raise these issues with corporate management, and we press for change. We explain how respect for human rights and the environment is good business that serves everyone’s best interests. Invest with purpose. Invest in the Domini Social Equity Fund. www.DominiFunds.com | 1-800-762-6814 Before investing, consider the Funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Contact us for a prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully. The Domini Social Equity Fund is not insured and is subject to market risks such as sector concentration and style risk. You may lose money. DSIL Investment Services LLC, Distributor. 2/15 What Kind of World PUBLICATIONS SENIOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS are You Saving For? DIVISION DIRECTOR Dennis Greenia ANALYST/OPERATIONS MANAGER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bernadette Morales Gaskin Tracy Fernandez Rysavy CONTENT STRATEGIST & ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andre Floyd INFORMATION ARCHITECT ant a hot tip on how to create great- SENIOR WRITER Bernard Yu Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist TECHNOLOGY FELLOW er personal financial security and a PROOFREADER Rob Hanson Amanit Ali better world? Save more of your DESIGN DIRECTION W Emily Biondo GREEN AMERICA CENTER FOR money. A lot more. And direct your savings PUBLISHER Denise Hamler SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS SPECIAL PROJECTS & ADVERTISING INTERIM CENTER DIRECTOR to socially and environmentally responsible MANAGER Rob Hanson Krista Kurth investments—globally, nationally, and in ADDITIONAL ADVERTISING SENIOR FELLOW, STRATEGIC Dennis Greenia DESIGN & FACILITATION your own community. Russ Gaskin EXECUTIVE TEAM DIRECTOR, SUSTAINABLE FOOD When you save, and then invest your CEO/PRESIDENT Alisa Gravitz SUPPLY CHAINS Jessie Deelo savings, you are literally creating the future. EXECUTIVE CO-DIRECTOR: COORDINATOR, SUSTAINABLE FOOD A LISA Consumer & Corporate Engagement SUPPLY CHAINS Lucy Yarnell Today’s investments are tomorrow’s ideas, Todd Larsen G RA V IT Z EXECUTIVE CO-DIRECTOR: DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS products, and services. The more money each Business, Investing, & Policy DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Fran Teplitz Kathy Harget of us directs toward investments in life-affirming necessities— EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER such as affordable housing, renewable energy, sustainable agri- Caroline Chen Kristin Brower MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER culture, education, community, health care, and environmental GREEN BUSINESS NETWORK® Christy Schwengel DIRECTOR Denise Hamler FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER restoration—the more our future will include these values. DIRECTOR OF STANDARDS Matt Grason & CERTIFICATION Alix Davidson Likewise, the more investment money we each channel away COMMUNICATION & MARKETING MEMBERSHIP MARKETING from destructive practices—industries that pollute and endanger MANAGER Misha Deborah Clive PROGRAMS GBN MEMBERSHIP & DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP the climate, companies that discriminate or employ sweatshop MARKETING COORDINATOR MARKETING Dana Christianson Takiya Louers MEMBERSHIP MARKETING labor, businesses that produce harmful products, and corpora- COORDINATOR Beth Porter tions that support oppressive governments—the healthier and CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS more equitable our world will be. DIVISION & CLIMATE SOLUTIONS DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Bob Bulik DIRECTOR Todd Larsen HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR That’s the power of saving and of responsible investing! Togeth- CAMPAIGNS DIRECTOR Dennis Greenia Elizabeth O’Connell SENIOR ACCOUNTANT & BENEFITS er, they’re a win-win strategy for you, your money, and the world. FOOD CAMPAIGNS DIRECTOR MANAGER Linda Carpenter To save and invest more, most of us need to spend less and move Nicole McCann ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST GMO CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR & DATA ENTRY Deanna Tilden toward simpler, higher-quality ways of living. In short, saving Shireen Karimi MEMBERSHIP SERVICES & FOOD CAMPAIGNS COORDINATOR VOLUNTEER ADMINISTRATOR simplifies our lives, conserves resources, and is good for the plan- Anna Meyer Ryan Beville et. The shift to thrift is more crucial than ever in today’s troubled DIRECTOR, SOCIAL INVESTING MEMBERSHIP SERVICES ASSISTANT & POLICY Fran Teplitz Valerie Pejoro economy. Society needs to move away from consumerism as the ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS ATTORNEY Lara Pearson MANAGER Shireen Karimi engine that drives the economy, and toward a new green engine. ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS INTERN FOUNDER/PRESIDENT EMERITUS Corey Matthews Paul Freundlich The best news of all is that as you switch to socially respon- sible investing, you are making the same choice that millions GREEN CONSUMER BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOBILIZATION & TECHNOLOGY Dana Christianson, John Fitzgerald, of investors are making—putting your money to work to build a ONLINE & TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Paul Freundlich, Reena Gordon, Hans Bauman Alisa Gravitz, Denise Hamler, better tomorrow while earning competitive returns today. In fact, IT/SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Kathy Harget, Andrew Korfhage, according to the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Invest- Pat Keyes Julie Lineberger, Jeff Marcous, Deborah Momsen-Hudson, Ted Ning ment m , $6.6 trillion under professional management in the US is responsibly invested today. Clearly, social investing is working Copyright 2015 for people—and together, we can change the face of the economy. Green America We’ve designed this issue to assist you in increasing your 1612 K St. NW, #600, Washington, DC 20006 800/58-GREEN fax 202/331-8166 savings and investing power, no matter how much or how little GREENAMERICA.ORG money you have. So dive in and find at least one new way—make one new commitment—to power up your investing for you and The Green American magazine (ISSN: 0885-9930) is free with Green America Individual Membership (starting at $20/year) or Green Business Network® the world today. Membership (starting at $130/year). Here’s to saving with grace, style, and purpose, For address changes or individual membership information, call 202/872-5307 or e-mail [email protected]. For Green Business Network information, call 202/872-5357, e-mail [email protected], or visit greenbusinessnetwork.org. Alisa Gravitz, President/CEO For article reprints, call 202/872-5307 or e-mail [email protected]. ABOUT THE COVER: Michelle Holland started her company, Eagle Facebook.com/GreenAmerica Twitter.com/GreenAmerica Bus, in 2009