Dear Daniel Stafford, "The 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods — all are now more frequent and more intense. For the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change." So said President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address. But with government stuck in partisan gridlock, the problem of climate change stands little chance of action in Congress. The good news is that there's a fossil-fuel-company divestment movement sweeping the country that offers YOU a way to take BIG action on climate change. Already, colleges, faith communities, individuals, and even whole cities have begun to divest. Green America is excited to invite you to participate with us on the leading edge of this movement. We've been publishing divestment resources in our magazine, on our Web site, on our blog, and in our syndicated opinion column, and today we pull them all together in our e-newsletter to help you find the resources you need to shift your investments. As Fortune magazine columnist Marc Gunther wrote: "It certainly looks as if it's possible to manage broadly diversified portfolios that exclude fossil fuels without sacrificing financial returns." There's no better time than now to pull your investments (or those of your college or faith community) out of the destructive technologies of the past, and invest in the clean-energy technologies of our future. Here's to tackling climate change in 2013, Alisa Gravitz, President, Green America P.S. Please consider a donation to our Climate Action programs. Your support powers our work to stop dirty energy and to help renewable energy companies thrive. Give now and double the impact of your donation. Our year-end dollar-for-dollar match has been extended, doubling the power of your gift through March 15. Use Your Investments to Combat Climate Change Our new Web page greenamerica.org/fossilfree pulls together all the best fossil-free investing resources: fossil-free and clean-energy mutual funds, and responsible financial planners who can build a fossil-free portfolio for you. GreenAmerica.org/FossilFree » Find resources for institutional divesting (colleges, pension funds, faith communities, etc.) from our allies at 350.org. Fossil Fuel Divestment Interviews 1. Editor-in-chief Tracy Fernandez Rysavy interviews Bob Massie, President and CEO of the New Economy Coalition, a major actor in the South African divestment movement and strong supporter of fossil-fuel company divestment. BOB MASSIE: "As people draw the conection between the destruction we witnessed in Hurrican Sandy and Big Oil CEOs happily enjoying multi-billion-dollar profits, people will realize that this is an industry that is attacking the public interest." » 2. Online editor Andrew Korfhage interviews socially responsible asset manager Pete Krull, whose firm recently launched the Green Sage Sustainability Index,a fossil-fuel-free index of 30 US stocks focused on clean energy and efficiency. PETE KRULL: "I see no compelling reason why fossil fuels are a must-have in any portfolio -- especially if you're a long-term investor. With the onset of peak oil, and inevitable regulatory changes related to climate change, I don't think it makes sense to invest in these dinosaurs." » 3. Associate editor Martha van Gelder interviews Lauren Ressler, a national organizer for the Responsible Endowments Coalition, which helps students encourage their universities to invest their endowments responsibly. LAUREN RESSLER: "We have gone from 40 campuses in September to more than 234 that have started petitions and are beginning the divestment campaign. I would definitely say that divestment is taking off." » Visit our blog this week as we post more interviews with climate divestment leaders » More from the Green American Find more information on climate divestment in selections from our Green American magazine, like Tracy Fernandez Rysavy's background article, Putting the Big Squeeze on Big Oil, Gas, and Coal, and Andrew Korfhage's instructional article, How to Invest Fossil Fuel Free. In Andrew's article, John Steur, president of socially responsible mutual fund company Portfolio 21 tells us that: "Investing in fossil fuel today seems like investing in the whaling industry in the mid-1800s -- old technology, still dominant, but clearly not the future. Our ability to power the global economy beyond the current age of fossil fuels will be the most important transformation ever made by our industrial society." We couldn't agree more. Join us to receive the Green American magazine in print or digitally to your tablet or computer » | (Advertisers are members of our Green Business Network™) The climate is changing -- are your investments? "We create alive, organic almond butter from almonds grown by California family farmers. Living Tree Community Foods" TELL THE MEGA-BANKS: Stop abusive, predatory, payday lending » Join our allies at As You Sow for a special Webinar sneak peek at the hottest issues on 2013 shareholder proxy ballots, including corporate political spending, GMOs, climate change & more! Register here. Send a gift membership to Green America to share the Green American. Our Jan/Feb issue, filled with resources on climate-change divestment, is in supporting members' hands right now. Buy one membership for $20, get your second membership free. If you're not already a member, that free membership could be for you! Your support helps us grow the green economy. | |