My younger son became a vegetarian 15 +years ago. His “aha” moment came when he concluded there was no ethical difference between his unwillingness to slaughter a cow, and purchasing its T-bone at the market. We've known quite a few vegetarians before and after Seth’s decision to become one. Being vegetarian is a lot easier, … Continue reading Environmental-Social-Governance (ESG)Funds: Their Time Has Come
Maybe Tomorrow
My three year old grandson doesn’t like to take no for an answer. So his parents have started using a soft push-back, “Maybe Tomorrow.” J. caught on quickly. When his Dad asked him to share his figgy bar with his sister, he smiled and said, “Maybe Tomorrow.” I’ve come to appreciate the term. It’s a … Continue reading Maybe Tomorrow
How To Become A Superhero With Your Investments
More and more people are asking the question: “How can I use my investments to advance my values?” I began asking myself that question after the presidential election, when I realized that I couldn’t rely on federal policy to make a difference on the issues I care about – especially climate change. Instead, it … Continue reading How To Become A Superhero With Your Investments
The Big Climate Short
The book and the movie The Big Short documented how a tiny number of investors recognized that sub-prime mortgages and derivatives were headed for a financial train wreck and made a fortune by selling them short. This happened at a time when these assets were the darling of the investment world and when the vast … Continue reading The Big Climate Short
Discovering Your Fund’s SUPER POWERS
Most of us don't know much about what our investment dollars are doing. Retirement funds and mutual funds operate like opaque machines - you put money in and they spit money out. But, when you look closer, you'll find that funds have super powers that help them shape the nature of our society. 1. Power of Choice … Continue reading Discovering Your Fund’s SUPER POWERS
The Cherry Bumps Are Coming!
I grew up in a "co-op" called Valentine Gardens in South Yonkers (NY). This affordable housing complex featured simple ways to build community - like patios where the adults got some fresh air and chatted while the kids jumped rope, played hand-ball or traded baseball cards a few steps away. Down a steep staircase was … Continue reading The Cherry Bumps Are Coming!
Change Your Banking Behavior: Move Your ASS-ets
When we first moved to Rockland County in 1969, we became satisfied customers of Empire Trust, whose main branch was in Middletown, NY. Who knew it had already merged with Bank of New York in 1966? It took years before the Bank of New York logo appeared on their buildings and our checks. Besides, in … Continue reading Change Your Banking Behavior: Move Your ASS-ets
Pipelines Below the Radar
Remember when we were all frantic about the state of our economy in 2008? Like most folks with life savings invested in the stock market, I was hunting for stocks that were safe and recession-proof. Those were the days when I swooned over Motley Fool’s Hidden Gems - their small cap stock portfolio, in particular … Continue reading Pipelines Below the Radar
Speaking Truth to Power
Since my visit to the Exxon Pavillon at Epcot in 1990, my negative feelings have not abated, despite Exxon's growing interest in alternative energy. I get a kick out of urging individuals to dump Exxon from their portfolios, and have lobbied NYS legislators to require the NYS Pension Fund to divest its 5 billion in … Continue reading Speaking Truth to Power
Are You a Maximizer, Satisficer or a New-Fangled Hybrid?
If you’re not familiar with the lingo, maximizer and satisficer are words coined by Barry Schwartz (a top rated TED talk lecturer and author of The Paradox of Choice). Maximizers have a high bar when it comes to making decisions. They need to cover all the bases. If you are a maximizer, you bring intensity and commitment to … Continue reading Are You a Maximizer, Satisficer or a New-Fangled Hybrid?
Shades of Green: What shade is your portfolio? 