Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Conscious Investing

Hey Friends! Allison and I were recently looking over options for retirement investing given to us by the company she works for. We have always prided ourselves on trying to live in such a way that does not support social or environmental desecration, however when it comes to making choices about investing this is a slippery slope. There is a webpage http://www.care2.com/financial/ that rates companies and mutual funds based on standards related to the environment, animal rights, human rights, etc. ALL of the mutual funds offered by her company fail in one or several of these areas; it was more a matter of how the fund is split up and how much money is going to companies we don't care to support. My question is, has anyone out there found a way to invest in companies that aren't sweatshop-using, animal- torturing, land-paving assholes? I know these companies are out there. I've seen Sierra Club investing and a few other Green investment brokerages, but I don't know if these are viable options or just wishful thinking. If anyone uses one of these investment brokerages or knows someone who does, will you let us know how they like it? We would greatly appreciate it. I'm trying not to lose all faith in America, but it's truly getting harder the more I learn. We're supporting some souless bastards and my question is, do people not realize it, or do people not care?
Naively Yours,
Pissed at My Country's Ethics