Green Living Investments

Green living investments is the latest trend, not only because of a growing interest in preserving the environment, but because such investments have become attractive during this time of economic upheaval. Humanity needs to conserve as much energy as possible, keep utility bills down, and combat rising gas prices in ways that will also provide for the future. There are many green living changes that people, as both consumers and investors, need to consider. Companies should carefully review their long term investments and consider investing in green technologies, such as alternative energy stocks, green building, or hybrid automotive transportation.

Investing in green living will benefit you in the long run, both financially and by providing a cleaner environment. Some of the most basic green investments can be made in your own home. For example, solar panels are an environmentally friendly energy source for your home or business. Also, renovating a home to be green can significantly raise its real estate value. Another good way to invest in green living on a larger scale is to purchase stock in a company that strives towards environmentally friendly goals, such as a manufacturer of wind turbines. Investment clubs are also very effective, and by pooling money in a club, you can make larger financial investments while still retaining a high degree of personal control. You can also invest in a green living mutual fund for steady, long term gains.

Every day there are thousands of people making green investments and making a difference in the world. Green investing doesn’t only make you money; it helps preserve the planet Earth for the future. One must ask themselves an essential question: is there a more worthy investment than green living?

Green Mutual Funds You Need to Know

Calvert Large Cap
If you’re looking to invest in the big names, but still want to be environmentally friendly, the Calvert Large Cap Growth Fund (CLGAX) could be a good start. The fund screens for and invests in large cap stocks that have reputations for being conscious of the environment. Calvert’s top holdings include Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL), Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) and AT&T (NYSE:ATT), so you still get good exposure to the market’s big-name stocks. The fund is well-diversified and has produced solid returns, beating the S&P 500’s average return over the last five years, and it has a 13.19% return year-to-date.

Spectra Green
Calvert’s funds looks nice, but if you want that strategy, I have to say that like the Spectra Green Fund (SPEGX) even better. This fund has the same objectives as Calvert, but has earned almost 17% average returns over the last five years and 18.7% year-to-date. This year’s performance is quite impressive, considering the S&P 500 is only up around 10%.

Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy
Want more exposure to alternative energy? This is an area that has been very hot recently, and the next two funds deserve a look. The first, Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy Fund (GAAEX) has only been around since March 2006, but has already produced impressive returns. After a large dip soon after the funds inception, it has recovered nicely, now posting nearly 16% annualized returns since inception. If you bought after the dip you fared much better; the fund’s value is up more than 50% over the low point from last year.

New Alternatives
Another great alternative energy fund (that has more of a track record) is the New Alternatives Fund (NALFX). This fund has been under the management of David Schoenwald since 1982, and it has been performing well pretty much ever since. Over the last five years, the fund has produced 22.04% average returns, and is up over 30% year to date. Typically, alternative energy companies are generally small caps, which can produce bigger returns, but can also be more risky. The two things you need to combat the risk are diversification and knowledge of the industry. Those are the two biggest benefits of mutual funds over individual stocks, and these funds certainly have plenty of both.

The Best of Both Clean Worlds
I like to save the best for last – Winslow Green Growth (WGGFX) provides investors with a mixed portfolio of both eco-friendly companies and companies involved in specifically helping the environment. The results speak for themselves, with five-year annual returns of 26.8%. This is another small-cap fund, with top holdings including First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (Nasdaq:GMCR). The investment team has been led by Jackson Robinson since 1994, and has produced consistent returns. After an amazing year in 2003, the fund has been providing stable 12% gains each year after. This is a very well regarded fund, with a five-star rating from Morningstar. I think it is positioned for continued success.

The bottom line is that green livng investing is becoming bigger and bigger, but this isn’t a fad. As the cost of oil keeps rising, demand for alternative energy investments will steadily increase. The same can be said for eco-friendly companies. Concerns are growing about the environment.