MVCAC November 2015

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Unearthing The Fossil Fuels In Mutual Funds
by Duane 09 Nov '15

09 Nov '15

http://www.fa-mag.com/news/unearthing-the-fossil-fuels-in-mutual-funds-2368… Unearthing The Fossil Fuels In Mutual Funds NOVEMBER 2, 2015 • CAROL J. CLOUSE, Financial Advisor Magazine If you’re into green investing, do you really know what’s in your portfolio? Andrew Behar, the CEO of As You Sow, an Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit that works with shareholders to promote corporate responsibility, discovered he didn’t when he began digging around in the mutual funds of his employer-sponsored 401(k). “I realized, and it took me hours to find out, that I owned all of the companies we’re engaged with: Exxon, Chevron, Halliburton,” Behar says. “In four of the seven funds that I owned, I was up to my neck in fossil fuels.” That was a problem for an organization that rallies investors to hold companies accountable on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, with climate change being one of the biggies. So in the name of practicing what they preach, As You Sow switched to a green retirement plan and developed a tool that allows investors to unearth the fossil-fuel company stocks (coal companies, oil/gas producers and fossil-fired utilities) in their own mutual funds, without spending hours doing so. The organization then partnered with investment research firm Morningstar—which provides the equity and mutual fund data—to launch Fossil Free Funds in September. Free and easily searchable, the Fossil Free Funds database currently holds information on 1,500 mutual funds, chosen largely based on net assets and the number of retirement plans using them. Some smaller socially responsible funds were also included to provide options for investors who want to switch. Typing in a fund’s name or ticker lets you see the percentage of its assets, if any, that are invested in companies linked to fossil fuels. For now, the data represents only open-end funds or exchange-traded funds with at least 50% in equities, though As You Sow plans to add fixed-income products. Behar says he hopes the transparency created by Fossil Free Funds will put pressure on companies to offer more fossil-free options in the retirement plans of their employees. Putting Fossil Free Funds to the test, I typed in the ticker symbols of the two Fidelity mutual funds my husband and I own. The first, which invests in information technology, came up clean. The second, a global stock fund, turned out to be slightly dirty with 3.45% invested in companies such as Cabot Oil & Gas, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron. However, I ran into a roadblock when I tried to look into my 401(k), a plan sponsored by a former employer and run by Charles Schwab, which I’ve lazily held on to as a freelancer. Nearly 70% of my 401(k) assets are invested in a collective trust fund, a fund type exclusive to institutional investors and therefore exempt from disclosure requirements. In other words, to the extent that a retirement plan doesn’t use retail products, it becomes less penetrable. Of course, that doesn’t mean an employee can’t simply request socially responsible options, even if the particulars of their plan remain murky. This is something retirement plan administrators and financial advisors will likely see more of. Driven by a growing consensus that investing responsibly doesn’t mean sacrificing returns, demand for ESG products has risen considerably among both institutions and individuals and shows no signs of slowing. Between 2012 and 2014, ESG assets under management in the U.S. grew 76%, to $6.57 trillion from $3.74 trillion, according to a report from the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. Morningstar has taken note and is developing ESG scores for global mutual funds and ETFs it aims to roll out by year’s end. See also: www.FrackCheckWV.net

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Fwd: November calendar for Mon Group of Sierra Club
by Duane Nichols 01 Nov '15

01 Nov '15

> From: Sierra Club - West Virginia Chapter <jimscon(a)gmail.com> > Date: November 1, 2015 > Greetings ! > > We still need candidates to run in the Mon Group election for next year. Please let me know by November 7 if you know of anyone who might be interested in serving. sallywilts(a)yahoo.com > > Sierra Calendars are available for purchase and make great Christmas gifts. Wilderness calendars are $12 and desk calendars are $13. Contact Candice Elliott at celliot2(a)comcast.net > > ***Monday November 9, 6-8 PM, Gaston Caperton Center, 501 West Main St., Clarksburg > JOBS IN THE NEW ENERGY ECONOMY - Forum co-sponsored by the WV Sierra Club Energy Efficiency Campaign and the North Central WV Democracy for America. This forum will emphasize the economic benefits of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. > For information, contact Laura Yokochi (304) 695-1523, lyokochi(a)aol.com OR Autumn Long (304) 796-4677, autumnlong11(a)gmail.com. > > ***Saturday November 14 > Chapter Executive Committee Meeting in Doddridge County. Members welcome. Contact Liz Wiles for more information. Liz_wiles(a)comcast.net > > ***Saturday, November 14 > Autumn Adopt-a-Trail Service Outing: Coopers Rock SF > rated easy hiking; easy to moderate work intensity -- Join the fun with the fall trail maintenance for Sierra Club's adopted Intermediate Cross Country Ski Trail at Cooper's Rock South. Fall clean-up emphasizes clearing fallen leaves, drainage restoration and trail clearing along a 1.25-mile loop. Volunteers should wear sturdy boots, and carry work gloves, water, snacks. Useful tools to bring are long handled pruners, rakes, and pointed shovels. Adults and adolescents are invited to help and those under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or a legal guardian. Volunteers will be required to sign a standard Sierra Club Liability Waiver and a DNR Volunteer Work Program Agreement. Please pre-register with the leader. > Leader: Ann Devine-King, 304-594-2636, atdking(a)gmail.com > Nearest town: Morgantown, WV > Web info: http://www. coopersrockstateforest.com > > >> Activities with other groups: > > ***Wednesday November 4 from 6 to 9pm at Friends Meetinghouse, 648 Brockway, Morgantown (across from Superior Photo, just before you enter Marilla Park) > We are meeting to form a local chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. > > Citizens' Climate Lobby is a non-profit, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. We train and support volunteers to reclaim their democracy and engage elected officials and the media to generate the political will for solutions that will stabilize the Earth's climate. > http://www.citizensclimatelobby.org > > Contact Kitty Lozier at clozier(a)gmail.com for more information >>>>>>>>>>>>>> > > Morgantown Municipal Green Team Sponsors final community forum in the series: Air, Water and Waste: Where is Morgantown heading? Each session will be held 6-7:30 PM at the Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce Street > > ***Tuesday November 10 "Is Recycling Working in Morgantown and What Can We Do About It? "Sponsored by the Morgantown Green Team with speakers from City of Morgantown, Monongalia County, Republic Services and WVU. For more information call 703-463-7643 >>>>>>>>>>>>> > > ***November 11, 7PM : Science on Tap Presentation by Friends of Deckers Creek Project Manager, Nick Revetta. Morgantown Brewing Company. Come out and have a drink while learning more about the Deckers Creek Watershed! > Visit http://www. deckerscreek.org for more information on upcoming events > > >>>>>>>>>>>> > ***November 18, 2015 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. > Straight Scoop on Shale Conference > University of Pittsburgh University Club, > 123 University Place > Presented by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania's "Straight Scoop on Shale" initiative and hosted by the Pitt Graduate School of Public Health. > As in previous years, this year's conference will feature important new research on shale and public health impacts. Bruce Pitt PhD will present new research regarding birth impacts. Nationally known speaker and MacArthur Fellow Wilma Subra, who has served on EPA committees and currently chairs STRONGER's Air Quality policy and regulatory review committee, will discuss environmental health issues, air modeling, and ethane crackers based on her experiences in Louisiana. Brian Schwartz MD of Johns Hopkins, who is a Senior Investigator in the Geisinger Center for Health Research, will present research from the Geisinger data. See the website for other topics and presenters. > This year's conference includes a round-table brainstorming session where the public can interact with experts and civic leaders. > There is also a special breakout session on addressing shale issues in practice for those seeking professional credit hours. > More Information and Registration: 1-800-61-SHALE > Visit our website: http://shale.palwv.org > > Sierra Club 85 Second St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105

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MVCAC November 2015