Contientious Investing?

[jighead]

So with all of the news of economic crisis, failing banks, and oil supply/demand issues, I've been thinking a lot about where my retirement and savings money goes. It's very easy to point fingers at these fund managers and call out "corporate greed", but the reality is that my money is empowering them, and a collective desire to have our money make money for doing absolutely nothing is one of the major driving forces that make corporate greed very easy to institutionalize, rationalize, and act upon.

So I have been thinking that if I am smarter about my investing, I may be able to affect economic and social changes that I want to see as long as I am willing to accept sufficient return on investment instead of trying to move money around for maximum returns. In the long run, I feel that a livable planet and society is a much better thing to hand down to my kids than a any sort of inheritance.

I have been looking into some alternative energy EFTs which could actually be a good investment if policy shifts toward weaning the oil addiction. In the next year or two, we also want to convert as much of our cash assets to real estate that can be farmed, provide clean water, and sustain our immediate family. Does anyone else have any good ideas for investing savings in funds, stocks, or holdings that encourage social, environmental, and economic sustainability?

[dancebaraka]

not saying this is the case overall, but dh invested in contentious stocks and lost bigtime. He lost I think like 10,000 over the course of a month or so I think. It was the kind of portfolio that is advertised in Utne Reader and the like. I think investing in yourself and your own work and making that work count is a great way to invest. And I also agree about real estate in general. We still have the "stock market" convo every once in a while. Neither of us feel so good about investing our $ that way. But it has put us both through school, paid for our home, and is also giving dd a great edu. So, it's complex.