The Gilded Age Turns Green

Don't blink. The world we live in is an unprecendented state of flux. First off, our planet is in serious trouble. Ice sheets are melting quicker than originally predicted. Stronger than usual weather patterns have caused a disturbing series of damaging storms. Without immediate intervention, the future is unknown.

Next is the U.S. economy, which is crumbling before our very eyes. Thanks to corporate greed and regulation "lite" from our government agencies, Americans are likely to experience a rather unpleasant recession in the coming months and perhaps years. We, the taxpayers are now financing the bailout to the tune of $700 billion dollars. The bright light in this is the fact that we, the people will not lose everything and jump out of windows like in 1929.

Lastly is government. We have all had the great misfortune of living under a joke of leadership aka the Bush Administration, and the upcoming election is a very serious one. Both candidates look vastly different from where I'm sitting. The one that understands the importance of investing heavily in green technology rather than offshore and Alaskan drilling is the one who can solve a host of issues in one simple shot. It is imperative that we ban together and make the right choice.

Yes, the world is changing quickly, and we are headed back to basics. The Gilded Age of corporate greed, excessive lifestyles and lavish spending will slowly but surely come to a crawl. Over the next decade, I believe that we will witness a shift among corporate leaders towards global corporate responsibility. We have seen it already with T. Boone Pickens and he is just one of the first to emerge. With the failure of Lehman, Bear, Fannie, Freddie Mac, AIG and others, executive pay will be more closely scrutinized by shareholders, regulators and the press. At long last, corporate leadership will be held accountable and will earn a fair wage, not the lottery. Wall Street as we knew it last week, won't exist. The jury is still out in terms of what it will look like, but the huge bets, the huge amounts of leverage and the complete lack of regulation will be things of the past.

The current economic climate already negatively impacts families across our great country. Many jobs have been lost and consumer spending continues to decline rapidly. As a result, and purely by default, the main tenants of green living such as saving money, saving energy, reducing, reusing and others will be adopted. Consumers will look to cut corners, and by doing so will embrace green living more than ever. SUV's are being exchanged for smaller more fuel efficient vehicles, travel has been cut back and we (me too!) look to break out last season's fall handbag rather than buy a new one. Simple pleasures are back in style...a rainbow, a sunset, and an afternoon with your family. Count your blessings, not your cash.

Our new goverment leadership should be working for the people and leading us towards energy independence. This road will bring untold riches to our country in terms of jobs for both the white and the blue collars, the savings from being "off" foreign oil, and the ultimate benefit of seriously reducing greenhouse gases. The U.S. can and should be the world leader in green technology, and by doing so, help other nations adopt clean energy and ultimately, protect our planet. Read more!

Gore Invests $35mm in the Environment - Should You?

You don't need $35 million to invest wisely.

It was recently reported that Al Gore's reported net worth is over $100 million. Back in 2000, his net worth was somewhere in the neighborhood of $800,000 to $1.9 million, according to his tax filings. Boy, he did well for himself, huh! But how?

Mr. Gore has been involved in many lucrative projects over the past 7 years, and his ties to Google and Apple are most likely primarily responsible. As the self proclaimed founder of the Internet, Mr. Gore has always been involved in technology, and his friends in Silicon Valley have kept him close during the boom years, resulting in his abundant fortune.

Now, Mr. Gore is investing $35 million with EBay billionaire and friend Jeff Skoll at his new venture, Capricorn Investment Group, which is said to invest in makers of environmentally friendly products by allocating to private partnerships such as hedge funds.

Just an opinion here, but I think he is onto something! Can we follow his investment trends and benefit? Do you believe, like Gore, that eco products and renewable energy and technology are the future? If so, check out mutual funds that are well diversified yet invest in those same technologies. I found one called the New Alternatives Fund that is all about investing in renewable energy sources, organics, recycling and more. Ask your investment advisor if these types of investments are right for you. http://newalternativesfund.com

We all know that past performance is no indicator of future results, but if Gore is in it, based on his past investment prowess, it's worth a gander.



***This is not meant to be a solicitation of any kind. Please see your investment advisor to determine if this type of investing is suitable for you.*** Read more!

GM's Exec Announces "Global Warming is a Crock of S*&%"

Last month, General Motors announced their worst quarter in the companies entire history. By a thread, they cling to the #1 spot as top automaker. Am I smoking crack, or why haven't they produced a fleet of hybrids or some smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles so they can turn a profit? Is it because the Vice Chairman Bob Lutz was heard saying that global warming is "a total crock of s---?" Now there's an intelligent leader! This type of stupidity is reminiscent of the leaders of the sub prime mortgage industry, who continuously insisted on making unsound, ridiculous loans even when there was clear and present danger in the marketplace. Clearly, manufacturing more efficient vehicles has been working fantastically for Toyota, the#2 automaker, in terms of increased sales revenues AND benefits for the environment as well as consumers. Why is GM so reluctant to do the obvious? And why does their website proclaim that " they are leading the way to innovative energy solutions"? Not! A follower at best, and a very sluggish one at that.

Only 11 years after Toyota introduced the Prius, GM's Saturn division came out with a small hybrid line of vehicles this year, which is better than nothing. They get something like 22 city/25 highway which is not particularly good. Another item to ponder is quality and the safety. Historically, it hasn't been great for either.

And what's with the 6,000 lb 2008 Chevy Tahoe hybrid? GM's website says this vehicle gets "up to 20 MPG." Why "up to?" When you order it without 4 wheel drive, which no one does? Making a car that size as a hybrid is incredibly foolish. Wake up Detroit! One of the 3 R's is reduce, which means smaller.

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