By Christine Boyle On 26 November 2015 In Re-Investment, Resources, Take Action

Alternative Investments

Alternative Investments: Summary of Resources

Author: Walter Whiteley, Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church Climate Justice Group

Disclaimer: This document does not provide investment advice, and should not be taken as investment advice. It is prudent that individuals and institutions obtain advice from a qualified investment advisor or an investment manager before you make any investment. We are presenting a range of links and resources to follow up with your investment advisor.

Overview: Reinvestment has several layers:

a) Investments that screen out fossil fuel companies (along with tobacco, weapons, gambling, … ).
b) Positive investments that develop alternative energy sources and related energy infrastructure, as well as in sustainable, resilient infrastructure, and upgrades that save energy.
c) Some of the alternatives below also focus in social capital: locally controlled, perhaps cooperative community development, as a positive way forward.

A quick summary of the steps to reinvest (for individuals and institutions)

a) Do our best with what is available now http://riacanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014-Q2-RI-Funds-in-Canada-EN-FINAL.pdf
b) Do your own investigation into holdings using mutual fund information available online
c) Consider sending a letter to your current mutual fund. See this sample letter.
d) Create a portfolio of individual stocks and bonds that reflect your values, on line or with the help of an advisor
e) Use an advisor/ portfolio manager who will listen to what you want and create a low /no carbon portfolio for you.
f) Use sector based ETFS or mutual funds to avoid the energy sector.
g) Use the S&P/TSX Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Index to find companies that can help us transition to a low carbon economy tmxmoney.com/tmx_indices.php?section=tsx&index=%5ETXCT

General advice and information

a) Sustainable Economist http://www.sustainableeconomist.comTimothy Nash’s website has power point presentation on the topic Divest and Reinvest (from the Convergence workshops last fall in Montreal).
b) A number of links on how to find alternatives (US based): http://divestinvest.org/philanthropy/resources/
c) A Canadian site which has guidance for individuals to move into socially responsible investment: http://www.ethiquette.ca/en/
d) Extracting Fossil Fuels from your Portfolio: An Updated guide to Personal Divestment and Reinvestmentby 350.org, Green Century Capital Management and Trillium Asset Management

Available to institutions (Accredited Investors Only Institutions )

Green Chip http://greenchipfinancial.com
Alternative energy and Reduction of energy use (Global, with some Canadian content)
Contact John Cook (in Toronto)

Genus Capital Management http://genuscap.com
Has full suite of 5 fully fossil-free investment pools, including bonds, and global equity
Handles investments for some foundations and churches, and fee reductions for combined institutions. Contact TSP for information as a possible partner.

JP Harrison
Investigating possible grouping of investments by individuals too meet minimum investment of $500,000, or teaming with larger manager to permit $50,000 investments, including RRSPs (in Vancouver)

Inhance Investments has a suite of SRI funds: http://www.iaclarington.com/en/products/inhance-sri-funds/inhance-sri-funds.aspx#
The Global SRI fund is fossil free and has 7.9% in alternative energy.
This is open to both individuals and institutions.

AGF Global Sustainable Growth Equity Fund is a new fund which is fossil free: http://www.agf.com/sustainableinvesting
The page includes a number of other links to reports related to Fossil Fuel Divestment, and positive investments.

CIBC Blue Heron funds have a strong set of screens, including being fossil free . Minimum amount is $100,000 and they may be open to individuals: http://www.cibcwg.com/web/blueheronadvisorygroup/home

4. Community Bonds

“How a community bond turns social capital into financial capital” by Elisa Birnbaum in Financial Post, Dec 22, 2014

The story demonstrates the power of everyday citizens who are supporting social enterprises when traditional methods fall short.

Our youth fellows have big dreams, and tons of skill

In January 2015, Fossil Free Faith launched a call for religious-or-spiritual youth concerned about climate change to be part of a fellowship program aimed amplifying young, faithful voices for climate justice.

We had an incredible group apply. And over the past 10 months, we’ve been making it happen. Here’s some of what the Fossil Free Faith Youth Fellows have been up to:

On May 24-26th, we gathered for an intensive weekend training at Bridge and Enrich in East-Vancouver. We shared stories, and shared food, and did training on climate science, economics, communications, social movements and theories of change.

Following the training, a number of fellows wrote blog posts for our friends at Faith & the Common Good/Greening Sacred Spaces.

Maisaloon Al-Ashkar: From the Heart
Talia Martz-Oberlander: Using the personal narrative to move climate justice forward
Leo Yu: The Pope, the Dutch and other Reflections
Sarah Beley: Bringing faith-based groups into the environmental dialogue

They also began mobilizing to build a stronger faith-based presence at the upcoming Jobs, Justice & Climate rally in Vancouver. They participated in 350 Vancouver planning meetings. And then hosted Calling on Faith Voices – a dialogue to mobilize faith communities around climate issues. On July 4^th the fellows organized and hosted a hugely successful ‘Faith Hub’ at the Jobs, Justice & Climate rally. And FFF fellow Maisaloon was one of the rally’s keynote speakers.

The following day, our friends and collaborators hosted a Multifaith Climate Iftar, following the Jobs, Justice & Climate rally in Toronto.

Around the same time, Fossil Free Faith Coordinator Christine Boyle wrote Why the Pope has caught this non-Catholic’s Attention, before heading to Rome to represent Fossil Free Faith Canada at the Our Voices Emerging Leaders Multi-Faith Climate Convergence.

And the project gained some media attention. Including an article in the Vancouver Courier called Keeping the Fossil Free Faith. And a feature article in the Jewish Independant about Talia and her work for Climate Justice. As well as significant media coverage on the United Church of Canada’s national divestment decision, which Fossil Free Faith was involved in.

Our fellows kept doing their own organizing. Sarah hosted a public event called Conversations with Heart: Dialogue for Healthier Communities. Jason, Eduardo and others were part of launching EarthKeepers: Christians for Climate Justice at the 10th Ave Christian Alliance Church in Vancouver. Eduardo published “Dejó Huella el Nazareno”, a book of poetic and theological reflection on the gospel and creation (in Spanish), and traveled home to Costa Rica to launch it. And others have been doing less visible work, talking and listening and bearing witness to the need for faithful climate justice.

And they kept writing and speaking. Leo wrote two op-eds about faith and action: What our leaders aren’t telling you: Jesus was a radical social activist and Finding the courage to take action. Talia wrote This Year I’m Praying for a New Government for Ricochet Media. And Christine spoke as part of the Earth and Spirit Speaker Series at St. Anselm’s Anglican Church.

And we have officially launched the Faithful Voices Speakers Bureau. Because conversations about both faith and climate in Canada need some fresh voices. Interested in having one of them join a panel at an event or conference you are organizing? Or guest-preach in your congregation? Or contribute to your newsletter, magazine or blog? Contact us to make a request.

The pilot project of this youth network was supported by the Inspirit Foundation, and powered by Faith & the Common Good and Spirited Social Change. For more information email: christine (at) spiritedsocialchange (dot) org.

By Christine Boyle On 30 July 2015 In Divestment, Re-Investment, Take Action

The United Church to vote on Divestment

On August 11th, at the United Church of Canada’s national General Council meeting, commissioners from across the country will vote on motions for the church to divest from the top 200 fossil fuel companies, and re-invest in clean energy alternatives.

You can find the full text of the motions here.

Click here to download a fossil fuel divestment primer or click here to download a pamphlet on divestment from Trinity St Paul’s United Church in Toronto.

Stay updated by following us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

: Coll Thrush, United Church

: Jesse Root, United Church

: Christine Boyle, United Church

: Nicole Hergert, United Church

: Kaitlyn Duthie-Kannikkatt, Catholic

: Sarena Talbot, United Church

: Lauren King, United Church

: Rev Wade Lifton, United Church

By Christine Boyle On 2 July 2015 In Events, Take Action

Multifaith Climate Action Iftar

Please join Faith & The Common Good and the Noor Cultural Centre for a breaking of the Muslim Ramadan fast, and a celebration of interfaith climate unity and action.

Date: Sunday July 5, 2015
Time: 7—10 pm
Location: Noor Cultural Centre (123 Wynford Drive, Toronto)
Admission: $15
Register here. (Registration deadline: Fri. July 3, 5 pm)

Program includes:
Opering remarks by Ontario’s Minister of the Environment & Climate Change, the Hon Glen Murray; “One Planet: Harnessing Hope” Photography Exhibit by Irene Borins-Ash; presentations from groups working on climate justice in Canada; vegetarian dinner & dessert.
Find out ways you can contribute towards the fight against climate change

If you would like to attend but are unable to pay the admission, please e-mail khadijah.kanji@gmail.com

Thank you to our supporters!

Canadian Council of Churches, Church of Scientology Toronto, Citizens for Public Justice, Cordoba Centre for Civic Engagement and Leadership, Donway Covenant United Church, Eco-Sikh, Fo Guang Shan Toronto, Green Awakening Network, Intercultural Dialogue Institute GTA, KAIROS Canada, Khaleafa, Neighbourhood Interfaith Group, Sacred Water Circle, Toronto Area Interfaith Council, Toronto Board of Rabbis, World Interfaith Harmony Week Toronto

By Christine Boyle On 23 June 2015 In Resources, Take Action

Why the Pope has caught this non Catholic’s attention

By Christine Boyle, originally published June 19th, 2015 in the National Observer.

I’m not Catholic. Despite, perhaps, the best efforts of my grandfather. But I have been following news about Pope Francis, if you’ll pardon the phrase, religiously.

This Pope has got my attention, and I am not the only one.

The latest reason why is Pope Francis’s recently released encyclical on climate justice, titled Laudato Si’ (“Praise Be to You” in Latin).

For years, climate change was an issue for scientists and environmentalists. For years they have been waving their arms in the air, with increasing frenzy, to get our attention. They told stories about the shrinking ice caps and the sad polar bears, and showed us graph after graph, red and blue lines moving dramatically upward.

Years passed, wars happened, politicians had scandals, celebrities had babies, and we all did our part by recycling. But rather than disappearing, climate change became a climate crisis.

As the crisis escalated, we began talking about it as an economic issue, spurred on by rising costs of failing infrastructure amid increasingly unpredictable weather, and the reality that the future those scientists talked about is happening all around us.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund weighed in. We started to talk about green consumerism, green capitalism, green lifestyles. And during the infrequent times that climate change has entered the political arena in Canada, the discussion has been framed around economics there too. We’ve debated whether we can afford to take action, and if so what action is most politically feasible and what time frame is most economically practical.

None of this has gotten us as far, or as fast, as we need. And if climate change was solely a scientific or economic issue in the past, it isn’t any longer. People are dying. And increasing numbers of lives and species are at stake.

Pope Francis’s encyclical is shifting that conversation by naming climate change as a justice issue. It echoes and magnifices what campus divestment groups and grassroots climate justice groups have been saying all along. And for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, climate justice has become a moral crisis.

Whether it’s politically convenient or not, climate change is happening right now. And the thing about a moral crisis is that no one gets to sit it out. We either act or we don’t, and both options are a choice. Both options reflect upon who we are as people, as institutions, as a country.

Up to now, many of us have stayed silent on climate change because we felt we didn’t adequately understand the science or the economics of it. Or because we are simply too busy, focused on other issues, or just trying to get by.

Many others have avoided getting involved out of fear of the political and economic change that addressing the climate crisis will require. A fear that is felt not just among those with power, but also among those without any, whose livelihoods feel unstable enough already.

Addressing climate change is the greatest moral challenge of our time. And it’s going to require us to face these short-term fears in the service of solutions that bring about a much greater good. It will call us all be braver, stronger, more compassionate people than our current political and economic systems assume us capable of.

In paragraph 205, Laudato Si’ reads, “Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good.”

The Pope warns us that taking action doesn’t mean holding our breath for some future technological solution. Real policy solutions – massive public investment in clean energy, public transportation, improved community planning, and more – already exist.

And we can afford those necessary investments; the corporations, countries and people who have benefited the most from unrestricted pollution and a runaway wealth gap should be required to pitch in to fund the transition. And most of us can afford to pay a little bit more.

More than that, Laudato Si’ clearly outlines that taking action means consuming less, and sharing more. It means redefining the good life for us and for future generations. The great opportunity of a moral crisis is that we may emerge from it as better people, more generous communities, and a more stable society.

I’m not Catholic, but I consider myself a person of faith. I believe in the possibility of a better world. And this Pope has got my attention.

Christine Boyle is Program Director at Fossil Free Faith Canada. She will be traveling to the Vatican for the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and CIDSE conference on Climate, June 2-3, and will be writing about it at www.fossilfreefaith.ca.

By Christine Boyle On 8 June 2015 In Take Action

Calling Upon Faith Voices in Vancouver

Calling Upon Faith Voices: An Interfaith Community Dialogue!

About what? Mobilizing faith communities for the Jobs, Justice, & The Climate Rally (July 4th in Vancouver), and engaging diverse faith voices in activist spaces!

Where? *Heartwood Community Café
317 E. Broadway, Vancouver, BC Unceded Coast Salish Territories

When? Tuesday, June 23, 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Coordinated by a team of the Fossil Free Faith Youth Fellows.

Limited space! Please RSVP here.

Any questions? Contact maisaloon.alashkar@gmail.com

*Queer-friendly venue committed to social justice & liberation. Accessibility: Washrooms are all genders but aren’t currently accessible for wheelchairs & scooters. Heartwood Community Café has made an agreement with the neighbouring Starbucks, which allows Heartwood patrons to use their fully accessible washrooms without the need to purchase anything.