Earth Day is every day and more people are becoming aware of this as we face mounting problems such as global warming, overflowing waste and serious drought conditions. Can the advent of clean/green energy exchange traded funds (ETFs) help fund the projects that will take us to greener pastures?
More than 20 million people across the United States are estimated to have participated in that first Earth Day, which some say is aimed at taking place on a Wednesday every year so that people will walk out of their workday in protest. The first Earth Day was back in 1970 and April 22 has become the official day marking it. Some theorize that that’s because April 22 is the birthday of Vladamir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Union.
John Roach for National Geographic reports that Lenin’s goal was to destroy private property and this goal is obviously shared by environmentalists alike. Some scoff at this theory, but whichever is true, the best thing is that we have a consciousness about Earth Day. Earth Day is now celebrated every year by more than one billion people in 180 nations around the world.
The Earth Day Network is pushing the Earth Day movement from single-day actions—such as park cleanups and tree-planting parties—to long-term commitments. And now Wall Street is pushing the movement one step further, with a means to help capitalize and fund the technology necessary to a cleaner system of living.
To celebrate Earth Day, have a look at some of our green-focused stories, such as why wind energy is catching on, five things happening in the water industry, the outlook for the carbon trading market and where green ETFs are going from here. Then go out and do your part to make the earth a better place to live.
- Claymore Global Solar Energy ETF (TAN)
- First Trust ISE Global Wind Energy Index (FAN)
- PowerShares Wilderhill Clean Energy Portfolio (PBW)
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Mr. Lydon serves as an independent trustee of certain mutual funds and ETFs that are managed by Guggenheim Investments; however, any opinions or forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Mr. Lydon and not those of Guggenheim Funds, Guggenheim Investments, Guggenheim Specialized Products, LLC or any of their affiliates. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.