Jul
1
Today’s Parents Mean Business
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Many moms and dads have been inspired by their children to launch a company. If you’re thinking of becoming a mom or dadpreneur, read on.
By Susan McGinnis
When Rachel and Andy Berliner were expecting their first child, the last thing on their minds was launching a new business.
Always natural and organic eaters, the couple usually made their meals at home. “But when Rachel was pregnant, we started going to health food store to buy convenience meals. We realized what was out there wasn’t very good.”
The “Aha!” Moment
That was when the Berliners had their “Aha!” moment: it struck them that they could market and sell organic frozen food to other busy people who wanted to eat healthy.
That was in 1987. Today, Amy’s Kitchen (named after the Berliners’ daughter, Amy) is one of the most successful brands in the natural-products industry, with $200 million in annual sales. The two-worker team has grown to 1,400. Amy herself is in college. Read more
Jun
1
A Healthy Budget
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Feeding natural and organic meals to a family of four-without breaking the bank!
By Kirsten Henri
Tight budget.
Are there two more anxiety-producing-and familiar-words in the English language?
No matter what tax bracket you fall into, you’ve probably got a food budget. If you’re like Jennifer Martin, a stay-at-home mom from Haddon Heights, New Jersey, you’ve got a very tight food budget: $90 a week to feed a family of four. Moreover, you’re trying to make sure everyone in your family gets three healthy meals a day, made with organic ingredients whenever possible.
“Buying organic is really important to me,” says Martin. But that’s not always easy when she’s juggling the preferences of her husband Matthew, a high school history teacher who is “meat and potatoes” kind of guy, a three-year-old daughter, Katie, who’s something of a picky eater (no peanut butter!) and a 15-month-old son, Patrick, who eats “smaller portions of whatever we’re having.”
Martin already has some cost-saving tricks in place to help her stay within her budget. She prepares meals from scratch and does all of the cooking herself. She makes extra portions of dinner, which she then packs for lunch the next day for Matthew to take to work. When possible, she buys her fresh fruits and vegetables from a local farmers market where the prices are lower than at the supermarket and the quality is generally better. Read more
May
1
The Power In Your Wallet
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Your shopping decisions can alter the way corporations approach the environment.
By Paul Polizzotto
You might be surprised to hear that one of the primary means of reducing climate change rests with you. It’s true. Every time you’re at the cash register, you can choose to spend your money in an eco-conscious way. That in turn reinforces the green efforts that businesses are making, and guarantees that those efforts can continue. Did you just fill your cart with dye-free, unbleached paper towels and leave the fancy printed ones on the shelf? Manufacturers will take note. Remember last week, when you reached for facial tissues made from recycled materials? Corporate America paid attention. Have you vowed to forego strawberries in December and wait until they’re locally available? Your supermarket buyer will adjust. And when you drive to the store in a hybrid—paid for with the profits from your investment in eco-friendly companies, of course—you truly complete the circle.
Taking a cue from you, companies nationwide are dedicating talent and resources to the development and manufacturing of a wide variety of sustainable products and services. Examples include Philip’s compact fluorescent light bulbs, which give consumers the opportunity to reduce energy usage and save money. Through regional utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric (which connects more customers to solar power than any other company in the country), we can have our energy delivered from renewable sources. Many states offer the option on energy bills, you just needs to check a box for green power. Read more
Mar
1
Grow Your Savings from the Earth
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How your financial investments can help make a better world.
By Susan McGinnis
By the year 2019, it’s estimated that the average college tuition could top $60,000 a year. Many of us with young children have already started to set aside funds for the future. But have you considered that how you’re saving could also “save” the world?
Socially responsible investing, also known as green-vesting, means letting ethical standards, rather than pure profit potential, guide investment choices. For example, a mutual fund might exclude companies involved in tobacco and alcohol, or include those that embrace causes like alternative energy, environmental protection and fair labor practices.
But while green-vesting may be good for the environment, will it put more green in your wallet? According to Lipper Analytical, as of October 31, 2006, the average stock fund with a socially responsible agenda was up about 8.8% for the year, compared with 10.5% for all equity funds.
It is possible, however, to find investments that do well while doing good. Here are some funds that could warm your heart: Read more
