Green investment on the rise

The increased focus on alternative energy and lower carbon emissions is having a positive effect on the world's stock markets, showing signs that the global economy is beginning to recover. According to Business Week, in the first seven months of 2009, green mutual funds like the Winslow Green Growth Fund and the Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund have outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index by a factor of three to one. In addition, other investments, including eco-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs)