As with anything worth doing, one must first start with “why”. The why in our case is rather simple… For one, I am a big believer in environmental stewardship and the continuity of human life. Science has taken theory to established fact, and the fact of the matter is that we must take better care of our natural environment. There is no good reason why that, as investors, we cannot invest in a manner which lends itself to environmental stewardship all in all. Beyond our natural environment is the human environment, however. This is an environment that I believe we are equally out of touch with. Globalization and modern communication, paradoxically, has created a human landscape that is more out of touch with itself than ever before. Adam Smith said it best: “all for ourselves, and nothing for others, seems to be, in every age of this world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind.”

Not so long ago in higher education it was necessary for a student working toward their doctorate that they took one year off to travel and chart the human landscape. In the 19th and early 20th centuries this was called the peripatetic drift and was viewed as the best way to compliment and complete a lady or gentleman’s education. The idea was that the mastery of a subject comes from something other than the mastery of metrics like G.P.A. or standardized tests. True knowledge is derived from the art of a humane education, i.e. the unfettered willingness to teach, share,and be open–to stand face to face with the Other and listen to what he or she has to say.

Environmental Hedging is a system that is designed to do four specific things.

1: Via the usage of Tackle Trading systems we are going to take money away from corporations that are a net-negative on our social and natural environments.

2: With said profits we will then compound the gains into companies which are a net-positive on our social and natural environments. We do so such that these companies can expand their business operations, thus expanding their overall positive impact.

3: We will then cash-flow from these long term positions, of which, we will use the profits cleaved to better the human / environmental landscape on a personal level. What this entails is either the consumption of their products, i.e. solar panels and so on, or the extension of charitable donations directly to individuals or non-profit organizations.

4: Authentic Travel. If time and money were not an issue 9/10 people would undoubtedly use their time and money to travel. The richest of human experiences come from this activity. Saint Augustine, the father of modern Christianity, said “the world is a book and those who do not travel have only read one page.” George Moore said ” a man travels the world over to find out what he needs, then returns home to find it.” And Mark Twain stated: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” I want the reader to consider the last and final step of this system as the first step in becoming fully human, and the first step in truly giving back.

As students of investing many of us will achieve great wealth, but true wealth is nothing without charity. And happiness is only real if it is shared. Much of the human landscape, within one’s nation, and beyond, is without the knowledge we bear. Share it, pass it on, and go out of your way to help your fellow human being. This is my challenge to you.

Now, on a lighter note, the video attached is of Tackle’s Trade Camp, with Marquise Johnson. Aside from being an incredible human being and an accomplished investor, this was Marquise’s first time outside of the United States. We selected the Spanish Virgin Isles as our destination to teach, play, and give all that has been so graciously given to us by the coaches at Tackle Trading. We befriended three individuals, two from Quebec and one from Oklahoma City, and taught them a wide range of investment basics. That, and we had an enormous amount of fun. Potentially too much fun.

Until next week my friends, enjoy the trading and all the perks of life that come as a result of it.

Bob Shannon