When my family and I toed our way through the Boundary Waters of the northern reaches of Minnesota, my brother and I found a stand of pitcher plants growing out of a moldering mat of reeds and moss, and because of this book, I had the theory of ecological succession right in the front of my brain.

FORBES: Books And Mantids

However, the most salient fact to emerge from smart, ecological portfolios is the fact of doing the right thing.

FORBES: Past Performance for Actively Managed "Ecological" ETF HECO

From 1998 to 2001, funds from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) were used to allot grants to villagers for ecological forest management and to compensate them for the loss of the right to exploit the forest.

UNESCO: From bamboo to tea: sustainable development in biosphere reserves | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Capital outlays are relatively low, the ecological footprint from the projects is quite small, and if the geology is right, engineers can tailor the technology to the terrain, rather than having to wrestle with it.

FORBES: Hydroelectric Revolution: A River Runs Through It