|
|
|
Lessons From Your Feet
For fifteen years plus, I have considered myself a “greenie” or “tree
hugger.” Moving from a traditional neighborhood in the city to a diverse twenty-one acre mini farm tucked conveniently into a Kentucky
“holler,” has shifted my perspective as a steward of the planet.
My first step into “green” land was choosing not to use pesticides or herbicides on the lawn of my home in Ft.
Mitchell, Kentucky. This was a simple decision made consciously out of respect for the health of my family, my pets, our wildlife, my
community, and the planet.
In the “burbs”, most everyone sprayed their lawns, as the goal was to make them appear a flawless green carpet
rather than a natural, grassy area. Every spring when the dandelions sprouted bright yellow and the violets displayed their purple beauty in my
yard, I wondered what my neighbors must think of me.
I arrived at my “no pesticide” decision by paying attention to what was under my feet. Recognizing that I
do not see as much driving my car, I have come into the habit of taking a daily walk. While walking one day, I was intrigued by the small green
and white signs on my neighbors’ yards raised following a pesticide application. Upon careful inspection, I found these were warning
signs to stay off the grass. Actually, the dozens of dead worms lying on the sidewalk, victims of the toxins sprayed on the lawn, and the
absence of birds or bunnies, was the only sign I needed!
How could this be a good thing? Who was going to read the sign to the three-year-old who wandered over from next
door? Or to the dog down the street? Or to the rabbits, squirrels, and birds? My questioning led me to research, which
clearly indicated that a pesticide-sprayed lawn was unhealthy for people, pets, and wildlife. Even if we do obey the warning sign and stay off
the lawn, the rain washes the toxins downhill and into other yards, playgrounds, and eventually, into our drinking water.
Today, I choose not to walk over concrete sidewalks. Instead, I traverse the shoulders of upper Banklick Creek, thru the
woods and to the pond over the rise. I witness the everyday miracle of wildflowers in rich soil fed by clean water.
The variety of plant and animal life is fascinating. Wild turkeys, snakes, great blue herons, pileated woodpeckers,
ducks, owls, deer, and raccoons, as well as our own pets traverse this land. The diversity of plant life (most of it probably called weeds in
someone’s book) offers a daily and ever-changing feast for the eyes.
I am present to the creek which ranges from slow and meandering to thunderously loud and lightening fast.
Two weeks ago, after an intense rainy period, I walked to the far corner of our property. Looking upstream, I saw
fifteen tall walnut and sycamore trees uprooted and fallen, some in the creek and others on the hillside. Fifteen trees lost after one
rainstorm!
Now I have new questions. Why does the stream go from meandering to raging after just a few inches of
rain? What is happening here?
Population growth is impacting the creek. Increased areas of impervious surfaces, such as roads, parking lots, driveways,
and rooftops, lead to higher storm water runoff, volumes that impact local creeks and waterways.
SD1, the northern Kentucky agency responsible for the collection and treatment of wastewater, as well as regional storm water
management, recently held a series of public hearings to inform and educate citizens about this issue.
I went to one of the stakeholder sessions to give a voice to the fifteen trees that just lost their lives to storm water run
off. As I was there talking to the SD1 employees and the regional representatives from EPA, they asked me how many people felt like I
did. Were people in Northern Kentucky concerned about the environment? If so, why weren’t they speaking up?
My first answer was yes, people are interested, and they do want a greener, healthier planet. They just need to be
educated.
That evening as I took my evening walk down by the creek, I realized it is not traditional education that is needed in this
case. What is needed is for people to be educated by their feet; to see, feel, and reconnect to the ground beneath them.
Walking slows you down, offering the opportunity to experience the earth in all its glory - full of “weeds”,
bugs, wildlife, and waterways. This was the world that fascinated and entertained us when we were kids. If everyone walked around in
their yard, their community, and their woods, or along their local creeks, they would see first hand the effects of poor choices in the ways we allow
our land to be developed.
The natural world around us, that we are an integral part of, is waiting patiently for our attention, and calling for our
protection – and our action.
Take a walk. Be present to the earth and let it speak to you. Ask yourself: what is my role as a steward of
our planet?
Call SD1 (or your local storm water management agency) and lend your voice to those who want to see green solutions. Call
your local elected officials and join the voices that call for the protection of our beautiful hillsides. Learn about your local conservancy and
their mission of preserving land for future generations. Join the Licking River or Banklick Creek watershed councils and find out what a
difference citizen involvement makes.
Leave a legacy that surpasses any amount of money you could possibly amass…a healthy and vibrant planet.
Back to Top
|
Practical Prosperity
Things You Should Know About Retirement Planning
Retirement planning involves an analysis of the various choices you can make today to help provide for your financial
future. To make appropriate choices, you need to predict--as well as you can--your future economic circumstances. You'll also need to
establish your post-retirement goals. When you've determined how much of an income stream you'll probably require in the future, you'll be in a
position to make wise choices now about income, saving, investments, and employer-sponsored or other retirement plans. Our award winning
service, Prosperity Planning™ is designed to take individuals and families ranging from ages 20 to 80 through this important
process.
Of course, you need to tailor your retirement planning to your own unique circumstances--planning methods may be different for
employees and executives than for business owners. And no matter who you are, you'll probably want to gain some familiarity with the Social
Security system, with post-retirement health care insurance coverage, including Medicare and long-term care (LTC) insurance. For some people,
retirement may be an eagerly anticipated event, an opportunity to enjoy so many things that working may have precluded--travel, hobbies, and more
family time. For other people, even the word "retirement" may conjure up feelings of fear or dread, particularly for those employees who work
without the benefit of pension or other retirement plans. And newspaper stories predicting the collapse of the Social Security system can
certainly compound anxiety. Whether you are financially comfortable or are of limited means, however, retirement planning is possible and can help
you take control of your own future.
How can you determine your retirement income needs?
To determine your retirement income needs, you'll want to evaluate your present circumstances--your income, your expenses, your
assets, and your debts. Next, you'll need to think about your future circumstances. There are four main sources for your retirement
income: Social Security, pensions or other retirement vehicles, your investment portfolio, and savings. If you predict that your current income
will not provide you with your desired retirement lifestyle, there are certain steps you can take now to help change your circumstances.
You'll want to think about your future sources of income, but also about where you'll live. Will you continue to live in
your current home, for instance, or will you move to a condominium or retirement community? And if your employer typically provides early retirement
packages to its employees, you'll need to know how to evaluate such packages from a number of perspectives.
How do you save for retirement?
Learning how to save for retirement is imperative. There are a number of retirement vehicles available, including traditional and Roth IRAs,
employer-sponsored retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, stock plans, and commercial annuities. Proper retirement planning
requires an understanding of the workings of these tools.
In addition, your personal investment planning can help you on the road toward your retirement goals. The sooner you start, the longer
you'll have to accumulate funds for retirement.
You'll want to understand the taxation of your retirement and investment vehicles. This is especially important since the enactment of the
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (2003 Tax Act). The 2003 Tax Act reduced the capital gains tax rates and the tax rates of
certain dividends, making the decision to allocate assets inside or outside a retirement plan more crucial.
Finally, you may want to learn strategies for handling the competing demands of educating your children and retiring.
If all of this sounds like a lot to remember, you are right, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. If it seems like too much to handle
try breaking it down in pieces. You might focus on goal development one month, spend the next month putting a price tag on those goals, and
spend a third orchestrating your savings plan.
Generally the best thing to jump this process is to hire an advisor to help navigate the uncertain waters. Whether it’s simply a
consultation to start the process or working through an actual financial plan, everyone should consider it. Many people are surprised at the
goals and ambitions unearthed when working with an outside party. I can think of few ways better to start your retirement than with excitement,
a solid plan, and new ambitions you may have never known existed.
By Andy Pulsfort
Back to Top
|
Go Green!
Here are a few suggestions this month of help all of us keep the plant healthy.
Bring your own bag while shopping. If purchasing smaller items skip the bag. If this is a big purchase, bring your own
bags.
Keep water refrigerated ~ Rather than running the cold water from the tap, keep a pitcher of filtered water in the
refrigerator. It’s cold and ready to drink when you are thirsty.
Waste Free Lunch ~ Take your lunch in a reusable container. There is nothing to throw away – take the container home to
wash and reuse tomorrow.
Wear More Clothes ~ Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothing. Save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and
$250 per year!
Keeping your water heater insulated could save you 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.
Plant a Tree! Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 pounds of carbon
dioxide a year.
Compost leftovers instead of filling up the landfills.
Tune up the car ~ Get the car tuned up to save gas and make it last longer.
Use Recycled Paper ~ Make sure printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled. Save 5 pounds of carbon dioxide per ream of
paper.
Keep air in tires ~ Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 pounds of carbon dioxide and
$840 per year.
Turn water off while brushing your teeth ~ Save 4 gallons of water a minute! That is 10,000 gallons of water per
year!
Avoid creating trash ~ buy an ice cream CONE instead of ice cream CUP to avoid trash.
By Pam Vargo
Back to Top
|
Got Goetta?
Dan Glier, owner of Glier’s Meats and known locally as Cincinnati’s "Goetta Man", was summoned to
Washington, DC this past week along with nine other independent small business owners to meet with President Bush in the Roosevelt Room of the White
House. Dan has been working with Mackey Advisors for many years. We are extremely proud to know that one of our local sons was called to
speak with the President to discuss how he was taking advantage of investment incentives due to the recently enacted stimulus package. Dan heard of
the stimulus package from one of our previous newsletters which he had printed out to take with him to Washington to share with others in this
meeting.
With the help of the package, businesses can double to $250,000 the amount of expenses that are allowed to be written off. With
this in mind, Dan chose to take advantage of this incentive.
President Bush was encouraged to hear that the economic stimulus plan seemed to be the reactionary reason that many small
business owners are making decisions to “help the recovery of this economic slowdown.”
Being the caring, considerate man that he is, Dan traveled to Washington with a sampling of Goetta to share
with President and Mrs. Bush. Due to security reasons, Mr. Bush could not immediately receive the gift. In my mind,
I'm picturing the Bushes enjoying goetta with their eggs this morning. You gotta love a guy that shares his Goetta.
Congratulations Dan! We are all proud of you.
By Pam Vargo
Back to Top
Welcome Maggie Garigliano Mackey Advisors is delighted to announce our newest team member, Margaret (Maggie) Garigliano. Maggie will be
assisting us as our marketing coordinator. Maggie received her MBA from Loyola and is excited to begin working with
our staff.
In her spare time, Maggie enjoys running and reading as well as spending time with her husband, Luke. The newest addition to
their family is a tiny, 3 pound Yorkie by the name Chompers. Maggie enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and creating new meals.
Maggie and Luke have been renovating their new home – she’s a whiz with a paint brush.
We welcome Maggie into our work family.
Back to Top
Buy the Book!
The Dynamics of Money
Mackey’s new audio book, the Dynamics of Money, gives you the power to discover your personal key, unlocking the door to
your true potential
for unlimited prosperity. Through the power of the Narrative Tradition of The Enneagram, you will hear the three exemplars of
each of the nine
personality types sharing their unique perspectives on the subject of money and prosperity.
Order Your Copy Today!
The Intersection of Joy and Money
Warning!! This book will:
● Expand your confidence around financial decision-making.
● Increase your
prosperity consciousness.
● Create a more prosperous and abundant life.
Change your relation with money today!
Back to Top
Hear Me Speak!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Whole Foods Market in Mason
Join us as we explore Socially Responsible and "Green" Investment Trends
Mackey will be presenting "Socially Responsible Investing Trends" at 6PM on Wednesday, April 23rd at the Whole
Foods Market (formerly Wild Oats) at Deerfield Towne Center in Mason. For more information or to RSVP contact Pam at 859-331-7755, extension 100 or
Pam@CultivatingProsperity.com. Attendees may click below for directions.
Click Here for Directions
Monday, May 5, 2008 Spring Seminar Series: Under 35 Night
Mackey will be presenting "Cultivating Your Personal Prosperity" on Monday, May 5th at the conference center at
Newport on the Levee in Newport. Join us for a fun and educational night. Pizza and drinks will be provided. For more information
or to RSVP contact Pam at 859-331-7755, extension 100 or Pam@CultivatingProsperity.com.
Attendees may click below for directions.
Click Here for Directions
Back To Top
|
|
