I’m Kayla, and yes, I actually own this fund. I first bought the GMO Climate Change Fund through my Fidelity IRA after dinner one quiet Monday. Kids in bed. Tea on the desk. I wanted something that tried to help the planet, but also made sense on a spreadsheet. Could it do both? I was curious, and a little nervous. If you’d like the blow-by-blow of that very first purchase, I spelled it out in this extended diary.
Why I Picked It (And Didn’t Overthink It)
I liked that GMO goes beyond solar and wind. The fund looks at “problem solvers.” Think heat pumps, grid gear, water systems, insulation—stuff that doesn’t trend on TikTok but matters. That clicked for me.
Also, I’ve read notes from GMO’s team over the years. They care about climate risk and they know their numbers. That mix felt grown-up.
A few names I saw in the holdings that made me nod:
- Vestas Wind Systems (wind turbines, you see them on big hills)
- Schneider Electric (smart power gear; helps buildings use less energy)
- Trane Technologies and Daikin (heating and cooling; hello, heat pumps)
- Xylem (water leaks, pipes, and pumps—less waste, lower bills)
Not sexy. Very useful.
How I Used It
I started small—about 5% of my IRA. Then I set a monthly auto-buy. I didn’t put it in my taxable account after I learned the hard way that many mutual funds can throw off capital gains in December. That tax bill stung once. Never again. IRA only for me.
By the way, it trades like a normal mutual fund. You place an order before 4 p.m. Eastern, and it prices after the market closes. No minute-by-minute action. That’s calm, but also a little dull. Which is fine. Dull can be good.
What I Liked (Real Moments)
- A boring win: When Xylem posted solid results, the fund’s daily gain popped on my app. Not huge. But steady. That’s the theme here—less hype, more plumbing.
- Heat pump hype, but real: Last winter, my neighbor swapped to a heat pump. Our street chat got weirdly nerdy. Seeing Trane and Daikin in the fund made me smile. It felt close to home. That whole street-corner debate over efficiency versus cost mirrored the experiments I ran with different climate talking points—spoiler: some approaches resonate way better than others, as I found when I tested them with real groups.
- Solar slump buffer: When solar names had a rough patch, the fund didn’t fall as hard as pure-play clean energy funds. The “efficiency and grid” stuff helped cushion the ride.
What Bugged Me
- Fees aren’t tiny. This isn’t an index fund. You pay more for stock picking. I wish it cost less.
- It’s still volatile. Clean tech gets whacked when rates jump. I had red days that made my stomach drop. Coffee helped. So did walking the dog.
- Foreign stock noise: There’s currency risk. The dollar moves, your returns wiggle. Not a deal-breaker, just real life.
Industry-wide, climate-themed funds have felt similar pressure; a Reuters piece noted that global climate funds just logged their first year of net outflows.
How It Actually Performed For Me
I’m not going to throw exact numbers at you. Markets move. But here’s the shape of it:
- First few months: up a bit, then down as rates rose.
- Mid-year: a modest climb; efficiency names helped.
- Then a wobble again after a rough earnings week in solar.
Net-net? After more than a year, I’m slightly positive. Not fireworks. Not a flop. It’s a steady “keep the faith” spot in my mix.
A Quick Detour: Why Efficiency Isn’t Boring
I used to think climate investing meant panels and blades. Now I think about wires, insulation, pumps, and meters. Less wasted energy means lower bills. It’s like closing your fridge door all the way. Simple, but it works. This fund leans into that. That’s why I stuck around.
Who Should Consider It
- You want climate exposure, but not only pure solar and wind.
- You can handle ups and downs without panic-selling.
- You have room in an IRA or a 401(k)-type account.
- You don’t mind a higher fee for a focused, active approach.
If you want the cheapest possible route and never want to think about it, a broad market index might fit you better. This is a sleeve, not the whole sweater.
Tips From My Own Mess-Ups
- Watch for December capital gains if you’re in a taxable account.
- Set a small, steady auto-buy rather than guessing on timing.
- Pair it with a broad market fund so you’re not all-in on one theme.
- Check the holdings once a quarter. You’ll learn, and you’ll worry less.
The Human Stuff
I care about returns, but I also care what my money says about me. If you're looking for more personal stories about aligning money with values, Our Voices hosts a library of real-world journeys. Seeing gear that helps buildings waste less energy feels good. I still want gains—of course I do. But I also want to sleep at night. This fund threads that needle better than most I’ve tried. And seeing universities start to weave climate into the core curriculum—UCSD just made it mandatory, and I shared my honest take here—gives me hope that future investors will be even more informed.
While we’re on the subject of adding a little humanity and spark to everyday life—even the digital parts—speaking of keeping communication engaging in any relationship, you might enjoy SextLocal’s step-by-step guide to creative sexting messages which offers practical tips, safety pointers, and plenty of examples for bringing playfulness back into your text threads. If you’re in Northern Virginia and would rather take that chemistry from the phone to an in-person meetup, the hyper-local listings at Doublelist Leesburg let you browse fresh, location-specific personal ads so you can set up spontaneous coffee dates without endless swiping.
My Bottom Line
I’m keeping it. Small slice, long horizon. It’s not a rocket ship. It’s a toolbox. And on hot days, when the AC hums and the grid creaks, a toolbox is exactly what we need.
Not advice—just my own wallet talking. You know what? For this part of my portfolio, I’m okay being patient.