As Karina Funk sips a can of raspberry seltzer, she extols the virtues of Ball Corp. of Broomfield, Colorado, which manufactures 43% of the aluminum beverage cans made in North America. The portfolio manager has a big stake in Ball, and she thinks its approach to environmental sustainability gives it a competitive advantage. "They design the top so that it has structural integrity, using less material-that's a cost advantage," she says between spoonfuls of lentil soup. She explains that aluminum is easier and cheaper to recycle than plastic or glass, partly because much less water is used. "Ball is growing in Brazil and helping some of those regions meet their sustainability goals in the shift from glass to cans."
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