Summary: From Steve's original article, published on 7/3/12. The main contribution I want to make here is to encourage you to think carefully about the long-term impact of your investments on the world as a whole. You’ll find it much easier to invest in alignment with your values since you won’t be fighting a part of yourself (i.e. less self-sabotage). The good news is that there’s still plenty of money to be made from intelligent investments that create positive ripples for others. There’s no need to settle for harmful investments that violate your values and leave you feeling conflicted and incongruent. http://www.youtube.com/embed/jRwnx9wLEAE Americans' long-term savings in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension funds, and life insurance funds total about $30 trillion. But not even 1 percent of these savings touch local small business-even though roughly half the jobs and the output in the private economy come from them. So, how can people increasingly concerned with the poor returns from Wall Street and the devastating impact of global companies on their communities invest in Main Street? In Local Dollars, Local Sense, local economy pioneer Michael Shuman shows investors, including the nearly 99% who are unaccredited, how to put their money into building local businesses and resilient regional economies-and profit in the process. A revolutionary toolbox for social change, written with compelling personal stories, the book delivers the most thorough overview available of local investment options, explains the obstacles, and profiles investors who have paved the way. Shuman demystifies the growing realm of local investment choices-from institutional lending to investment clubs and networks, local investment funds, community ownership, direct public offerings, local stock exchanges, crowdfunding, and more. He also guides readers through the lucrative opportunities to invest locally in their homes, energy efficiency, and themselves. A rich resource for both investors and the entrepreneurs they want to support, Local Dollars, Local Sense eloquently shows how to truly protect your financial future--and your community's.
