Hippyshopper

Zopa social lending networks microcredit

The other day I read about a young man who was practically destitute, despite having excellent job skills, because he had poor dental luck and couldn't afford the £1100 to get false teeth. He might benefit from Zopa, a social networking site which matches lenders and borrowers in a model based on eBay. Though it presently uses a credit check, the plan is to expand it to check things like your MySpace contacts (who'd've thought that'd ever get you a car loan?) or LinkedIn comments in order to judge whether or not you're a better person than your history (or lack thereof) says. Maybe you just got divorced, went abroad, or were ill (I was all three of those things). By going in this direction Zopa could offer a powerful ethical alternative to usurious payday loan companies, who are often the only option low income people have, or banks who simply don't give a damn.

“You could offer people the ability to say ‘I’d like to lend to A-rated nurses living in London for 12 months,” says Nicholson. “Or you could lend to charities for a zero percent return, or at least a very low interest rate. That’s where the social networking side can come in. We have to be very careful with privacy issues though, when it comes to stuff like letting people connect and chat online.” For more on this, see Techscape's interview with Zopa co-founder Dave Nicholson. [GT]

Zopa social network lending

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Coworking: telecommuting loves company

The concept of Coworking is to hook up lonely telecommuters so that they can share office space, tables in cafes, work tips, long walks on the beach, litter boxes, etc. To get involved, you can join the Google Coworking group or check for Coworking chapters in your city. It's set up as a wiki, so you can easily start your own. [GT]

Coworking

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Women in Ethical Business Awards 2007

There is a call for entries for the Women in Ethical Business Awards.

Run by Tridios Bank and Eve magazine, the contest is looking to reward businesses that are founded on ethical principles, and that benefit people or the environment.

Last year's winner (pictured), Juliet Davenport, was the founder and director of Good Energy, a green energy company.

[Via ecostreet]

Related: Magic Monkee promotes ethical businesses | Saving Green by Going Green | Loreal takeover The Body Shop

Saving Green by Going Green: turn your business hippy

Saving Green by Going Green is a six month intensive program to turn your business in a greener direction. The idea is to introduce businesses to each other in a context where they can find green services that already exist, so they can support each other and make the world a better place in the process. Done in San Francisco to good results, Saving Green by Going Green is branching out into other communities in 2007. [GT]

Saving Green by Going Green

Related stories: Money makes you sharp and selfish, says study | Aviva insurance goes carbon-neutral | Top concern for ethical investors is workers' rights

Money makes you sharp and selfish, says study

A new study may shed some light on the non-sharing of haves with the have-nots.  Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that subjects primed with pictures of money were more self-reliant, but also more selfish.  One group was shown pictures of money, and another, pictures of fish.  Then, all were asked to bring chairs for everyone to sit on.  Those who saw the fish, also brought the chairs closer.  However, those primed with money also spent 70% longer working on a difficult puzzle, before asking for help.  "It always bothered me that most people looked only at the desire for money, and that the bottom line was if you wanted money you had problems," said Professor Vohs.  [GT]

Mind over money

Related stories: Save water, world, money | Money-saving, CO2-cutting gizmo | Old Money recycled currency stationery

Aviva insurance goes carbon-neutral

The world's fifth largest insurer, and largest insurer in the UK, Aviva, has decided to go carbon neutral worldwide.  By the end of March 2007 they even plan to have offset the 110,000 tonnes of carbon they emitted in 2006.  All their UK energy is sourced from renewable sources, and they're moving into tree planting and wind turbines.  [GT]

Norwich Union-owner goes carbon neutral

Related stories: BSkyB goes carbon neutral! | Economist carbon-offsets global warming issue | Do carbon-offset schemes work?

Open a smile current account and WWF benefits

smile, the internet branch of The Co-Operative Bank, is going the extra mile to help endangered species around the world.

Open a current account and smile will donate £50 to WWF-UK and adopt an orang-utan for you, too!

As if the feel-good factor of banking with the only UK clearing bank with an ethical policy and donating to WWF wasn't enough, WWF will send you an adoption pack for your Orang-utan. This includes a cuddly toy, information booklet and a picture. Aaah.

Go through the link on this page to open your account.

Related stories: Money and Finance

Co-operative Banking: Good with Money

How would you like to do Good With Money without any evil to yourself? Cooperative Insurance has been ranked high in customer satisfaction compared to regular high street banks, and also provides ethical insurance, mortgages, and even investment funds. As part of their "every penny counts" campaign, every £100 spent turns into 1.25p donation to charity; they offset 20% of your vehicle's carbon emissions at no extra charge to you; and the CIS solar tower generates enough power per year to make 9 million cups of tea. But here's a practical motivator: they offer one interest rate for everything, whether you're buying or pulling out cash, where most banks have a good rate for consumption and a ruinous one for cash. Check it out yourself - your wallet won't be sorry. [GT]

Cooperative Insurance [via hugg]

Related stories: Teenage Tycoons To Turn Tenners Into Social Profit | Yes Insurance Offers Cashback to Hybrid Car Owners | EIRIS ethical investment research

Top concern for ethical investors is workers' rights

Investment management company Standard Life released the results of its annual Ethical Investor Survey a few days ago.

The company's ethical fund customers were asked to rank the issues that most concern them, and this year it turns out that they would prefer Standard Life "to favour investment companies that encourage, maintain and improve the quality of working conditions in their global supply chains".  Numbers two and three on the list of companies favoured by investors were firms involved in controlling pollution and those involved in developing or using renewable energy sources.

On the flip side, survey respondents wanted to avoid having their money poured into companies with poor human rights policies and/or operating in countries with poor human rights records, those involved in producing military weapons and those clearing tropical forests.

It's interesting to see how ethical concerns have moved on in a decade.  The Observer says that the main change is that human rights has become more of a priority.

Another part of the survey concerned those companies who decide that something they're doing isn't all that ethical after all so rid themselves of that activity.  75% of the survey respondents thought three years was an acceptable length of time in purgatory before a company could be considered as an ethical investment.  What do you think?  Can a company ever be cleansed of past sins?

Photo credit: 'Money Tree' by Flickr user jono2k5 under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 licence.

Teenage Tycoons To Turn Tenners Into Social Profit

10,000 teenagers are being challenged to turn a £10 loan into a social enterprise.  In essence, whoever takes the loan has a month to invest it.  Prizes are awarded to the top 50 profit makers and, crucially, prizes are also awarded to the 50 judged to have made the most (presumably positive) social impact.

The 'Make Your Mark With A Tenner' (MYMWAT) scheme is funded by a "marketing guru" (according to the BBC), Andrew Reynolds, who said he had donated the money so that youngsters had a chance to show they were "not all a bunch of violent hoodies".

It fits in nicely with the government's Social Enterprise Action Plan published last week, which is designed to promote businesses with a conscience.  Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, which seeks to give opportunities to the socially disadvantaged, The Big Issue and The Eden Project are held up as a shining examples of the social enterprise sector.

Even without the government's promptings, the ethical investor survey results show that it can make financial, as well as ethical, sense to get into the social enterprise business.

Subscribe to GOOD and they'll give your money away

Brashly conceding that magazines don't make money off subscriptions, GOOD Magazine goes so far as to promise to donate the full $20 USD for six issues to your pick of a dozen charities, ranging from Creative Commons to the World Wildlife Fund.  Contains articles on affordable and attractive housing and fair trade coffee online, and various pieces on economics available only in the print version.[GT]

GOOD Magazine

Related stories: Green Parenting Guru | Natural parenting magazine | New Consumer: The UK's only fair trade magazine

Yes Insurance Offers Cashback to Hybrid Car Owners

Got a hybrid? Need insurance? If you go with Yesinsurance.co.uk, they'll flat out give you £20. Then they'll donate £20 more to Climatesure for emissions offsetting. Considering that hybrids cost several thousand extra pounds up front, I'm not sure how far the £40 will get them, but it's certainly generating them a lot of free buzz, and more carbon offsetting is always good. [GT]

Yesinsurance.co.uk [via Treehugger]

Related stories: Green insurance for your fuel-efficient vehicle | Better World Club | Make it a Treeflight

The slow greening of business in Britain

Illustrating some of the pitfalls in greening British business today, the Guardian has a lengthy article talking about how although Jamie Oliver has gotten junk food out of schools, the students are, shock, just going across the street for their packets of crisps. Not only this, but vending machine companies are actively boycotting the schools because they're losing so much money on the deal. (Hold fast fellas, the free market will take care of this.) Another problem is coming from Tesco: crisp company Tyrell's promised they would only sell their luxy crisps to Waitrose and indie stockists, but Tesco is stocking them anyhow and ignoring Tyrell's polite requests to the contrary. According to Tyrells “nobody is going to pull them up for their behaviour because they will get delisted as a supplier”. Eesh. [GT]

Pay more or we quit, canteen operators to tell schools as vending machine purge hits profits

Related stories: The WEEE man cometh | Miz Liz Diz Organics Biz (full-time-like)

EIRIS ethical investment research

EIRIS stands for Ethical Investment Research Services. They provide information to investors, investment managers, individuals, financial advisers, charities, corporations and academics about the ethical circumstances of a given research topic. Topics range from specific corporations, to commodities, to futures, to specific governments, and beyond. They are specialized in offering services in English and Japanese, and have offices in London and Boston, Mass. [GT]

EIRIS: Ethical Investment Research Services

Related stories: New ethical fund from Aberdeen Unit Trust Managers Ltd | Has Brown been green enough? | Invest ethically, make a killing

Old Money recycled currency stationery

While tidying the prodigious collection of familiana in my to-be-in-laws spare room, I discovered a packet of Old Money. No, not cash - that is, not anymore. Dolphin Blue Tree-Free stationery are made from kenaf, denim trimmings and old bills. Rather than dump bleach into the environment, all products are left their own low-key and lovely colour of ivory, pale blue or pale green respectively. Writing on the latter is a particularly luxurious experience (though one wonders how many recycled $20 bills are in there and therefore what the cocaine content is). [GT]

Dolphin Blue Tree-Free stationery

Related stories: Recycled back to school kit | Seven Steps to Green your Office | Elephant poo paper (no really)

Greenbusiness.net-working with other green businesses

If you run a green business, do drop us a line at editor@hippyshopper.com. But also, GreenBusiness.net is a site for professional greenies. The fees are $12 a month and there are, at last update, 207 members specifically involved in green industry that you can network with. These kind of things are very hit-or-miss, but Jason offers a two week free trial where you can poke around and see if it's going to be valuable. His personal success story, involving saving $15,000 USD, was the impetus to found the site. He also has a raft of testimonials from members who have found the focus well worth the fees. [GT]

Better World Club

So you're on your bicycle. And you're in an American state that has Better World Club insurance. And you get a flat. Call 'em up and they'll come over and fix your tire. Twice a year. (Assuming you have the version of their insurance that covers bikes.) Naturally that's not all that they do. 24 hour emergency assistance, coverage in any car, family coverage, flat tire change, battery jumps, emergency tows (depending, again, on the level of insurance), fuel delivery service, and $100 locksmith benefit. Then there's the actual cash and benefits for hybrids in particular.

If you have a hybrid and are a new subscriber, you get 15% off. (Above all their other random discounts: this month's is 10% off organic screen printing from Millikin.) For signing up you get $40 in gas coupons (except in Minnesota, where they use whaledreck I guess) and a slew of benefits: from $5000 for auto theft to $50 for ambulance. Also they have a full service travel agency, and AAA style trip tickets - and they'll also match AAA rates. I am encouraging John to switch over even as I type. [GT]

Free money for greening your house

Looking for a few extra quid to put your green house in order?  By which I mean your actual residence, not your garden (although there may be money for that too).  Check out the energy saving grants all neatly organized for your perusal at the Energy Saving Trust.  The UK government funds up to £2,500 for renovations, energy companies have their own programs, and then local authorities "provide grants and offers for local residents to install energy efficiency measures in their home."  And while you're there, take the poll.

The EST is doing a poll asking what you're doing to save your 20% on energy bills.  Offers the usual suggestions - walk more, drive less; turn down the heat; insulate, insulate, double-glaze.  Nothing you didn't need to be reminded of.  -- [GT]

New ethical fund from Aberdeen Unit Trust Managers Ltd

The Aberdeen Ethical Engagement UK Fund is a sub-fund of Aberdeen Investment Funds ICVC (UK-domiciled OEIC).  In ethical funds, "the manager aims to use his position as stakeholder proactively to promote ethical corporate behaviour and will favour companies demonstrating progress in that regard."  Basically, you give the manager some money, he puts it in a bag with money from other people, and when the bag gets big enough, he can use it to smack people when they're not nice to their workers.  This is better than giving it to a manager who uses the full bag to smack anybody who gets in his way.

The Aberdeen Fund in particular focuses on good corporate governance, the environment, labour equity and human rights.  All of which are good.

This approach addresses the growing desire of pension schemes to engage pro-actively in the promotion of high standards of corporate ethics, but does provide the flexibility to invest widely rather than be constrained by rigid negative screening which, in certain circumstances, can prove to be too inflexible.  Sounds like it aims to be a nimble little moneymaker with a heart of gold.  We wish it all the best.

[GT]

Has Brown been green enough?

We were all ears listening to the environmental issues in Mr Brown's budget yesterday, but were his ramblings much cop? The general consensus is that although Brown has increased road tax for the most polluting cars (such as 4x4s) from £175 to £210, that is not nearly enough.  Both Greenpeace [see story here] and Friends of Earth say that the rise will not discourage road users from driving gas guzzling cars.  FOE feel that Brown's commitment to an Annual Carbon Report needs to be linked to a statutory requirement for annual cuts in climate changing pollution (as per The Big Ask campaign).  Friends of the Earth generally welcome most of the changes but feel they need to be backed up by policy and legislation, particularly in relation to energy efficency and related technology.

Brown's changes which effect the Environment at a glance (words by the BBC):

Mr Brown said he rejected calls for the abolition of the climate change levy and instead would index the charge in line with inflation from 2007 to cut CO2 emissions further

He would propose a World Bank scheme to help developed economies to invest in new forms of energy in developing nations

A new £1bn energy and environmental research institute was being set up, funded by government and private industry

To make homes more environmentally friendly, Mr Brown promised new incentives for piloting "smart metering" and a new labelling scheme for energy efficient goods to make homes greener

A quarter of a million extra homes would be insulated over the next two years

Cars with the lowest rate of emissions would pay no vehicle excise duty but the 1% of most polluting cars would pay £210

Mr Brown postponed the usual annual inflation increase in fuel duty until 1 September

Source: BBC News - At a Glance: Budget

Pictured: T-shirt available to buy from Alliance Against Urban 4x4's  [Ella]

Bono's red sunglasses

Product Red is an ethical initiative encouraging consumers to join in the fight against HIV and Aids by supporting The Global Fund.  The brand was launched by Bono back in January, together with partners American Express, Gap, Armani and Converse - not your typical ethical campaigners, I grant you.

Each company produces a 'Red' (not necessary of that colour) product from which profits will go direct to The Global Fund. American Express' 'Red' credit card has no annual fee and at least 1% of your spend will go to the fund.  50% of the profits of the Gap 'Red' merchandise will be donated, including a t-shirt priced at £14.50 made from African cotton, manufactured in Africa.  The pictured Emporio Armani glasses, as worn by Bono, are available from April 2006 and Converse have created a unique Chuck Taylor All Star boot from a traditional African mudcloth design.

For all you sceptics out there, Bono has rejected suggestions that the companies involvement is to enhance reputation (cos we know that supporting ethical consumerism is cool!).  He says that "We're not endorsing their products, these products endorse us".  He went on to accept that there could be the possibility of choosing the wrong brand, but reasoned "with 6,500 people dying each day, it's worth a rock star ending up with a little egg on his face". [see story in full at BBC News Online]

Related Posts: Ms Bono's green outfits / Armani's hemp clothing

Loreal will takeover The Body Shop

The global cosmetics giant Loreal have today agreed to take over ethical high street retailer, The Body Shop. In a deal worth around £130 million to The Body Shop's founder, Anita Roddick, its hard to get past the fact that money makes the world go round.  Ethical businesses are no stranger to takeovers; UniLever bought Ben & Jerry's,  McDonald's acquired Pret A Manger and Cadburys Schwepps recently tookover Green & Black's.  So what are we to make of this latest takeover?

Loreal might have abandoned animal testing in 1989 but they continue to be part owned by Nestle (and I needn't go down that route).  Anita Roddick, who will continue as consultant for now, says "it's a gift", indicating that Loreal want to learn more about ethics and community trade.  The Body Shop has a wealth of ethical enterprise to teach Loreal.  In the eighties, they campaigned for reusing and recycling their bottles, when most didn't give a minute's thought to our landfill problem.  The Body Shop use natural ingredients, fairly traded where possible and are famously against animal testing.  They (or should we say, Roddick) leads the way supporting campaigns against poverty, human rights and domestic violence.

So have The Body Shop sold out? It is proposed that The Body Shop will be maintained as a standalone entity.  Chris Bones, Principal at Henley Management College, states that for a successful takeover Loreal need to stay true to the reasons for the deal and respect the Body Shop customer.  He warns that they may be a culture clash. We can only wait and see how the takeover will affect both sides involved.  I'd be really interested in your views on the subject - please feel free to comment below! [Ella]

Source: BBC News Online / Taking Over An Ethical Business by Chris Bones for BBC Business

Of Related Interest - Interview by City Hippy with Craig Sams of Green and Blacks on why they agreed the Cadbury's takeover. / The Vegetarian Centre - letter to Loreal regarding animal testing

Pictured - The Body Shop's 'Activist' soap

Bookcycling

Bookstores hold a certain aura for me: all that knowledge - and cheap holiday reads - within four walls. But the prices! Since I discovered the Green Metropolis, my bank account is much happier. GM recycles second hand books by selling paperbacks for £3.75 including postage (hardbacks cost more, and postage is not included). Plus you can sell your own books for £3.00 each - the cash gets credited to your account, and you can buy more books, and then sell them back...what a lovely cycle. And we're not talking some old musty books. There are loads of recent releases, authors like Dan Brown, Dennis Lehane, Maeve Binchy, Penny Vincenzi, cookbooks, gardening, philosophy, the lot! As if the book recycling wasn't enough, GM donates 5p from every sale to the Woodland Trust and allows you to donate to the WT from your account, too.  Now I'm off to hunt down that new Nigella book. [written by Elana]

Rad and recycled: the Jimi plastic wallet

If you're reading this from the US, please feel free to yawn away - you probably read about the credit card- and note-holding Jimi many moons before David Cameron's ascension. For anyone slumming it in the UK, however, this is your first chance to buy the 100 per cent recycled plastic wallet. We have Howies to thank for bringing the green style icon to these shores, although it's rather cheekily selling it for £15 - twice the $15 US price. Stocking filler, anyone?

Invest ethically, make a killing

More proof, as if you needed it, that there's gold to be made out of green. Following news on the cash to made from ethical investment funds such as Aberdeen and F&C's Stewardship, the Belfast Telegraph's regular IFA chap says such funds are 'a sound investment'. Malcolm Johnston's reasoning is pretty simple. In his words, a 'positive attitude to ethics and the environment signals a company's intelligence, efficiency and long term sustainability.' It's certainly worth considering as an alternative to another sack of tat this Christmas; take a look at Smile Invest's very good site if you want to get your head around ethical investing. Triodos Renewables (pictured) is also worth a peek.

Leather belts in recycled wallet shocker

Let's say you have a current bank account with the ethically-minded Smile, shares invested with Triodos to help wind turbines and a Greenpeace credit card for making big splurges. If you ticked all the above you would surely qualify as ethical money royalty. You would, but chances are you'd still be carrying your filthy lucre in a wallet made in China from chemical-filled leather. Which - in a slightly long-winded manner - is where this recycled leather wallet enters. Made from old leather belts in London, Paris and Los Angeles, it's a choice Xmas present which comes in four versions for ethical money princes and princesses. The cheapest is £87.50; they're available at Nigel's Ecostore (formerly the Insight Ecostore).

Related stories:
For ethical cash, go to Aberdeen

For ethical cash, go to Aberdeen

So said John Scott and Partners in last week's Guardian. According to the firm of independent financial advisers - damn, I love money talk - the best ethical place to invest your cash is in Aberdeen Asset Management's Ethical World fund. John and his mates recommend it on the grounds that it's shown some of the most impressive growth of any ethical fund and is best for the planet. It's rated 'dark green' which mean your money won't be invested in tobacco cos, environmentally dodgy outfits and anyone with a bad human rights' record. So why's Ethical World making so much cash? Mainly because it's primarily invested in tech companies such as Canon and Samsung (pictured) that are doing well and also have strong eco policies. To sign up, click over to Aberdeen's website. For a greener and more local investment - albeit without John's thumbs-up - put some money into UK wind turbines with Triodos Renewables. Its share issue ends on 14th October.

Bank ethically, save £123 a year

Sod the ethical benefits of banking with Smile. If you go for its £90-a-year Smilemore premium current account you receive a whole stack of eco goodies and deals that it reckons could save you £350 a year. Here's the how: you get £25 off your eleccie bill when signing up with green power outfit Ecotricity (its new Dagenham turbine is in the photo) plus the equivalent of £150 in annual worldwide travel insurance from Norwich Union and £38's worth of roadside assistance from Green Flag. Yep, I make that £213 too. Minus £90, however, you're still 'saving' £123. The banking side isn't bad, either - there's an interest-free overdraft to £250 and the interest rate is 3.3%, which trashes the high street and most of the net banks. The ethical side isn't bad either - unlike everyone but Triodos and the Co-Op, Smile guarantees your money won't end up being invested in arms companies, contributors to climate change or anyone with a dodgy human rights' record. I should also point out that I've been banking with Smile for over a year - the site is superb and the customer service is very good. Find out more for yourself over at Smile's website.

Ethical funds: the good, the mad and the so-so

I'm no ALF member, but even I think an ethical investment fund shouldn't invest in companies that do animal testing. Odd, then, that the Henderson Ethical Fund - which includes First Group, the transport company doing Fuel Cell buses (pictured) - relaxed its ethical screening last week and now invests in animal-testing health outfits. Still, there are plenty of alternatives. Aegon's is generally considered to be pretty sound on ethics, has been going since 1989 and is doing OK at the moment. Star performer for your green cash, though is currently F&C's Stewardship Income fund which, as you can see from the graph on this page, is going up, up, up. Fingers crossed, now all the political parties - to one degree or another - are committed to renewables, green law and Kyoto, you should be onto a winner if you don't mind investing for the long term. [found via The Telegraph]

The current account that cuts bills

Here's proof of the save cash and save the planet mantra, if ever I saw it. The Co-Op's just relaunched its posh upgrade account, Privilege, and is offering a £35 discount on your electricity bill when you open an account - provided you're happy switching to green supplier Ecotricity. You also get several other 'ethical benefits', including 25% off a sub to Ethical Consumer mag, 20% off Hug organic clothing and the chance to buy some discounted plants. There are a whole load of money benefits, too, not least free travel insurance and a £100 interest-free overdraft. All this doesn't come for free, mind: you have to pay £6.50 a month for the  - ahem - privilege.

Downshifting is the new black

If you feel like the weekend newspapers are packed with page after page of downshifting case studies, you're not alone - I'm convinced someone's going around and pasting the same 'escaped-London-moved-to-rural-France' story into all the papers I buy. But I digress. It's National Downshifting Week next week (23-29 April). It's being bigged up by Tracey  Smith (pictured) who packed it all in for - you guessed it - a life in rural France. The Week's website suggests trying organic food, recycling clothes and composting amongst other decent ideas. Tracey also offers this obvious but easily overlooked nugget: "the less money you have to earn to maintain your lifestyle then the less time you have to work". Sounds very much like the thrust of Tom Hodgkinson's next book, How to be Free. Amen to the "less work" bit.

Make money, save world

As an email from Smile reminds me, it's the start of the new tax year. In other words, a very good time to get serious and put lots of cash in one of its ethically-certified stocks 'n' shares ISAs. The ethical part of the equation is that it'll only invest your pennies into caring companies that don't have anything to do with the dirty business of dodgy regimes, arms and messing up the environment. Also worth a look for ethical interest-making accounts: Co-Operative Bank (PROUD SPONSORS OF THE BILL, no less), Triodos and the GAEIA Partnership. The Guardian also has an interesting (and recent) piece on ethical investments over here.