SWITCH TO A GREEN BANK
Any large-scale societal change needs a rebalancing of our currently flawed financial system, which is unequal and excludes the environmental and social costs of production. Green banking and green investments are one way to start addressing these imbalances, although you should ensure when making ‘green ’investments that mining and fossil companies are excluded from the portfolios. There are also some interesting new economic models that involve bartering or the exchange of skills and labour at the community level in Amsterdam.
educate yourself
The Pakhuis de Zwijger has a dynamic programme that focuses on many aspects of sustainability, including finance.
GET ACTIVE!
Check out the Noppes LETS (Local Exchange Trading System) and the Timebank.cc community currency in the Netherlands as well as the global Beliive trading system that uses time as a currency.
The Makkie scheme in the East of Amsterdam allows you to earn ‘makkies’ through volunteer work that can be spent in local shops.
Change your bank to a more sustainable one: either Triodos or ASN are the best choices in the Netherlands, and they both offer green investment possibilities.
