Four Simple Ways to Make a Difference With Your Dollars
Four Simple Ways to Make a Difference With Your Dollars
by Eliza Bloom
Did you know that even the brand of toothpaste you buy can
take the world closer to--or further from--peace?
It's true: Every dollar you spend can make a difference.
But it takes time to sift through all the news reports,
advertising messages, and public relations campaigns to
figure out whether a company deserves your dough.
The following websites are designed to help you quickly and
easily determine whether the companies you do business
with are socially and environmentally responsible.
RESPONSIBLE SHOPPER
GREENPAGES
SOCIAL FUNDS
SOCIAL INVESTMENT FORUM
About the author: Eliza Bloom is a frequent contributor to two "just for you"
websites, including http://www.momscape.com (featuring tools to help
busy parents achieve balance) and http://www.BestSelfHelp.com,
an online catalog of the best personal growth resources. Eliza's book,
The Bloom Method is now available online, in full text:
http://www.momscape.com/elizabloom/thebloommethod
http://www.responsibleshopper.org
Here, you can search for your favorite stores and
find out the lowdown on their social and environmental
performance. The ResponsibleShopper database features
350 company profiles, including information from the
companies themselves as well as private and governmental
organizations, corporate watch dog organizations,
consumer organizations, newspaper and magazine
articles, and news wire stories.
http://www.greenpages.org
Green Pages Online provides information on 2,000 qualified
"green companies," each of which has made a commitment
to environmental and social responsibility. Each business
listed here has undergone a rigorous screening process.
http://www.socialfunds.com
This site provides information on responsible investing
including mutual funds, community investments (addressing
the financial needs of low income and under-served
communities), as well as how shareholders can actively
shape social policies of businesses. It's pretty
comprehensive: You'll find more than 10,000 pages of
information on SRI mutual funds, corporate research,
shareowner actions, as well as daily social investment news.
http://www.socialinvest.org
More contacts and resources on socially responsible
investing. If you're new to SRI, start with the site's
introduction:
http://www.socialinvest.org/Areas/SRIGuide