Greenlink Berkshire

The network of community groups committed to the care of the environment, greener living and development of the local economy in Berkshire.

 

Smart Money

 

Banking and Insurance Greener Credit Local Exchange Trading Schemes Smart Buys
Socially Responsible Investment Time Banking


Banking and Insurance

The Bank with the greenest credentials that doesn't put its money where its customers believe it shouldn't is the Co-operative Bank. For full information on its business, environmental and ethical policy visit www.co-operative.co.uk/

It also runs the award-winning internet bank www.smile.co.uk

Naturesave Trust offer personal and commercial insurance products with an environmental ethos: www.naturesave.co.uk

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Greener Credit

Take out a Co-operative Bank think credit card and help save the Indonesian rainforest at the same time.  Visit http://www.cooperativebank.co.uk/

The Co-operative Bank credit card is made PETg plastic ? a natural material produced from plant extracts that doesn?t involve vinyl-chloride whilst no toxic chemicals are released during its breakdown.

Why not contact your favourite environmental charity to find out about their own credit cards?

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Local Exchange Trading Schemes
Local Exchange Trading Schemes (LETS) use a local unit of currency to enable people to swap skills, goods and services. There are now over 500 schemes operating in the UK including Bracknell, Maidenhead and Reading. They help meet the needs of a local community and enable people to trade their skills and services without the use of normal money.

For further information visit the national website at www.letslinkuk.net/

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Smart Buys
Ethical Consumer magazine's online shopping guide is at www.ethiscore.org

A new ethical shopping directory www.shopethical.co.uk provides an online directory featuring links to ethical goods and services, ethical organisations and socially responsible traders. Shopethical also features environmental and ethical campaigns and groups working for a fairer society. e-mail: shopethical@care4free.net tel: 0208 858 5073

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Socially Responsible Investment
Bristol based Triodos Bank is the UK's only social bank lending specifically to support enterprises where ethics are at the core of their daily operations as well as being profitable. Ask for their project list of all the social and environmental projects the bank finances in the UK.

Triodos Bank, Brunel House, 11 The Promenade, Bristol BS8 3NN Tel: 0500 008720 or visit www.triodos.co.uk.

The GAEIA Partnership at www.gaeia.co.uk offers independent advice on green, ethical, environmentally friendly and social responsible investment funds.

Shared Interest is the world's only 100% fair trade lender, a UK based co-operative owned by 8000+ members/investors.  Watch a video which helps to show the effects of the work that they do at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYbUERFu_50 or visit their website www.shared-interest.com 

Other organisations worth checking out:

The Ethical Investment Co-operative Ltd for ethical and environmental pensions and investments Tel: 01325 267228 or e-mail greeninvest@gn.apc.org or visit their website at www.ethicalmoney.org/

Free Ethical Investment Information Pack available from Barchester Green Tel: 0800 328 6818

An opportunity for local people to become stakeholders in an exciting new renewable energy venture in the Thames Valley with Baywind Energy Co-operative Ltd. Visit www.baywind.co.uk now.

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Time Banking
There is a market economy in which money drives transactions, and then there is a non-market economy that we do not consider as an economic system ? our network of support in the form of family, friends, neighbours and community.

A time bank is a way for people to come together and help each other using time as a currency. Participants 'deposit' their time in the bank by giving practical help and support and are able to 'withdraw' their time when they need something done themselves. Everyone's time is worth the same and a broker links people up and keeps records. People help each other with everything from making phone calls to sharing meals and giving lifts to the shop ? anything that brings them together.

Find out more now at www.timebanks.co.uk

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