Category Archives: activism

Kiva Magic: Exponential Power of Microlending

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As friends and longtime readers know, I have been actively microlending through Kiva since getting my family inheritance, and deciding to experiment by “investing” $1000 in ten $100 loans to business owners and economic cooperatives around the world.

I reflected before about it when I made my 50th loan, and now I just made my 105th Kiva loan, and my original $1000 has been now been relent to reach $10,050.

What’s more is that because I’ve been sharing my microlending story, I’ve inspired 81 people to lend their own money. I truly hope to inspire YOU today, as Kiva is offering matching $1 Million in loans, just today (September 12, 2018). So, if you choose to start your own lending portfolio, you can make a $50 loan into $100, or a $100 in $200…over if you did the same $1000 investment that I began with lending, you’d double your impact on day one, and truly experience exponential growth. 

Lastly, working with my kids to research the loan terms, we’ve tried to spread the wealth (which in this case feels like spreading the love). We’ve loaned to business people in 52 countries. I’ve prioritized mostly women-led loans and try to average the repayment length at about year, so I can relend regularly. They/we are still learning from the process, and it does make us feel more connected in the world.

Part of the reason why I decided to “invest” my money in this way is that I felt not just calling to philanthropy, but to fundamentally change the global economy. $10k may still be a drop in the ocean, but it’s one that helps me feel like I am making a difference and putting my money where my heart is.

Peace,

Darcy Rose 

Talking about Earth Day with your kids

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I’m blown away by a video that poet and rapper, Prince Ea, did for Stand for Trees. It is quite simply the most poetic expression of pure truth, here on Earth Day 2015. I hope you’ll take a moment to watch this incredible call to action…then continue the conversation in the comments.

I showed my kids the video this morning, and I think they were really moved. I realized recently that I’ve been so wrapped up in raising three kiddos and launching my part-time businesses that I haven’t really had “the talk” with them about environmental issues and my previous (and now regenerated) passion for sustainable living. I’m sure there are more conversations to follow, but this was a good starting place for a conversation.

After twenty-five years of calling myself an environmentalist, I’m finally ready to take my sustainability commitment to the next level. It’s unconscionable not to at least give this planet our best try, and I actually think it will be inspiring to create a “global warming of our hearts.” I know my kids would love to be part of the solution and have bright and shining spirits to share with the world. This is just the beginning, a new leaf.

I wasn’t familiar with Stand for Trees, but there website is really impressive and there programs and impacts are explained very clearly. They seem to have a really savvy approach. I’m hopefully they will be part of the solution. Green Empowerment, the non-profit organization Miel leads, is another group poised to make a powerful positive impact on our planet. Their work is already underway, we just need to support them.

So, I’m committing this Earth Day 2015 to offset my family’s carbon footprint 100% by 2020.

Sorry, but I’m not ready to apologize.

What are you going to stand for?

How will you offset your impact and work together to fix this thing?

With light and love,

Darcy

Story of Broke

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I’ve been a not-so-secret admirer of Annie Leonard “Story of…” series since just after I started my blog. Her latest “Story of Broke” really makes me motivated to take action. 


After watching it, I kept thinking about how outraged I was when I first learned how much the government spends on warfare compared to education. There was a graph that made it appallingly easy to under that our 
national budget was completely ill-prioritized. The thing that makes me sadder today is that was almost exactly 20 years ago (I vividly remember being at the Eugene Celebration and visiting all the environmental and social justice booths. I soaked it in like a sponge.) I also somehow naively thought that once I was old enough to start voting that things would get better…


Watching Annie’s latest video in the midst of an Occupy movement that will likely be moving to a different level (at least past the emcampment here in Portland) makes me finally believe that we may be gaining enough momentum to transform the economy. It’s time to move more than the deck chairs on the Titanic. I still feel a bit overwhelmed by the whole situation, but I certainly am not willing to wait until my kids start asking me why we spend our common money on all the wrong things.


Most of all, I love Annie’s message that we aren’t broke!! It’s really the kind of mental shift we need to make in order to realize that we do have the power to fix our situation. It’s both very simple and very complex, but I also believe that it’s very much worth us all doing what we can to take action. Watch the quick video, and I think you’ll agree.


“The United States isn’t broke ; we’re the richest country on the planet and a country in which the richest among us are doing exceptionally well. But the truth is,  our economy is broken.”








Story of Stuff
Story of Citizens
Story of Cosmetics
Story of Bottled Water
Story of Electronics
Meeting Annie Leonard


What action does Annie inspire you to take?



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Sustainable Family Finances 
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.

Dr. Bronner’s Soap & Film

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It may be a bit nerdy, but Hubby and I love a  good documentary. Over the weekend we rented Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox from Netflix. It was a really intriguing film about the legacy of a man, and now a family.


Since my parents were some of the hippies who flocked to his “magic soap,” I’ve grown up on Dr. Bronner’s .  I’ve always loved the tingly feeling of the peppermint, and the fact that it’s biodegradable. I enjoy their lotions too, and have the lavender one at my bed side.


I remember sometime in childhood asking my Mom about the religious/spiritual messages on the soap labels…all-one seemed like a unifying belief, but I wasn’t so sure how the rest of it fit together…Dr Bronner’s philosophy blends lots of different truths to create his own unique truth. 


Dr. Bronner lived a fascinating life, and was steadfast in sharing his truth. CIA files labeled him as a “nutty,” although it’s to know if his shock therapy in the “nut house” only made his preaching more emphatic. Disturbingly, he sacrificed his children for his cause, and they grew up in orphanages while he traveled sharing his gospel.  I don’t want to give away the whole film, but the trailer is below and you can start to get a feel for the zany scientist/soap-maker/spiritual speaker. 


I also learned some more reasons to love Dr. Bronner’s soap:

  • First to produce a 100% post-consumer recycled bottle.
  • Organic and proud of it – they’ve been working hard to keep the standards high
  • Fair Trade – and not just their supply chain – DB’s top execs make no more than 5 times the lowest paid employee, and all staff have health care and retirement plans
  • Advocates for industrial hemp – hemp’s high omegas make it great for soap!

Dr. Bronner’s granddaughter is a mom, and has a blog all about her ways of going green.


As suggested, I use it for both personal hygiene and household cleaning. I have yet to try all of the ways they suggest using it though, and I’m planning to get more adventurous in my usage. If you start using Dr. Bronner’s religiously, I promise you’ll save your family money and promote sustainable and people-friendly business practices.


Here’s the trailer to the film about the magic soap maker:







Does your family use Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps?


~*~*~*~*~*~ 
Sustainable Family Finances 
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.

Investing in Women

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I try to keep videos I share short, as knowing your time is precious. But today I hope that you’ll take the time to watch this moving TED talk on why we need to invest in women to solve the world’s greatest injustices. It’s heart wrenching and you may tear up, but it will be worth the inspiration.





This video was shared by Kiva, and a partner organization that just launched called Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship. 

Do you have a daughter? 
Do you expect that she’ll have the opportunity to get an education?



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Sustainable Family Finances 
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.