“What would the world be like if we invested 50% of our money within 50 miles of where we live?”
The Slow Money Alliance has a set of principles in place in order to “enhance food security, food safety and food access; improve nutrition and health; promote cultural, ecological and economic diversity; and accelerate the transition from an economy based on extraction and consumption to an economy based on preservation and restoration.”
Its principles include the belief that money must be brought back ‘down to earth’. It believes that there are too many big companies, that finance has become too complex and that money moves too fast. They want to slow this movement of money down, but makes it clear that not all money should be slowed down.
Furthermore, it believes that the 21st century should become an age in which capital is nurtured and learning to invest in a way that makes food and farms that produce these foods, actually mattered.
Simply put, the Slow Money movement wants to fix parts of economic failure by investing close to home, starting with food.
It brings together investors and farmers such as organic farmers and small scale farms, to build a stronger, natural food source. Without funding, these farms cannot be sustained and healthier food production will not be available.
The investors in turn share in the profit made on these farms.
The Slow Money Alliance allows investors to pull money out of global markets and rather invest in a ‘home’ market that supports organic farming and food production, along with other businesses. With this kind of support, local economies have a chance to build itself up into a strong and competing market.
Not only will “slow money” strengthen communities, but as you might know, buying locally has a positive effect on the environment. Buying carrots, for example, from a local farmer, is a much more environmentally sound choice than buying carrots from a farmer hundreds of miles away from you.
It strives to rebuild ecological and social trust by supporting local farming projects. It focuses on creating and supporting new ways when it comes to food, capital and the soil itself. It’s about creating a healthy food system, locally.
It also has what is called the Soil Trust and its basic function is to put back into the soil what was taken out.
With initiatives like this, buying locally and investing in your own community, will become easier and more profitable. Check out their website, Slow Money Alliance for more information, and news local events and the annual national gathering.