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If you want to start off investing with small amounts and want to know your money is making a significant difference, give microlending a try.
What is Microlending?
Microlending is essentially giving very small loans to entrepreneurs who need a leg up in starting or growing a business. Usually these business people are located in developing nations or poor areas and have little or no access to loans from larger institutions.
The premise is simple—you lend a small amount of money and it is paid back in a relatively short period of time, often with interest.
There are options for getting involved in microlending, especially when it comes to helping people in developing nations. Listed here are some well known and trustworthy organizations that can connect you with those who need your assistance. You can utilize these organizations to search out entrepreneures doing work that helps and improves the environment, such as using recycled or renewable materials in manufacturing products, or refurbishes and resells used products, or perhaps works directly to better the health of the planet.
How to Get Started
Microplace is a branch of eBay. You can look through the business people who work with the organization and choose which business you want to assist. You can sort your search by industry, the amount of money you want to lend, the time period over which you'd like to be repaid, and other criteria.
Kiva works in a similar way, allowing you to search out who you'd like to invest in. In fact, Kiva is reportedly the first website to provide this type of microlending format. By working with an organization like Kiva, you can be assured that your funds are going to people who truly need them, will use them productively, and will pay you back according to the agreed upon terms.
More on Green Investing:
Meet Change Maker Tracey Turner of MicroPlace
How Alternative Energy Mutual Funds Work
Quick Green Investing Tips for 2009
6 Alternative Green Investment Strategies for 2009
Green Tech Investments Have Positive Outlook for 2009
How to Go Green: Investing
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