Is Kiva "Green"? - Screening businesses for environmental sustainability

[Guest]

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[hbcheney]

Hi,

I just saw a PBS show about Kiva. It sounds great and I want to participate, but, the one concern I have is that the businesses are not being screened for environmental impacts. 

For example, one the businesses featured on the PBS show was a woman named Molly who wanted to expand her charcoal-selling business in Uganda.  A week or so ago I saw another PBS show about how the mountain gorillas in Africa are almost extinct b/c native people are burning down their habitant to create charcoal, since charcoal is one of the only viable businesses they have there.

I wholly support fostering third world businesses and helping them become more self-sufficient, but NOT if those businesses have serious detrimental environmental impacts.  There are enough already-existing businesses all over the world (the US included) that at minimum are not environmentally sustainable and at most are causing severe damage to our planet… let’s not foster any more of them!   

Can you tell me what Kiva is doing about this issue?  Thank you.

[Soriak]

Welcome

Kiva doesn't screen businesses for environmental sustainability but you can pick directly to whom you wish to loan. If you take a look at the business description, you should be able to estimate the sort of impact it may have on the environment and avoid the business if you think it is too high. We also have some Vegans, for example, who avoid businesses dealing with meat.

Hope that helps 

[Dagfinn]

This is an interesting question - let me share the view I take on this:  It is I and all other Kiva supporters that makes up Kiva and to make Kiva green or at least greener I have to turn to myself.  Hence, I have started bringing used plastic bags when shopping so as not to increase more to the garbage problem.  I change products when I find out they use to much packing material (example a tea bag wrapped 5 times!) and I do not shop for the sheer pleasure of shopping.
I no longer have a car and use the public transport instead (saving me money as well).  I do recycle glass and paper and so on.  I turn off electricuty I do not need and have lowered the temperature 2 degrees.

My point being - I start with myself and not with a woman in Uganda that does her best to make a decent living.  I am sure I can find more ways for myself to be greener and as one small wheel of Kiva make it green;) - I would challenge your concern asking you what else I myself can do to make Kiva green 

[KivanSteven]

Always valid concerns hbcheney...that have recently been addressed here on KF, but of course the issue is always a fresh one...here are a couple links where you will find discussion relating to gorilla habitat and the bush meat issue.

http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,1025.130.html

http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,1279.0.html

[Milford]

It is I and all other Kiva supporters that makes up Kiva and to make Kiva green or at least greener I have to turn to myself. 

(...)

My point being - I start with myself and not with a woman in Uganda that does her best to make a decent living.

I try to start with both myself and my borrowers. I agree entirely with what you said about Kiva being us, its users, and thus I feel it is up to me to screen whatever loans I choose to fund. As a suggestion to the initial poster, I'd say one could choose to only fund those businesses who clearly have a environmental-friendly side to them, such as repairing a bus, expanding a scrap business, and so on. There are quite a few of those out there if one is looking.

[Environmental Care]

Hi gang!
I have been chairing the Environmental Loan Group, http://www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=231
We share sustainable lending opportunities when we spot them. It would be great if you would join us!
We have also offered Kiva.org assistance in developing environmental guidelines, etc. as they are working in that direction, but it is excruciatingly slow. So far, they have not asked for it. It would be great to know, for example, whether a person growing vegetables is using chemical fertilizers and pesticides or not. For now, we keep a look out for things like solar, tricycle and bicycle transport, reused, public transport and recycling. Also basic food production, as well as health and education (as these lead to slower population growth rates, which ultimately affect the environment via consumption of resources) are appropriate, although, ultimately, each lender makes his or her own decision.
Keep this discussion going - I love to hear that others are as concerned about what kind of world we are enabling!
Melanie

[norak]

Make sure you read and don't just loan randomly!

[Rob1615]

I will say that I know firsthand of an MFI who provides its loan officers with ecological training enabling them to monitor compliance with the government's permitting requirements.  With that said, I can't vouch for the soundness of this particular country's policies.  So long as they're operating lawfully, is it reasonable to ask Kiva or the MFI to impose its own judgment?  Or is it better to simply leave it up to the lender as Kiva was designed...

[Environmental Care]

I am enjoying reading this discussion. I think we really need to think about what kind of world we are creating; in particular, Kiva needs to think about what kind of world we are creating. If someone's business creates environmental impacts that harm society (such as desertification, climate change, water pollution due to fertilizers and pesticide, local air pollution with increasing the number of taxis, charcoal sellers, etc.), then the potential for their neighbors to live healthily is reduced, leading to increased poverty long-term.
It is really hard to judge from the short descriptions whether a business is sustainable or not. Being with Give Green - Environmental Loans team, there are a lot of members who would like to support agricultural loans, but it is impossible to determine if the fertilizers are sustainable or not; whether a rickshaw or tricycle is motorized or not (motorcycles produce very high rates of small particulates), etc., etc. We, as lenders and Kiva supporters, need to push for change. Kiva lends almost $1,000,000 per week, every week, over $55,000,000 since inception. Who spends that kind of money these days and doesn't plan to mediate and minimize the environmental impacts?!?
By the way, the Environmental Loan Group has merged with Give Green; we are now Give Green - Environmental Loans. The url is the same: www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=231
Thanks!
Melanie (chair)

[redstarr]

One of the things I like about Kiva that's green is that it's so electronic.  Everything's on the internet, no uneccessary paper waste.  All my updates, account statements, everything are paper-free. 

Plus, I've yet to recieve any extra junk mail from being a part of Kiva.  Some charitable organizations sell or share their members info to other organizations and you get a bunch of solicitations to donate to them in your mailbox.  None of that happens with Kiva.