Green Microfinancing (42%), with Getting Off the Grid a close second (at 32%).Thanks to everyone for voting and helping us choose a topic.
Since these were the two most popular topics by far, so we will not let all the votes go to waste. On APRIL 27, the topic will be Green Microfinancing.
Because of the Memorial Day holiday, we will not have an Idea Club in May but will return again on JUNE 22. The topic that night will be Getting Off the Grid. If anyone would like to volunteer to lead this discussion, please contact us.
Nora Burton has volunteered to lead the discussion on Green Microfinancing while Richard Gayle will help facilitate. It should be a very interesting discussion.
To help start things off, take a look at Green Microfinance, a non-profit organization whose mission is: "to address climate change and environmental justice by providing education and sharing knowledge on ‘microfinance and climate change’ and ‘clean energy for the poor." They have a great resource center and a blog worth reading.
The most recent entry discusses a report from the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) on MIcrofinance and Climate Change. This report contains a tremendous amount of information regarding the effects of microfinancing on adaptation and mitigation of climate change.
This should be a great place to start learning about Green Microfinancing so we can have a strong discussion on April 27, not only about what it is but perhaps what sorts of actions we can take to help.