So, what IS Kiva?

Pendo Luisi, 27 years old, borrowed $175 to open a cafe in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Here’s what Kiva says…

Kiva’s mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending.

Kiva was born of the following beliefs:

• People are by nature generous, and will help others if given the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way.
• The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity.
• By connecting people we can create relationships beyond financial transactions, and build a global community expressing support and encouragement of one another.

Kiva promotes:

• Dignity:   Kiva encourages partnership relationships as opposed to benefactor relationships. Partnership relationships are characterized by mutual dignity and respect.
• Accountability:   Loans encourage more accountability than donations where repayment is not expected.
• Transparency:   The Kiva website is an open platform where communication can flow freely around the world.

As of November 2009, Kiva has facilitated over $100 million in loans.

Kiva does change lives. Yes, your loan helps a small business owner realize their dreams, but perhaps the lives most changed are ours.

The ones who dare to loan. Join me, won’t you?

I look out my window everyday at mountain peaks. I can hike and bike some of the most beautiful trails within a few minutes from my front door, I ski Champagne Powder, swim in crystal blue lakes and my tap water actually tastes good. Yet it’s hard for me to be conscious of the Earth; so I completely understand you may be thinking “let someone else do it”.  I drive an SUV because I live in the Colorado Rockies, way up in them… I pick my kids up from school every day when they could take the bus or ride a bike, because I treasure that time with them… I recycle, but probably not as much as I could. Point is, I’m not a fanatical tree-hugger-type, and if I can take a moment to consider what changes I can make, so can you.

It may take our generation a little longer and more effort to adapt. But if we develop good habits in our children, it will be easy for them. Remember when we didn’t wear seat belts? Our kids don’t. They jump in the car and buckle up without a thought. It will take a little effort, but you and I can leave behind a legacy of caring for this planet with just a few changes in our daily life.Here’s a few Earth Day tips to get you and I started.

Real Life (and pretty easy) Ways to Make a Difference.

1. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
2. Turn off the light when you leave the room.
3. Unplug that cell phone charger when you aren’t using it.
4. Pick a cause to change our world. Donate. Consider any of these top-rated charities: Charity Water,  The Conservation Fund, The Hunger Project, Care.
5. Reuse plastic water bottles for beverages for school lunches.
6. Use compact fluorescent bulbs – same amount of light, 1/4 of the energy of regular light bulbs.
7. Fix leaky toilets and faucets.
8. Ride your bike.
9. Recycle. Newspapers, plastic, glass and tin cans. It’s pretty easy to do.
10. Bring your own bags to the grocery store.
11. Use “Green” cleaning products. Yes, it matters.
12. Teach your teenagers to use a towel more than once before washing.
13. Turn your car off if idling over a minute.

These aren’t HUGE life changing actions, but they are HUGE life changing impressions on anyone who watches how you live. Your children, your friends, your neighbors. I realize I can make a difference starting today. Hope you will consider joining me. Right now.

Here’s to Earth, the only home we have and to those who make a difference every day.