Bug talks with Ari Derfel, Executive Director Slow Money and Co-Founder of Gather Restaurant in Berkeley.

Ari shares, "if we want an economy based on restoration and preservation and not extraction, then we need to invest in those things. Right now, 99.9% investment money continues to support our broken economy."

Slow Money is a simple concept: slow some of our money down, invest in those things close to home, invest in things that provide more than just return of money, also for returns in healthy enterprises, healthy communities, and healthy ecosystems. Invest in things that make a difference.

Slow Money asked themselves what is the best way we can do that? What is the one thing we could invest in that would catalyze change and have profound cultural impact? The Answer: Local Food Systems. Food and agriculture employ more people than anything else on the planet, and makes up largest portion of our GDP. On a more intimate meaningful level, it is about investing in our soil. If you look at history of mankind every civilization that has failed has one thing in common: degradation and los of topsoil. An incredible indicator of how a society is doing is health of soil. If we invest in creating strong abundant healthy soil there is strong indication every other aspect of our life healthy too.

Slow Money provides education on local food systems and promotes investment in local food systems.
They start many programs by addressing, "Where does food come from?" It starts with seeds, farmers cultivate and grow food, from those raw materials, portion goes to packaging and processing companies, on to distribution channels, then waste is composted and disposed. These cycles used to be present in every community then agricultural industry grew and components became concentrated in certain areas.
Slow Money is helping communities rebuild that infrastructure, which changes from place to place, needs are different in Ohio than they are in California. It makes sense if we recreate those, it helps create jobs directly and indirectly.

Slow Money goal is to see, in 10 years, Americans investing $1 million in local food systems, 1% of assets. Donate $25 each year to Soil Trust, https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6351/t/9125/shop/custom.jsp?donate_...

Local groups are self-organizing around the country, this does three things:

1. Inspires
2. Connects
3. Helps People to Invest

Actions individuals can take include:
1. Find out what your local food system needs.
2. Go to National Slow Money conference in Fort Mason, October 12-14
3. Move your money to local banks and credit unions, they fund local community projects and organizations

The Slow Money conference brings together an audience of 1,000. About 25-30 groups will pitch their new restaurant, community farm of food business. People are given opportunity to directly invest. It is all about building healthy local communities.

To learn more: see http://www.slowmoney.org/
Or read Woody Tasch book, Slow Money

Gather Restaurant, http://www.gatherrestaurant.com/ Berkeley, is an example of Slow Money in action. There are 65 investors in the project that own it together, and it is a huge sustainable success.