By Harry Moran, CFP® AIF®

I just had the great pleasure of attending the 20th Anniversary SRI in the Rockies
Conference. This year’s gathering of the sustainable and responsible investing
community, titled “From Crisis to Opportunity: Investing in a Sustainable World”, was
held in Tucson from October 25-28. As always, the event was energizing and
inspirational as the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners shared ideas and strategies
for using money as a transformational tool for positive social and environmental change.
The recent financial crisis offered fertile ground for probing discussions about the root
causes of the problems and the opportunity we now have to use the crisis as a launching
point for meaningful change in the financial system. A common theme in several of the
sessions was the loss of “connectedness” between people and their money. Money now
moves around the world at lightning speed, often so detached from the activities it is
financing that not even the “experts” fully understand all of the implications. In a world
dominated by huge global financial institutions, money has lost its personal connection to
our communities and individual lives.

Woody Tasch, President of the Slow Money Alliance, remarked during a panel
discussion that financial transactions are now ‘complex, opaque, anonymous and based
on short-term outcomes’ while we would be much better served by transactions that are
‘direct, transparent, personal and based on long-term relationships’. In his 2008 book
“Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money”, Mr. Tasch draws on the principles of the
International Slow Food Movement, founded by Carlo Petrini. Tasch builds on Petrini’s
vision of food’s powerful ability to restore, heal and connect people and place and his
argument for an agricultural system which produces nutritious, satisfying, healthy and
affordable food from sustainable local farms. This vision stands in sharp contrast to the
agribusiness model which has contributed to ‘…chemically-laden food supplies, depleted
aquifers, millions of acres of GMO corn, trillions of food miles, widespread deregulation
of soil fertility, a dead zone the size of Rhode Island in the Gulf of Mexico created by
topsoil runoff full of pesticides and fertilizer residues, and obesity epidemics side by side
with persistent hunger’.

Tasch points to the broader importance of restoring the connection between our money
and our communities. We need to support enterprises that pay attention to the “triple
bottom line”- people, planet and profit, as we transition from a model dominated by
“efficient” financial markets to one that is more grounded and place-based. I believe this
vision offers real hope during this difficult period as we attempt to move from the
consumer-driven, maximum growth at all costs model based on extraction and
consumption, to one in which we may have less “stuff” but far more substance, meaning
and connection. We need to work together to bring forth this new economy which seeks
preservation and restoration and is focused on quality and our relationships to one
another and to the land. Your support of local farms and businesses puts you on the
leading edge of this economic transformation.

Harry Moran helps socially conscious investors define and achieve their highest goals by
aligning their money with their values. A 22-year veteran of the financial services
profession, Mr. Moran has held the Certified Financial Planner® designation since
1991. He is a network member of First Affirmative Financial Network, a national
professional organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the socially conscious
investing community. Mr. Moran can be reached directly at Cornerstone Financial
Advisors at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 518-877-8800.

Mention of specific securities, funds, or companies should not be considered an offer or a
recommendation to buy or sell the security, fund, or company. To determine the
suitability of any particular investment, please consult with your investment adviser.
Remember, past performance is no guarantee of future results and no investment strategy
can assure success. The opinions expressed are those of the author and may change
without notice. Harry Moran is a registered representative offering securities through
Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., member FINRA SIPC. Cadaret, Grant is not affiliated with
Cornerstone or First Affirmative.