BRATTLEBORO — Some have suggested that taking one's money out of a local bank whose investment strategies run counter to your values is unfair to the employees of that particular bank.
I could not disagree more.
I recently closed our small-business account at Toronto Dominion (TD) Bank in Brattleboro because of the heavy investments this bank makes in petroleum pipelines.
Moving the money was truly a hassle. I had to change a number of electronic connections that that we use in the running of our business. I had to find a new bank, order new checks, and fill out applications and signature cards anew.
I was conscious throughout this process that I was leaving an institution that I had depended on for over 25 years. The local employees at TD bank were never the issue.
However, when the process was complete, I felt renewed. Our natural environment is literally collapsing from human convenience. The extraction and consumption of oil is literally killing our world.
Making a move with one's money is a significant and real statement. Our business now supports another local financial institution that contributes to our community in many good ways.
The times we live in are pushing me to stop procrastinating. If an idea is good and effective, it should not go on some abstract bucket list for another day - it should be acted upon.
I meet a lot of discouraged people these days who feel helpless as progress in social, economic, and environmental justice is being reversed by the current administration in Washington.
As Henry Thoreau said long ago, “Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.” Make the effort to change where your money works. Find a way to make it work for you and your values.
The effort will pay off in many ways to you, your community, the nation, and the world.