Post Carbon Fellow Michael Shuman’s report Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense was reviewed by Carl Etnier in the Montpelier Bridge.

From the article:

It turns out that many models of local investing are also local, or at least state-specific. Some investment regulations vary from state to state. And some local investment opportunities are easier to find in certain states.

With that in mind, Montpelier-based sustainability champion Gwendolyn Hallsmith pitched to Shuman the idea of adapting “Local Dollars, Local Sense” to the state level, and starting with (where else?) Vermont. The result is their “Vermont Dollars, Vermont Sense,” a print publication from the Post Carbon Institute; it is also available as a free, downloadable e-book.

The potential amount of money available for local investing is mind boggling. According to the book, U.S. households and non-profits hold $30 trillion in long-term securities — investment vehicles like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension funds and insurance funds. The book claims, “If the U.S. capital markets were functioning efficiently, at least half of this sum, $15 trillion, would move from Wall Street to Main Street.” Even 10 percent would have a huge effect on capital available to local businesses.