Environmental Investing with Self-Help
Environmental investing with Self-Help Credit Union, a leader in promoting and financing sustainable, green, business development.
Self-Help works to create sustainable results for communities and individuals. We were an early leader in promoting green businesses when we created the Self-Help North Carolina Recycling Fund in 1995, and we continue to innovate in triple bottom line (TBL) financing.
Economics, Equity, and the Environment
The low-wealth people and communities we serve are often disproportionately impacted by environmental issues. Low-income people are more likely to live in energy-inefficient homes, attend schools with poor indoor air quality, and live or work near waste dumps and industrial polluters. Unfortunately, solutions to national environmental problems, such as land preservation, sustainable business development, and green energy production often do not benefit disadvantaged communities.
In response, Self-Help strives for community impact in three areas: 1) Social equity, by ensuring that benefits flow to low-wealth communities and people; 2) Economic development, in the form of wealth-and income-building opportunities; and 3) Environmental benefits, by building and financing more energy-efficient, green homes, schools, and workplaces, and by supporting businesses working to sustain the environment and investing in green initiatives.
Invest with Impact - Green Term Certificate (CD)
Green term certificates are green deposits that pay the same competitive market interest rates as Self-Help’s standard term certificates. By opening an Green Term Certificate (CD), you make a sustainable investment by supporting our lending to a wide range of sustainable development projects. Self-Help makes loans and provides technical assistance to green businesses and non-profits involved in recycling, sustainable agriculture/organic farms, sustainable forestry, land conservation, eco-tourism, solar and renewable energy, green retail, and environmental technology. In addition, our real estate development activities use green building practices whenever possible to decrease resource usage and make buildings healthier. Download a Green CD Flier or open a Green CDnow.
Residential Real Estate Development:
The green affordable homes we build meet state-of-the-art energy efficiency standards. In addition, we focus on the innovative use of infill housing in cities and small towns, to avoid the negative impacts of sprawling development.
Commercial Lending:
We provide business loans that enable entrepreneurs to capitalize on sustainable business opportunities, such as ecotourism, recycling, environmental technology, green retail, and renewable energy. In addition to significant environmental benefits, many of these businesses provide quality “green collar” jobs where workers can develop useful skills in growing industries. Success stories reflecting such environmental investments include Shimar Recycling and Blue Ridge Biofuels.
