Poverty is a worldwide problem that causes immense suffering - and can sometimes seem overwhelming to solve. 

And yet, there are innovative solutions out there - and Grameen is a perfect example. It was exciting to talk with Ritu Chattree with Grameen America, who shared the history and personal stories of Grameen. 

Founded in Bangladesh by Dr. Muhammad Yunnis in 1976, Grameen provides microcredit to small business owners struggling with poverty. Over 95 percent of the recipients are women, who build up their families and communities while also succeeding as entrepreneurs. 

Grameen America brings these successful methods to impoverished neighborhoods in the US, where a small loan of a few hundred dollars can make a big difference for local businesses. 

It's no surprise that both Yunus and Grameen Bank won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for this important work. Intense poverty breeds political instability, violent conflict, and environmental damage.  Grameen's work forges a path out of poverty for women with ideas, spirit and ambition - and in doing so, supports principles of community and sustainability.

Photo: Grameen Bank 

I admit it, I'm not a “techie.” New gadgets interest me for about two seconds tops, and that whole "someday, in the future, we won't need books, we'll read everything on our handhelds" sounds like scary sci-fi to me. (And I know, it's already happening!)

I tend to enjoy old-fashioned, simple pleasures -- like walking, talking to people in person and reading actual books with pages that turn.

Now, green tech on the other hand...well, I can't say I obsessively track every trend, but I get much more excited about the incredible innovations happening.  A lot of green technology represents the best of human potential - using our intelligence and creativity to invent new products like solar or kinetic battery chargers, processes such as cogeneration, tools like this hand-crank flashlight/radio and techniques that promote sustainability.

Michael Moyer with Popular Science Magazine had so much to share about cutting edge green technology. He gave us the rundown on the different options for alternative fuel, such as using switchgrass, a summer perennial native to North America, to create ethanol.

I first learned about Interface when I saw its CEO, Ray Anderson, interviewed in the excellent documentary "The Corporation." He spoke about his conversion from a corporate "plunderer" (his words) to a believer in sustainable, profitable business. I was struck by his honesty about the environmental damage his global carpet company had done in the past, and was inspired by his passion for bringing new solutions to the industry.

So I was thrilled to meet with Jim Hartzfeld, who leads Interface's new consulting arm -- Interface RAISE -- which teaches other businesses how to be more sustainable. Jim was so much fun to talk to.  He's got a great sense of humor and is a wonderful storyteller.

Jim has been involved with Interface's transformation since the beginning -- in the 1990's when the company first started addressing its environmental impact, and Ray Anderson led the way with a new perspective gained from reading from Paul Hawken's book, The Ecology of Commerce.

When you pay any attention to the news these days, it can be a bit disheartening.  There's so much suffering in so many places.  But then you hear about the inspiring work being done by organizations like Doctors Without Borders.

Doctors Without Borders is one of the leading humanitarian organizations in the world, bringing medical care to areas ravaged by war and natural disasters and where access to medical services would otherwise be non-existent.

I have such great respect for this worldwide group (originally started in France, and still known as Medicines Sans Frontieres, or MSF), that I was thrilled to get to interview Dr. Buddhima Lokuge about his experiences and volunteer efforts.

I'd known that doctors and nurses volunteered their efforts, but was pleased to learn that MSF also looks at the big picture -- exploring the root causes of suffering around the globe and devising short- and long-term solutions.  For instance, Dr. Lokuge and I discussed the difficulty that developing countries have in procuring affordable medicine for diseases such as tuberculosis - an ailment that has been almost entirely eradicated in wealthier nations.

If you are a medical professional, perhaps consider volunteering with the group. You could make such a huge difference bringing your training, talents, compassion and kindness to where they are needed the most.  And if you're not a doctor, there are plenty of other ways to help in the vital work that MSF does. Just visit their site to find out what you can do.

Of course, MSF also serves as even broader inspiration.  Its example can lead us all to consider our own particular skills -- whether in medicine, agriculture, finance, art, literature, construction, technology -- and how we can offer them to people in need in our own neighborhoods or around the world.

I just came across the website for Bicycle City. It sounds really wonderful:

"Bicycle City is a planned, compact design community where people live, work and play. Its eco-friendly, car-free design is healthy, sustainable and animal-friendly." 

I love the idea of living in a car-free city. No inhaling exhaust. No fear crossing the street. No traffic, or traffic-related stress.

I currently live in a very bike- and pedestrian-friendly area - drivers are used to a lot of people walking and biking throughout the neighborhoods and the town center. But there's still the noise, the pollution and the dangers.

So a "Bicycle City" could be pretty awesome.

"Bicycle City is designed to have the best of large cities and small towns. BC is walking-, running- and cycling-friendly with most everything needed located nearby. If someone owns a car, they park it conveniently on the outside perimeter of the city. Children and animals are safer without motor vehicles. Without the need to drive to work, people use less energy, save money and have less stress. Drive Less. Live More."  

According to the site, this plan has been around since the 90's, but now has funding. So they're looking for the best spot for the city, and getting people on board to live, work or volunteer there. You can click on a list of states and see what feasibility info has been collected so far.  

My only concern is that they don't take a piece of pure, undeveloped land and build a new city on it - even if it is an ideal, green city. I would love to see them buy up 10 blocks of an urban or suburban area and transform it - creating new open space for people and wildlife and really tying in public transit, the arts, etc. That would probably cost more but it would be greener.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that being green also means being "blue". Over 75% of the planet is water - and whether we see it every day, make a living from it, or just admire the views from a distance, healthy oceans are integral to our survival.

So, it was exciting that my first interview as Keep It Green's new host was with Lou Cafiero of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries. Our oceans are home to a vast array of diverse species, all playing vital roles in our environment. Marine sanctuaries play a large part in protecting that abundance of life.

And there's a lot of work to do. Until I talked with Lou, I had no idea that whales face some very unique dangers - one of which is getting hit by huge shipping vessels. These ships move extremely fast, and if a whale is busy feeding or otherwise distracted, it can get hit and seriously injured or killed.

How to prevent this? Lou shared a hopeful success story about research on whales' migratory routes on the Eastern seaboard - which crossed with major shipping lanes out of Boston. With solid facts in hand, environmentalists were able to work with shippers to change the shipping lanes, so that they would not interfere with the whales' own "highways".