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<p>To those of us who live in the industrialized world, living more sustainably is mostly a matter of choice. We can choose to drive less. We can choose food which is grown locally. We can boycott brands with a poor track record on social issues. We can choose to invest our savings in firms and funds which avoid practices which we deem unfavorable.<br /> <br /> Sadly, for more than a billion people, there is no choice.

<p>The global microfinance revolution is about unleashing power.&nbsp; Even small loans can enable poor communities to transform their skills and energy into higher incomes.&nbsp; This is the basic idea celebrated by the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize to Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh.&nbsp; It meshes with economic theory, and it&rsquo;s backed by thousands of success stories.<br /> &