In his latest book about green and ethical economics, David Boyle successfully simplifies today’s faulty global financial system, rightfully restoring the buying power back to real people—whom, after reading this book, will no longer be in the dark about their hand in both local and global money markets.

This isn’t the daunting read you expect to find when catching up on today’s global crisis. Organised into short, topic-specific chapters, the book’s eight comprehensive sections cover the world’s multiple perceptions of money. Classifications include Information Money, Debt Money, Local Money, and Spiritual Money.

Commenting on the recent financial crash, the book calls into question the near-sightedness of policy-makers and suggests it is now up to individuals and communities to rework modern money so that it includes people and the environment as part of its determined value. 

If not, Boyle says, we may risk further harming ourselves by supporting a financial system that is so dependent on measurable quantities and profits that businesses are already compromising their moral duties while denying the priceless value of human traits and skills.

Money Matters discusses multiple local solutions that put small businesses and local people first so that they don’t have to wait for money to trickle down from corporations.

By reading this book you’ll not only find yourself better informed to make those tough financial decisions, but you’ll also learn how it is once again possible to be part of a wealthy, diverse, economy by refocusing on local sustainability.

Money Matters: Putting the Eco back into Economics by David Boyle (Alastair Sawday's, £7.99 )