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Image courtesy of KitAy (flickr); permission being requested.

The current buzzword in the U.S. financial industry is “green shoots:” hopeful early signs of a wider economic recovery, emerging like crocuses from the recession’s wintry landscape. It caught on in the financial press after Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, used the phrase in an interview with journalist Scott Pelley on the classic U.S. television newsmagazine 60 Minutes in March:

Bernanke: “We are seeing progress in the money market mutual funds, and in the business lending area. And I think as those green shoots begin to appear in different markets—and as some confidence begins to come back—that will begin the positive dynamic that brings our economy back."

Pelley: "Do you see green shoots?"

Bernanke: "I do. I do see green shoots. Not everywhere, but certainly in some of the markets that we've been functioning in. And we've seen some improvement in the banks as well, certainly in some key cases.”

It’s a lovely, optimistic image of “natural” regrowth, and a message that has seemingly helped rally the markets. Yet it seems U.K. government minister, Baroness Vadera, tried using the same phrase in January and was immediately criticized for being out of touch. Perhaps she spoke too soon, or perhaps the British public felt the suggestion of anything sprouting in the dead of winter just lacked credibility. Now that (a terrifically rainy) spring here in New York City is almost over, one wonders what the summer might bring in the way of extended pastoral metaphors for global economic recovery.

While waiting for greener financial pastures, a new, recession-friendly shopping concept has literally made a name for itself: the groupon. Launched late last year by a privately funded “platform for collective action” in Chicago via their website (groupon.thepoint.com), groupons can be redeemed for deals—sometimes up to 70 percent off—on professional services and other items offered by local proprietors in several major cities around the U.S. The nature of a groupon means that it can only be redeemed if enough people sign up, though—thus putting the “group” in the coupon, and showing the usefulness of collective buying power. Workers of the world, redeem.