Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
You can get a sense of where Transition in France is heading; quite rightly so. You can taste the cultural identity of France embodied in Transition in France; something José Bové and Pierre Rabhi – and the Colibri folks would be proud of. France is the last major European country to take up Transition, just ahead of Albania, and about at the same stage as Portugal. Why has it taken so long?
In Resilience Circles, we say three things need to happen to make a transition to a new economy: we need a new story about the economy that dismantles the myth of “recovery;” we need stronger communities; and we need new “rules” – i.e. new policies befitting a democracy instead of rule by a corporate elite. To make this happen, Resilience Circles learn together, engage in mutual aid, and take social action.
Land transport will be costly, difficult and dangerous after the industrial system has broken down. Moving goods and people by water will be a better option even for quite short distances but what sort of boats will be needed and what materials will be available to build them?
As much as anywhere in the United States, South Bend has prospered by capitalizing on the promise of the commons — which means assets belonging to all of us, from water and wilderness to the Internet and cultural treasures. The commons also refers to a new ethic of sharing and cooperation that can help solve pressing problems of the 21st century, advocates say. This ethic has come to influence decision making at all levels in South Bend, bringing big changes to city hall, businesses and neighborhoods.
For all the People is a magnificent, comprehensive and detailed history of co-operatives and collectives of all kinds in the USA.
In 2008, economists and scientists met in Paris to discuss “Economic Degrowth for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity.” The Degrowth (Décroissance) movement grew from this economic revolution in France. In 2010, a similar conference convened in Barcelona. For the last two years I have helped organize the Degrowth Conference in Vancouver, Canada. Journalists and traditional economists have asked why a degrowth movement is necessary. Here are answers to their questions…
– Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World,
– Universal bike lanes: the only way to mass cycling?
– Sail Transport Network is Unfurling
– Japanese dreams — peace and happiness in Switzerland
Dr. Scott Fisher, Director of Conservation for the Hawaiian Islands Trust, speaks to us about his work at the Waihe’e Refuge, a 277 acre protected site on the island of Maui. Dr. Fisher talks about traditional Hawaiian land stewardship, sensitive island ecosystems, biodiversity on Maui, and the importance of malama ‘aina (care for the land).
-Analysis: E.coli outbreak poses questions for organic farming
-Are Bean Sprouts the End of Organic Farming? Nah.
-Hedge Farm! The Doomsday Food Price Scenario Turning Hedgies into Survivalists
-Mom-and-pop vs. big-box stores in the food desert
-Organic farming – India’s future perfect?
-Challenges of a Colorado Local Food Initiative
The ultrarich have been getting richer, and the richest 1% in our country own about 40% of the wealth. That’s measured in national dollars. There are other types of wealth, and it’s possible to set up other currencies, so the rest of us can enjoy more wealth. Gwendolyn Hallsmith is the co-author of Creating Wealth: Growing Local Economies with Local Currencies.
Read the transcript from our live webchat about the power of storytelling to engage people around the challenges we all face. Facing the future through fiction!
Read the transcript from our live webchat about the power of storytelling to engage people around the challenges we all face. Facing the future through fiction!
