How does buying local support a better economy?
Do you buy local? Or buy from massive international corporations? Here's why your decision makes a big difference.
The Economy
Pick apart any environmental or social problem you can think of, and you find that The Economy is running the show. Our society has made many of these errant choices because of The Economy. If we’re going to solve any…
The Econ Puzzle’s Debut
This week marked the trimphant wrap-up of our Human Ecology class at Otis College of Art and Design. It was a great group of students this semester, and their enthusiasm shone through in their final projects. We celebrated with people…
Collapse? Maybe not.
It’s all a matter of perspective. In a previous post I argued that economic contraction is necessary and in fact underway. Is this “Collapse” — that scary term that so many authors love to throw around? I find the C word to be counterproductive.…
Economic Descent, hopefully with skillful means
This post is in response to one by Rob Hopkins, which was in response to one byDavid Holmgren. In case I don’t use sufficiently ‘skillful means,’ please let me begin with stating: I am not advocating for intentionally creating an…
Powerdown: Let’s Talk About It
We’re caught in the squeeze right now. Climate change is advancing at an incredible speed. We know we should do something, but we lack the political will to do what it takes to hold it to 2°C. UN committees are now being…
Revolt and Change our lives
It’s a sign of a really good essay when bits of it linger with you for days after you’ve read it and it keeps popping up in your mind. Naomi Klein’s “Why Science is Telling All of Us to Revolt and…
Why is acknowledgement of economic contraction vitally important?
… for climate change, environmental, and social justice activists, and for Transition initiatives … Economic contraction will hit us first. Of the triple crisis issues, the timeline for economic contraction is the shortest; it will hit before we feel the…
The Beginning of Contraction
“Understandably, everyone wants it to get “back to normal.” But here’s a disturbing thought: What if that is not possible? What if the goalposts have been moved, the rules rewritten, the game changed?” –Richard Heinberg Biocapacity and the limits to…
Five-Planets-Worth-of-Consumption
There are three ways in which North Americans have managed to live at five-planets-worth-of-consumption. I am indebted to Sophy Banks and Naresh Giangrande for an explanation in the Transition Training here in Los Angeles in 2008, which really broadened my…
