Consciousness of Sheep
“The Consciousness of Sheep is a news and opinion site documenting the ongoing crises in the economy, energy, environment and society.”
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Wholesome Practice: Sustainable Economy
Climate Home News
“Climate Home News is an independent news site dedicated to bringing important climate stories to as large an audience as possible.”
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Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth
Book: “Nearly two years after the economic meltdown, joblessness and foreclosures are still endemic, Wall Street executives are once again getting massive bonuses, and our leaders in Washington lack the will to make desperately needed fundamental changes to the economy. Change will have to come from below. Agenda for a New Economy is the handbook for that revolution. In this revised and updated edition David Korten has fleshed out his vision of the alternative to the corporate Wall Street economy: a Main Street economy based on locally owned, community-oriented “living enterprises” whose success is measured as much by their positive impact on people and the environment as by their positive balance sheet. We will lose nothing in the process because, as Korten ably demonstrates, the supposed services Wall Street offers are simply a con game. And Korten now offers more in-depth advice on how to mount a grassroots campaign to bring about an economy based on shared prosperity, ecological stewardship, and citizen democracy.”
Read More A New Story of the Economy
A video and further resources & study. “Real prosperity revolves around the sanctity of life. The economy is much more than a series of transactions: It’s about our relationships, who and what we think we are, and our view on the meaning of life itself. Our current global economy leaves too many of us struggling, and it is harming Earth’s ecosystems. When we change the story of ourselves from consumers to full human beings in relationship to all of life, how does our economy change?”
Read More Wild & Grace
Blog about local events in the Bay of Plenty with info on wellness, environment, community and sustainability.
Read More When Corporations Rule the World
Book: “Our Choice: Democracy or Corporate Rule. A handful of corporations and financial institutions command an ever-greater concentration of economic and political power in an assault against markets, democracy, and life. It’s a “suicide economy,” says David Korten, that destroys the very foundations of its own existence. The bestselling 1995 edition of When Corporations Rule the World helped launch a global resistance against corporate domination. In this twentieth-anniversary edition, Korten shares insights from his personal experience as a participant in the growing movement for a New Economy. A new introduction documents the further concentration of wealth and corporate power since 1995 and explores why our institutions resolutely resist even modest reform. A new conclusion chapter outlines high-leverage opportunities for breakthrough change.”
Read More Tomorrow: Take Concrete Steps To A Sustainable Future
Film: “TODAY, we sometimes feel powerless in front of the various crises of our times. TODAY, we know that answers lie in a wide mobilization of the human race. Over the course of a century, our dream of progress commonly called “the American Dream”, fundamentally changed the way we live and continues to inspire many developing countries. We are now aware of the setbacks and limits of such development policies. We urgently need to focus our efforts on changing our dreams before something irreversible happens to our planet. TODAY, we need a new direction, objective… A new dream! The documentary Tomorrow sets out to showcase alternative and creative ways of viewing agriculture, economics, energy and education. It offers constructive solutions to act on a local level to make a difference on a global level. So far, no other documentary has gone down such an optimistic road…TOMORROW is not just a film, it is the beginning of a movement seeking to encourage local communities around the world to change the way they live for the sake of our planet. Start small to grow big, and write a new story for the generations to come.”
Read MoreThis Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate
Book: “The most important book yet from the author of the international bestseller The Shock Doctrine, a brilliant explanation of why the climate crisis challenges us to abandon the core “free market” ideology of our time, restructure the global economy, and remake our political systems. In short, either we embrace radical change ourselves or radical changes will be visited upon our physical world. The status quo is no longer an option. In This Changes Everything Naomi Klein argues that climate change isn’t just another issue to be neatly filed between taxes and health care. It’s an alarm that calls us to fix an economic system that is already failing us in many ways. Klein meticulously builds the case for how massively reducing our greenhouse emissions is our best chance to simultaneously reduce gaping inequalities, re-imagine our broken democracies, and rebuild our gutted local economies. She exposes the ideological desperation of the climate-change deniers, the messianic delusions of the would-be geoengineers, and the tragic defeatism of too many mainstream green initiatives. And she demonstrates precisely why the market has not—and cannot—fix the climate crisis but will instead make things worse, with ever more extreme and ecologically damaging extraction methods, accompanied by rampant disaster capitalism. Klein argues that the changes to our relationship with nature and one another that are required to respond to the climate crisis humanely should not be viewed as grim penance, but rather as a kind of gift—a catalyst to transform broken economic and cultural priorities and to heal long-festering historical wounds. And she documents the inspiring movements that have already begun this process: communities that are not just refusing to be sites of further fossil fuel extraction but are building the next, regeneration-based economies right now. Can we pull off these changes in time? Nothing is certain. Nothing except that climate change changes everything. And for a very brief time, the nature of that change is still up to us.”
Read More The Sacred Lifeline Project
“Our vision is an eco-centric, life-enriching global culture of normalized nonviolence. The mission of the Sacred Lifeline Project is to create safe, living spaces as experiential education and research centers (Imaginal Cell Academies) where such a culture can flourish, where we integrate human economy with natural ecology, creating and cultivating thriving, regenerative nonviolent systems of joyful living, founded on compassion for all life. Such a Great Transition in culture from our mainstream ego-centric consumer culture of normalized violence requires changes in foundational stories, common attitudes towards others including other life-forms, processes and practices. This is a multi-disciplinary undertaking involving artists, anthropologists, psychologists, political scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, architects and spiritual leaders, among others. Hence we have assembled a strong team with diverse international experience and strong knowledge to mentor this project as it takes shape with primary, hands-on participation of the younger generation.”
Read More The Post-Corporate World: Life After Capitalism
Book: “There is a deep chasm between the promises of the new global capitalism and the reality of social breakdown, spiritual emptiness, and environmental destruction it is leaving in its wake. In this important book, David Korten makes a compelling and well-documented case that capitalism is actually delivering a fatal blow not only to life, but also to democracy and the market…Korten outlines numerous specific actions to free the creative powers of individuals and societies through the realization of real democracy, the local rooting of capital through stakeholder ownership, and a restructuring of the rules of commerce to create “mindful market” economies that combine market principles with a culture that nurtures social bonding and responsibility.”
Read More The Economics of Happiness (2011)
Film: “Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened nearly every problem we face: fundamentalism and ethnic conflict; climate chaos and species extinction; financial instability and unemployment. There are personal costs too. For the majority of people on the planet life is becoming increasingly stressful. We have less time for friends and family and we face mounting pressures at work. The Economics of Happiness describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, government and big business continue to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, all around the world people are resisting those policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance—and, far from the old institutions of power, they’re starting to forge a very different future. Communities are coming together to re-build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm — an economics of localization. We hear from a chorus of voices from six continents including Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Michael Shuman, Juliet Schor, Zac Goldsmith and Samdhong Rinpoche – the Prime Minister of Tibet’s government in exile. They tell us that climate change and peak oil give us little choice: we need to localize, to bring the economy home. The good news is that as we move in this direction we will begin not only to heal the earth but also to restore our own sense of well-being. The Economics of Happiness restores our faith in humanity and challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.”
Read More The Cornucopia Institute
“The Cornucopia Institute, through research and investigations on agricultural and food issues, provides needed information to family farmers, consumers and other stakeholders in the good food movement and to the media. We support economic justice for the family-scale farming community – partnered with consumers – backing ecologically produced local, organic and authentic food.”
Read More The Coming Collapse + A Positive Course of Action
“The United States and the global status quo are rapidly approaching a breaking point. Viewed from the scale of history we’re milliseconds away. “
Read More The Australia Institute
“The Australia Institute is one of the country’s most influential think tanks. Based in Canberra, it conducts research on a broad range of economic, social, transparency and environmental issues in order to inform public debate and bring greater accountability to the democratic process… Our Goal: We provide intellectual and policy leadership. We conduct research that drives the public debate and secures policy outcomes. Our research is put into the hands of decision makers to have maximum impact. The Institute is determined to push public debate beyond the simplistic question of whether markets or governments have all the answers to more important questions: When does government need to intervene in the market? When should it stand back? And when regulation is needed, what form should it take?”
Read More Spotted Horse Press – Bookshop
“Winona LaDuke’s published books. “Winona LaDuke is one of the world’s most tireless and charismatic leaders on issues related to climate change, Indigenous rights, human rights, green and rural economies, grass-roots organizing, local foods, alternative sources of energy and the priceless value of clean water over a career spanning nearly 40 years of activism.”
Read More Seasonal Food Guide
“Find Out What’s in Season Near You. The Seasonal Food Guide is most comprehensive national database of seasonal food available in the US. We designed the Seasonal Food Guide website and apps to help you find out what produce is in season in your state throughout the year. We’re your one stop shop for seasonal food information, boasting comprehensive data on more than 140 types of fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts and herbs in all 50 states! By purchasing local foods in season from local farms, your food dollar goes directly to farmers, you eliminate environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles and you’ll enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Plus, local, seasonal produce just tastes better. And don’t worry: you can trust us. We sourced our data from the experts: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), state agriculture extension offices and state departments of agriculture.”
Read More Sacred Economics
“Sacred Economics traces the history of money from ancient gift economies to modern capitalism, revealing how the money system has contributed to alienation, competition, and scarcity, destroyed community, and necessitated endless growth. “
Read MoreRealizing Hope: Life Beyond Capitalism (Critique Influence Change)
Book: “Someone once said that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism. Michael Albert would disagree. Realizing Hope offers a speculative vision of a future beyond capitalism – an alternative to the exploitation of human labour, the unchecked destruction of the earth, and the oppression of all for the benefit of the few. Participatory economics – parecon for short – is Albert’s concrete proposal for a classless economy, developed from anarchist principles first introduced by Kropotkin, Bakunin, Pannekoek and others. In this classic text, Albert takes the insights and hopes of parecon and enlarges them to address all key aspects of social life and society – gender, culture, politics, science, technology, journalism, ecology, and others. Realizing Hope provides vision to help us all together conceive a world that might be just over the horizon, a world we can begin building today.”
Read More Paradigm for the Next Generation
“What if there was a formula; a recipe for a socio-economic chain reaction that anyone of reasonable intelligence could set in motion? What if each and every step we took towards applying that formula would inherently improve the outcome?”
Read More Own The Change: Building Economic Democracy One Worker Co-op at a Time (2015)
“Own the Change: Building Economic Democracy One Worker Co-op at a Time is a short documentary meant to give an overview of what a worker co-op is, how it can transform lives and communities, and the realities of starting one. Watch as we go through concrete steps for building economic alternatives by creating worker-owned cooperatives. Featuring conversations with worker-owners from Union Cab; Ginger Moon; Arizmendi Bakery, Anti-Oppression Resource and Training Alliance (AORTA); New Era Windows; and more. In addition to the film, we have created a series of educational resources to be used alongside this documentary. These can be employed by co-op developers, community organizers, activists, teachers, professors, and more. The resources can be used in formal and informal educational settings, and given their modular design, each section can be used as part of a larger curriculum or as standalone modules. For example, if you are an aspiring group of cooperators that wants learn more about governance, everyday democracy, or cooperative networks, you can pick and choose for those modules – on the other hand, you may be a classroom teacher that wants to explore alternative economic models with your students and provide an overview of the cooperative model.”
Read More Nuclear Information Service
“NIS is a not-for-profit, independent information service, which works to promote public awareness and foster debate on nuclear disarmament and related safety and environmental issues”
Read More Nonviolence Magazine
“A Magazine for Practical Idealists…Opening a picture on nonviolence culture and movements. Brought to you by the Metta Center for Nonviolence.” Categories: Peacebuilding, Economy, Social Justice, Environment.
Read More Just One Organics
“Mission: 1. Heal our earth, air and oceans by restoring healthy farming practices through thriving microbial soil systems, which have been balancing our global carbon emissions for billions of years. 2. Preserve and revitalize local food economies with market support for organic farmers, made possible through a secure and scalable cooperative buying network. 3. Make available nutrient-rich, flavorful, long-lasting food to all people and communities around the world. 4. Share knowledge and best-practices across a network of production centers in order to upscale quickly.”
Read More International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
“Our mission is educational. We develop and share knowledge and resources on civil resistance with interested recipients throughout the world. This includes activists, scholars, educators, nongovernmental organizations, media professionals, and members of the policy community.”
Read More In Transition 2.0: A Story of Resilience & Hope in Extraordinary Times (2012)
“This film is an inspirational immersion in the Transition movement, gathering stories from around the world of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. There are stories of communities printing their own money, growing food, localising their economies and setting up community power stations. Transition is an idea that has gone viral, a social experiment that is about responding to uncertain times with solutions and optimism. In a world of increasing uncertainty, here is a story of hope, ingenuity and the power of growing vegetables in unexpected places. It features the following subtitles, all of which have been done by volunteers in their respective countries: Albanian, Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish.”
Read More Honor the Earth
“Honor the Earth uses indigenous wisdom, music, art, and the media to raise awareness and support for Indigenous Environmental Issues. We leverage this awareness and support to develop financial and political capital for Indigenous struggles for land and life.”
Read More Global Exchange
“Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. We take a holistic approach to creating change and as an education and action resource center, we advance our vision by working to ensure our members and constituents are empowered locally and connected globally to create a just and sustainable world. We realize that in order to advance social, environmental and economic justice we must transform the global economy from profit-centered to people-centered, from currency to community.”
Read More Global Exchange – Blog
Blog. “Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmnetal justice around the world.”
Read More Global Ecovillage Network – Solution Library
“The Solution Library is a directory of sustainability solutions. It provides short descriptions, vital information, pictures, and links to learn more. It is a place where solutions from all over the internet are gathered in one easy-to-browse platform to help create a more sustainable world.”
Read More Global Ecovillage Network (GEN)
“The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) catalyzes communities for a regenerative world. GEN is a growing network of regenerative communities and initiatives that bridge cultures, countries, and continents. GEN builds bridges between policy-makers, governments, NGOs, academics, entrepreneurs, activists, community networks and ecologically-minded individuals across the globe in order to develop strategies for a global transition to resilient communities and cultures.”
Read More Global Ecovillage Network – Magazines
“What is it like to live in an ecovillage, cohousing neighborhood, or intentional community? How do you start one, sustain it, grow it, and solve the hardest challenges? Communities magazine addresses these questions, and shares new models for society. For nearly 45 years this magazine has connected people to the pulse of the communities movement, by chronicling the people, organizations, methods and ideas making it so. Discover inspiring examples of cooperation and creativity, as people work together to solve problems and create a better, more equitable, and ecological world. Diverse Themes: Each quarterly issue focuses on a different theme, such as: Food and Community, Community and the Law, The Many Faces of Community, Finding or Starting Community, etc.”
Read More Global Ecovillage Network – Books
Books relevant to ecovillages
Read More Friends of the Earth
“Together we speak truth to power and expose those who endanger the health of people and the planet for corporate profit. We organize to build long-term political power and campaign to change the rules of our economic and political systems that create injustice and destroy nature.”
Read More FoodPrint
“Whether it’s a salad, a hamburger or your morning egg sandwich, your meal has an impact on the environment and on the welfare of animals, food/farm workers and on public health. Your “foodprint” is the result of everything it takes to get your food from the farm to your plate. Many of those processes are invisible to consumers. Industrial food production — including animal products like beef, pork, chicken and eggs and also crops — takes a tremendous toll on our soil, air and water, as well as on the workers and the surrounding communities.”
Read More Edible City: Grow the Revolution (2012)
“Edible City tells the stories of the pioneers who are digging their hands into the dirt, working to transform their communities and do something truly revolutionary: grow local food systems that are socially just, environmentally sound, economically viable and resilient to climate change and market collapse. “
Read More Economics for the Seventh Generation
“Ji misawaabandaaming, or how we envision our future, is a worldview of positive thinking. It’s an Anishinaabe worldview, coming from a place and a cultural way of life that has been here, on the same land, for 10,000 years. To transform modern society into one based on survival, not conquest, we need to make some changes. We need to actualize an economic and social transformation. Restoring an economics, which makes sense for upcoming generations, needs to be a priority. In our community, we think of this as economics for the seventh generation.”
Read More Dreaming New Mexico Local Foodsheds and A Fair Trade State Map and Booklet
“The Dreaming New Mexico Map envisions New Mexico in the Age of Local Foodsheds and Fair Trade. The front of the map shows current farming and ranching in New Mexico. The back of the map displays 13 technical maps including farms and crops, biocultural legacies, eco-friendly agriculture and many more. The Dreaming New Mexico Booklet compliments the map and provides a more in depth explanation of the artist’s depictions and the dream. It discusses the bridges and barriers to our sustainable food future and additional information.”
Read More Decommodification as a foundation for ecological economics
“Ecological economists have emphasized the study of commodification (i.e., the development of market-based exchange and valuation) rather than decommodification processes (i.e., the degree of immunization from market dependency). This is surprising given the fact that large-scale decommodification may be our best option for a post-growth transition so dear to many ecological economists. Based on Heinsohn and Steiger’s theory of ownership, we seek to provide an institutional foundation to processes of (de)commodification. These two authors distinguish between ‘property’ and ‘possession’, two bundles of rights generating different logics and consequences. We illustrate this approach with three cases taken from an advanced capitalist economy, Switzerland, showing how commodification and decommodification processes may appear together or vigorously oppose each other. Cooperatives, forests and municipal land are examples of (partial) decommodified assets that follow a logic of possession and are therefore more likely to be sustainable. It is high time that the study of decommodification becomes central to ecological economics.”
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