Free Geek — Reviving Computers, Empowering People

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Take a whirlwind tour of Free Geek, powered almost entirely by volunteers. Free Geek keeps electronic stuff out of the landfill while refurbishing computers. "Volunteer for 24 hours, and you get a free computer, a class on how to use it, and a year of free tech support," … [Read more...]

Young Lawyers Lower the Bar to a Sharing Economy

"Sharing really is going to save the world!" declares Janelle Orsi, author of The Sharing Solution, noting that it's fun, doesn't require special skills — and we can start now. She and Jennifer Kassan co-founded the Sustainable Economies Law Center to help people … [Read more...]

Oil Puts the Squeeze on the Economy

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This turbulent, troubled global economy is precisely what Chris Martenson predicted in early 2010, "When Exponential Meets Reality" (episode 166). He asserts that we can no longer look at the economy without factoring in the terminal decline of its master resource — oil. … [Read more...]

Local Investing Made Easy

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We're "keeping money flowing locally so we're more prosperous as a community," says James Frazier, co-founder of the Local Investment Opportunities Network (LION) in Port Townsend, Washington. LION is a clearinghouse between business owners like Matthew Day and potential … [Read more...]

Your Money, Your Life, Your Happiness

Published 20 years ago, Your Money or Your Life was written for these times, asserts co-author Vicki Robin. Following its nine steps has transformed our own lives and those of some of our Peak Moment guests, just like the subtitle says: Transforming Your Relationship with … [Read more...]

Taking Back Our Lives from the Wall Street Mafia

"Get rid of Wall Street!" says David C. Korten, author of Agenda for a New Economy and The Great Turning. Wall Street is about phantom wealth — real wealth is about happy, healthy families, local living economies in balance with Earth’s resources, and caring, resilient … [Read more...]

Transitioning to the Elm Street Economy

How can you contribute your skills towards meeting real needs now and in the future? Paul and Sarah Edwards, the authors of Home-Based Business for Dummies, focus on the "Elm Street Economy" of locally-owned businesses rather than "Main Street", which we hear so much about, … [Read more...]

Baked in Telluride: Making Dough in a Tough Economy

Biting into a fresh-baked cookie from "Baked in Telluride" is a double treat — a yummy goody that also supports a local independent business. Owner Jerry Greene has been going "green" for decades before it became fashionable. He shares the challenges of running an … [Read more...]

Local Living Economies – Protecting What We Love

Judy Wicks' love of place has made widening ripples on a global scale. She's the founder of BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies), a national network of sustainable, small businesses. After moving onto a quaint street in Philadelphia, she learned it was slated … [Read more...]

Making Financial Sense of the Coming Energy Crisis

"We are living in historic times", says financial consultant Jim Puplava. As reflected in his weekly Financial Sense Newshour (actually several hour-long podcasts), Jim has been factoring peak oil into his financial picture for several years. In this interview, plus excerpts … [Read more...]