Forging Alternatives to the Growth Economy — Examples from the Real World (315)

The growth economy is historically relatively recent, and is now consuming 1.5 Earths and growing. Compound interest is sucking the lifeblood out of the real economy, from households to countries. Mike Lewis, co-author of The Resilience Imperative, tells the story of the … [Read more...]

Beautiful Money — Salt Spring Island’s Community Currency (313)

An island near Vancouver, B.C. has designed its own form of currency. Salt Spring Island's paper dollars and coins look and feel beautiful. For the Island’s tourists, they’re genuine souvenirs. Michael Contardi, President of the Salt Spring Island Monetary Foundation, … [Read more...]

The Transition Bus — A North American Odyssey (299)

Camille Daum-Lobko and Charlotte Astier are in search of alternative ways to organize Western economies and society, particularly with post-growth, cooperative, worker-owned enterprises which incorporate social justice and environmental sensitivity. They converted a school … [Read more...]

Local Currency — Money for Us, Not the Bankers (292)

"Back in the 1930s on the Olympic peninsula, people were paying their taxes in alternative money…The banks shut them down. This is an example of the monopoly the banks have, and the level of control they have over peoples' economic lives… People need to know [local currency] … [Read more...]

The Sharing Economy – By the People, For the People (281)

"If you want to change something, don't attack the existing reality. Instead, build a new model that makes the old one irrelevant." Quoting Buckminster Fuller, David Van Seters believes the sharing economy will help make the current dysfunctional economy obsolete. Sharing is … [Read more...]

Local Communities Dismantling Corporate Rule, part 2 (259)

"I'm not aware of any other social movement going on in the US today that has the power to challenge and win against corporate rule, push back and dismantle corporate rights, and enshrine rights for actual human beings," asserts Community Rights US Program Director & … [Read more...]

Local Communities Dismantling Corporate Rule, part 1 (258)

Community Rights US Program Director & Lead Trainer Paul Cienfuegos explains how "We The People" are exercising the authority to govern ourselves and fight corporate rule. When small farmers in rural Pennsylvania wanted to say "no" to a corporate factory farm coming into … [Read more...]

Smart Choices for Meeting the Coming Bust, part 2 (254)

"How do we cooperate and build a collaborative culture now?" asks Laurence Boomert, founder of The Bank of Real Solutions in New Zealand. Local currencies, barter cards, and Time Banks not only create alternatives when money systems collapse, they allow people to get … [Read more...]

Smart Choices for Meeting the Coming Bust, part 1 (253)

Most people are woefully unprepared for the depression that is now unfolding, says economic analyst Nicole M. Foss, senior editor of The Automatic Earth. In a depression, there's not enough money in circulation. "But by using alternative currencies, we can provide our own … [Read more...]

Free Geek — Reviving Computers, Empowering People (228)

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...]