Towards sustainable economies: Difference between revisions

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What communities can do

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• develop Community Currencies
• encourage business swaps
• encourage e-work, telework clubs and teleconferencing facilities
• encourage Free stuff or the gift economy, sharing and simple living
• microfinance initiatives
• promote fair trade
• set up credit unions
• slow money initiatives
• support cooperatives and social enterprise
• support initiatives to make the wider economy more sustainable such as basic income and ways of redefining progress
• sustain the custom of potlatch
• sustainability awards
• waste exchange schemes

Alternatives to mainstream economic concepts

Green movements, but also thinkers from other areas, are opposed to the focus put on economics. The need for terminology has created familiar ideas such as carrying-capacity, and ecological footprint. ^W

Degrowth

Degrowth is considered an essential economic strategy responding to the limits-to-growth dilemma. Degrowth thinkers and activists advocate for the downscaling of production and consumption—the contraction of economies—arguing that overconsumption lies at the root of long term environmental issues and social inequalities. Key to the concept of degrowth is that reducing consumption does not require individual martyring and a decrease in well-being. Rather, 'degrowthists' aim to maximize happiness and well-being through non-consumptive means—sharing work, consuming less, while devoting more time to art, music, family, culture and community. ^W

Ecological economics

Ecological economics/eco-economics refers to both a transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary field of academic research that aims to address the interdependence and coevolution of human economies and natural ecosystems over time and space. It is distinguished from environmental economics, which is the mainstream economic analysis of the environment, by its treatment of the economy as a subsystem of the ecosystem and its emphasis upon preserving natural capital. ^W

Post growth

Post-growth can be distinguished from similar movements (such as degrowth, steady state economics, post-materialism) in that it focuses on acknowledging, supporting and building on the sustainable initiatives, systems and products that are already in place. Post growth advocates try to encourage, connect and further develop these existing ideas and actions. In this way, "post growth" does not specify the answer to the limits-to-growth challenge, as “steady state economics” and “degrowth” do, but rather seek to understand and address this challenge from a complex systems perspective that is constantly evolving. With this holistic complex systems approach, post growth deals with all aspects of self and society (such as psychology, human nature, human evolution, cultures, social systems and economies) and the interrelation of all of these aspects. Accordingly, the post growth concept also advocates solutions that are appropriate with regards to place, time, resource and cultural factors. Therefore, post growth initiatives take shape in very different ways under different circumstances.

Post growth can be considered an asset-based approach to community development, applied not only to community development but across a wide range of categories and in response to limits-to-growth challenges, as it seeks to build on the cultural and technological assets that already exist and are facilitating the emergence of post growth futures. ^W

Quotes 1

TAPAS – “There are plenty of alternatives!” David Bollier, To Make Hope Possible Rather Than Despair Convincing ^[1]

Resources

• Future, Street School Economics, includes "Actions that can be taken by Communities" and "Draft Manifesto for Economic Justice"
• Mutual Aid Network 2 by Chris Petit on Prezi
• Prosperity Without Growth on debategraph
• The Working World, (USA, Argentina, Nicaragua)

Apps for sustainability

Deki, Established in 2008, Deki helps individuals in developing countries to lift themselves and their families out of poverty through creating a sustainable future. This is achieved through connecting them directly with lenders through microfinance. A registered charity, Deki takes no commission on loans and relies on donations to grow its global network of field partners and lenders.

Citizens data initiative

The Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy has more than 15,000 cooperatives, which contribute over one-third of the region’s GDP. ^[2]

Quotes 2

"Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich." Paul Hawken ^[3]

Video

more video:

Occupy Economics, November 2011

GrowthBusters Hooked on Growth Trailer Fall 2011

ISM - Inspired by Slow Money, May 2010

Econ 4 - Introduction

See also

• local information can be found, or shared, via our many location pages
• Towards sustainable economies UK
• Argentina#Food
• Community currencies, sustainable community action
• Ethical consumerism
• Free stuff
• Localism
• Sharing
• Sustainable livelihood
• Open Source Ecology

Interwiki links

Wikipedia: Basic income, Consumer cooperative, Degrowth, Ecological economics, Grameen Bank, Post growth, Social finance, Solidarity economy

External links

Creative commons

Basic Income Earth Network, network of academics and activists interested in the idea of a universal basic income, i.e. a guaranteed minimum income based solely on citizenship and not on work requirement or charity. It serves as a link between individuals and groups committed to or interested in basic income, and fosters informed discussion on this topic throughout the world. Their website defines a basic income as "an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement." ^W

Center for the advancement of the steady state economy, CASSE

New Economy Working Group

OuiShare A French-based non-for-profit aiming to connect efforts within the Sharing or Collaborative Economy to create a global network of collaborators. Having started in France in 2012, they have spread to Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. ^W

Other

Econ4

Grassroots Economic Organizing

The Preservation Institute

Slow Money, movement to organize investors and donors to steer new sources of capital to small food enterprises, organic farms, and local food systems. Slow Money takes its name from the Slow Food movement.[2] Slow Money aims to develop the relationship between capital markets and place, including social capital and soil fertility.[3] Slow Money is supporting the grass-roots mobilization of investors through network building, convening, publishing, and incubating intermediary strategies and structures of funding. It is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Boulder, Colorado ^W

Community Action for Sustainability

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