July 13, 2017
The economist E. F. Schumacher argued in Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered that from a truly economic point of view the most rational way to produce is “from local resources, for local needs.” Jane Jacobs, the beloved author of Death and Life of Great American Cities, emphasized Schumacher’s point through her analysis … Continued
June 8, 2017
Winona LaDuke has been at the forefront of recent water protector initiatives on tribal lands. She is a courageous advocate for re-imagining and re-building systems that can steward the natural commons—earth, air, fire (the minerals), and water—for future generations, while also honoring the cultures and humanity of the peoples on the land. Her work with … Continued
May 26, 2017
In the folklore of the Anishinaabe peoples of North America, the Prophecy of the Seventh Fire predicts that there will come a time when we must choose between two paths. One path will be green and lush. The other will be well worn but scorched, and walking it will cut our feet. Winona LaDuke—activist, community … Continued
March 8, 2017
Massachusetts’ Berkshires mountain region enjoys spectacular views, glorious fall foliage, a notable farm-to-table food movement, and one more thing that similar regions don’t have: its own currency.
February 27, 2017
From 1980-1983 I held the envious position of director of education at the New Alchemy Institute. New Alchemy was an amazing “think-do” tank operating on an abandoned 12-acre dairy farm on Cape Cod. Inspired by the likes of Rachel Carson, Wendell Berry, E. F. Schumacher, and Buckminster Fuller, among others, the institute emerged from the … Continued
December 29, 2016
All of us are joint owners of a trove of hidden assets. These assets — natural gifts like air and water, and social creations like science and the Internet — constitute our shared inheritance — the Commons. They’re vital to our lives and are at the heart of all economic activity. A New Land Tenure … Continued
December 21, 2016
The problem of sustainability is simple enough to state. It requires that the fertility cycle of birth, growth, maturity, death, and decay—what Albert Howard called “the Wheel of Life”—must turn continuously in place, so that the law of return is kept and nothing is wasted. For this to happen in the stewardship of humans, there … Continued
December 15, 2016
The pursuit of a new economics has broad implications. Our Earth is in crisis; our communities are in crisis. We are all charged with creating solutions. These solutions will of necessity be citizen-driven, growing from the rich soil of particular places. At the Schumacher Center for a New Economics our work envisioning a just and … Continued
November 29, 2016
If the raw materials for making cocoa are obtained from plantations on the West coast of Africa which use some form of forced native labour, are carried by vessels on sea routes monopolised or controlled by violence, manufactured in England with sweated labor and brought to India under favourable customs duties enforced by political power, … Continued
November 2, 2016
Social innovation appears important because, as anticipated, it indicates viable ways of dealing with [intractable problems]: solutions that break the traditional economic models and propose new ones, operating on the basis of a multiplicity of actors’ motivations and expectations. [1] I vaguely remember civics class in junior high school. What I do recall is how little … Continued
July 21, 2016
Having worked on and off in the arena of sustainable agriculture for nearly fifty years in both the government and nonprofit sectors, the question I get asked/challenged with most often is “When will the production of locally grown, nutritious food become economically viable?” For years I struggled mightily to find an honest and (very important … Continued
June 27, 2016
On Saturday October 22nd at 7:00 pm, award winning author Wendell Berry and The Land Institute’s co-founder Wes Jackson will share the stage at the historic Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in the heart of Great Barrington, Massachusetts. They will hold a conversation about the 50-Year Farm Bill, their work, and their long friendship and collaboration … Continued