What You Can Do To Build a New Economy by Sarah van Gelder and Alison Roberts
Creating an economy that sustains life is far too important to be left to the experts. These ideas and resources are for you to use in building an economy that works as if life matters GLOBAL STRATEGIES
Saying "no" to economic globalization does
not mean ending international exchanges or denying the value of other
cultures. Instead, it means creating the space in which sustainable
economies can take root and flourish, meeting the needs of people at
the local and regional levels.
CHALLENGE "FREE TRADE"
The International Forum on Globalization represents
more than 50 organizations in 20 countries concerned about the global
economy. The next IFG teach-in will be held in conjunction with the WTO
ministerial meeting in Seattle. PO Box 12218, San Francisco, CA 94112; 415/771-3394 e-mail: ifg@igc.org web: www.ifg.org/
Institute for Trade and Agriculture Policy
offers technical assistance to groups addressing economic and
ecological issues through seminars, trainings, teleconferences, and
on-site consultations. Current projects include working with farmers to
develop markets for organic produce and helping landowners develop
sustainably harvested wood products and wooded commons. 2105 First Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55404; 612/870-3400; fax: 612/ 870-4846; web: www.iatp.org
Jubilee 2000 is
an international effort aimed at ending Third World debt. Their
petition to end the debts owed by poorer countries is on their Web site
for all to sign and circulate.
Worth the effort since 51 of the world's largest economies are corporations.
Corporate Watch provides
in-depth information and analysis of corporate actions. Their Web site
includes "An Activist's Guide to Research and Campaign on Transnational
Corporations."
c/o Transnational Resource and Action Center, PO Box 29344, San Francisco, CA 94129
415/561-6567 E-mail: corpwatch@igc.org Web: www.corpwatch.org
Public Information Network provides
research support to citizens dealing with environmental, economic, and
human rights issues. Publishes the "Directory of Transnational
Corporations."
At the national level,
reducing the influence of corporations on government and cutting
taxpayer subsidies for corporations would enable greater democratic
control at the local and regional levels.
GET BIG MONEY OUT OF POLITICS
Since the
US Congress has thus far failed to enact campaign finance reform,
citizens have been taking reform efforts to the states. So far, Maine,
Vermont, Massachusetts, and Arizona have all adopted campaign finance
reform.
Public Campaign publishes "20 Things You Can Do For Finance
Reform," on how to conduct state-by-state ballot initiatives. This
guide can also be found on their Web site.
1320 19th Street NW, Apt. M1, Washington, DC 20036; 1-888/293-5755
Friends of the Earth's Green
Scissors project works with communities across the country to end
corporate subsidies. The "Road to Ruin" targets destructive road
projects promoted by the highway lobby, and "Dirty Little Secrets"
reports the biggest tax breaks to corporations.
1025 Vermont Ave. NW, Third Floor Washington, DC 20005-6303 202/783-7400 Web: www.foe.org
The Program on Corporations, Law & Democracy does research on
state chartering mechanisms and corporation codes aimed at changing
local laws to nullify corporate privileges and challenging government
officials who grant corporations privileges over human rights. POCLAD
publishes a newsletter, articles, a resource list, and study circle
guidelines, and can link you with local campaigns.
PO Box 246, So., Yarmouth, MA 02664-0246; 508/398-1145 E-mail: people@poclad.org
There's
a saying that all politics is local. All economics is actually local,
too. An economy draws on a community's knowledge base, ecosystems,
infrastructure, goodwill, values, and stability, and provides
livelihoods, services, goods,and innovation.
FIND OUT HOW YOU'RE DOING
Indicators are
being used by communities as a means to clarify what is important to
citizens, and then to track how the community is faring. This tool is
an important counter to the use of economic growth as the only
indicator of "progress."
Redefining Progress helps local governments and nonprofits set up indicator projects. The Community Indicators Handbook is
available for $19.95, and it includes methods of developing indicators,
plus an appendix of 100 sets of indicators used around the country.
Focus on what you already have that's working, and what you have that couldwork.
Look for where there is energy and commitment from people in the
community. Look for waste - of natural resources or human talent - that
could be turned into resources.
The Institute for Local Self Reliance(ILSR) provides technical
assistance and information on environmentally sound economic
development strategies that extract the maximum value from local
resources.
The Asset Based Community Development Institute (ABCD) publishes Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets (1993)
by John Kretzmann & John McKnight, a guide for mapping community
resources at the level of the individual, family, association, and
formal institution. ABCD also has workbooks on community building
tools, faculty available for presentations, and sponsors an electronic
discussion group for community builders around the country.
Ownership
can take the form of cooperatives, trusts, nonprofits, and municipal
ownership, as well as the for-profit business forms that most people
think of. For-profit businesses can be structured to be more directly
accountable to their workers, customers, and community. Examples of
these forms of ownership can be found throughout this issue.
The ICA Group is a national not-for-profit organization that assists those starting worker-owned and community-based businesses.
20 Park Plaza, Ste. 1127 Boston, MA 02116; Web: wwwICA-group.org
National Center for Employee Ownership is a nonprofit organization that provides information on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and on worker cooperatives.
1201 Martin Luther King Ave., Oakland, CA 94621; 510/272-9461 e-mail: nceo@nceo.org web: www.nceo.org
Center for Labor Research assists labor, communities, and business
in pursuing the "High Road" of economic development _ a participative
and productive economy that enhances social justice.
3411 W. Diversey Ave., Suite 10, Chicago, Il 60647; 773/278-5418 E-mail: clcr@igc.org Web: www.clcr.org/
The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) is a national
cross-industry membership and trade association representing co-ops of
all sizes and in all sectors. NCBA promotes and supports cooperatives
in the US and overseas through training and technical assistance
publications and programs.
National Center for Social Entrepreneurs provides long-term
consulting to help nonprofits link their core mission with marketplace
opportunities that will help fund their work.
Institute for Community Economics helps local groups and low-income
communities establish community land trusts for the development of
permanently affordable housing.
57 School St., Springfield, MA 01105-1311; 413/746-8660 Fax: 413/ 746-8862 E-mail: Iceconomic@aol.com
KEEP MONEY FLOWING LOCALLY
National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions
helps set up local credit unions in low-income areas. They offer
manuals on organizing, feasibility studies, on-site training, aid in
business planning, and charter applications. All initial information
and consulting is free.
The Rocky Mountain Institute provides guides to keeping money
circulating locally _ primarily through cutting energy bills. Money
spent on electric or gas bills goes straight out of the community,
while money spent to weatherize or improve conservation creates local
jobs, warms homes, and helps the environment. RMI's The Economic Renewal Guide by Michael Kinsley, The Community Energy Workbook by Alice Hubbard and Clay Fong, and Financing Economic Renewal Projectsby Barbara Cole and Meredith Miller all offer specific steps communities can take toward a more sustainable economic future.
1739 Snowmass Creek Rd. Snowmass, CO 81654 970/927-3851 web: www.rmi.org
Center for Excellence for Sustainable Development, US Department of
Energy offers a list of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs
for communities along with information on indicators, success stories,
and a course on sustainability indicators you can download from their
Web site.
There are now an estimated 1500 local currency experiments underway around the world. (See Print Your Own Cash on page 35 of this issue, and also YES!#2, Spring 1997.)
The EF Schumacher Society Web site contains a comprehensive list of local currency groups in North America. The Society publishes a quarterly, Local Currency News.
Time Keeper Institute, a national organizer and advocate of Time
Dollar exchanges, provides a Time Dollar software package and helps
start local Time Dollars systems.
Ithaca Hours, one of the best known local currency groups, sells a Hometown Money Starter Kit ($25) and a video about Ithaca Hours ($15).
c/o Paul Glover, PO Box 6578 Ithaca, NY 14851 607/272-4330
GUARD THE COMMONS
Keep streets,
sidewalks, parks, aquifers, open space, water, the gene pool, the
wilderness, and the sky as resources for the people and living
creatures of today and tomorrow.
REPLACE CASH TRANSACTIONS WITH NEIGHBORLINESS.
Form
a neighborhood watch network rather than buying an expensive alarm
system. Share tools, garden equipment. Have pot-lucks. Exchange child
care. Grow fruits and vegetables, and give some away. Exchange space in
your house for home care or maintenance. Form a car co-op (see YES! #8, Winter 1998-99, page 56).
MAKE IT VISIBLE
There is much more going
on than most people are aware of. Celebrate the successes, even when
they seem like small steps. Create a directory of locally owned,
stakeholder-owned, and values-driven businesses in your community. Use
the business pages of the local newspaper. Sponsor open houses. Give
out awards. When people find out that there are alternatives that work,
they can begin supporting a new economy.
PERSONAL & FAMILY
One
area in which we all can make the shift to a new economy, right away,
without waiting for others to join us, is in the choices we make in our
own lives.
Co-op America is probably the most comprehensive resource for
individuals and businesses to move toward more just and sustainable
economics. Co-op America publishesThe National Green Pages , a directory for consumers of green businesses, The Financial Planning Handbook, on managing your money in socially responsible ways, and Boycott News . Business owners can become part of the Co-op America Business Network .
Patronize locally
owned businesses, banks, and credit unions. Support local musicians,
theatre, restaurants. Buy gifts from local artists. Ask for local
produce at the grocery store. Buy from local farmers through farmers
markets or a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
Community Supported Agriculture of North America offers a list of CSAs by state for $10 each, contact:
Indian Lane Farm, Box 57 Jugend Rd. Great Barrington, MA 02130 413/528-4374 e-mail: csana@bcn.net
You can buy products directly
from producer cooperatives and small, medium-sized businesses from
around the world at fair prices.
The Bangor, Maine, based Clean Clothing Campaignoffers technical assistance to fair trade community organizing initiatives and publishesThe Clean Clothes Shopping Guide, which traces labels on items back to their places of origin.
The Fair Trade Federation, an association of wholesalers,
retailers, and producers who are committed to providing fair wages and
good employment opportunities to artisans and farmers worldwide, offers
free guides _ one for consumers and one for retailers _ on where to
purchase items that are acquired through fair trade.
The Social Investment Forumis a
national nonprofit membership association dedicated to promoting the
concept and practice of socially responsible investing.
If you own stock, or if your church or organization owns stock, consider becoming an engaged shareholder.
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility provides information on shareholder resolutions and on holding corporations responsible for their actions.
475 Riverside Dr., rm 550 New York, NY 10115 212/870-2293 fax: 212/870-2023 e-mail: info@iccr.org
By Alison Roberts, YES! editorial intern and Sarah van Gelder,YES! executive editor. Additional research for this article by Shannon Service and Johanna Zetterberg.
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