News & Reviews - Related Articles

February, 2012 - Happiness is the Ultimate Economic Indicator - Richard Heinberg, one of the voices from The Economics of Happiness, argues that "increased economic growth doesn't necessarily lead to more fulfillment. So why do we consider GDP to be the most important factor?"

February 3, 2012 - A Podcast Interview with Helena Norberg-Hodge - Joanna Harcourt-Smith from Future Primitive (@fprimitive) had an interview with Helena Norberg-Hodge about Ancient Futures and Ladakh.

January 26, 2012 - A Tale of Two Cities: Beijing and Detroit - Published in Yes! Magazine, Helena Norberg-Hodge wrote about how two cities are trading roles in the global economy, but you'd be surprised which city is reaping some serious benefits.

January 24, 2012 - Creating a Better Economic Future for All: The Economics of Happiness Conference - Elephant Journal published our release about the Economics of Happiness conference, which aims to be a place of collaboration as to how to create more localized, sustainable economies.

January 19th, 2012 - Local Economies for a Global Future - Jason F. McLennan of Yes! Magazine offers visions of future societies at one local and global.

January 2012 - What Happened in Ladakh, What is Happening in the World - Junko Edahiro interviews Helena Norberg-Hodge about various topics, revealing her experiences in Ladakh. 

December 12, 2011 - Transforming the Economy: Linking Hands Accross the Social and Environmental Divide - Published in Tikkun Magazine, Helena Norberg Hodge's article urges us to think beyond the confines of strictly economic or environmental change.

November, 2011 - Economics of Happiness: The New Economy - This article by John De Graaf and Linda Sechrist questions the core assumptions of the economy and asks, what is the economy really for?

October 19, 2011 - Richard Heinberg and Helena Norberg-Hodge Discuss The End of Growth - This is a recorded webcast between two excellent authors. They weigh in about steps anyone can take to create a new economy.

October 17th, 2011 - A Conversation with Helena Norberg-Hodge - Scott Gast from Orion Magazine did a two-part interview. Look for part two at the above link.

October 2011 - Learning about ... Going Local - This article by AgriCultures Network focuses on how ISEC's work aims to foster localization.

August 8, 2011 - GDP IS DEAD: Will the world be happier without it? - Richard Heinberg from the Post Carbon Institute tends to write these blow-your-mind, rock-your-world, steal attention from Fox News types of articles. We're trapped in a failed paradigm, and it's time to start promising the electorate social progress rather than growth in GDP.

July 22, 2011 - "Gross National Happiness" on UN Agenda - The UN has called on member nations to develop their own measures of well-being based on Bhutan's GNH. From the article: "Created in 1972, by then 16-year old King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, GNH is based on four pillars: the promotion of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance."

July 11, 2011 - A Natural System and an Agricultural Philosophy - This is a short (5 min.) film by the Source Project. It is masterfully crafted to put you in the shoes of a struggling yet very wise Indian Farmer.

July, 2011 - How to Liberate America from Wall Street Rule - This free report from the New Economy Working Group argues "The report calls for building a money/banking/finance system of local financial institutions that are transparent, accountable, rooted in community and dedicated to funding activities that build community wealth and meet community needs."

July, 2011 - American Prospect: Decline and Rebirth - Gus Speth writes that America's current situation is bleak, so bleak that is casts a long shadow on the future. Will we be able to handle the degredation of our society for much longer? Or will we decline to the point where we must be born fresh?

July 4, 2011 - Cream of the Crop: Community Supported Agriculture versus Whole Foods - This article by Megan Giller of the Miami Herald does a cost-benefit analysis of a CSA box versus buying the same box of produce at a whole foods. The verdict: Is your local economy worth $5?

July 1, 2011 - The Shareable Food Movement Meets the Law - This article, by Kelly Densmore and Janelle Orsi from one of our partners, the Sustainable Economies Law Center, is a discovery of the line between underground and shared food, and regulated and marketed food. Interestingly, it may come down to the definition of a 'private club'.

June 13, 2011 - Could Well-Being Become our New Currency? - This Huffington Post Business section article by Marc Stoiber talks about the environmental necessity of alternatives measures of well-being, and how the business world can make that happen.

June 12, 2011 - Reclaiming our Sense of Self in a Globalized World - This blog article from the Huffington Post by Shelley A. Lewis is a true gem. It contains some useful and poignant analysis of how globalization disregards and erodes our self-identities and interpersonal connections.

June 06, 2011 - Thinking Small in a World of Big Business - Lawrence Money, of www.theage.com.au, discusses how a small business in Australia, Deck of Secrets, is taking the Economics of Happiness to heart: small and local.

June 01, 2011 - Stop the Leakage - Dan Brown, from Sooke, Canada, argues that privatizing his town's wastewater treatment is not a good idea on economic grounds. Private companies, he argues, drain money out of an economy -- counter to the interests of local citizens. Brown's alternatives include a local municipality, a co-operative, a local non-profit or local private company.

May 25, 2011 - Buying Local - Jeff Gowdy cites the Economics of Happiness in his argument for support of local economies.

May 21, 2011 - TEDx: Reimagining the future of Christchurch - Christchurch, a city hit hard by an eqrthquake in February of 2011, is rebuilding itself into a sustainable and people-friendly city. This article recaps a talk held amongst experts on the priorities of rebuilding. Helena Norberg-Hodge was in attendance and strongly advocated rebuilding local economies and food systems as an alternative to the disconnected monoculture that is promoted by globalization.

May 4, 2011 - The New Economy: Design for Life - Author David Korten outlines an organizational vision for a new economy.

May 4, 2011 - Can the World Feed 10 Billion People? - Author Raj Patel puts together excellent writing, ample data and broad perspective in this prospectus for feeding a booming global population. Generally it seems, international entities should support local farmers. Moreover, those farmers are in need of comprehensive solutions, not simply new technologies. At ISEC, we know and believe that supporting local communities all over the world gives people the resources they need not only to feed themselves, but to live wonderful, vibrant and sustainable lives.

April 28, 2011 - Three Cups of Fiction - Carol Black offers some very much needed perspective on the recent scandalous revelations around Greg Mortenson's best-selling book "Three Cups of Tea."  Are schools a good thing when they impose a westernized curriculum upon an indigenous people? This related directly to the new movie "Schooling the World," which addresses precisely this issue.

April 26, 2011 - Farmers' Market Culture Booms - Farmers' markets are doing well, in the winter, in Victoria. This brings new reference to the popular quote "build it and they will come."  It's written by Erin Cardone of Victoria News.

April 18, 2011 - The World of Our Dreams - A selection from Author David Korten's discussion on a new economy.

April 8, 2011 - Feeding the World: It's not about Quantity - "The resilience of our food supply is as much about quality and diversity of our food sources as it is about how much we produce." This article was written by Danielle Nierenberg and Mara Schechter. It was published in Yes! Magazine. How about a pepper?

March 27, 2011 - Local Economies: An Alternative Solution to the Budget Crisis - "Keeping the State's Money in the State."  This article is written by Ellen Brown and published by Reader Supported News. It generally argues that state banks would keep dollars from being exported via financial tornado into the global economy where they benefit fewer people.

March 9, 2011 - Five Reasons Why GPI Should Replace GDP - Bob Willard, on Green Conduct, notes that GDP was never intended to measure national well-being. GPI measures critical factors, primarily social and environmental.

March 8, 2011 - Eco-Farming Could Double Food Output of Poor Countries, Says UN - "Report cites insect-trapping plants in Kenya and Bangladhesh's use of ducks in paddy fields, and resulting rise in crop yields."  This Reuters article was re-posted on CommonDreams. The photo (by mckaysavage) to the right is a simple bug trap. It boasts a light bulb above a bucket of water.

March 8, 2011 - Economics of Happiness! - This blog post by GRK Murty narrates the political applications of 'Happiness Economics', not to be confused with the film. Interestingly, some scholars advocate studying what makes people happy in order that governments allocate more of it. The post has some good quotes by famous figures.

March 7, 2011 - Maine Town Passes Landmark Local Food Ordinance - "Until the last couple generations, we didn’t need a special license or new facility each time we wanted to sell something to our neighbors. Small farmers and producers have been getting squeezed out in the name of food safety, yet it’s the industrial food that is causing food borne illness, not us.”

March 1, 2011 - The localism Index - A list of very suprising and promising statistics about the growth of local business, farmer's markets and small banks. Compiled by Stacy Mitchell of the New Rules Project.

Feb. 4, 2011 - Buddhist Economics: Raj Patel Suggests a New Way to Define Value - In this video clip posted on Capitalism is Over, Matthew Palomino interviews Raj Patel, the author of "The Value of Nothing."

Dec. 20, 2010 - Economy Sandwich - A 9-minute video that explores the new economy with the Sustainable Economies Law Center, one of our partners. "How are people putting the lively back in livelihood? Sharing, cooperation, DIY, and the local economy are all wonderful, but they operate in some interesting legal grey areas."

Fall 2010 - Bhutan: Taking the Middle Path to Happiness - This is a very beautiful short video about Bhutan's experiment with the Gross National Happiness alternative to the GDP, and challenges still faced by pressures from globalization. It is from the website of GNH World Project. This video was first posted on Youtube in 2007, but it came to our attention in the Fall of 2010, thus the date.

Nov. 17, 2010 - Building Community: An Economic Approach - David Korten explains in Yes! Magazine what economic transformation has to do with building stronger, happier communities, in an interview by David Bracaccio as part of PBS' Fixing the Future series. The page has a video and a transcript.

Nov. 8, 2010 - The Ultimate Roller Coaster Ride: A Brief History of Fossil Fuels - "Fossil fuels have powered human growth and ingenuity for centuries. Now that we're reaching the end of cheap and abundant oil and coal supplies, we're in for an exciting ride. While there's a real risk that we'll fall off a cliff, there's still time to control our transition to a post-carbon future." 300 years of fossil fuel history in a 5-minute video, by Richard Heinberg and the Post Carbon Institute.

November 5, 2010 - Civic Agriculture: Building a Healthy and Safe Community - Civic agriculture, more or less gardens in cities, relieve plenty of social problems. The claim is backed by a study done by the University of Washington.

May 10, 2010 - Why Local Economies Matter - "'Going local' currently remains a fringe, grassroots process made up of small-scale initiatives. The real question is how to steer government priorities away from big business and global finance, and to gain political and popular support for an economy geared toward localisation." by Anna White, Share The World's Resources.

April 29, 2010 - A New Deal for Local Economies - "More local, durable economies are already taking root. We can help them along by changing the way we regulate businesses, plan cities, and finance the communities we want." by Stacy Mitchell of YES! magazine.

April 13, 2010 - Local Economies Close the Distance Between Us: "But our city planning policies are rigged against them. How can we support neighborhood businesses that slow the pace of life and encourage people to get to know each other?" by Stacy Mitchell, YES! magazine.

April 3, 2010 - Beyond The Monoculture: Strengthening Local Culture, Economy And Knowledge - "Despite the fact that almost every news item today brings information about the seeming endless list of crises there is hope that we have the power to turn things around. Localisation is a positive and realistic alternative to economic globalisation. It is the best way to ensure our future wellbeing and that of the planet." by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Countercurrents.

February 27, 2010 - Going Local: "Today, the planet is on fire with global warming, toxic pollution and species extinction, with fundamentalism, terrorism and fear. The most powerful solutions involve a fundamental change in direction - towards localizing rather than globalising economic activity. In fact, “going local” may be the single most effective thing we can do. Localisation is essentially a process of de-centralisation - shifting economic activity back into the hands of local businesses instead of concentrating it in fewer and fewer mega-corporations."  By Helena Norberg-Hodge, Countercurrents.

February 26, 2010 - The Economics Of Happiness: "Thirty-three years ago, I watched as a culture that had been sealed off from the rest of the world was suddenly thrown open to economic development. Witnessing the impact of the modern world on an ancient culture gave me insights into how economic globalisation creates feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, particularly in the young, and how those psychological pressures are helping to spread the global consumer culture. Since that time I have been promoting the rebuilding of community and local economies as the foundation of an 'Economics of Happiness'." by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Countercurrents.

December 2, 2009 - A New Deal for Local Economies - This is based on a talk given n Bristol, England on October 17th of 2009. The talk was hosted by one of our co-sponsors, the New Rules Project. The article goes into detail about promising indication of local economic renewal in the aftermath of the 2007-2008 recession.

2007 - The Six Pillars of Food Sovereignty - Developed in 2007 at the International Forum for Food Sovereignty in Mali, West Africa. Localization is at the core of two of the pillars.

June 2000 - Globalization from a Buddhist Perspective - While Pracha Hutanuwatr, the author, is a Buddhist monk, this article may well apply to everyone. It provides timeless insights into the inherently destructive cycles of globalization.