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From a renowned pioneer of the anti-globalization movement, a
primer on working towards a localized world From disappearing
livelihoods to financial instability, from climate chaos to an
epidemic of depression, we face crises on a number of seemingly
unrelated fronts. This well-referenced book traces the common roots
of these problems in a globalized economy that is incompatible with
life on a finite planet. But Local is Our Future does more than
just describe the problem: it describes the policy shifts and
grassroots steps - many of them already underway around the world -
that can move us towards the local and, thereby, towards a better
world.
From a renowned pioneer of the localization movement, an anthology
of essays challenging the narrative that technological progress and
an increasingly globalized economy will lead us to a better world
This collection of essays has been selected from 30 years of
published articles, book chapters and blog posts by the staff of
Local Futures, internationally known as pioneers of the emerging
localization movement. Some of these writings involve a fundamental
rethinking of our most basic assumptions—about progress, poverty,
and happiness—while others seek the root causes of our multiple
crises, from climate change and income inequality to the erosion of
democracy and the rise of authoritarianism. All of them point
towards the most strategic steps we can take to confront these
problems and bring a healthier, happier world into being. Several
of these prescient essays were written decades ago, but they have
become even more relevant today as our crises deepen, and the need
for systemic change becomes more apparent.
Ladakh, or "Little Tibet", is a beautiful desert land up in the
Western Himalayas. It is a place of few resources and an extreme
climate. Yet for more than 1000 years, it has been home to a
thriving culture. Traditions of frugality and co-operation, coupled
with an intimate and location-specific knowledge of the
environment, enabled the Ladakhis not only to survive, but to
prosper. Everyone had enough to eat families and communities were
strong the status of women was high. Then came "development". Now
in the modern sector one finds pollution and divisiveness,
inflation and unemployment, intolerance and greed. Centuries of
ecological balance and social harmony are under threat from
pressures of Western consumerism. "Ancient Futures" is much more
than a book about Ladakh. It raises important questions about the
whole notion of progress, and explores the root causes of the
malaise of industrial society. At the same time, the story of
Ladakh aims to serve as a source of inspiration for our own future.
It shows us that another way is possble, and points to some of the
first steps towards kinder, gentler patterns of living.
If the many social, environmental and economic crises facing the
planet are to be resolved, a good place to start is to rebuild
local food economies. Food is something everyone, everywhere, needs
every day, so even small changes in the way it is produced and
marketed can offer immense benefits. This title shows how a shift
towards the local would protect and rebuild agricultural diversity.
It would give farmers a bigger share of the money spent on food,
and provide consumers with healthier, fresher food at more
affordable prices. It would reduce transport, greenhouse gas
emissions and the need for toxic agricultural chemicals. It would
lessen the need for storage, packaging, refrigeration and
artificial additives, and it would help revitalize rural economies
and communities in both the industrialized and the developing
world.
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