Local Futures
2018 Annual Report

In this issue:

Note from the Director
Helena Norberg-Hodge

P• Mindful Futures in Ladakh

eople often say to us: “We get it that

• Four more Economics of Happiness conferences

globalization is bad and localization• International collaborations for localization

good, but what can we actually do?” In

the following pages, Local Futures staff describe
many of the innovative global-to-local projects

level Asian Trade Summit in Hong Kong next

we ran during the past year. These range fromFebruary. When even a bastion of conventional

long-standing activities like the Ladakh Project

economic thinking like The Economist is paying

to more recent programs like the International

attention to us, we know that our reach has grown

Alliance for Localization (IAL).

exponentially.

I am greatly encouraged by the dramatic

Nonetheless, we still have a long way to go.

increase in the reach of our message. Just

Over many decades of working in the

recently,intersectingforexample,The

Economistworldsofenvironmental

magazine invited me to debate the WTO’s

advocacy, social justice, community building

chief economist, Robert Koopman, at a highand new economics, I’ve found that one ofLocal Futures p. 1

the biggest obstacles is the lack of information in

lectures, and written materials, the fact that eightthe West about the realities of life in the so-called

men now have more wealth than the poorest half

Third World. From within the bubble of theof the global population is not a separate problem

modern, urban, industrialized world it can seemfrom the frightening increase in toxic pollution andunrealistic or overly idealistic to promote artisan

CO2 emissions: both are linked to a global

production for basic needs. But the opposing

economy that simultaneously destroys people’s

position – that we should uncritically embrace still

livelihoods and the natural world.

more technology and global trade as a solution to

In response to the urgent political, social andthe problems we face – is actually quite dangerous.

ecological crises we are facing, we are pleased toWhat this view ignores is that the global economy

have been closely involved with a number ofis – even as you read this – destroying thesignificant new initiatives. These include CRTL-

livelihoods of millions of people. Most of them are

Shift: An Emergency Summit for Change in thein the less-industrialized world, where small-scale

UK, Renew Fest in Australia and the international

agriculture and artisan production still exist, andWellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll). We areremain the backbone of local economies andalsocommunities. Destroying these livelihoods and theprogram of Economics of Happiness conferencestraditions that bind them to cultural identity is a

is attracting ever more interest from around the

major cause of the violence and fundamentalism

world. The big picture we provide is helping tothat plagues the world today.

build broad, energetic coalitions for fundamental

thrilled

that

our

internationalflagship

experiencechange. In 2018, we co-hosted four conferences – inpromoting decentralized renewable energy inthe UK, Italy, South Korea and Japan – and in 2019

Ladakh make it very clear to us that the choice is

we have plans for conferences in Brazil, Mexico,

not between NO technology and continuing down

and Ladakh, as well as continuing with our series

the path promoted by governments and big

in South Korea.

Ourdecadesofpractical

business. There is clearly the possibility for people

Our other core programs have continued toin the “Third World” to have light, heat, runninggo from strength to strength, including ourwater, and greater comfort without destroying theplanet.

centralizing“Localization – a very important antidote to globalization –is the only hope for the future. If our civilization collapses,
which is a very real threat, humanity will be able to survive
only by adopting the principles of localization, and if wewant to avoid its collapse, we must adopt themurgently. Globalization is curiously narrow in its vision: it
does not spell community, togetherness, co-operation, butrather a monoculture based on the spiritually
impoverished ethic of the contemporary West, bent oneroding and destroying ancient, indigenous ways of life,and pursuing material wealth at all costs. Localization
respects the complexity of both the human and natural
world and fosters a respectful attitude to others, to life andto ourselves.”

economic and political power in a smaller number~ Iain McGilchrist, author of The Master and His Emissary

However, the current blind promotion of an

ever

more

energy-intensive

andresource-

destroying techno-economic system, which now
includes artificial intelligence (AI) at every turn, istaking all of us, in First and Third World alike, in adisastrous direction. By rewarding businesses forusing ever more energy and employing fewer
people, it is adding to both pollution andunemployment

–

all

the

while

of hands. As we argue so often in our films,
Local Futures p. 2

podcasts, blogs, films and publications. As always,

I hope you enjoy reading about ourour highest priority is to expand the grassroots

continued efforts this year and that you'll help us

localization movement, with a particular focus on

spread the word.

food. For more than 30 years we have been
reminding people of the central, vitally importantrole of healthy food systems: food is something
everyone, everywhere, needs every day, and sochanging the food economy is a crucial step
towards changing the entire economy. To those
who

argue

that

we

need

large

industrial

monocultures and supermarkets to feed the world,
we remind them that small, diversified farms
using ecological methods actually produce vastly
more

food

per

unit

of

land

than

large

Video celebrates Economics ofHappiness conferences
Kristen Steele, Associate Programs DirectorIt was six years ago that we began our
Economics of Happiness conference series,and since then we’ve organized 18 gatherings,

ranging in size from 100 to over 1,000 people, inmonocultures.
We're proud to say that the local foodseven countries: the US, UK, Australia, Italy, India,

movement has grown by leaps and bounds sinceSouth Korea and Japan. Now seems a good time towe began promoting it in the 1990s, but othercelebrate this accomplishment in a visual format.

localization initiatives are also spreading across the

From video footage and still photos, we haveworld.

rewilding,selected some of our favorite moments and put

throughthem together in a 3-minute montage. This lively

connection to nature and community – all of thesevideo aims to give a sense of what it feels like toare what we call “ancient futures” trends. They areattend an Economics of Happiness conference –taking root far more rapidly than people realize,

from serious talks linking the global economic

and they are having clear and immediate benefits

system to social and environmental breakdown, towherever they are implemented. In fact, the deep,

the hope and inspiration offered by the multitudes

ecological localization we promote is a genuineof thriving local initiatives, to the simple joys ofsolution multiplier that can help address most of

making new connections. The video is now

the diverse problems facing the world today. By

available on our website and on our Vimeo andenabling communities and local economies toYouTube channels.

Naturalalternativehouse

medicinebuilding,

andhealing

thrive, economic localization is truly a win-win
strategy for systemic change.
It’s unfortunate that the media rarely covers
these stories, preferring instead to focus on thetheater of left-right politics or the personal lives of
the rich and famous. This is one reason our Planet
Local series is so inspiring: it shows how peoplepower is bringing about fundamental change at
the local level.

Opening scene from conference video
Local Futures p. 3

Economics of Happinessfilm screenings

Additions to Local Futures Staff
Steven Gorelick, Managing Programs Director

Victoria Clarke, Administrative CoordinatorPeople across the world continue toorganize local screenings of our groundbreaking film, The Economics of Happiness.

W

two enthusiastic young people havejoined the staff, and will be helping

us spread the global-to-local message more widely:In 2018 there were public screenings held on every
continent. Here is a small sampling:

e’re very happy to announce that

Carly Gayle is the new Project Coordinator
for the Planet Local series and will assist with• a screening at a theatre in Bucharest – thefirst ever public screening in Romania

other projects as the need arises. After graduating

Magna Cum Laude from Wellesley College, Carly• an event at the University of Guam, where

worked in Bali, Indonesia, for Alam Santi

Helena Norberg-Hodge skyped in for a post-

Sustainable Living Design, which plans, designs

film discussion

and implements eco-friendly projects throughout• a public screening in Canada organized by

the Divest Waterloo campaign

Indonesia. She also volunteered for the Asian/
Oceania branch of the Global Ecovillage Network,• an event in New Zealand sponsored by

Seniors Climate Action Dunedin

where she planned and facilitated their 2017
annual convergence in the Philippines.

• screenings in the US, UK, Mozambique,

Laura Tyley is our new Digital Outreach

Mexico, Luxembourg, China, and elsewhere

Coordinator. She earlier created her own business,

Fresh Evoke Marketing, which aims to help small
Seven years after the film’s initial release, feedback

non-profits and businesses navigate the world of

from around the world tells us that the compelling

digital marketing. She is also piloting a new sitemessage of The Economics of Happiness remains asthat will help people “find the events and people

timely as ever.

that will repair your connection to yourself, others
and the environment.”

Local Futures p. 4

Ladakh ProjectAlex Jensen, Researcher and Project CoordinatorOdrought

bstacles in the way of a sustainable
future for Ladakh were abundantly
clear this past summer.
wasunderway,

A severecompoundingagroundwater depletion and contamination crisis
causedbyover-development

in

Leh

and

surrounding areas – even as still more hotels werebeing built to accommodate ever-rising numbers of
tourists.

The drought – a byproduct of climatechange – also added to the difficulties facing
Ladakhi farmers. In light of all this, Local Futures’
work is more crucial than ever:from media

literacy and compassionate economies to zerowaste, from film screenings and discussions to
help with the harvest – we worked non-stop thisseason with a heightened sense of urgency.

Global-to-local workshop participants

controlled global economy and connected it tolocal phenomena like the plastic waste crisis in
Ladakh. The workshop’s themes were illuminatedby a range of activities – the spectrogram (posing
controversial statements about development to see
where people “stand”, literally, on the matter), a
field-trip to the local waste dump, and mapping
out

connections

among

the

diverseforces

impacting Ladakh. In the latter half of theworkshop, we focused on alternative visions andpractices for shifting toward the local andecological. Film screenings, debates, talks, guided
walks, and trips to local NGOs rounded out a richand rewarding week.

Fallow fields in a Ladakhi village

Global-to-Local workshop for Operation
Groundswell
Our first major activity was a five-day workshop
for the High Altitude Education program of theinternational“backpacktivist”

organization

Operation Groundswell. With a dozen participantsfrom North America, we examined the corporate-

Barley ready for harvest

Local Futures p. 5

Mindful Futures Workshop
We had barely caught our breath before welaunched into our next endeavor – an inspiringfour-day workshop dubbed “Mindful Futures 2:
Creating a Compassionate

Economy” – co-organized with Flowering Dharma, an engaged
spirituality group run by Ladakhi youth. A followup to 2017’s Mindful Futures workshop, this event“It was one of the best workshops I ever attended. The
talks, discussions, interactions, and films shown have
posed a very positive impact on my life. Every day, I went
home full of knowledge and told it to my parents andfriends. These kinds of workshops are a must and an
effective change maker in today's fast-paced high modern
techno world. I am really going to attend all the otherworkshops here so that I could also make a very positivechange in the world or at least in Ladakh.”~ Stanzin Jidey Zangmo
Mindful Futures workshop participant

filled us with a sense of hope and possibility bornfrom the spirited participation and genuine socio-

environmental concern of the 25 young Ladakhi

Media Literacy Workshop

participants – mostly university students studying

In early August, we moved on to our mostoutside Ladakh. The days were packed with talks,intensive,

debates, films and participatory activities focusedsummer, “Media Literacy and Film-making’” co-on understanding the structural violence of theorganized

globalOrganisation

economyandthecompassionate

longest-planned
withLadakh(LAMO).

We

workshop
Arts

of

and

had

the

Media

around25

Guestparticipants (ranging from 14 to 20 years old),speakers included the leaders of the Snow Leopard

mostly from five high schools in Leh and Stok. We

Conservancy; prominent Buddhist monk andhad aspired to do a workshop like this for a long

representative of the “Go Green, Go Organic”

time. As consumption of media and use of media

initiative, Rigyal Rinpoche; and local film-makerdevices increases in Ladakh, it is becoming more

Stanzin Gya, who screened his climate change film

and more important for Ladakhis to be aware of its

Jungwa. Long-time Local Futures ally Keibo Oiwa

deeper messaging and broader impacts.

possibilities

oflocalized

economies.

from Japan delivered a closing talk full of humor

Over the course of a full week there were

and wisdom – as well as warnings about the social

presentations, participatory activities and film

deformations Japan experienced after embracing

screenings – about the advertising industry,

manic industrialism-materialism – that memorably

corporate control of media, the psychological,

communicated the essence of the workshop.

social, and environmental effects of “screen
culture”, and the need for media literacy. Special
guest speakers shared their expertise in topics like
media ethics, the link between media and junkfood, media portrayals of gender, and the use of
media tools for positive change. Experienced
filmmakers also taught basic skills in story writing,filming,

andediting.

Participants

had

the

opportunity to work in groups to create short films
about their own experiences of media in Ladakh,
Mindful Futures workshop speakers and participants

which were screened for an audience of parents
and members of Ladakhi civil society.
Local Futures p. 6

Specialthanks go to the group Davis Projects for Peacevolunteer Katie Conlon) with recommend-

and to volunteer Aly Sams for making thisdations for combating the waste crisis• organizing a group of volunteers to travel

workshop possible.

with us to Gya village, to help filmmaker

Towards the end of the summer we held
another Global-to-Local workshop for a group of

Stanzin Gya and his brother Urgen harvest

gap-year students from the US and Canada. Therebarley and peas as part of our ongoing “Helpwas a presentation by Skarma Gyurmet from local

with the Harvest” program

NGO Juley Ladakh, and a captivating panel with• regular screenings of The Economics ofthree young Ladakhis discussing their visions ofHappiness film at the Women’s Alliancethe region’s future.

center in Leh, and taking the film on the roadto Hemis village, where we screened it for agroup of Naropa Fellowship recipients.

“Two days back I had no idea what media literacy or film
making was. But now I feel more confident about what
media literacy is and I also learnt many things that werebeyond my imagination like about the smartphone
producers, the internet, advertisement and things that I
would have never learnt from school and other sources.”~ Media Literacy workshop participantMore Events and Activities
Our other activities in 2018 included:• helping to sponsor and promote the annual

festival of traditional food and craft held by
the Women’s Alliance of Ladakh• a presentation about our long-running

Mindful Travel program at the “Save theHimalayas” conference• meeting with local government

Ladakhi workshop participants

administrators to deliver a presentation(prepared by our energetic zero-waste

Local Futures p. 7

• Mauro Bonaiuti, co-founder of the Italian

Economics of Happiness conferences

Association for Degrowth

Prato, Italy• Rossano Ercolini, Goldman Environmental

Anja Lyngbaek, Associate Programs Director

F

Prize winneror the second year in a row, Tuscany was
the site of an Economics of Happiness
conference, again co-organized with Italianphilosopher and writer Gloria Germani, and withthe support of several Italian partners, including
Mani Tese, Movimento Decrescita Felice and Terra

Nuova Edizoni.
The conference began with a day of thoughtprovoking workshops at the beautiful Villa San
Leonardo al Palco, near the city of Prato. About
200 people took part during the first day, which
offered a choice of workshops on topics such as
rethinking

progress;

imaginations;

media

decolonization
and

the

of

Anja Lyngbaek and George Ferguson during a break-out
sessionourfabricationof

The conference attracted a lot of media attention:

thought; local food and farming; happiness and

28 different news outlets mentioned the event,place; and culture and education. It was a day

including newspapers, magazines and radio. Somefilled with lively discussions, inspiring exchanges,of these, like La Stampa and Lettera43, covered theand good food. On the second day we shifted toconference in depth. Thanks to this broad

the Teatro Politeama, a lovely historic theater in

exposure, our call for systemic change reached

the center of old Prato, for a full day of plenary

large numbers of people beyond those whotalks and panel discussions.

attended the event.

In addition to Local Futures director Helena
Norberg-Hodge,

speakers

andworkshop

Bristol, UK
Henry Coleman, Project Coordinatorpresenters included:• Serge Latouche, French degrowth pioneer• George Ferguson, former mayor of the UK

city of Bristol• Manish Jain, co-founder of Swaraj UniversityO

ur second Economics of Happiness

Conference of the year was held in
Bristol, England, in partnership with the

NGO Happy City. The highlight of the opening

in India• Keibo Oiwa, author and founder of Japan’s

event on Friday evening was a debate between
three respected voices with radically differing

Sloth Club
• Masahiko Yamada, food sovereignty activist

opinions on the role of big business in creating an

and former Agricultural Minister of Japaneconomics of happiness: Andy Street, Founding• Anja Lyngbaek, Local Futures Associate

Programs Director

Director of the global environmental consultancy
SLR; Andrew Garrad, Director of Garrad Hassan,

Local Futures p. 8

theworld’slargestrenewableenergydancing, and with the work of two young local

consultancy; and Local Futures Director Helena

artists who responded to the conference via theNorberg-Hodge. This debate and the ensuing

media of music, poetry and drawing – a touching

Q&A with the audience set the tone for a rivetingend to a fantastic day.

and thought-provoking conference.

Finally,thesmaller

event

on

SundayTo start the main event on Saturday, themorning saw George Ferguson in conversation

headline speakers – former Bristol mayor George

with social entrepreneur Jamie Pike about the

Ferguson, Happy City Chief Executive Liz

fabric of local economy and culture in Bristol. Both

Zeidler, local economy author Michael Shuman,

spoke from a place of deep experience and

New Economics Foundation Fellow Andrew

practical wisdom, and the intimacy of the event

Simms, Campaign for Real Farming co-founderallowed for a truly enjoyable conversation that was

Colin Tudge, and Helena Norberg-Hodge – gave

the perfect finale for our Bristol event.

punchy summaries of their main messages inquick succession. With audience appetites well
wetted, the following Q&A session was expertly
moderated by BBC presenter Jonathan Dimbleby.

“Great conference. Fabulous people. Interesting discussions. Marvelous place. Seamless execution. Thanks forincluding me.”~ Michael Shuman, speaker at
Economics of Happiness Conference, Bristol, UK

Participants then broke out into numerous
workshops,

whichallowedfordeeperengagement with a wide variety of issues andideas for changemaking.

Among the many

Jeonju, South Korea

Marjana Kos, Executive Assistantempowering youth in the age of the consumer

Lculture. The energy of everyone present made forin Jeonju City.

workshops topics were: a local future for ourtowns and cities; big picture activism; ethicalinvestment; inclusion and environmentalism; andFutures

continued

its

uniquecollaboration with the government of
Jeonju, South Korea, as we co-hosted ourfourth annual Economics of Happiness conferencea productive environment in which to learn,share and find inspiration.

ocal

The first conference in this series, in 2015,
resultedintheJeonjuDeclaration

on

the

Economics of Happiness, which committed the“Events like this, which are driven by a fierce passion for
doing good in the world, are always a strong draw for me.
I chaired a Local Futures conference in London someyears ago, and found the combination of expert speakers,
real world examples and practical solutions highly
stimulating.”~ Jonathan Dimbleby, moderator of
Economics of Happiness conference, Bristol, UK

The day’s formal sessions concluded withtwo plenaries that explored the deeper ecologicaland cultural foundations of change-making in ourworld. The evening closed with socializing andSpeakers and participants at conference in Jeonju

Local Futures p. 9

local government to “[shifting] its administrativeand elsewhere in South Korea, there were asystem away from a paradigm that prioritizes

number of international speakers, including:

growth and development towards one that puts

• Jay

Tompt,

co-founder
ProjectoftheTotnes

and

the

Local

people first [and] to create an economy that works

REconomyfor the people and makes local communities

Entrepreneur Forum in Totnes, UK• Junko Edahiro, co-founder of Japan for

happy.”

Sustainability and President of the Institutefor Studies in Happiness, Economy andSociety• Takahashi Hiromichi, Executive director ofJapan´s most innovative farmer-consumer
food cooperative, the PAL System
Plans are already underway for another conferencein Jeonju in 2019.
Tokyo, Japan

Performance at conference in Jeonju

Marjana Kos, Executive AssistantThis year´s conference focused on three main
For this conference – a follow-up to last year’s

threads:• local food, including Jeonju´s food plan andauditorium at Meiji Gakuin University was filled

policy• local finance strategies, including the city’s

regeneration

to capacity. The crowd, including a sizeablecontingent of young people, was energized by alocal currency pilot project• urbanEconomics of Happiness World Forum – the

with

the

activerange

ofinspiring

speakers

whocoveredeverything from agriculture to local business toinvolvement of residents
The event also continued the cross-pollination offree trade. The last of these is a particularly

ideas between the South Korean and Japanese

important issue in light of Japan’s ratification of

localization movements – a process that began in

the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal

2017, when several members of the South Koreanthat will deliver a serious blow to that country’sorganizing committee took part in the Economics

small farmers.

of Happiness World Forum in Tokyo. This year,
two key change-makers from Japan spoke at the
Jeonju conference, sharing information about
Japanese

localization

trends,strategies

Plenary speakers included:• Tsutumi

Japanesejournalist,on“Globalization: US and Japan”

and

• Jay

initiatives.

Mika,

Tompt, on “REconomy and Local

Business”

The two-day conference program included a
mix of keynote speeches, panel discussions and• Kai Sawyer, founder of the Permaculture

workshops. In addition to presenters from Jeonju

and Peace Dojo, on “Localization in the US
and Japan”

Local Futures p. 10

• Patricia Moguel, environmental education• a lecture to students in the “Sustainability

adviser to indigenous organizations, on “TheAnd Environmental Action” class, part of the

Significance of the Tosepan Movement in

School for International Training’s study

Mexico”

abroad program in Australia• “Rethinking Technology and Progress”, an

Along with music and prayer, there were also

online class in collaboration with David

panel discussions on the TPP, agriculture, andShaw, Coordinator of the Right Livelihood

food sovereignty in Japan, as well as a forum inCollege at the University of California, Santa

which young people described their visions ofCruz

localization. After a full day of conference events,• a public talk on “Hope in a Time of Crisis”,

the following day was devoted to a strategy

in Dartington, UK• an event in London, UK, at which she wasmeeting for localization activists.

joined by The Rules member Jason Hickel fora discussion of degrowth and localization• a lecture and workshop on the economics ofhappiness at Gaunts House, in Dorset, UK• appearances on two panels at The Downs

Festival, Bristol, UK

Conference in Tokyo

Lectures, workshops, and other events
Local Futures staff
Video of Helena speaking at Schumacher CollegeOur perspective on economic localization
is being increasingly sought out by

Associate Programs Director, Anja Lyngbaek also

other organizations and institutions.

gave a number of talks, including:Throughout the year, Local Futures Director• “Big Picture Activism” at the Freedom

Helena Norberg-Hodge was invited to speak at

Festival in Hull, UK, followed by discussion

and participate in numerous courses, conferences,with the audience about moving beyond left-

workshops and other events, including:right politics and what we can learn from theabolitionists• teaching a 5-day course at Schumacher

College in the UK titled “Earth, Culture,
Economy: the Power of Local”, along withandsuffragettes

about

movement building;• “Relocalization for the Common Good" toour colleagues Satish Kumar and Stephan

100 students at the University of Chapingo,

Harding

Mexico;Local Futures p. 11

• a series of lectures – on consumerism andidentity,

theglobalcorporate

growtheconomy, and place-based economies forpeople and planet – at the Colegio de la Salle,
Mexico.
In addition, Executive Assistant Marjana Kos
taught modules on the economy and money at a
Permaculture Design Course in Slovenia, andResearcher and Project Coordinator Alex Jensen
participated

in

the

Degrowth

Gatheringin

Chicago.

Planet Local
Carly Gayle, Project CoordinatorPlanet Local is our web series showcasingsome of the thousands of grassroots
localization projects springing up allaround the world. Currently in its fifth year, Planet

Local includes an online library showcasing morethan 100 projects, and a Medium.com account,

Maasai Center for Regenerative Pastoralism

created last year, profiling outstanding initiatives

Mesopotamian

Ecology

Movement

in

North

in greater depth.

Kurdistan, and linkages between local food,schools, and physicians. A three-part series oncommunity-managed water sovereignty dove into
the increasingly important topic of water access,and highlighted place-based local water resiliencestrategies in Asia, Africa, and South America.
Articles on Resilient Power Puerto Rico, theMaasai Center for Regenerative Pastoralism, and
the Global Ecobrick alliance also illustrated theemancipatory power of self-reliance.
Soul Fire FarmIn the coming year, Planet Local will

Over the past year, Planet Local has featured

continue to expand the library, with a focus onorganizations working in innovative niches in the

projects that strengthen land-based livelihoods inlocal food movement: architecture firm MASS

the developing world. We hope these examples

Design Group’s design work for rural and urban

and case studies will make the diverse localization

food infrastructure, Soul Fire Farm’s reparations

movement even more vivid and accessible —map for black and indigenous farmers, theinspiring people who wish to embark on new

Local Futures p. 12

projects and connecting those around the world

who are already hard at work. We will also crosspost our blog entries on the same Medium
platform, enabling these timely essays to reach aneven wider audience.

Geographical distribution of respondents to IAL
membership survey

some of these ideas and expand the IAL, both inreach and effectiveness.
Respondents stated that they found IAL activities
Indonesian farmers build a cistern at the Bali Appropriate
Technology Institute (BATI)

and resources useful, both professionally andInternational Alliance for
Localization (IAL)“The examples shared by IAL via email are extremely

Kristen Steele, Associate Programs Director

will be no 'one or two solutions' and that technology

S

personally:

helpful. The larger task of persuading others that there

will not likely be the source is more challenging.”
ince its official launch in 2014, the IAL has
attracted individual and organizational“Your films, podcasts and webinars have been a great

members from more than 65 countries.

source of knowledge and inspiration, and I have been

However, we know that the IAL still has a lot ofable to use them as conversation starters in my work

untapped potential. So earlier this year, we beganwith local groups including study groups anda project in collaboration with the NGO Netcentric

workshops.”

Campaigns,

which

seeks

to

improvetheeffectiveness of networks. In order to gauge IAL
successes and challenges so far, we designed andconducted a survey of the membership. We
received a range of very helpful replies, including
some ideas for new projects: creating more direct
networking and learning opportunities, launchingcollaborative campaigns to oppose destructive
trade, and reaching potential members fromunderrepresented parts of the world, especially
South America and Africa. Over the coming year,
we will be creating a strategic plan to implement
Local Futures p. 13

Respondents also emphasized the benefits they getsustainable housing, psychotherapy, wellbeing, co-from being part of such a diverse, international,

creative arts, community building and Transition

grassroots network:

Town. Green Party MP Caroline Lucas also spoke
about harnessing Brexit to bring political power“Solidarity is a primary support. Learning and doingback to the local level, rather than continuing to

together is another. Helps me to apply some of thegive away control to supranational and corporate-

insights, tools I come across in this network.”

captured government bodies.

“Making

connections

withlike-mindedpeople.

Solidarity and a sense of community is motivating andhelps morale. Learning from the work of others.”

Collaborations
Local Futures staff

CTRL-Shift, United Kingdom
In the UK, Brexit is presenting a host of difficult
challenges, but many in the new economy
movement are working hard to turn those into

WEAll, Spain, US and international

opportunities for positive change. One such effort

A new network, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance,

was CTRL-Shift: An Emergency Summit foror WEAll, was recently launched, with Local

Change, held in Wigan in March 2018. Local

Futures acting as a founding partner. Anja

Futures was involved from the beginning, with

Lyngbaek represented Local Futures at the group’s

Associate Programs Directors Kristen Steele andinitial strategic planning session in Malaga, Spain

Anja Lyngbaek helping to shape the event’sin April and Kristen Steele spoke at the official

content and format. One of our long-term

launch event in New York City in September.

volunteers Angie Polkey participated in CTRL-

WEAll’s stated mission is “to help bring about a

Shift and reported that it was a lively gatheringtransformation of the economic system, of societyripepotential

and of institutions so that we all prioritise sharedcollaborators and rich discussion on healthier

wellbeing on a healthy planet.” More than forty

directions for the UK economy. Participantsorganizations are now members of WEAll, andrepresented many different sectors of the new

Anja and Kristen are participating in ongoing

economydiscussions with other member organizations to

with

new

connections

movement,

includingtopermaculture,

Local Futures p. 14

shape the ambitious projects to come. Well-known

and the mounting social and environmental

members include ecological economist Robert

problems we face. This was followed by a series of

Costanza,

Kateinteractive exercises, games, role-plays and image

Raworth, and Hunter Lovins, founder of Natural

mapping that encouraged students to adopt a “bigCapital Solutions. With our unique global-to-local

picture”, holistic perspective and move beyond

vision,token consideration for the environment. Rather

Doughnut

Local

Economics

Futures

hasauthorbeen

pivotalinmaintaining focus on the importance of localizedthaneconomic structures for both human and planetaryunsustainable global economy, the students were

wellbeing.

taken on a reflective journey in the opposite

To hear more about the thinking

tweaking

designtowards

withindesignanforinherently

behind this initiative, please check out our Local

direction,

place-basedBites podcast with Kristen and WEAll director

economies operating within ecological limits.

Diego Isabel La Moneda.

Instead of built-in obsolescence, they envisioned
products meant to last a lifetime; instead of onesize-fits-all products for a homogenized global
market, they imagined products for local markets
usingdiverselocal

materials.

The

courseculminated with the students organizing andrunning a half-day Economics of Happinessworkshop for a group of non-students.
This collaborative experience was extremely

rewarding, with a cross-pollination of ideas that
benefited all of us. Local Futures looks forward toanother collaborative project with these partners,
Diego Isabel La Moneda introducing WEAll partnerorganizations at launch in New York City

as we co-create innovative education-for-action

Economics of Happiness course at Fudan

Renew Fest, Australia

University, China

In May, Local Futures co-organized and sponsoredOver a period of several months, Anja Lyngbaek

Renew Fest 2018 – a festival of ecological andmaterials.

collaborated with Carmelo di Stefano, SeniorLecturer in design at the Shanghai Institute ofVisual Arts of Fudan University, China, on thedevelopment of a sustainability course. The course
was based upon Local Futures’ Economics ofHappiness DIY workshop toolkit, but was adapted
to fit the Chinese setting.
The Economics of Happiness film served as aspringboard for a rich discussion on the links
between the global consumerism-based economy
Helena Norberg-Hodge speaking at Renew Fest
Local Futures p. 15

social renewal held in in Mullumbimby, Australia.

Jeonju give this campaign the potential to greatly

Helena Norberg-Hodge gave a keynote talk andexpand the Korean public’s awareness of the

spoke on a number of panels that brought together

essential principles of localization.

visionaries from around the world to take on

An article by Associate Programs Director

issues ranging from mental health to economic

Anja Lyngbaek has been included in a new

instability to ecological breakdown. Local Futures

Spanish-language

sponsored the panel on “Ethical Economics”, andPoliticas culturales para el dessarollo de comunidad en

our Project Coordinator Henry Coleman wrote andareas metropolitanas. Anja’s article, “Localization –directed a short comedic theater piece thatspringboard for cultural diversity and wellbeing”,

critiqued corporate greenwashing and “green

is based on her talk last year at UNESCO’s

consumerism.” It was heart-warming to hear the

conference in Guadalajara, Mexico.

UNESCObook,

Zapopan:enthusiasm for Local Futures’ message from thepassionate and caring folk that Renew Festbrought together.

Publications
Steve Gorelick, Managing Programs Director

Interviews,

articles,

blogs

and

other

publications
comprise

important

an

part

educational
which

of

our

outreach,isincreasinglyinternationalinscope.

Our booklet Localization:
Essential

Steps

to

EconomicsofHappiness,wastranslated

We also have two new in-house books in theanworks. One is a compendium of our best blogs
from the past decade, which taken together

into

provide a broad view of both the social andKorean and expanded intoa full book entitled The Future of the Local: A
Conversation with Helena (no last name is requiredfor Helena in South Korea, where she is a celebrity
and Ancient Futures a bestseller). The publisher,
Namhaebomnal, is organizing a national campaign
centered on the book, which will be accompanied
by a manifesto called Local is Our Future. Helena’s
renown and the high profile of our conferences inecological problems we face and the most strategic
ways to address them. We are also working on abook on well-being, which will examine the root
causes of such escalating problems as eating
disorders, the epidemic of depression, and teenage
suicide, and will argue that a systemic shift toward
localized economies of connection and care is thebest path towards psychological healing. We hope

Local Futures p. 16

to publish both of these in 2019.

Economics. Topics included degrowth, the rise ofOver the past year, interviews with Helena

authoritarianism,

thebroader

impactsofNorberg-Hodge appeared in a number of formats.

technology, the hidden costs of global trade,

The Australian print magazine and website

effective strategies for addressing climate change,

Dumbo Feather featured her on their podcast,and more. Most of these were reposted by other“Conversations with Extraordinary People”, andoutlets – Counterpunch, Resilience, Common Dreams,

The Future is Beautiful podcast ran an interview

Films for Action, Deep Green Resistance and manywith her titled “Escaping the Jaws of Hungry

others – thereby greatly expanding their reach.

Giants”.

theAnd as mentioned above, we will now be posting

syndicated radio series 21st Century Radio and on

the blogs on our Medium platform as well as theRenegade TV.

Local Futures website.

She

was

also

interviewed

on

Here is a quick sampling of blog posts fromthe past year:
Localization: A Strategic Alternative to
Globalized Authoritarianism
Helena Norberg-Hodge
The rise of authoritarianism is just one ofmany
Helena on RenegadeTV

interrelated

impacts

ofeconomic

globalization. Today’s global economy heightens

economic insecurity, fractures communities, andHelena’s conversation with essayist, poet,

undermines individual and cultural identity –novelist and farmer Wendell Berry was not only athereby creating conditions that are ripe for the

Local Futures’ podcast (see page 20), it will soon

rise of authoritarian leaders…

appearon“Localization:

Dumbo
A

Feather.

Strategic

Her

essay

Alternativeto

Globalized Authoritarianism”, was a featured
article on the Netherlands-based TNI website, andher review of the book From Global to Local: theMaking of Things and the End of Globalisation
appeared in Resurgence magazine; both were also
posted on the Local Futures blog.
Those were just two of the more than 30
blogs we posted during the year, which saw
contributions from Local Futures staff as well as
thinkers and activists from our circle of contacts –Can Localism Restore Sanity to Politics?

like Jason Hickel from The Rules, Frances Moore

Gracy Olmstead

Lappé from the Small Planet Institute and DavidIf we’re to find hope and unity for our

Bollier from the Schumacher Center for New

politics in this fractured era, localism may be theLocal Futures p. 17

perfect place to start. It hands ownership andpower back to those who are most likely to feel
hollowed out and powerless in the face of federal
stasis…
Mending a History of Discrimination through“Person-to-Person Reparations”
Sean Keller
Although systemic economic forces make it
difficult for anyone to survive as a farmer – andeven harder to acquire enough land to start a farm–institutional

racism

and

other

forms

of

Container ship of consumer goods

discrimination have made it all but impossible forpeople of color…

Globalization’s Deadly Footprint
Alex Jensen
That pollution is bad for our health will
come as a surprise to no one. That pollution kills atleast 9 million people every year might. This is 16
percent of all deaths worldwide – 3 times morethan AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined,

and 15 times more than all wars and other forms ofviolence…
Why Growth Can’t be Green
Jason Hickel“Green growth” sounds like an elegant
Harvesting alfalfa on the altiplano in Peru

solution to an otherwise catastrophic problem.
There’s just one hitch: New evidence suggests that

Farming for a Small Planet

green growth isn’t the panacea everyone has been

Frances Moore Lappé

hoping for. In fact, it isn’t even possible…

People yearn for alternatives to industrial
agriculture, but they are worried. They see large-

The Curse of Bigness

scale operations relying on corporate-supplied

Christopher Ketchamchemical inputs as the only high-productivity

Bigness is the prejudice of American life, thefarming model. But there is ample evidence that anaxiom being that when something is big it isalternative approach – organic agriculture, or more

automatically better. That we allow corporations to

broadly “agroecology” – is actually the only way

grow to outrageous size is just another symptom

to ensure that all people have access to sufficient,of the disease. Bigness worship permeates every

healthful food…

layer of the culture; it is racked into our brains
Local Futures p. 18

with every turn of the advertising screw; it is atime to pursue their interests. Obviously, things

totalizing force…

have not turned out that way…

Technology and its Discontents
Steven Gorelick
Despite decades of hype and a continuing
barrage of advertising, cracks are beginning toappear in the pro-digital consensus. The illusionthat technology “unlocks compassion for our
fellow human beings” has become harder tomaintain in the face of what we now know: digitaltechnologies are the basis for smart bombs, drone
warfare and autonomous weaponry; they enable
governments to conduct surveillance on virtually
everyone, and allow corporations to gather andsell information about our habits and behavior;

Bulldoze the Business School

they permit online retailers to destroy brick-and-Martin Parker

mortar businesses that are integral to healthy local
economies…

Business schools have huge influence, yetthey are also widely regarded to be intellectuallyfraudulent places, fostering a culture of short-termism and greed… Having taught in businessschools for 20 years, I have come to believe that thebest solution to these problems is to shut downbusiness schools altogether…

Where Time Went (and why we have so little left)
Mark C. Taylor
With the emergence of personal computersand other digital devices in the late 1960s and early
1970s, many analysts predicted a new age in whichpeople would be drawn together in a “global
village,” where they would be freed from many ofthe burdens of work and would have ample leisure

Local Futures p. 19

Podcasts
Sean Keller, Media and Outreach CoordinatorI•n the past year we released several new episodes of the Local Bites podcast. The new episodes range inlength from 15 to 40 minutes and consist of interviews and recorded talks with leaders of localization
efforts around the world:
Richard Heinberg of the Post Carbon Institute discussed the history of GDP and alternative measures ofsocietal progress•

Jay Tompt introduced the REconomy Project, a “new economy business incubator” in the UK•

Francisco Grau spoke about helping to start Feria Verde, one of the largest organic farmers’ markets in
Costa Rica•

Diego Isabel La Moneda presented the Wellbeing Economies Alliance, an exciting new initiative tobuild a global cross-sector alliance for system change•

Wendell Berry held a far-ranging conversation with Helena Norberg-Hodge, in which they discussed
technology, agriculture, local food systems, human nature, and happinessWe plan to continue releasing new episodes of Local Bites on a regular basis – roughly one episode permonth. Future episodes will comprise exceptional talks from our previous Economics of Happiness
conferences (supplemented by “interlude” segments that delve into greater depth on the topics discussed),
and new interviews and conversations with some of the brightest minds working to bring the economy backto a human scale. Listenership for the podcast continues to be high, with over 16,000 total episode downloads
and new downloads – including of older episodes – happening every week.

Photos: p1 Sean Keller; p5 Sean Keller, Alex
Jensen, Lindsay Charlop; p6 Alex Jensen
p7 Alex Jensen, Lindsay Charlop;
p8 Marcelo Bezerra Cavalcanti

p9,10 Jeonju conference organizers; p11 Tokyo
conference organizers; p12 Caroline Grindrod; p13 Carly
Gayle; p15 Kristen Steele, Ingrid Pullen; p19 JD Lasica

Local Futures/International Society for Ecology and Culture
www.localfutures.org
USA: PO Box 36, East Hardwick, VT 05836, Tel: 802-472-3505
UK: PO Box 239, Totnes TQ9 9DP, Tel: 01392 581175
info@localfutures.org
Compiled and produced by Kristen Steele
Edited by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Steve Gorelick and Marjana Kos
Local Futures p. 20