These stories are all fleshed out in Jim Hightower's latest book, "Swim Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow," and they started me thinking about the relative importance of national policy change and local initiative. As Hightower says quite well, we need both.
Norman Solomon's recent book "War Made Easy," criticizes those who would shy away from attempts to end wars and retreat into small-time organic farming (or meditation). Of course, those who take that route do not describe it as retreat. They see it as taking positive steps rather than just criticizing others. Again, I think we need both. Global war or global warming will wipe out your farm no matter how organic it may be. But criticizing policies driven by oil, weapons, and greed won't work without showing people another way.
And, of course, local initiatives that build community should, theoretically, empower people to better lobby for policy changes at the national level. Its unclear to me, however, how much this actually happens, how many local agriculture coops actually push Congress to stop funding foreign occupations. What is becoming clearer to me is how many local efforts can become regional and national successes without any help from Washington. I picked up a copy of another book, "Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grass Roots" by Kevin Danaher, Shannon Biggs, and Jason Mark.
Did you realize that...?
Residents of Norco, La., poisoned by a Shell oil refinery and a Shell chemical plant, forced the company to pay the cost of residents relocating.
A housewife in Niagara Falls, N.Y., organized her community against local pollution in a campaign that led to the creation of the U.S. EPA Superfund program.
Over 100 towns in the United States have denied corporations legal personhood and constitutional rights in a campaign growing out of anger at the dumping of toxic sludge on farms. In Humboldt County, Calif., voters have chosen in a referendum to deny corporations civil and political rights, in response to a corporation-funded campaign to recall an elected official.
A poor neighborhood in Chicago denied good grocery stores has done better by creating an organic urban farm and local market. In Havana, Cuba, they've done the same.
North Dakota farmers have defeated efforts by Monsanto to sell genetically engineered seeds.
Loggers and environmentalists in a corner of Oregon have cooperated, resulting in better outcomes for both and new government policies for the whole Northwest.
Residents of Tallulah, La., and parents of juveniles imprisoned there have worked together to shut the prison down.
Cities and towns around the world, including in Washington and Virginia, are experimenting with allowing residents to determine how much money goes where in their governments' annual budgets.
Hundreds of towns and cities have passed resolutions against enforcement of unconstitutional sections of the USA PATRIOT Act. (However, the act has not been repealed, and has instead been worsened further.)
Two colleges in a Minnesota town are competing to achieve greatest sustainability and independence from nonrenewable fuels. Together they're influencing the rest of the state. And students have persuaded the International Conference of Mayors to adopt their recommendations.
More than 400 U.S. mayors have signed a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Roanoke, Va., is among the cities leading the way.
Sweden has declared independence from oil.
Norman Solomon's recent book "War Made Easy," criticizes those who would shy away from attempts to end wars and retreat into small-time organic farming (or meditation). Of course, those who take that route do not describe it as retreat. They see it as taking positive steps rather than just criticizing others. Again, I think we need both. Global war or global warming will wipe out your farm no matter how organic it may be. But criticizing policies driven by oil, weapons, and greed won't work without showing people another way.
And, of course, local initiatives that build community should, theoretically, empower people to better lobby for policy changes at the national level. Its unclear to me, however, how much this actually happens, how many local agriculture coops actually push Congress to stop funding foreign occupations. What is becoming clearer to me is how many local efforts can become regional and national successes without any help from Washington. I picked up a copy of another book, "Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grass Roots" by Kevin Danaher, Shannon Biggs, and Jason Mark.
Did you realize that...?
A housewife in Niagara Falls, N.Y., organized her community against local pollution in a campaign that led to the creation of the U.S. EPA Superfund program.
Over 100 towns in the United States have denied corporations legal personhood and constitutional rights in a campaign growing out of anger at the dumping of toxic sludge on farms. In Humboldt County, Calif., voters have chosen in a referendum to deny corporations civil and political rights, in response to a corporation-funded campaign to recall an elected official.
A poor neighborhood in Chicago denied good grocery stores has done better by creating an organic urban farm and local market. In Havana, Cuba, they've done the same.
North Dakota farmers have defeated efforts by Monsanto to sell genetically engineered seeds.
Loggers and environmentalists in a corner of Oregon have cooperated, resulting in better outcomes for both and new government policies for the whole Northwest.
Residents of Tallulah, La., and parents of juveniles imprisoned there have worked together to shut the prison down.
Cities and towns around the world, including in Washington and Virginia, are experimenting with allowing residents to determine how much money goes where in their governments' annual budgets.
Hundreds of towns and cities have passed resolutions against enforcement of unconstitutional sections of the USA PATRIOT Act. (However, the act has not been repealed, and has instead been worsened further.)
Two colleges in a Minnesota town are competing to achieve greatest sustainability and independence from nonrenewable fuels. Together they're influencing the rest of the state. And students have persuaded the International Conference of Mayors to adopt their recommendations.
More than 400 U.S. mayors have signed a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Roanoke, Va., is among the cities leading the way.
Sweden has declared independence from oil.
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