News Headlines |
Please send items of interest to Kristen.
|
REPORT LAUNCH: Weaving the New Economy & Community Resilience Movement
There Are Many Alternatives
Politicians, pundits, and just about everyone else tells us that global capitalism’s rampant growth, over-
consumption, gross inequality, and deep depersonalization are here to stay.
There is no alternative.
But Post Carbon Institute’s new report, Weaving the Community Resilience and New Economy Movement, finds that the future belongs to community-oriented, re-localized economies based on mutual support and cooperation, appropriately rooted in local needs, culture, and resources, with greater resilience in the face of future ecological, economic, and social instability.
The leaders interviewed in this report pointed to a wide variety of specific, practical alternative economic models that reinvest in communities, distribute wealth more equitably, strengthen democracy, and lessen negative environmental impacts (or even better, regenerate ecosystems). They shared a diverse array of alternatives being piloted—and replicated—in communities across the US and around the world.
As one leader we interviewed noted: “There’s not one economy—that’s a cultural construct that’s been forced upon us. Really what we need are many economies.”
Join the conversation! Read the report, join the online discussion, and/or register for one or both interactive conference calls on 9/18 & 9/25 (11amPT/2pmET).
READ the Report
There is Much Work to Do
It took global capitalism some 400 years and a treasure trove of resources to arrive at today’s world-dominating form. In contrast, the Community Resilience and New Economy movement (though it acknowledges an intellectual, moral, and inspirational debt owed to the many movements that preceded them) has been emerging for only a few decades.
And yet, Post Carbon Institute’s Weaving the Community Resilience and New Economy Movement finds that powerful, paradigm-shifting work already is happening within and among communities and organizations, and identifies opportunities and challenges to making the vision of a new economy a reality.
To learn more: read the report, join the online discussion, and/or register for one or both interactive conference calls on 9/18 & 9/25 (11amPT/2pmET).
JOIN the Conversation
Post Carbon Institute
613 4th Street, Ste 208
Santa Rosa, California 95404
GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS
The Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire (CCNB) invites local schools, artists, individuals, and community organizations to apply for their 2014 grants. The CCNB is a local branch of the Massachusetts State Cultural Council and it represents 11 Berkshire towns (Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesboro, Monroe, New Ashford, North Adams, Savoy, and Williamstown), allocating state funding to local arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences projects. There are also “Individual Artist” grants offered to select residents of those towns. Details are available on the CCNB website: culturalcouncil.wordpress.com.
The CCNB is currently accepting applications to fund projects occurring between January and December of 2015. Applications must be postmarked no later than October 15, 2014. Anyone interested in applying is strongly encouraged to attend one of two FREE grant-writing workshops: Sept 17th at the Williamstown Public Library from 6 – 7:30pm and Sept 27th at the North Adams Public Library from 10:30 – noon. Even if you’ve applied in the past, guidelines and priorities can change each year, so chances of success increase after attending one of these workshops.
Grants are awarded based on: a project’s benefit to the community, the qualifications of the individuals/organization involved, the preparation and planning process, and the population segments served. Priority is given to: artists and organizations living within the 11 municipalities represented, proposals that reach under served populations, and collaborative projects between cultural groups and community organizations.
Applications and guidelines are available online at http://www.mass-culture.org/. TWO copies of the completed application must be postmarked by October 15, and mailed to the CCNB, PO Box 227, North Adams, MA 01247. For more information contact Heather O’Brien at: 413-281-0455 or obriens12@verizon.net.