Relocalizing

It is clear to me our societal approach to “living” isn’t sustainable. It isn’t working any more and we are collectively kicking the can down the road. This has prompted me to study relocalization and begin to take what action I can.

“What is relocalization?” you may ask. That’s a good question. Here’s a working definition of relocalization:

“The process by which a region, county, city or even neighborhood frees itself from an overdependence on the global economy and federal and state government and invests its own resources to produce a significant portion of the goods, services, food and energy it consumes from its local endowment of financial, natural and human capital.”

There are many aspects of relocalization, and my particular areas of interest are in the areas of food and money. I’ve volunteered as a consultant to a very  progressive organic farm cooperative nearby called Community by Design led by a visionary man, Narendra Varma. I am researching “slow money” and alternative economy concepts, and am exploring the concept of providing something like micro-loans to young, local organic farmers. I volunteer some of my time to speak to local groups in Yamhill County regarding relocalization, slow money and related topics. Awareness is sorely needed. As business author and guru Jim Collins puts it, “great leaders confront the brutal facts.”

Ultimately, my hope is to join collaboratively with other highly competent professionals in Yamhill County who are also interested in making our community more resilient.  Together, it would be a fascinating project to cooperate together in making our local communities strong, resilient and notably better, happier and healthier places to live, work and relate.

If you would like to read more about this, including finding some good resources to get your started, click here. This will take you to a blog post I wrote in January 2012 on my business blog announcing my shift from “interested” to “active engagement” in relocalization (Transition).

“Humans are only fully human when we are involved with each other, and the majority of us find happiness most easily through collective achievement. If we join our neighbors in the adventure of building a local economy that supplies and supports us all, true happiness, deep joy, is waiting to be found.” Richard Douthwaite