The shift to a ‘zero marginal cost’ economy can shrink communities and solve systemic social & environmental problems. — We have become accustomed in recent years to talk about economic disruptions: of the taxi industry by Uber and of the hotel industry by Airbnb. Before that we had the disappearance of film processing stores and music record stores with the arrival of digital photography and music.

By working together, we can build a mutually supportive future that regenerates earth systems, including the human condition. — Food for Degrowth: Perspectives and Practices, edited by Anitra Nelson and Ferne Edwards is an important contribution not just to debates, but to the practices required for the necessary social and economic transitions towards global environmental sustainability. Nelson suggests that the term ‘degrowth’ is deliberately provocative and is intended to…

…and why it matters! — Throughout human history there have been many ways in which societies have conceived of their god or gods. The idea of god that a society develops offers a deep insight into the character of the people in that society. In modern Western society, where we are encouraged to be individuals…

The tension between economic growth and freedom from work. — “The problem is unemployment; only growth can create the jobs. Schools and hospitals are underfunded; the answer is faster growth. We can’t afford to protect the environment; the solution is more growth. Poverty is entrenched; growth will rescue the poor. Income distribution is unequal; the answer is more growth. If…

Reflecting, Connecting and Regenerating Communities & Country — The smoke from the Australian bushfires have, on occasions, soared over 17 kilometres up into the stratosphere, creating their own weather systems, including thunderstorms and lightning strikes that start new fires. NASA predicts the smoke will travel all the way around the globe and back to Australia. …

Strategic Planning for a Network of Regenerative Villages — Following on from my recent article ‘From Centralized Cities to a Network of Regenerative Settlements’, I’m pleased to let you know that this is not just blue sky dreaming as we have now developed an implementation process. …

Becoming Indigenous — The word ‘indigenous’ means ‘originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; a native’. An indigenous person is someone who is connected to their place, someone who understands, and feels a part of, the natural environment around them. The air-conditioned comfort of urban life necessarily inhibits our ability to fully…

Prosperity, Efficiency, Equality and Freedom from work — In 1930, at the onset of the Great Depression, the economist John Maynard Keynes addressed what he called “a bad attack of economic pessimism” by imagining the distant future. In his essay, “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren” Keynes imagined that by 2030 the standard of living would be so high…

It’s not in anyone’s interest for house prices to keep going up — “No. Look, if housing were unaffordable in Sydney, no one would be buying it…” ~Treasurer Joe Hockey (Sydney Morning Herald, 9 June 2015) It is difficult to believe such a statement could come from a Federal Treasurer. Is the government comfortable with the fact that only a small proportion of…