| Worldview
At The Local Level At The Regional Level At The National Level Activism and Advocacy |
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| DEFINING THE NEW PARADIGM |
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| Worldview
At The Local Level At The Regional Level At The National Level Activism and Advocacy |
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The Millennium Institute
http://www.labornet.org/millennium/index.html
This site has a list of key indicators concerning the planets sustainability.
It also include a downloadable version of a planning tool called Threshold
21. This is a National Sustainable Development model which integrates economic,
social, and ecological variables to facilitate consensus building, planning,
and decision-making.
Humanistic Economics
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/dennis/econ.shtml
Humanistic economics is an alternative to the current hegemony of Social
Darwinian neo-classical economics (often seemingly considered as being
the end of economics). Humanistic economics focuses on human economic activity
as being social and altruistically constructed, not just individualistically
and selfishly derived. The importance of the ethical individual living
within a vibrant local community, not merely as a lone wolf nor as a consumer
of mass culture and production on a global scale, is often stressed. The
importance of accounting for externalities (items not always put on the
economic balance sheet like pollution or loss of biodiversity) also are
key concepts.
Towards a Better Future: The Works
of Manfred Davidmann
http://www.demon.co.uk/solbaram/index.html
This site contains many thoughtful articles on how multinational corporations
diminish local communities. Articles include: Exporting and Importing of
Employment and Unemployment Multinational Operations: Transfer Pricing
and Taxation The Right to Strike Ownership and Limited Liability
Creating, Patenting and Marketing of New Forms of Life Community and
Public Ownership.
The United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development
gopher://gopher.un.org:70/11/esc/cn17
In 1992, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
commonly known as the Earth Summit, the worlds governments emboldened
by a large and vocal presence of peoples organizations from across the
planet, signed an agreement to ensure the protection of natural systems
and human populations. This agreement, entitled Agenda 21, also called
for the creation of a commission to monitor the compliance of national
governments with the terms of their agreement. This site reports the activities
and findings of that commission.
The UN Economic and Social Development
http://www.un.org/esa/
This site contains the main documents that evolved out of the United
Nations summit process beginning with the Earth Summit. Subjects include
Environment Human Settlements Population Social Development Sustainable
Development Women Human Rights Drugs Crime Statistics Trade.
This summit process is noteworthy because for the first time in human history
thousands of people's organizations from around the world came together
to look at common problems and work with governments to define solutions.
Development Watch: Monitoring Progress
on Sustainable Development
http://www.undp.org/undp/devwatch/
This is the site of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),
the largest sustainable development organization in the world. It contains
a chart of indicators for sustainable development. Although the UNDP works
primarily in third world countries, the lessons learned are easily transferable
to local stakeholders involved in sustainable community development work
in the US. The site contains information on: Consumption patterns Education
Health Housing Role of groups Water Soil conservation, etc.
Division for Sustainable Development
http://www.un.org/dpcsd/dsd/
Visit this site to obtain the original documents of the Earth Summit.
The documents cover the following issues: Agriculture and Rural Development
Biological Diversity Biotechnology Business and Industry Capacity
Building Changing Consumption Patterns Children and Youth Climate
Change Combating Poverty Decision Making Deforestation Desertification
and Drought Education Financial Resources Forest Principles Freshwater
Resources Hazardous Wastes Management Human Health Human Settlements
Indigenous People Information International Institutions International
Legal Instruments Land Resources Local Authorities Non-Governmental
Organizations Preamble Protection of Atmosphere Protection of the
Oceans Radioactive Wastes Management Role of Farmers Science Science
and Technology Solid Waste Management Sustainability Sustainable
Development Sustainable Mountain Development Technology Transfer
Toxic Chemicals Management Trade Unions Women
Center for Sustainable Communities
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~common/
A site dedicated to building sustainable communities. It espouses four
key values - promoting community, environmental stewardship, economic opportunity,
and social equity. Links to: A 10-session tutorial to help your community
become more sustainable. Case studies of communities and organizations
with sustainable ideas and practices. Contacts leading to a better world.
Sustainable Communities Initiatives
http://castle.uvic.ca/sci/
The Sustainable Communities Initiative is a research program of the
University of Victoria. Its purpose is to promote greater understanding
of communities in the context of their biophysical, economic and social
viability. The SCI currently supports the following projects: Forestry-based
community sustainability auditing Sustainable Communities Initiative
Vancouver Island Tomorrow.
Institute for the Study of Civic
Values
http://www2.libertynet.org/~edcivic/iscvhome.html
At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to identify the
values
that we share, the Institute for the Study of Civic Values believes
that it is our
civic values---the principles embodied in the Declaration of Independence,
the
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights--that bring us together as a people.
Ecology and Community: The Bioregional
Vision
http://www.tnews.com/text/mccloskey2.html
Bioregions answer the question: decentralize to what? This concept
provides an ecological basis for reorganizing society at the local level.
The Bioregional Homepage
http://csf.Colorado.EDU/bioregional/
This site contains a list of principles upon with the vision of bioregionalism
is based. It also contains stories and pointers to related sites.
Center of Excellence for Sustainable
Development
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/
Under the Clinton administration, the federal government has become
more environmentally friendly. This Department of Energy site provides
the following: Definition of Sustainable Development Success stories
Model codes and ordinances Articles on Sustainability Publications,
manuals and software Sustainable Development resources (lists over 800
organizations involved in sustainable development).
EcoNet: Development and Sustainable
Development
http://www.igc.apc.org/igc/www.dev.html
This site lists many organizations and publications that promote the
work of sustainable development and sustainable communities.
EcoNet's Environmental Organizations
Page
http://www.igc.org:80/igc/members/index.html
This site contains a long list of environmental organizations that
have web sites. It gives a good description of each. Look here for help
in articulating local environmental problems and finding resources to link
your efforts with larger campaigns.
Essential Information
http://www.essential.org/EI.html
Founded in 1982 by Ralph Nader, Essential Information is a non-profit,
tax-exempt organization involved in a variety of projects to encourage
citizens to become active and engaged in their communities. They provide
provocative information to the public on important topics neglected by
the mass media and policy makers. Essential Information publishes a monthly
magazine, books and reports, sponsors investigative journalism conferences,
provides writers with grants to pursue investigations and operate clearing
houses which disseminate information to grassroots organizations in the
United States and the Third World. Links to: GIS Project (Provides data
on Banking/Fair Lending, Crime, and the Environment) Multinational Monitor
Multinationals and Development Clearinghouse Newsprints Network Services
Good Works Essential Books.
New Citizenship
http://www.journalism.wisc.edu/cpn/sections/new_citizenship/new_citizenship.html
Having a new vision is critical but building local participation of
community members is equally important. This site will help you get your
bearings on contemporary democratic theory civil society civic action
community building.
Idea Central: Electronic Policy
Network
http://epn.org/
This site has policy studies available on-line. Topics include Economics
and Politics Welfare and Family Civic Participation Health Policy.
Viewpoints range from center to progressive.
The People Centered Development
Forum
http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf
David Korten, the President of the People Centered Development Forum
is one of the leading theorists of the new paradigm of sustainability.
His voice has been known for many years among nonprofits engaged in international
development work and among the United Nations community. More recently
Mr. Korten has gained greater prominence because of his best selling book
When Corporations Rule the World. Visit this site to become acquainted
with leading social thinkers and to read articles like: Rights of Money
versus Rights of Living Persons, Food Security for People, and Economics
Without Ethics: The Crisis of Spirituality.
Interaction
http://www.interaction.org/
Many third world countries that depend upon the export of primary commodities
like lumber, coffee or fruit are caught in a trap - the more they produce,
the lower the price falls on the international market. If they try to add
value to their goods by processing them, they run into tariff barriers
imposed by the rich industrialized countries. To make matters worse, they
have to compete with subsidized exports dumped on the world market by surplus
producing countries. This site is home of a council of non-profits who
work with the worlds poor to help them develop local economies and meet
basic needs. They share valuable lessons of use to organizers in this country
as well.
Democratic Socialists of America
http://www.dsausa.org/dsa/index.html
A mega-site of progressive literature and links. Dedicated to forming
"a society in which people have a real voice in the choices and relationships
that affect the entirety of our lives." These people arent afraid to use
the S word.
Bad Subjects: Political Education
for Everyday Life
http://eng.hss.cmu.edu/bs/
Bad Subjects, an electronic journal, started at Berkeley in 1992 seeks
to revitalize a progressive politics in retreat. We think too many people
on the left have taken political convictions for granted. So we challenge
progressive dogma by encouraging our readers to think hard about the political
dimension to all aspects of everyday life. We also seek to broaden the
audience for leftist and progressive work through a commitment to accessibility,
contemporary relevance, and a willingness to respect and learn from all
points of view.
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