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Occupy Sustainability

Submitted by Elsa Jagniecki on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 10:19pm
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Occupy Sustainability?

by Julier Schor

This opinion piece first appeared in The Guardian on December 21, 2011.

With the recent failure of the Durban climate talks, the collapse of carbon prices in Europe, and news that emissions grew a record 6% in 2010, it's time to re-evaluate the economic approach to climate that now dominates the conversation.

The creation of carbon markets, carbon offsetting and the valuation of eco-systems are premised on the idea that marketisation and reliance on economic incentives will yield sustainable outcomes. Many environmentalists like these policies because they seem to work with, rather than against our existing economic institutions and incentives. But as market-thinking expands with eco- and carbon-footprints, an obvious question is whether economics in command has become part of the problem.

It's a conclusion one might draw from analysing the Occupy Wall Street movement. In a few short weeks a rag-tag group of under-thirties has been able to transform the global conversation about economic issues by focusing on three basic points, all of which are essential for stopping runaway climate change and ecological overshoot.

Ten Ways to Be More Sustainable in 2012

Submitted by Elsa Jagniecki on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 7:16pm
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 SASCO’s Top Ten Ways to Become More Sustainable in 2012

 
1. Eat more seasonal and local food.
It can be tempting to eat strawberries in winter, even though they have been imported from halfway across the planet or grown in energy-intensive greenhouses, carrying a heavy ecological and social footprint and lacking in the nutrition you get from eating in-season and local fruit. But we all do it. Do some research into what is naturally grown in your area in the season, and prefer these to encourage greater local, regional and global sustainability. This way, you'll also rediscover the pleasure of meals changing with the seasons and meet the people who produce and supply local food! Visit Healthy Community Food Systems (HCFS), the Growing Partners of SW Colorado, and Turtle Lake Refuge. Check out HCFS’s Food System Tools, like the Year-Round Local Food System Calendar. The Durango Farmer’s Market also has extended their market season, to provide local food around the holidays and throughout the winter season as well.
 
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