March 2014

2014

Time to Leave GDP Behind

Costanza, Robert, Kubiszewski, Ida, Giovannini, Enrico, Lovins, Hunter, McGlade, Jacqueline, Pickett, Kate E. , Vala Ragnarsdóttir, Kristín, Roberts, Debra, De Vogli, Roberto and Wilkinson, Richard

Robert Costanza joins other sustainable development advocates to discuss the implications of setting national policy goals based on levels of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in a recent issue of Nature. The authors argue that the use of GDP as a measure of progress fuels social and environmental instability. They outline alternative measures of progress that take into account indices such as net savings, ecological impact, life expectancy, and civic engagement to provide a more comprehensive measure of wellbeing.

2014

Think Like a Commoner

Bollier, David

In his new book, Commons Strategies Group co-founder David Bollier describes the logic and ethics of the commons, as well as the growing international movement, especially in Europe and the global South. Bollier maps the field from information commons such as Wikipedia to common spaces such as community gardens. The book also covers threats to the commons, such as enclosures and private property rights.

2014

Community Capital

BALLE

In this new guide to community investment, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) identifies finance options and other investment tools to reinvigorate regional economies, create high-quality jobs, and restore the environment. BALLE offers this guide as a resource to help re-shape financial capital flows to support local self-sufficiency and ingenuity.

Treading Water in the Deep End

Brooks, Jennifer, Wiedrich, Kasey, Sims, Lebaron Jr. and Medina, Jennifer

The Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) employs its annual Assets and Opportunity Scorecard to assess states’ commitment to reducing financial insecurity. This year’s scorecard measures the pervasiveness and effectiveness of polices that help people learn financial skills, build human capital, increase earnings, create affordable financial products, generate wealth, and protect consumers. CFED ranks states’ outcomes in five issue areas—Financial Assets & Income, Businesses & Jobs, Housing & Homeownership, Health Care, and Education.

Time to Leave GDP Behind

Costanza, Robert, Kubiszewski, Ida, Giovannini, Enrico, Lovins, Hunter, McGlade, Jacqueline, Pickett, Kate E. , Vala Ragnarsdóttir, Kristín, Roberts, Debra, De Vogli, Roberto and Wilkinson, Richard

Robert Costanza joins other sustainable development advocates to discuss the implications of setting national policy goals based on levels of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in a recent issue of Nature. The authors argue that the use of GDP as a measure of progress fuels social and environmental instability. They outline alternative measures of progress that take into account indices such as net savings, ecological impact, life expectancy, and civic engagement to provide a more comprehensive measure of wellbeing.

Think Like a Commoner

Bollier, David

In his new book, Commons Strategies Group co-founder David Bollier describes the logic and ethics of the commons, as well as the growing international movement, especially in Europe and the global South. Bollier maps the field from information commons such as Wikipedia to common spaces such as community gardens. The book also covers threats to the commons, such as enclosures and private property rights.

Community Capital

BALLE

In this new guide to community investment, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) identifies finance options and other investment tools to reinvigorate regional economies, create high-quality jobs, and restore the environment. BALLE offers this guide as a resource to help re-shape financial capital flows to support local self-sufficiency and ingenuity.

Treading Water in the Deep End

Brooks, Jennifer, Wiedrich, Kasey, Sims, Lebaron Jr. and Medina, Jennifer

The Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) employs its annual Assets and Opportunity Scorecard to assess states’ commitment to reducing financial insecurity. This year’s scorecard measures the pervasiveness and effectiveness of polices that help people learn financial skills, build human capital, increase earnings, create affordable financial products, generate wealth, and protect consumers. CFED ranks states’ outcomes in five issue areas—Financial Assets & Income, Businesses & Jobs, Housing & Homeownership, Health Care, and Education.