Local Futures Podcast

Episode 21 - Vandana Shiva - The Power of People

In this episode, Helena Norberg-Hodge talks to her friend and colleagueof 40 years, Vandana Shiva. Vandana trained as a quantum physicist, butturned her attention to campaigning for the rights of small farmers,seed savers and local communities in her home country of India when shewitnessed the imposition of industrial agriculture and its tragicimpacts on health, biodiversity and livelihoods. Today, she is one ofthe most powerful voices challenging corporate rule.In their conversation, Helena and Vandana reminisce about friends whoinspired them both, delving deep into the stories and personalities ofthe environmental and anti-globalization movements. They explore thestructures of corporate globalization - from its roots in colonialism tothe present day - as well as ecofeminism, movement building and deepecological wisdom. Their conversation highlights the importance offocusing on economic structures, on scale and on the power of people tobuild a better world from the ground up.   Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests. Intro music by Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Episode 20 - Mental Health in the Global Economy with Gabor Maté

In this newly published episode of the Local Futures podcast, Helena Norberg-Hodge talks to the renowned Dr. Gabor Maté. The two dispel false ideas about human nature and analyze the ways macro-level economic structures are impacting our personal identities. A remarkable and far-reaching compassion for people from all walks of life imbues their conversation.   See our new - Localization Action Guide. Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests. Intro music by Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Episode 19 - Jeremy Lent: Shifting Paradigms

Described by journalist George Monbiot as “one of the greatest thinkers of our age,” Jeremy Lent is the founder of the Liology Institute and the author of ‘The Patterning Instinct’ and, most recently, ‘The Web of Meaning’. His work investigates the underlying causes of our civilization’s existential crisis, and explores pathways toward a life-affirming future. In his own words, his work: “has been a journey of many years, during which I dedicated myself full time to deep research in disciplines such as neuroscience, history, and anthropology, and to exploring the great traditions of Buddhism, Taoism, Neo-Confucianism, and Indigenous wisdom.” In this conversation with Helena Norberg-Hodge, Jeremy unpacks many of the assumptions and world views that underpin modern society’s destructive trajectory. Together, they outline worldview transformations that contribute to a vision for a more sustainable and humane future – a future that both Helena and Jeremy truly believe to be within our grasp.   See our new - Localization Action Guide. Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests. Intro music by Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Episode 18 - COP, carbon and high-tech: who is setting the agenda?

Brazilian researcher and activist Dr. Camila Moreno has attended almost all the major climate conferences in the last decade. In this conversation with Helena Norberg-Hodge, she offers a rare glimpse into the internal workings of the multilateral negotiations. She explains how the narrow focus on carbon is turning climate itself into a tradable commodity for profit, and how the "decarbonization" agenda is linked to technocracy and increased surveillance.We are left with greater clarity, and a stark choice between a human future and a high-tech dystopia.This is key listening for climate/environmental activists. See our new - Localization Action Guide. Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests. Intro music by Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Episode 17 - Beyond Conspiracy: Framing Meaningful Activism

You would struggle to find three individuals more equipped to navigate the big picture of global economic mega-structures and civilizational transformation than Tyson, Alnoor and Helena. Between them, they share a wealth of diverse experiences, radical analysis and bold future-visioning, as well as a healthy dose of banter and laughter. Their far-reaching conversation analyses conspiracy theory, the global financial system and capitalist ideology, while outlining the power of localization and sacred activism to build a radically different future. This one is well worth a listen. Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests. Intro music by Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Episode 16 - Unpacking Global Empire from an Indigenous Perspective

Tyson Yunkaporta, author of Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, joins Local Futures’ director Helena Norberg-Hodge to explore “right story” - cognitive frameworks that can help us navigate through the neo-colonial, techno-globalist age, and towards more interconnected, land-based futures. Touching on everything from marginal identities to electromagnetic pulses, from the local food movement to civilizational “apocalypse”, they outline the great necessity for all people to experience a “right of return”: to land, to community, to the local.     Related links: - Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World

Episode 15 - More than Just the Vegetables

In this episode, we cover the inspiring story of the Copenhagen Food Coop, a member-owned alternative to mainstream grocery stores which allows people to not only have regular access to fresh local food, but also to make decisions about what foods the coop purchases and how the coop is run.   NOTE: This episode was recorded before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though some of the activities mentioned in this episode - such as community harvest celebrations and group farm visits  - are currently 'on hold', the work of the Copenhagen Food Coop and other groups to build strong local food economies has never been more important.   Related links: - Website of the Copenhagen Food Coop - Ökostart (toolkit for starting a food coop, created by the Copenhagen Food Coop) (site in Danish) - Planet Local library   Intro music by Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0).   Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests!

Episode 14 - Food Sovereignty in the Global Economy

In this episode we speak with Judith Hitchman, the president of Urgenci, an international network of community-supported agriculture groups (CSAs). The conversation touches on decommodifying food, ISDS clauses, local food policy councils, and many more topics related to local food.     Related links: - Urgenci - the international CSA network - Article: 'Saving Japan’s seed heritage from “free trade”' - Article: 'Tosepan - Resistance and Renewal in Mexico' - Booklet: 'Localization: Essential Steps to an Economics of Happiness' - Links to Organizations for Change - 'Insane Trade' factsheet and short film   Photo by Peg Diaz (http://pegdiaz.com/) Music by Gillicuddy: 1; 2; 3 (CC BY-NC 3.0).   Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests!

Episode 13 - Transition, Tradition, and Trade

Juan del Río is a co-founder of the Spanish Transition Network, and author of the first book about the Transition movement to be published in Spanish. In this interview from the New Economy and Social Innovation (NESI) forum, he gives us his thoughts on economic transition, how different economic systems encode different values, how trade treaties threaten community resilience, and what we can do about it all.     Related links: - Read about our work in Ladakh over the years - Read the foreword to Juan's book about the Transition movement in Spain, by Transition founder Rob Hopkins - The Spanish Transition Network (Red de Transición)   Photo: Juan giving a talk on the Transition movement. Music by: Gillicuddy and Podington Bear (CC BY-NC 3.0).   Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests.

Episode 12 - Not-for-Profit Businesses

From social enterprises to credit unions, a new wave of not-for-profit businesses is pushing back against the assumption that consumerism and competition must drive the economy. In this episode, we speak with Jen Hinton of the Post Growth Institute, co-author of a forthcoming book about how the line between businesses and not-for-profit organizations doesn’t have to be as rigid as you might think.     Related links: - How On Earth - the website for the forthcoming book. - 'Beyond capitalism: not-for-profit business ethos motivates sustainable behaviour', by Jen Hinton and Donnie Maclurcan, Oct 2014. - Community-Wealth.org's factsheets about worker cooperatives, social enterprises, municipal enterprises, community development corporations, and community financial institutions.   Photo: Goodwill Industries, one of the first entities to blur the line between business and nonprofit. Music by: Gillicuddy (CC BY-NC 3.0), Chris Zabriskie (CC BY 3.0), and Podington Bear (CC BY-NC 3.0).   Please write to info@localfutures.org with any comments and ideas for future topics/guests.