The ecosystem for inclusive wealth
Here is a picture of the ecosystem that is coming together to create inclusive wealth in Washington DC, or the part of it we are working on.
CategoriesUncategorizedSIX P’s: Michael Shuman’s pointers to a prosperous, local economy
Sustainability requires that every community meet the needs of all its members (including plants and animals), present and future, without compromising the needs of other communities meeting the needs of their members, present and future. — Michael Shuman Is neighborhood economics at a tipping point? Consciousness certainly seems to be getting there. Think how many people read labels […]
Neighborhood Economics brings Povertystoplight to DC
Neighborhood Economics is bringing Povertystoplight.org to Washington DC. An innovation created and proven in multiple countries in the Global South as a way to measure poverty and to do something about it, Stoplight gathers detailed information at the household level that is used to create an action plan that helps lift people out of poverty. […]
CategoriesUncategorizedPolitical Will vs Political Won’t
Political Will vs Political Won’t Back in 2002, many residents and policy makers in Austin Texas read the book The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida. For the first time, those of us who weren’t obvious artists were named as holders of valuable creative fuel that measurably contributed to the economic engine. It felt like Austin […]
CategoriesUncategorizedBiomimicry vs. Biomockery
Biomimicry vs. Biomockery Humans are biological creatures and we do best when we are in alignment with our environments. Ultimately, as noted in an earlier post, this comes down to the question of whether we are creating an egosystem or an ecosystem: An ego-system is structured to satisfy shareholder wants and to privatize decision-making. Financial […]
CategoriesUncategorizedGo Local :: Mortar
Innovators of neighborhood economics were the lead-in of this year’s social capital (SOCAP) conference. SOCAP is the world’s largest conversation accelerating the alignment of money and meaning as a driving force for positive social and environmental change. Over the years, there’s a key theme they’ve been nurturing within the conference’s menu: local investments … community capital … neighborhood […]
CategoriesUncategorizedCommunity Capital :: 50 x 50
Impact Investing Looks Local The case for community capital (CoCap) is so plain, even Stevie Wonder can see it. Show of hands: how many of our readers are investors? Do you happen to own a piece of Dell Technologies? (Its revenue last year was $59B.) Did you buy Yahoo when it was $100/share? (It’s […]
CategoriesUncategorizedCreating an Awe-Full Community
Creating an Awe-Full Community I recently returned from a 5-day 2200-mile road trip through Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. In those 5 days I spent lots of time in communities, with even more time observing the landscape between those stops and noting how my spirit rose and the way I engaged with a place […]
CategoriesUncategorizedEgo-System vs Ecosystem
From Ego-System to Ecosystem: Reinstating the Golden Rule of Community No matter what your cultural origins, you probably grew up hearing the importance of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, a truism commonly known as the Golden Rule. Away from the adults, you might have heard another interpretation: he who […]
CategoriesUncategorizedBeads, Seeds and Trim Tabs…
We live in a noisy world where everyone is competing to be—or create—the next big thing. However, as the old saying goes, ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow’, and so grows community from the actions large and small of its stakeholders. I learned a lot about the importance of the individual participant to influence the […]