Our Mission
Local Futures/International Society for Ecology’s mission is to protect and renew ecological and social well being by promoting a systemic shift away from economic globalization towards localization. Through its “education for action” programs, Local Futures/ISEC develops innovative models and tools to catalyze collaboration for strategic change at the community and international level.
History
Local Futures began as The Ladakh Project more than thirty years ago in the Himalayan region of Ladakh. The organization initially focused on supporting Ladakh’s indigenous culture by bringing information to balance the idealized images of Western culture flooding into the region through tourism and 
development. In 1986, founder and director Helena Norberg-Hodge won the Right Livelihood Award for her groundbreaking sustainability work in the region. In 1988 Helena’s book, Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh, was published in Sweden and Denmark. An English translation was published in 1991. Two years later, an award-winning film of the same name was produced by Local Futures’ Programs Director, John Page. In 2011 Local Futures released the award-winning film The Economics of Happiness on four continents, with major film premieres in Oregon, California, New York, Toronto, London, Delhi, Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney.
Read more about Local Futures’ history.
Who We Are
A full list of our staff and directors can be found here.
We are a 501(c)3 organization incorporated in California. We adhere to Bylaws adopted in 1991, including oversight by a Board of Directors. Our funding comes largely from individual donors and foundations, as well as from the sale of publications and videos, and lecture and writing fees.