Author archive: Kristen Steele

Kristen Steele, Associate Programs Director for Local Futures, has worked in the new economy and environmental fields for over 15 years. She is currently studying for a PhD at University College London on the intersection between economics and wildlife conservation.

Disaster Localization: a Constructive Response to Climate Chaos

This blog is also available in Russian and Spanish. The moment I first learned about climate change will always stick in my mind. A seventh-grade ecology class led to a conversation between girls after school about what, back then, was being called “global warming”. Kicking at the snow while waiting for the bus in the […]

How Globalization Divides Us: Perspectives on Brexit from a Dual Citizen

When I woke up on June 24th and checked the news, I cried. Along with millions of people around the world. I’m a diehard believer in independence, freedom, democracy, and strong local economies. For some, the Brexit result represented those things. If that had been the reality, I would’ve supported it too. But like every […]

They Sang with a Thousand Tongues: The Poetry of Diversity

Bayo Akomolafe presented the following talk at Voices of Hope in a Time of Crisis on November 8, 2014 in New York City. A video of his talk is also online. Let me tell you a story about how the world began. I promise you the story is not completely false. Yoruba elders say that […]

Place-based Everywhere: Lessons from Flood Wall Street

The arrests at the end of Flood Wall Street may have been the only reason the mainstream media paid attention to the several thousand people who parked themselves next to the Charging Bull for the better part of eight hours. But, although no station covered it, what happened before then was much more important to […]

The Super Bowl of Subsidies

What comes to mind when you think of the Super Bowl? The Bronco’s stunning offense? The glitzy halftime show? Chicken wings and Clydesdales? Call me a spoil sport, but I can’t help thinking subsidies. That’s because even though the NFL (National Football League) generates $51 million a year in ticket sales, $2.1 billion in merchandising […]

Globalization Produces Sushi … and Slavery

This blog is also available in Spanish. This September marks the 151st anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s first Emancipation Proclamation, which led shortly thereafter to the abolition of slavery in the United States. A century and a half later, most Westerners consider slavery a thing of the past, a relic of the colonial era. But […]

Local Banking for Global Change

For most of us, switching to a local bank, whether on Bank Transfer Day or any other time of year, brings a sense of personal satisfaction. But what is good for us also has a positive effect on our communities and even worldwide. The benefits go beyond lower fees, better customer service and more traceability. […]

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