Kristen Steele
Kristen has worked with Local Futures since 2000. She has taken on multiple roles, including research, writing, fundraising, outreach and program management. She has also been the main organizer for several of the Economics of Happiness conferences and other Local Futures’ events. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies and a Master’s degree in Wild Animal Biology. She is also currently pursuing doctoral research on the intersection of conservation and economics in regards to threatened species.
A Localized Alternative to ‘Disaster Capitalism’
Like many disasters, Covid-19 shocked the world; like some disasters it changed the world economy in ways most of us did not predict. But let’s back up for moment. What if those post-disaster changes had indeed been predicted – planned even – by people long before the virus began its deadly spread? More than a…
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…
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. …