Written over the past 25 years, some of these essays ask us to rethink our basic assumptions about human nature, poverty, progress, and happiness, while others point to the root causes of our many crises. Taken together, they outline the steps needed to bring a happier, healthier world into being.
These writings are becoming more relevant every day as our crises deepen, and the need for systemic change becomes more apparent.
Book club
Are you interested in discussing the book with others? We’re offering a 30% discount to anyone planning to engage with the book collectively as part of a book club or community group. Please contact us for the discount code.
About the authors

Helena Norberg-Hodge – founder and director of Local Futures, author of ‘Local is Our Future’ and the inspirational classic ‘Ancient Futures’, and producer of the award-winning documentary film ‘The Economics of Happiness’.

Bayo Akomolafe – international speaker, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and the author of ‘These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home’ and ‘We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak’.

Alex Jensen – co-coordinator of Local Futures’ work in Ladakh, part of the core group of the Global Tapestry of Alternatives, and Local Futures’ representative to the Vikalp Sangam/Alternatives India initiative.

Steven Gorelick – Managing Programs Director of Local Futures, co-director of ‘The Economics of Happiness’, author of ‘Small is Beautiful, Big is Subsidized’, and co-author of ‘Bringing the Food Economy Home’.

Henry Coleman – writer, public speaker, co-coordinator of Local Futures’ work in Ladakh, and co-founder of the Australian NGO Wildspace.

Kunzang Deachen – Project Associate and Coordinator for Local Futures Ladakh, and contributor to ‘Singing Ice’, a book of folk songs about Ladakh’s mountains, glaciers and rivers.

Marjana Kos – educated in Holistic Science at Schumacher College, and active in raising awareness about globalization, new economics, the money system and complementary currencies in her native Slovenia.

Anja Lyngbaek – coordinator of World Localization Day 2022, and Local Futures’ spokesperson for localization on several continents.

Chozin Palmo – co-organizer of the 2019 Ladakh Economics of Happiness conference, and founder of the Jangsa initiative.

Jigmet Singge – farmer, student, vocalist, and associate of Local Futures Ladakh since 2019.

Kristen Steele – Director of Special Projects for Local Futures, and the organizer of several international Economics of Happiness conferences.