Oregon Rural Action’s Annual Meeting: Making the Shift

1. Oregon Rural Action’s Annual Meeting: Making the Shift Building a Vibrant Local Economy Amidst the Broken Global Financial System La Grande, Oregon October 9, 2010

2. My Story From Wall Street to Grasslands and the Capital Institute “I once said greed was good… now it seems that greed is legal.” - Gordon Gekko

3. Bridging the gap between mainstream finance and the new economy movement. http://pricetags.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/800px-london_millenium_wobbly_bridge1.jpg

4. the dilemma of compound growth UNSUSTAINABLE

5. Economics ignores laws of thermodynamics Anyone who thinks you can grow the economy forever on a finite planet is either a madman or an economist! - Kenneth Boulding

6. The world is full…but nothing is changing. Planetary Boundaries Symptom: financial crisis Problem: unsustainable economic system Sustained economic growth: oxymoron?

7. FACT If everyone were to live like Americans we would need 5 Earths http://passmethemalkplease.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/gursky.jpg

8. So what? http://www.oneinchpunch.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/crude-oil-spill-clear-up.jpg

9. Financial Crisis crisis http://www.oneinchpunch.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/crude-oil-spill-clear-up.jpg

10. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JSpbgoKp8LA/SjF4960b8qI/AAAAAAAAFVg/B4CaOwK2yTk/S1600-R/worldpop_2009_lowerfertility.gifhttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JSpbgoKp8LA/SjF4960b8qI/AAAAAAAAFVg/B4CaOwK2yTk/S1600-R/worldpop_2009_lowerfertility.gif • Population Crisis World 6,826,859,514 http://cdn5.mattters.com/photos/photos/1370157/crowded_train_stations_in_china_10.jpg&imgrefurl

11. Hurricane Katrina, 2005 • Climate Crisis http://www.katrina.noaa.gov/helicopter/images/katrina-new-orleans-flooding3-2005.jpg

12. Water Crisis http://www.naturalbuy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/water-crisis.jpg

13. Peak Soil In past 40 years, 30% of farmland has become unproductive

14. Peak Oil

15. Energy Crisis “Nothing has changed….oil and natural gas are essential to our way of life.” - Jack Gerard, American Petroleum Institute http://cdn.content.compendiumblog.com/uploads/user/206a9a2b-627f-446d-b836-03b603106274/08ef70d7-7014-48c5-b9a5-7d322cf1fccc/Image/caa79888d3200de8c9ed8dbfb0bfd8c4.jpg

16. So if we know the problems, why aren’t we changing?

17. What’s wrong with this picture? Economic Efficiency Finance Planet Economy

18. Sustainability in Complex Systems Optimum Sustainability Biosphere 100% Economy Collapse of Financial System Finance 0% Resiliency Efficiency Source: Bernard Lietaer, 2008

19. Public Opinion on Priority: Sustainability vs. Economic Growth http://www.observer.com/2009/measuring-public-opinion-environment-and-sustainability-how-conventional-wisdom-gets-way sustainability Opinion on Priority In the wake of one of the World’s greatest economic crises, “sustainability” is unable to compete with mainstream perceptions of financial reform economic growth GALLUPPOLL 2009 2005 2007 2008 2006 http://www.dirtyday.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/20070626231520_dsc_1152.jpg

20. Look where the money’s going: Climate Protecting Climate Damaging http://www.eli.org/pdf/Energy_Subsidies_Black_Not_Green.pdf

21. Finance is the fuel source… what we feed GROWS

22. Reform Transform

23. Harnessing Capital. A world in which finance serves a just, resilient and sustainable economic system.

24. Driving capital upstream http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o0s746IzxZQ/TJwMEtnPvsI/AAAAAAAAAWo/lX-2e-wPZzo/s1600/upstream.jpg

25. Building a Vibrant Local Economy taking action http://pixdaus.com/single.php?id=131088

26. ”. . . production from local resources for local needs is the most rational way of economic life...” - E. F. Schumacher, Small Is Beautiful

27. Place based diverse economies:building resiliency Optimum Sustainability 100% 0% Detroit Portland Tribal? Resiliency Efficiency

28. “Economies of location often override and outdo economies of scale.” - Jane Jacobs, The Nature of Economies

29. Farmer’s Diner “increasing the economic vitality of local agrarian communities” Decreasing distance from farm to plate, increasing profit for local farmers

30. Grasslands, LLC: Holistic Management Restore ecological function, revitalize rural communities. Profitably.

31. Grasslands, LLC How to Save the Grasslands: Bring in More Cattle By JUDITH D. SCHWARTZ Tuesday, Sep. 07, 2010 “When you improve the quality of the land in an ecological sense, the profitability follows.”

32. Local CAN scale Basque Country, Spain • Founded in 1956 • Philosophy: Co-operation | Participation | Social Responsibility | Innovation • 4 Sectors: Finance, Industry, Distribution and Knowledge • 85,000 people, 256 companies, 15 Billion Euros in turnover

33. Local CAN scale Cleveland, OH • “Import replacement” activity (Jane Jacobs) • Employee-owned, for-profit companies: greenhouse produce, laundry service, solar energy • Based locally, hire locally: permanent green jobs • Workers earn a living wage, build equity as owners • Circulate money within community - 5:1 multiplier

34. Local Community Capital

35. Complementary Currencies: building resiliency Optimum Sustain • Thousands of examples, over 600 in Japan alone • Numerous countries • Highly diverse ecosystem • Multiple “schools” of thought 0% Resiliency Efficiency

36. Complementary Currencies: proven models WIRBank • Founded in 1934, Switzerland • Response to stock market crash in 1929 • The word for “we” in German > economic circle is also a community • Has grown from 16 to 62,000 members • Swiss Franc 1.6 Billion annual turnover

37. Complementary Currencies: time banks • Building the Core Economy • Time really is money • Strengthening communities through reciprocity • “We are all assets”

38. Complementary Currencies: emerging models • BerkShares • A local currency for Southern Berkshire region of Massachusetts (pop. 19,000) • Defines a trading area, an economic footprint • Distinguishes the local businesses • Builds loyalty • Encourages community self-reliance and wellbeing of community

39. “A good community, as we know, insures itself by trust, by good faith and good will, and by mutual help. A good community, in other words, is a good local economy.” -Wendell Berry

40. What is the purpose of capital?