Chelsea Green Blog
Politics & Public Policy
Change Ourselves, Change the World
Lisa Fithian has shut down the CIA. She has disrupted the World Trade Organization and camped in a ditch with Gold Star mom and protester of the Iraq War, Cindy Sheehan. She has stood her ground in Tahrir Square, occupied Wall Street, marched in the streets of Ferguson, and walked in solidarity with tribal leaders…
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The Spirit of Hitching
Gone are the days where you can stick out your thumb to catch a carefree ride. For a long time though, hitchhiking was considered normal and even reasonably safe. Even more, it gave people a chance to connect with strangers, share stories, and spend a bit of time in someone else’s shoes. While the days…
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A Call to Action on Climate, Farming, Food, and a Green New Deal
The following is an interview with Ronnie Cummins, author of Grassroots Rising, and originally appeared in the Chelsea Green 2020 Spring Journal. It has been adapted for the web. It has been adapted for the web. As International Director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), Ronnie Cummins works to promote healthy, just, regenerative systems of food,…
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A Life-Changing Discovery: Introduction to Pipeline Politics
The control of oil has been at the center of the struggle for power and wealth that has fueled conflict and endless wars throughout the Middle East. When author Charlotte Dennet found the last letter from her father, a spy studying the route of the proposed Trans-Arabian Pipeline, she realized his death was likely much…
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Ireland: A Journey into the Heart and Soul
The following is an interview with Ruairí McKiernan, author of Hitching for Hope, and originally appeared in the Chelsea Green 2020 Spring Journal. It has been adapted for the web. What does the future have in store if politicians aren’t beholden to the people, if the pace of development is compromising mental health, and if…
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How Can Direct Activism Survive the Coronavirus Era?
How can direct activism survive the coronavirus era? How do we learn justice? What is the benefit of creating crisis? What are the takeaways for the next generation of activists? Reporting for DailyClout.io, bestselling author Naomi Wolf asks these crucial questions and more in a truly inspiring conversation with renowned activist Lisa Fithian. Lisa Fithian…
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The 5 Rules of Lean Thinking
Surviving the Future is a story drawn from the fertile ground of the late David Fleming’s extraordinary Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It. That hardback consists of four hundred and four interlinked dictionary entries, inviting readers to choose their own path through its radical vision. Fleming’s long-time collaborator Shaun Chamberlin…
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Earth Day Reading: 13 Essential Books
This year, people all around the world are celebrating a milestone—the 50th anniversary of this international day of action for our environment. Why not celebrate Earth Day by reading about our great planet? We’ve compiled 13 books to get you started! In Courting the Wild Twin, Dr. Martin Shaw invites us to seek out our wild…
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Publishing in the Time of a Pandemic: On Birth and Survival
The following is by Charlotte Dennett, author of Follow the Pipelines, and originally appeared on Medium.com. It has been adapted for the web. April 2, 2020 was supposed to be a special day. Not the usual birth-day, mind you. And not the kind of day I anticipated a month ago, before a pandemic took over our lives. I…
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Limits to Growth and the COVID-19 epidemic
It comes to no surprise to anyone that the human population continues to grow, rapidly. However, there is a limit to that growth that we don’t quite know yet. Dennis Meadows, an emeritus professor of systems policy and social science research at the University of New Hampshire, walks us through the connection between population grow/decline…
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Making Your Own Hope
In uncertain times, it’s hard to maintain a sense of hope and positivity for yourself and those around you. Hope comes from within yourself, even when it seems impossible to continue on. “This current crisis is calling for the emergence of a bolder, braver and kinder humanity.” The following is an excerpt from Hitching for…
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Road to Regeneration: Starting point
In order to save the Earth from environmental collapse, we need to move toward total sustainable energy usage and cut greenhouse gases very soon. We’ve already made huge strides in reducing our carbon footprint and using better farming practices, but it’s important for us to keep taking steps towards energy conservation. The following is an…
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Making Massive Small Change
For generations, we’ve worked collectively as a society to build our cities into vibrant communities where we can progress and flourish together. Over the years, however, we’ve lost the art of collective and community evolution as our governments step in with their big ideas for urban growth – many of which come at a steep…
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Oil, Power, and War: Our Complicated History
When we reflect on the history of the world and the progress of human society, it’s incredible to think about where we started and where we are today. We’ve innovated, we’ve discovered, we’ve grown, we’ve developed. But at what cost? Oil, Power, and War to be released in paperback February 4, 2020. The following is…
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Rules for Regenerators: Search Out and Emphasize the Positive
Positive news stories about the state of our environment are few and far between. More common are stories that we’re almost at the point of irreparable damage, that if we don’t act now, it will be too late. While this may be true, it’s also important to recognize the positive steps nations have taken to…
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What We Need To Achieve
With the climate crisis closing in, we need to consider what we need to do to make permanent, sustainable change for the better. We need a list of specific and realistic goals, and we need to push that list on those in power. The result will not be immediate, but if we follow through, we…
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Regeneration: The Big Picture
Humans are impacting the environment at a rapid rate, and the Earth can’t keep up to reset the balance. In order to prevent irreversible damage, we must cut carbon emissions. The first step? Understanding the big picture. The following is an excerpt from Grassroots Rising by Ronnie Cummins. It has been adapted for the web.…
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Look to a Brighter Future
When looking to the future, it can feel impossible to make a difference as just one person in a world of millions; but when like-minded people join together for the common good, change is always possible. We can ensure a brighter future by telling our stories, learning from the stories of others, and then working…
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Our Top Blog Articles of 2019: A Look Back
Ah, 2019 – how the time flies! The end of the year is always a little bit nostalgic, and as the year comes to an end, we’re taking stock of what our community has found most useful. If there’s one thing (or two) we know about our readers, it’s that they love growing food and…
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We Become More Human as We Become More Mindful
Connections drive our society forward. When we connect with others we come to a better understanding of what it means to be human. It’s important to take a moment, slow down, be mindful, and look inward, especially during times of great stress. The following is an excerpt from The Art of Leading Collectively by Petra…
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The Battle of Seattle and the Power of Going to Jail for Justice
On November 30th, 1999, thousands of protestors descended on the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, where the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference was being held to discuss economic globalization, a controversial set of negotiations. Several groups of protestors ranging from students to civilians, took control of the city blocks surrounding the building, deterring…
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Mass Rebellion: When Common Sense Turns Into Rebellion
“Is Common Sense for the 21st Century the best hope we’ve got to prevent human extinction? Yes, I think it is.”— Dr. Alexandra Jellicoe Roger Hallam—leading environmental activist and co-founder of Extinction Rebellion—believes real change comes from ordinary people breaking the law. When he was jailed in September for flying a drone at Heathrow in…
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All In the Question: What If We Started Asking Better Questions?
Sometimes, a roadblock or bump in the road can seem like the end of a good idea. The best way to overcome these obstacles is to change the way we view them and ask the question; asking “how can this help?” as opposed to “is this the end?” can make all the difference in the…
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Veteran Activist and Organizer Lisa Fithian Visits Chelsea Green
Chelsea Green Publishing celebrated Employee Ownership Month with a visit from veteran activist, organizer, and author, Lisa Fithian! Invited to be the inaugural speaker in our “Lunch and Learn” program sponsored by the Employee-Ownership Committee, Lisa inspired us all with countless stories of her adventures on the frontlines of change. Lisa’s new book, Shut It…
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The Importance of Imagination
From What Is to What If author Rob Hopkins is a co-founder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network. He is also the author of The Power of Just Doing Stuff, The Transition Handbook, and The Transition Companion. He earned a spot on Nesta and the Observer’s list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals and was…
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