Chelsea Green Blog

Politics & Public Policy

people protesting

The Power of Nonviolent Direct Action

Some acts of nonviolent protesting put the message out for the public and brings attention to the issue. However, this strategy doesn’t always capture the attention of the people who have the power—the government. Adding strategy to nonviolence brings the attention it needs directly into the face of those who can change the rules and…

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lias frithian preparing people for action

So, You Want to get Arrested?

Change will come only at the hands of unflagging creativity, standing up, never backing down, making yourself heard, accepting risk, and embracing direct non-violent action. Lisa Fithian’s Shut It Down offers a first-person look into some of the most significant social movements over the past four decades and how they have been powered by people…

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polar bear on ice in water

Depressed about Climate Change? Here’s How to Take Action

The facts about climate change are settled. Mostly. In fact, the news seems to get worse, and more urgent, every day. Yet, the more the facts stack up, the less resolve many people seem to have about getting behind solutions that will stem, or turn, the tide. What gives? Economist and psychologist Per Espen Stoknes…

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bootprint

Creating a Better Earth & Future: Overshoot & Collapse

The environment can only take so much gas emission, over farming, and plastic. What can you do to minimize your human footprint and take care of the earth? Start by looking around you. The following is an excerpt from 2052 by Jorgen Randers. It has been adapted for the web. It is important to know…

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A bowl of sugar and a diabetes tester

Sugar, Fructose, and Fructophobia

We’ve always known that if you sit around all day eating candy, you will get fat. Conversely,  cutting down on sugar, which is a carbohydrate, will contribute to weight loss and other benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet. However, the extent to which sugar, that is, sucrose, or its component fructose, contributes to obesity and other…

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A black sign that says community food forest

An Edible Urban Oasis

More than 80 percent of the US population now resides in urban areas. This number is projected to rise in the next few decades. Finding ways to maximize use of existing open space is imperative, and increasing access to food through sustainable management of edible landscaping is one important approach among many that are underway.…

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What is Massive Small?

What is Massive Small?

It’s more than an oxymoron. Massive Small is a framework for urban development that can make cities more sustainable and resilient. But how does it work and does it make sense for the future? The following excerpt is from Making Massive Small Change by Kelvin Campbell. It has been adapted for the web. The Massive Small…

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oil rig

Our History: A Look at Oil, Power, and War

For centuries, humans have had a very strong interest in oil and it’s only getting more intense. Our dependency is reaching a concerning level which Matthieu Auzanneau speaks to in his book Oil, Power, and War. The following article was written by Frank Kaminski and was published on Resilience.org. In Oil, Power, and War, French…

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urban farming

A 15-Point Urban Food Manifesto

What if farms and food production were integrated into every aspect of urban living—from special assessments to create new farms and food businesses to teaching people how to grow fruits and vegetables so farmers can focus on staple crops. Urban farming is a story of recovery, of land and food, of people, and of the…

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crowd

The 20 Rules of Slow Democracy

As millions of people head to the polls today to cast their vote, we got to thinking about the idea of democracy and how we need it now more than ever before. But what does democracy look like now and do we need to rethink it? Reconnecting with the sources of decisions that affect us,…

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argument

How to Cheat In an Argument: A Beginner’s Guide

Manners. We were all taught them from a young age, and yet, they are oft forgotten when we find ourselves in the heat of an argument about a topic we are passionate about. Before we know it, we are mere shells of ourselves, using cutthroat tactics to win our case. Unfortunately, our momentary loss of…

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capital building

Politics: There’s No Room for Politeness

The polite thing to do when asking for something is to say “please” and wait patiently. However, this doesn’t work in politics currently. Movements and change will only occur when the people demand action, when they have strong voices delivering their messages, and when they leave politeness on the table. Take Bernie Sanders for example.…

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man who hated work but loved labor

The Man Who Loved Labor And Hated Work

In response to one of the nation’s darkest labor-history chapters, Congress passed a law in 1894 making the first Monday of every September “Labor Day,” to pay tribute and honor the achievements and contributions of American workers. While the passing of the law helped to improve conditions, standards, and relations there was still work to…

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pesticides

A Grassroots Revolution for Pesticide-Free Communities

As the ‘poison cartel’ creeps relentlessly across food systems, there is overwhelming evidence that something must be done to stop them. The small town of Mals, Italy took a stand and started a revolution to stop the corruption and pave the way for a pesticide-free future.  The following excerpt is the foreword by Dr. Vandana…

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doughnut economics

Fixing the Economy: Radical Thinking for 21st-Century Economists

The economy is a complex, evolving system, and that’s an empowering thought: it means that every one of us can play a part in shaping its evolution. When it comes to understanding economics you may be familiar with classic texts like Adam Smith’s, but don’t view that as the be-all-end-all, lest you get stuck in…

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food forest

Community Food Forests in Action

Alright. We’ve covered the basics of what a community food forest is, how to plan one, and which approach is best. Now it’s time to see some in action! Keep reading to learn more about some of the pioneers of the food forest movement. The following excerpt is from The Community Food Forest Handbook by Catherine Bukowski…

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drawing of a village

Victory Over Big Ag: How a small town said “Yes!” to a pesticide-free future

A Precautionary Tale shares the inspiring story of a group of citizens in Mals, Italy who fought Big Ag and won and, in doing so, became the first place on Earth to ban pesticides by a referendum vote. Their colorful, courageous, and ultimately savvy campaign is being heralded around the world as a landmark effort in…

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Kate Raworth speaking

VIDEO TED2018: A healthy economy should be designed to thrive, not grow

What would a sustainable, universally beneficial economy look like? “Like a doughnut,” says Oxford economist Kate Raworth. In a stellar, eye-opening TED2018 talk, Kate explains how we can move countries out of the hole — where people are falling short on life’s essentials — and create regenerative, distributive economies that work within the planet’s ecological limits. (Afterward,…

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overlooking a village

How One Small Town Banned Pesticides: Freedom from Poison

The recent uncovering of The Poison Papers—a collection of documents revealing years of apparent collusion between companies producing pesticides and other chemicals and regulatory agencies such as the EPA—shows just how difficult it is to stop corporate, agricultural, and other powerful interests from spraying dangerous chemicals, even when human health and the environment are at…

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You won’t have a revolution if you don’t ask for one

Get ready for the era of Big Organizing. In Rules for Revolutionaries, authors Becky Bond and Zack Exley lay out the 22 Rules the fueled the Bernie Sanders campaign and which provide a way forward for activists looking for ways to move forward post-Election Day. This model, which the authors call “Big Organizing” is the…

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modern wheat

Why Modern Wheat Is Making Us Sick

Why is modern wheat making us sick?  That’s the question posed by author Eli Rogosa in her new book Restoring Heritage Grains. Wheat is the most widely grown crop on our planet, yet industrial breeders have transformed this ancient staff of life into a commodity of yield and profit—witness the increase in gluten intolerance and…

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Taking Permaculture Beyond the Garden Gate: Q&A With Toby Hemenway

The Permaculture City begins in the garden but takes what we have learned there and applies it to a much broader range of human experience; we’re not just gardening plants but people, neighborhoods, and even cultures. Author Toby Hemenway (Gaia’s Garden) lays out how permaculture design can help towndwellers solve the challenges of meeting our…

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A Mini-Festo for Earth Day – Rebuild the Foodshed

For the days leading up to Earth Day in years past, author Philip Ackerman-Leist runs a Twitter MiniFesto campaign – each day sending out a new tweet designed to spark conversation and pass along some lessons he learned whilst working on his book, Rebuilding the Foodshed. You might also know Philip as the author of…

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"Marijuana is Safer” Authors Influence The New York Times

The New York Times has launched a seven-part editorial campaign urging a repeal of the nation’s prohibition on marijuana, making the case that “marijuana is safer” than alcohol. In fact, the bold quote at the center of their editorial stated even more bluntly: “Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol.” Chelsea Green authors, and nationally…

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recycling

Old Nalgene Bottles: 5 Ways to Reuse Them

The water bottle that (kind of) defined a generation…is really a killer. Last year, toxic plastic struck close to home. In April 2008, the FDA deemed Nalgene water bottles—those awesome, never-break, never-leak containers you had come to depend on—as unsafe for use, due to dangerous levels of toxicity in the plastic. Durability, in other words,…

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