A report by Eric Hunting: (for more direct info, see the Geopolymer House Blog) “Geopolymer is the general name of a growing family of materials offering a low-carbon alternative to traditional cements and concretes. Based on inorganic aluminosilicate chemistry rather than the calcium carbonate chemistry of traditional portland cement, geopolymers get their name from their… Continue reading
Date archives "June 2012"
Video: What is at stake in Rio+20 and what are the alternatives?
Here is a 16-minute video fully subtitled in English (thanks to Nicola Bullard) with interviews of Pablo Solon, Edagardo Lander, Yvonne Yanez, Silvia Ribeiro, Tony Clarke, Nnimmo Bassey, Anabella Rosemberg. Among the issues: What does mean moving from sustainable development to green economy? What is hidden behind this new concept of green economy: green growth?… Continue reading
Spending directly for wellbeing not wealth: the Venezuelan paradox
The University of Columbia’s “Earth Institute” has released the results of its first happiness report, which highlight Venezuela as the happiest country in South America and the second happiest country in the region after Costa Rica. Here are some more details of this surprising study, from Rachael Boothroyd: “Whilst beating some of its Latin American… Continue reading
Essay of the Day: Producing Industrial Goods Through the Commons
Excerpted from Wouter Tebbens: “It seems to be increasingly possible to produce industrial goods through the Commons. The main function of industrial production can be organised as a commons by applying straightforward rules to share knowledge. The Commons offers – at least potentially – the following advantages for industrial manufacturing over the proprietary model. *… Continue reading
Book of the Day: Towards Peer Production in Public Services
Ultimately, how do we find the right balance between the traditional forces of market, the state, and the emerging citizen-driven actions? * Book: Towards peer production in public services: Cases from Finland. Editors: Andrea Botero, Andrew Paterson and Joanna Saad-Sulonen. Aalto University publication series Crossover 15/2012. Helsinki, Finland A very timely and important book, paying… Continue reading
Rio+20 update: From the Peoples Sustainability Treaties to a Treaty of the Commons
An update via Rob Wheeler: “The treaties call for specific action by civil society, businesses, governments and other stakeholders. We intend to continue to develop a strategy and process to work on the ongoing implementation of the Treaties after Rio. They will be included as a part of The Widening Circles process that is being… Continue reading
A critique of Michael Porter’s ‘Shared Value” assumptions
Excerpted from John Elkington, the original coiner of the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ concept, who contrasts the ‘inside-out’ model of shared value proposed by business strategist Michael Porter, to the outside-in vision of the sustainability movement, which sees humans and natural resources, and not the corporation, as primary: “Shared Value is undeniably a key step forward… Continue reading
Can the Digital Commons Save the Natural Commons? (2): Reaction from “Poor Richard”
Poor Richard posted an extended comment to the previously published theses by Brian Davey: “Brian Davey raises several interesting points but I believe there is a flaw in some of the underlying logic. “Economists tell us that by putting a price on natural resources that this creates a restraint on their use. That is rubbish… Continue reading
Spain: Crowdfunding Against the Impunity of the Banks
Source: GlobalVoices In view of the indifference of the government and the district attorney’s office to investigate the management of Bankia by it’s ex chairman, Rodrigo Rato, people in Spain raised money from donations to submit a complaint before the court and meet the requirements to conduct a legal investigation efficiently. The initiative has had a massive following… Continue reading
Person of the Day: Hazel Henderson, pioneer of ethical finance
Hazel was forty years ahead of most of us, pioneering the research into ethical finance, ethical economies and alternative metrics since the 1970’s and she is now putting her energies in Ethical Markets TV, which brings ethical enterpreneurs to the attention of a wider audience. The following is excerpted from an interview conducted by Forbes… Continue reading
Video of the Day: Fairtrade Electronic
Movement of the Day: The New Economy Movement in the U.S.
Gar Alperovitz describes the emergence of this new movement: “Just beneath the surface of traditional media attention, something vital has been gathering force and is about to explode into public consciousness. The “New Economy Movement” is a far-ranging coming together of organizations, projects, activists, theorists and ordinary citizens committed to rebuilding the American political-economic system… Continue reading
Are internet job exchanges depressing western salary levels?
A provocative argument excerpted from Rich Reiben: “is no longer necessary for a corporation to go to a third-world country to outsource. There are plenty of 99-percenters who are willing to work for almost nothing. A number of sites ask potential workers to bid on jobs. Absurdly low pay is justified by calling the job… Continue reading
The reality of (almost) total surveillance of our internet activities
The “Cypherpunk” episode of the Julian Assange show on RT is well worth watching:
Launch of massive encyclopedia on social change driven by Indignados and Occupy movement
Via Bernardo Gutierrez: 15M.cc is up and running Background On 15 May 2011 massive spontaneous protests across Spain signalled the birth of a movement which was dubbed 15M, after the date, and was also known as the Spanish Revolution. The “indignados” (the indignant) were fed up with soaring unemployment, the ongoing recession and… Continue reading
Syriza and the Syntagma Square Movement
Excerpted from an interview of Nasos Iliopoulos of the Greek Syriza party, by Alex Nunns for Red Pepper: “RP: What is the impact on the young generation of the crisis? There are two aspects of the attack on the youth. One is work, and the second is education. Among the youth there is a general… Continue reading