Chelsea Green Blog
Politics & Public Policy
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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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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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.
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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. The first step? Understanding the big picture.
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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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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?
Reframing an obstacle in a positive manner can reinvent the way we look at problems in both our everyday life and on a larger scale.
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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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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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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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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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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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