by Gary Olson The title is a riff on James Carville’s disingenuous (and stupid) phrase from 1992 when he was Bill Clinton’s campaign director. Carville’s pithy quip, “It’s the economy, stupid,” became the campaign’s de facto slogan. It functioned as a clever ruse to help Clinton beat Bush by pandering to workers and creating the impression that his policies would actually … [Read more...] about “No. It’s Capitalism, Stupid.”
Focus on Pages
The "Focus On" section provides in-depth information and opinion on many facets of sustainability. (Although these topics may appear quite distinct and separate, it’s important to remember that they are interconnected and interdependent in multiple ways — in general, the 4 basic principles of ecology apply to all complex systems.)
When you select a Focus On… topic, the system will select all the articles and posts in that category with the most recent pages at the top, just under a brief introduction to the topic. (Many articles appear in multiple categories.)
Background & detail information is organized into the main categories listed in the left sidebar.
Economy, Business, Finance
Two of the six Alliance goals focus on the importance of the local economy. In order to create equitable and livable communities, we need strong local economies and businesses need to adopt sustainable practices. This includes operations, sourcing & supply chains, and minimizing waste.
Martin William Boksenbaum
1939–2019 We bid fond farewell to Martin Boksenbaum, co-founder of the Alliance who was deeply involved in preparing each of the previous 16 issues of this Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet. It’s hard to think of the Alliance—and especially this publication—without Martin. He was integral to nearly every aspect of it from its inception. Martin died last summer, but we’re … [Read more...] about Martin William Boksenbaum
Class War and the 2020 Election
by Alex Fischer Class war is heating up in America. Endemic to capitalism, class war is a crude term for the general struggle led by the poorer classes against the war led by the bourgeoisie or capitalist class over the fruits of the national economy.1 Basic human rights such as food, housing, healthcare, education, and transportation are increasingly unaffordable. The … [Read more...] about Class War and the 2020 Election
‘Working People Will Make a Better World’: An Interview with Labor Historian Priscilla Murolo
Interviewed by Andy Piascik Priscilla Murolo teaches history at Sarah Lawrence College, where she formerly directed the graduate program in Women’s History. She also teaches in the Union Leadership and Activism Master’s Program at the University of Massachusetts. Beginning in the1960s, she has been involved in the women’s movement, labor organizing and many community … [Read more...] about ‘Working People Will Make a Better World’: An Interview with Labor Historian Priscilla Murolo
Globalization or Universalism?
by Reza Ghorashi Introduction Globalization is a complex, multifaceted, and correlated phenomenon that affects social, cultural, political, economic, and technological dimensions of human life. Since the dawn of modernity1 we have had several rounds of globalization. The process typically goes as follows: Major scientific breakthroughs give rise to technological … [Read more...] about Globalization or Universalism?
A Brief Thought Experiment
by Gary Olson Recently I‘ve tried to make the case that only presidential aspirants who are vetted by the oligarchic elite, deep state, plutocracy or whatever nomenclature you prefer, have any chance of reaching the Oval Office. Further, as the chief administrative officer for the capitalist state, they often implement policies consistent with those of a psychopath. And they … [Read more...] about A Brief Thought Experiment
Tackling TINA: Imagining a World Beyond Capitalism
by Adam Heidebrink-Bruno Two years ago, I entered the Literature and Social Justice Masters program at Lehigh University anxious to study the relationship between narrative and political action. Having just left the digital publishing and advertising industry, I knew too well how popular media narratives structure contemporary U.S. values, often in ways that trouble me. … [Read more...] about Tackling TINA: Imagining a World Beyond Capitalism
Sustainability Practices for Cafés & Restaurants
→ Executive Summary Introduction We live in a world filled with concerns about climate change, food and health, pollution and degradation of the environment, and other aspects of sustainability. Unfortunately, the problems are growing at exponential rates. When we look at the causes, it becomes clear that many of our current practices cause or contribute to the problems. … [Read more...] about Sustainability Practices for Cafés & Restaurants
Sustainability Practices for Cafés and Restaurants
[See link at bottom to download the full report] Executive Summary We live in a world filled with concerns about climate change, food and health, and other factors critical for sustainability, and these problems are growing at exponential rates. We all need to take action to prevent these problems from spiraling out of control, including taking a close look at our … [Read more...] about Sustainability Practices for Cafés and Restaurants
Where Does Our Culture of Rage and Disaffection Come From?
by Ted Morgan As the mass media would have it, Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign was buoyed by “populist” anger from working class white folks, particularly in rural America and the South. Public opinion polls have shown that the bulk of Trump’s support has come from middle-to-upper-middle class people, religious fundamentalists, traditional conservatives, … [Read more...] about Where Does Our Culture of Rage and Disaffection Come From?