By Anjie Cai, guest youth blogger for www.howmany.org Capitalism as we know it today came into force around the early 1700s when Adam Smith laid the groundwork for the free market system in his famous book The Wealth of Nations. It quickly gave power to corporations, allowing them to control much of our lives. In
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org World Water Day, recognized on March 22nd, should mark not only appreciation of this  most precious of resources, but also emphasize how global society can better conserve it during a time of erratic climate changes. But let’s take this a step further and talk about how the current economic system of
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org It’s time for a fresh start on the year.  Which makes it a good time to take a hard look at how the global economy is structured, and how that is working for people (the 99%, not the 1%) and the environment. There is an obsession with economic growth that flies
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Slowly but surely, economists and other experts are beginning to see the light on the need to rethink society’s obsession with growth, be it population or economic. Dean Baker, an economist with the Center for Economic & Policy Research, took the New York Times to task for celebrating fertility rates in
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org The relationship between trade and population is based on one main thing, and that is growth.  Growth of people, growth of goods and services, and growth of markets and capital. The latest population projection from the United Nations is for a world population of 8.1 billion people by 2025, and 9.6
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Everywhere you turn today there is talk of economic growth.  A growing economy is the gold standard and main policy goal of just about every nation. There is not much talk about growth in sustainable livelihoods or well-being.  Yet a mantra of continued economic growth is what we hear from mainstream
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org As you recover from the stress of filing taxes, you can take some relief and pleasure in this being Sustainable Happiness Week.  It kicked off on April 13th, and runs through April 20th. Where is it easiest to feel happy?  Check out this infographic from Sustainable Cities Collective to see the
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org   Recently the Post Carbon Institute hosted a web chat called Enough is Enough: Exploring the path towards “America the Possible featuring the work of two authors working diligently to change the endless economic growth narrative so entrenched in today’s global society. James Gustave Speth is author of America the Possible:
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  By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org [H]ere’s the deal: forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don’t be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done. ~Paul Hawken This
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org In the debates and discussions leading up to the 2012 presidential election, there was not a hint that either political party was willing to question and reassess our dependence on endless economic growth in a world of finite resources. That is anathema to our political world. Our economy is measured and
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