Deep Economy: Reading Guide 4
Chapter 4 – The Wealth of Communities
“We learn once again what skills and gifts our neighbors possess, and they become valuable to us again, literally valuable, people we can start to depend on for some of our food, our fuel, our capital, our entertainment” (p. 174).
In this chapter, McKibben advances his argument regarding the benefits of a local economy by demonstrating how other commodities would be affected and restructured. His aim is to show his audience that not only is a local economy personally rewarding, it is more sustainable. McKibben claims that America’s energy needs can be met by supplementing current energy systems with local energy production. Here he pictures what community power systems could look like, and he examines other possible wealth in a community from mass transit systems to renewable timber. He also discusses a broad range of examples that show how community involvement positively affects both people and the places they live. Further, he argues that local economies instill fairness in our economic activities: fairness to ourselves, our neighbors and our environment. In short, this chapter emphasizes that identity is shaped and defined by place as much as by individual hopes and dreams.
The following outline explores the argument for a local economy in four different ways.
Hear It on the Radio – McKibben’s story about WDEV – a locally run radio station in Barre, Vermont – is meant to show that what we lose in efficiency on a local level, we make up for in rich human interaction and variety. Multinational corporations, like Clear Channel, may be more efficient – only needing one person to broadcast for an entire nation (p. 132). But with local radio stations, “you hear things that other people are interested in” (p. 137). The result is that the individual listener is able to interact with “the wealth of knowledge that exists within a community” (p. 139). Local radio, stresses McKibben, can do more than entertain; it can inform and mobilize. He points to the station KBOO in Portland, Oregon, highlighting its importance in “promoting the city’s local foods movement [and] reducing emissions of carbon dioxide” (p. 138). He discusses a station in Immokalee, Florida, which migrant farm workers “used to organize their battle to win higher wages” (p. 139). Unlike its national counterparts, local radio doesn’t turn everyone into “a predictable demographic whose tastes can be reliably commodified” (p. 136). In places of local communication people have both a face and a place to participate. Local radio becomes a central meeting ground that everyone in a community can access and take part in. It can be used to further the interests of everyone in a community. In keeping with his prior ideas about local food economies, he likens local radio to “sonic farmers’ markets” (p. 137).
Power-Plant Houses, Community Buses – McKibben speaks at length about the inefficient system of centralized electricity plants. These plants ship electricity across the country, wasting a good deal of heat and energy along the way (p. 145). In fact, McKibben states that “three times as much energy is put into the centralized system as is demanded by consumers” (p. 145).
Instead, he advocates for “smaller community-scale power systems” (p. 144). These systems would include solar panels, roof tiles and shutters as well as windmills and turbines. Because these systems must be varied and in smaller clusters, there is less “chance that they’ll all go out at once” (p. 146). His vision is for everyone in a community to adapt their homes and lands to these new technologies. He also would like to see government subsidies and tax breaks offered as incentives to adopt these measures (p. 147). In place of wasting heat through long distance transmission, the community could produce and distribute energy in a more efficient and sustainable manner. This energy would also remain at a local level. As a result, “energy becomes something you help make and distribute to your neighbors” (p. 148). More importantly, these systems “operate in both directions” (p. 146). This means that each household both uses the energy created and creates more at the same time. This model of energy production, above all, is empowering to the community it serves (p. 149).
For McKibben, a local economy would not only produce its own energy, but would more responsibly use the materials it possesses. He discusses revolutions in mass transportation, such as the expedient bus system employed in Curitiba, Brazil (p. 153). McKibben seeks to show that, if mass transit is done well, it should be both faster and cheaper than owning an individual car (p. 154). More importantly, a mass transit system is both economically efficient and environmentally cleaner. In order for any of these cooperative measures to really work, however, McKibben stresses that it is our mind-set that must change. A remarkable hydrogen powered bus system – like the one in Iceland – cannot work if no one uses it. What we need then, McKibben says, is to get out of the American habit of hyper-individualism and look more toward “the technologies of community” (p. 153). In other words, “the knowledge that you matter to others is a kind of security that no money can purchase” (p. 156).
Local...Currency? – McKibben makes a brief argument in favor of local currencies. His overall aim is to show that “the value of money is based on trust” (p. 163). He points out that our national money is not backed by any real good like gold. We continue to use it because we are confident that it is valuable. McKibben claims that this trust can underlie the use of local currencies as well. His goal would be to supplement the national currency with more varied, local monies. These local dollars would ensure that community ventures and businesses remain supported by the individuals they serve. This reduces the chance that smaller, locally owned stores will have to compete with big businesses (p. 162-163). Burlington Bread stays in Burlington. As a result, the people who participate in this system enhance both the monetary wealth of their community while strengthening community ties.
Greater Democracy – McKibben’s final section examines what greater community involvement does for political and civil participation. By emphasizing a smaller community, people have a greater chance of “face to face democracy” (p. 170). He shows that, in smaller states like Vermont, it is easier to personally know political representatives (p. 168). A smaller community also ensures that the individual himself is known. This increases his feelings of civic responsibility. As McKibben states, “there’s more social pressure to be a good citizen if you know most of your neighbors” (p. 170). He advocates for “town meeting” style gatherings which can be adopted by suburbs, urban communities and rural villages (p. 171). Here, each individual can have a valid voice in local decision making. McKibben also asserts that local governments may be better able to address issues like climate change. He emphasizes that it has been states and cities, not the federal government, which have adopted more sustainable energy and consumption methods (p. 172). Although these sustainable practices are more expensive now, if they are collectively created and agreed upon “we will eventually find the tradeoff worth making” (p. 176).
