Book Review: Small is Possible:Life in a Local Economy

Cover via Amazon

I loved Lyle Estill's "Small is Possible: Life in a Local Economy". It's a fun, inspiring collection of stories from Chatham County, the author's home town. It chronicles the successes and failures of the resident's attempts to build a sustainable, local economy and thriving community.

The large collection of characters at times seemed to rival War and Peace in complexity. I occasionally had to flick back to remind myself who was who, which interrupted the flow a little.

I'm involved in my own town's attempts to build community and rebuild our local economy. I find it both fascinating and disturbing that for many people here the idea of a thriving town means 'growth' and the idea of a local economy, supporting and supported by a local community is swept aside in the quest for bigness, progress and outside intervention (from big government or big business).

The book hinted at times that there was another side of the community in Chatham County that is perhaps less interested in the possibilities of small and I would loved to have heard more about the context into which the attempts at local sustainability fit.

All in all, a compelling read for anyone interested in sustainable, local living and building community!

Consensus at all Cost?

Image by markusthorsen via Flickr

It would be a rare community that survived great change - or small change, or even no change at all - without conflict. Communities are hotbeds of intrigue, egos and differing personal agendas, so it stands to reason that somewhere along the line people are going to cross swords.

As I see it, its not entirely a bad thing. If managed properly conflict provides opportunity for growth.

Why is it then, that many community groups seek to impose consensus at all cost? Why do we make it so difficult for people to stand up and say what they honestly believe? Why do we think that to do great things we have to all like each other? Why is it so hard to tell people when they are not doing a good job?

Surely a strong, reslilient community that truly embraces diversity is one that has realised that true consensus cannot be reached without some degree of conflict?

Start a Community Newspaper

A simple way to bring your community together is to start a Community Newspaper. Its amazing the news you can dig up if you ask around.

In my community we have gone from one side of an A5 page earlier this year to this latest masterpiece:

November NL #5