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NEW SOCIETY BLOG

Capital-Labor Relationship

In an ever-evolving world, does it make sense to use a 200-year old theory of trickle-down economics as the primary instrument for our economic system? In the fifth edition of Toward Sustainable Communities, a new tool is introduced to measure the environmental, economic, and social benefits of complex community and regional decisions. Today’s excerpt looks at the relationship between labor and capital through that lens, and provides a glimpse of what a community might be like if we imagined a new tool to measure success.

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Natural Plasters and Climate Change: Plastering in a New Paradigm

Tina Therrien, co-author of Essential Natural Plasters, has been working with natural plasters for decades. Today, Tina examines the role of natural plasters in adapting buildings within the context of global warming and climate change.

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The Best Cast Iron Skillet Sourdough Cinnamon Buns Ever

Did you know there are tons more recipes you can use your sourdough starter with? In DIY Sourdough, John and Jessica Moody provide many of your favorite baking recipes that can be made with sourdough. Whether it’s a cold evening or a lazy weekend morning, cast-iron skillet cinnamon buns are a fun and delicious way to use your starter. Below is the recipe from the book – feed your starter and let’s get baking!

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Let’s Fight the Fire, Not Each Other

Republished with permission from Andrew Boyd: There is so much that is heartbreaking, infuriating, depressing, about the latest gruesome turning of the knife in the ever more tangled story of Palestine/Israel. It feels like it could suck all the hope out of the world, if we let it. So, what do we do?

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Why Is Wealth Important For Community Resilience?

Is there a secret to resilient systems? Laura Lengnick believes there are key behaviors and characteristics in resilient systems that help them operate. In Resilient Agriculture, Second Edition, she outlines these key elements into three rules. They are: * Cultivate diverse networks of reciprocal relationship * Cultivate regional self-reliance * Cultivate the accumulation of community-based wealth. But if a community has regional self-reliance, what is the purpose of community-based wealth? Today, we explore the third rule of Laura Lengnick’s rules of resilience to understand why community-based wealth is a necessary factor of fully functioning resilient systems.

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A Cultural History of Coppice Agroforestry

It’s hard to believe that it’s been one year since Coppice Agroforestry was published! We’re celebrating this milestone by sharing an excerpt from the book. Coppice forestry has a rich history of providing a symbiotic, cooperative relationship between humans and forest ecosystems. While it is an ancient silvicultural practice, with Coppice Agroforestry, author Mark Krawczyk blends it with modern science, systems thinking, and tools to ground it firmly in the 21st Century. Understanding its cultural history is an important piece in understanding how coppice continues to evolve to meet our needs. In an excerpt from his book, Mark Krawcyzk shares a brief overview of that rich history below.

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How To Quickly Harvest and Store Your Produce

We are excited about Jean-Martin Fortier’s recently released The Winter Market Gardener. But today, we’re looking back on his previous book, The Market Gardener. For many of us in North America, the changing seasons mean that gardeners are quickly harvesting the last of the garden’s summer abundance. For Jean-Martin, efficient harvesting is paramount to a successful market business. In this excerpt from The Market Gardener, he shares his years of market farming experience and outlines some commonly grown crops, along with their most efficient methods of harvest.

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How Does French Market Gardening Influence Current Gardening Techniques?

Throughout time farmers everywhere have found solutions to extend their harvest and growing season. It feels like a dream that someone could enjoy fresh snow and fresh produce simultaneously, yet Jean-Martin Fortier and Catherine Sylvestre have done just that and now you can too!

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2023

Today is National Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada. We honour the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Taking part in National Truth and Reconciliation provides us all an opportunity to have important conversations and reflect on the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools. ]

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Climate Week 2023: The Greatest Economy You've Never Heard Of

In Escape from Overshoot, Peter A. Victor outlines how our relentless pursuit of economic growth has stressed the planet beyond its limits. One possibility is to move from a growth economy to a wellbeing economy. Does that sound like an unrealistic dream? Well, you may be interested to know that some countries are already in the early stages doing just that.

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Climate Week 2023: COVID-19’s Surprise Positive Impact on Climate

Steven Earle was writing A Brief History of the Earth’s Climate as the pandemic unfolded, and captured some of the surprising impacts that the global shift had on the climate.

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Climate Week 2023: Are We All In A State Of Climate Crisis Denial?

It’s hard to imagine those speaking at NY Climate Week self-identifying as being in climate denial but that’s exactly what Andrew Boyd does, kind of. Read what Andrew says the first stage of denial looks like by checking out this excerpt from I Want A Better Catastrophe.

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New Society Authors To Watch At NYC Climate Week

Climate Week NYC is here – and it’s big. In fact, with over 400 events taking place across New York City and virtually, it’s the largest event of its kind in the world. This year, Climate Week NYC takes place September 17-24, 2023. Climate Week happens every year in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly and is run in coordination with the United Nations and the City of New York.

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Why You Need Microbes and Bioinoculants For A Better Garden

Microscopic organisms are as important to plant growth as water and light. In Microbe Science for Gardeners, Robert Pavlis highlights the essential role of microbes in plant biosystems and soil health, while providing an objective, common-sense analysis of recently popularized practices such as controlling fungal-to-bacterial ratios and applying bio stimulants, compost tea, or plant probiotics.

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Pacific Northwest Planting Calendar for August, September, October and November

Are you gardening, or planning to start a garden in the Pacific Northwest? Growers west of the Cascades enjoy a mild, forgiving climate, with a long growing season. This bioregion does present some unique challenges, but also opportunities – including fall planting and four-season gardening. Mark Macdonald of West Coast Seeds calls Linda Gilkeson’s Backyard Bounty “very likely the best book ever written on growing food in the Pacific Northwest….” We’ve taken an excerpt from the book outlining what Linda recommends you should do in your garden in the Pacific Northwest from now until November.

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