Community Solutions is co-organizing our fall conference, The Economics of Happiness, with Local Futures and Helena-Norberg Hodge. In anticipation of this exciting gathering of international, national, and local people experienced at creating regenerative and resilient local economies, the Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs will be showing two documentaries on Monday, October 2, starting at 7 pm—The Economics of Happiness, from Local Futures, and We the People 2.0 about creating community rights. Both Helena Norberg-Hodge, from Local Futures, and Tish O’Dell, from CELDF (the subject of We the People 2.0) will hold workshops and discussions during the conference.

The Economics of Happiness:

An award-winning documentary film, The Economics of Happiness, which spells out the social, spiritual, and ecological costs of today’s global economy.  Importantly, the film also highlights the many benefits of a shift towards the local and showcases some of the steps people are already taking worldwide.

We the People 2.0:

We the People is a visual essay about the loss of democracy in the United States.  The film utilizes both original footage as well as found footage to describe a profound change in thinking at the grassroots level. The story unfolds through the eyes of rural people who have faced decades of toxic dumping, drilling and mining in their communities.  We learn with them that the reason why, in spite of all their efforts, they “get what they don’t want, again and again,” is because they are, by law, truly powerless in spite of propaganda that says they live in the “best democracy in the world.”   These people come to understand that the reason they can’t stop the destruction is that the US has become an oligarchy, run by the corporate few who ignore the rights and will of the people.  These people are frontally challenging our corporate state; thereby saving nature and themselves. Thomas Linzey, a nonprofit attorney’s inspiring words shows how, we, the people, can turn this around and lay claim to our democracy. This movement is building as you read this, not just in this country but around the world; our film shows how and where it all began.

Click here to register for the Economics of Happiness Conference!