As a Local Citizen: Alternatives to Economic Globalization

Due to a conflict in my schedule, I was not able to stay and listen to the presentation last week, so I decided to concentrate on the book that we were assigned to buy and read because I feel as though we have not talked collectively about the ideas presented in the written work. As I was browsing the chapters and reading the titles and subtitles, I came across a section that listed actions one could strive to carry out in an attempt to bring global ideas of sustainable living into a more local context. This caught my attention because after taking this class I have become informed and aware of so many issues that I would like to address and change, but as one person, it is a daunting and almost impossible task.

The first idea that is presented in the book is to seize control of your local operating systems-transport, energy, and waste-where global politics most directly play out (341). One can write to their government officials and demand that issues be addressed and changed because as a member of society, control is in one's hands more than he or she might think. I really liked this idea because there have been times that I have wanted to stop something from occurring, yet it never occurred to me to take it to officials. In my hometown, there was talk of putting in a Wall-Mart, and if such a huge company were to be built and established, the local citizens that have spent their lives building a business would suffer because of the competition. I see now that I could have written a letter, organized a petition, or spoke at a city council meeting to stop the invasion. However, these options did not enter into my thinking and I sat and hoped that someone would know what to do.

Another idea that I liked very much was, "Organize cleanups in your neighborhood and city through community activism" (341). This is something that I