eco simplicity & alternative money

Bookbeast's | ehf@bookbeast.com

Bike it! [mostly local info, but check for similar resources in your area or start one yourself!]
• League of Illinois Bicyclists: LIB is the statewide advocacy voice for all Illinois bicyclists.
• Chicago Bicycle Federation: Their mission is to improve the bicycling environment and thereby the quality of life in the region.
• Chicago Critical Mass: more than bicycle advocacy—this is no-handles-barred bicycle activism.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) aims to enrich America's communities and countryside by creating a nationwide network of public trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors. Their Trail Link website lets you search for trails throughout the U.S.
• Working Bikes Cooperative recovers landfill-bound bicycles, repairs them to working condition, and sells them to Chicagoans at a low cost in order to fund shipments of bicycles and bike parts to developing countries. All of WBC's work is done by volunteers.

Other ways
• The Veggie Van: Ready to cruise on biodiesel? Let Joshua and Kaia Tickell get you out of the fossil fires while getting the most from the leftover oil in that deep fryer with their book From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel
• Carfree Times deals not only with escaping the vehicles themselves, but the strange culture warp cars have enveloped (buried?) us in.
• Consumer.gov's Transportation Page the Federal Gov's consumer information on consumer safety and thrift, not only for car buyers, but for other transportation products like bicycle helmets (includes alerts and product recalls)
• Chicago Area Transportation Study study also available en Español
• Federal Railroad Administration: Department of Transportation some interesting stuff that doesn't seem to make the news

Eco Simplicity/Alternative Habits/Alternative Food/Alterntive Energy/Alternative Attitude

Center for a New American Dream | also check out the Center's new Conscious Consumer project

Veggies Unite!

Living Lightly in Breadth and Depth

The Simple Living Network Can't decide where to go? Check here first.

RMI: Rocky Mountain Institute earthday primer on environmentally preferable paper: "According to the EPA, paper in its various forms accounts for 40 percent of all U.S. solid waste generated."

American Wind Energy Association Not just a bunch of windbags

Illinois Renewable Energy Association [IREA] is a network for sharing ideas, resources and information with individuals, businesses, and communities to promote a resilient future through renewable energy, energy efficiency, and earth-friendly technology.

Midwest Renewable Energy Association

Growing Herbs in the Home Garden

The Institute for Solar Living workshops and educational tools.

Treating Affluenza: Resources for the PBS show.

FAMSA: Funeral Consumers Alliance. Having seen what many familes cope with during death recently and how even the better off are usually already in tough financial situations (medical bills, loss of income). This is probably something that should be worked out by the living–well in advance of needing it.

The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giorno (translated into English). A tale of simplicity-created abundance - the god-like contribution of one quiet and solitary soul.

Home Canning Online Especially good is this site's online HomeCanning Magazine with information in English and au français.

Follow the Sun Solar Cooker Manual available online!

Solar Ovens lots of do-it-yourself plans: in English and en Español and more at solarcooking.org

Solar Designer my good friend Dennis, the solar designer, will get some of that solar energy shining your way!

Alternative Money & Economics/ UnConsuming Passions/ Money Alternatives

Common Ground Food Cooperative

Co-operatives 101 a very informative introduction from the US Department of Agriculture

Co-operative Information Superhighway world-wide information on co-operatives of all stripes: banking, housing and plenty of other ventures

The National Cooperative Business Association Although some sections are still "to come," there's a lot of good information and how-to-get-started tips.

Local Scripts/Virtual Small Change/Economics
or Making Cents on the Web Timedollar Institute lot of good resources for starting community time dollar projects.

LETSystems - the Home Page | San Diego Earth Times online (monthly)

Ithaca Money | Bay Area Bread Hours

Millicent | c|net features - digital life - online banking

Money in North American History

Transaction Net's The Future of Money page. More than information on "rethinking" legal tender—resources and a forum for discussing and spinning alternatives—old and new. Also check out this site's Community Currencies for very good pointers and ideas.

Jubilee Research is the international debt and finance program of the highly respected, radical think-tank, the New Economics Foundation (NEF), London. NEF was established 15 years ago, emerging from the first alternative economic summit held at G7 meetings - TOES, or The Other Economic Summit.