As we all try to live more lightly on our planet home, we sometimes encounter perplexing decisions. Given several choices – all environmentally positive – how can we know which is more ecologically sustainable? Food choices are an obvious example: is it better to buy “locally produced” or “organic” foods? While there is no simple answer, this article by Sister Verónica Fajardo, C.S.C., provides helpful information for your reflection and decision making.

This article, written by Sister Aline Marie (Steuer), C.S.C., offers a wonderful explanation of localization and an invitation for us all to embrace ecological economics for the good not only of the human community, but the entire earth community.

The attached article, Cultivating Sustainable Communities: Practical Ways to Build Local Economies, by Amy Cavender CSC, gives us many practical suggestions for supporting and growing local economies. Amy outlines the ecological impact of our present global trading system, and offers compelling reasons for “buying local” whenever possible. She also provides us with many video and web-based resources for further exploration.

The Law of Mother Earth: Behind Bolivia's Historic Bill by Nick Buxton, Yes! Magazine. 29 April 2011. Nick Buxton wrote this article for YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions. He spent four years in Bolivia learning from movements fighting for social and environmental justice. He currently works for the Transnational Institute in Netherlands and has been seconded to work with the Bolivian government on climate justice issues on a number of occasions.

Sister Mary Turgi, CSC, provides education on ecological economics as a solution to the problems created by the conventional Western economic model.

Sister Ann Oestreich, IHM, and Luciana de Paula Soares present fair trade as a bridge issue between ecological economics and human trafficking.

We believe God’s Spirit is present in every generation, event, and encounter. At this moment, in our particular time in history, we are called to listen deeply to the movement of that Spirit being expressed in the struggles of our Earth community. We gather in silence, prayerful reflection, and conversation to share with each other how we can deepen our living of interdependence.

Amy Cavender, CSC, wrote this study and reflection guide to accompany the film The Economics of Happiness. For more information about the film, see our media library page.

"Economy of Right Relationship: An Advent Resource for the New Economy" was developed in 2014 by members of the Faith, Ecology, Economy Transformation Working Group.

An article and 16 minute video from Yale Environment 360, http://e360.yale.edu/