VIEW AS A WEB PAGE           SHARE

Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions         March 2013  The “Cooperative Economy” issue of YES! Magazine       :: SUPPORT YES! BY DONATING :: PEEK INSIDE THE NEW ISSUE   :: SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH YOUR FRIENDS    Dear Reader, Something’s off. The stock market may have hit record highs, but millions of Americans are out of work or stuck in low-wage jobs. Young people can’t pay for an education and the elderly can’t afford to retire. Our economic system is failing to deliver a decent standard of living. Little wonder, then, that the spring issue of YES! Magazine on how cooperatives are driving a new economy is generating such excitement. Co-ops aren’t new. What’s new are the opportunities we now have to expand the reach of the cooperative economy: Unions are joining forces with Spain’s successful Mondragon Cooperatives to bring the model to the United States. Communities looking for alternatives to expensive, for-profit health insurance are forming health care cooperatives. Thousands who “moved their money” from Wall Street banks to credit unions now have a say in how that money is loaned and invested. Consumers looking for ways to increase prosperity for small-scale producers are turning to cooperatives like Equal Exchange. Instead of making more money for those who are already wealthy, cooperatives offer everyone ownership of an economy that benefits all life. See for yourself what the buzz is about by taking a peek inside the issue. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you. Did you know that you can buy copies of this issue in bulk? Just $3 each for five or more copies. Best, Sarah van Gelder Executive Editor, YES! Magazine   Tools to Build the Cooperative Economy   6 Ways to Fuel the Cooperative Takeover by Sven Eberlein In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, businesses, products, and services that benefit people, communities, and the planet—instead of a few megabanks and billionaires—have been in higher demand. From now on, the global mantra for filling market gaps and new demands is going to be, “There’s a co-op for that.”~ But co-ops—like any kind of business—need customers, money, training, political support, and help from their communities. How do we shift from business as usual to the work of cooperation? READ MORE ...   Also from the Cooperative Economy issue of YES! Magazine …   Credit Unions Put Your Money to Work—Right Where You Live by Colleen Kimmet The first credit union in North America was established in 1901 in Quebec, by Alphonse Desjardin, a reporter who founded the Caisse Populaire after learning of a Montrealer who was ordered to pay nearly $5,000 interest on a $150 loan. Immigrants from Quebec to New Hampshire brought the model to the States when they founded La Caisse Populaire, Ste-Marie (now St. Mary’s Bank) in 1908. One hundred years later, credit unions are experiencing a surge in popularity, as people resist paying exorbitant fees to the very megabanks that were at the center of the 2008 economic meltdown. Vancity is the largest credit union in Canada, with close to half a million members. The cooperative was established in 1946 by 14 Vancouverites who wanted to build an inclusive, community-based credit union that any resident of the city could join. READ MORE ... The Affordable Care Act hopes to drive expansion of health care co-ops. Don’t Like Your Health Insurance? Make Your Own by Nina Rogozen Millions of Americans lack adequate health care, using emergency rooms as a costly alternative or getting no care at all. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called “Obamacare,” opened the door for an affordable option. The December 31, 2012 deal between Congress and the administration that avoided the so-called “fiscal cliff” has, at least for the moment, closed that door for 26 states. READ MORE ...   What’s New Online   Research on the Politics of Meditation Points to Deeper Truths by Richard Schiffman Psychologists recently conducted a study that found that meditation may make you more liberal, at least in the short-term. Richard Schiffman argues that the politics of true spirituality are more about balance than support for any one side. Teaching Emotions: A Different Approach to Ending School Violence by Katherine Gustafson A growing network of programs is teaching kids how to understand and express their emotions. Among their results: decreased aggression and violence. No More Steubenvilles: How To Raise Boys to be Kind Men by Kim Simon What can we do to help young men respect women, recognize consent, and have healthy sexual relationships? Teach them kindness to others—and the courage to go against the crowd. Three Tactics for a Stronger Climate Movement by Melanie Jae Martin In January, the Sierra Club reversed a 121-year-old ban on civil disobedience to reflect the urgency of climate change. How should more radical groups respond?   Did you miss…   Audience Favorites: :: Why You Don’t Frack With John Lennon’s Farm When fracking hits close to home, Mark Ruffalo, Debra Winger, Yoko Ono, and other big names find common ground with small towns. :: Why Unions Are Going Into the Co-op Business The steelworkers deal that could turn the rust belt green. :: How Workers Laid Off from a Chicago Factory Took It Over Themselves When their boss tried to fire them, the workers of Republic Windows and Doors occupied the factory. Now they own it as a cooperative.   How to Get More YES!   BUY IN BULK Buy copies of How Cooperatives are Driving the New Economy for $3 each. NONPROFIT. INDEPENDENT. SUBSCRIBER-SUPPORTED. SUPPORT YES! Give a monthly, tax-deductible donation of $5 or more to YES! and get the YES! Ambassador Kit, Marjorie Kelly’s book, and an ongoing YES! subscription   International   Happiness Day   Don’t Laugh: The UN’s First International Happiness Day is Serious Business by Frances Moore Lappé How countries and cities around the world, from Bhutan to Boston, are measuring well-being beyond GDP. Sustainable Happiness? 6 Ways to Get There by Catherine O'Brien Discover natural highs, map your interdependence, and other ways to discover joy within your reach.   Media Conference   National Conference for Media Reform Join Sarah van Gelder, Fran Korten, and other YES! staff at this not-to-be-missed event. We’re hosting a special session on Solutions Journalism.   Web Picks   FILM New Film Calls Worker-Owned Cooperatives “Next American Revolution” Gar Alperovitz’s film points to worker-owned cooperatives as a growing alternative to traditional capitalism and socialism. VIDEO What Does “Mind-blowing” Wealth Inequality Look Like? Watch This Video Statistics about how much wealth is possessed by different groups of people can be hard to wrap your mind around. This video makes it visual—and the picture isn’t pretty. YES! is published by the nonprofit Positive Futures Network   ::  www.yesmagazine.org 284 Madrona Way NE, Suite 116, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110-2870, USA  ::  Phone: 206-842-0216

   Subscribe today with this offer   |   Contact YES!

   We never sell or share our email list. To remove yourself from this list, go back to your email and click the unsubscribe link at the top.
   Manage your email subscriptions  |  If this email was forwarded to you, sign up for your own YES! newsletters