ABSTRACT
Localization fosters a multitude of meaningful jobs and forms the foundation for strong, resilient communities. This in turn provides for a true sense of belonging, purpose and connection, ultimately increasing psychological well-being. Today, designers have a choice: they can either contribute to the global system that values exploitation, consumption and waste or join in a shift toward the local, where it is life itself that is of the highest value. At the moment, the global economy and the growing domination of technology are not only severing our connection to nature and to one another but also breaking down biological and cultural diversity. Rather than continuing to promote the large and global, government policies would strive to support local and regional business instead. The banking and financial system needs to be re-regulated to limit the creation of phantom wealth and to curtail the unregulated flow of capital. In almost every country, tax regulations systematically discriminate against small-and medium-scale businesses.
