In this video, Michael H. Shuman, attorney, economist, and author of several books, discusses the economic and community benefit from local businesses.

The New York Times recently published an open letter written by Michael Pollen to the new President-Elect. He's the author of The Omnivore's Delimna and In Defense of Food, and the letter is a great introduction to and summary of the need for a new food system in America. Pollen makes a great case for our need for a different food system - citing its impact on our health, environment and national security. The most compelling part for me is how this can impact our economy - creating millions of new jobs that directly contribute to the health and well being of all of us.

Please enjoy the article, and share with others.

It's official. (and we all saw it coming) News outlets are reporting today that the US economy is shrinking, with consumer spending down 3.1% This means we're half way to an official recession. (which is negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters)

This could be Really Bad News for everyone. When people spend less money, that means less revenue for businesses which have to cut costs. People lose jobs and it becomes harder to pay our bills. So what can we do about it?