Annie Leonard and the team behind 2008′s award-winning The Story of Stuff are back with a new tale: The Story of Broke. In another relatable animated short, they explore the ways in which our money is currently being used, as well as ways in which we can demand greater accountability, take it back, and rebuild a better way forward for our home.

Image courtesy of danielmoyle (Flickr)

The Story of Broke is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

From the tranquil kiss of the setting sun to the crouching headlights of a police car behind citizens being forced to the ground and thrown off of the road, we immediately hope for a light at the end of the tunnel for the fishermen who live in the village of Rossport.

After we are introduced to some of the residents and the knack they have for fishing both in water and in sand, the title character is introduced as a plan by the Shell oil company to use Rossport as a gateway for delivering their gas without the consent of Rossport residents. As the plight of the community expands and protests begin, it seems that the police are sympathetic with the other citizens, but are sworn to protect them as the corporate powers of the oil industry wreak their inevitable havoc beyond any protection the local constables can offer.

But eventually, whether for their feelings of ineptitude over not being able to serve and protect or their misunderstanding of who they are supposed to serve and protect, the police begin to resort to violence to make the citizens comply with full corporate freedom. To keep anyone from getting hurt, the residents put an end to their protest and face the difficult task of coming together as a community to find another way to protect their livelihood. Unfortunately, the footage of their meetings does very little to disprove the stereotype of the Irish temper, and progress is slow-going. Nevertheless, the protests resume and locals do what they can to stand together against the corporate interloper.

Because the battle is largely fought with money, there is essentially little the locals can do, as even their neighbors are bought off and turn their backs on the fight. The battle really comes down to one fisherman using his tiny boat to stop a mammoth tanker from laying the pipe in a classic David and Goliath scenario. The shepherd boy takes quite a thrashing in this story, but it appears as if he pulls it off in the end.

For those who find themselves in similar fights in the battle for human rights and dignity over corporate force, The Pipe offers an empathetic look at how long, arduous, and hopeless the fight sometimes feels. Yet it also reminds us that in the end, the fight is always worth it.

The Pipe is now available in the US through TheFilmBuffonDemand.com

Laying The Pipe is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Image courtesy Via FLOR.com.

The Journey of Sustainable Business is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Last year, Aaron Heidemann took a similar journey in search of the American Dream, along with a number of other young dreamers taking to the road in order to “find themselves.” Earlier this year, J.W. Frye rode his bicycle from Key West to Alaska to raise money and awareness for Hospice. Now, John Caruso and Miranda Massey are starting on their own journey.

Leaving Sarasota, Florida on November 7, 2011, the two explorers are riding their bicycles to California, using the tools of digital video and social media to allow others to vicariously take the journey with them. In part, the trek is about exploring alternative lifestyles and the foundations of community, but it is also about spreading a message of peace, hope, and love to a world that is clamoring for it.

The trip was planned over a year ago by Miranda, an adventurous spirit who simply longs to live the extraordinary life she was destined for. When he heard about the opportunity a month ago, John, who has been crafting his life as one of awareness and light since surviving a brutal car accident a few years ago, knew that it was an opportunity he could not pass up.

When Kerouac wrote about The Rucksack Revolution 50 years ago, he described it as  “a world of rucksack wanderers, Dharma Bums refusing to subscribe to the general demand that they consume production and therefore have to work for the privilege of consuming, all that crap they didn’t really want anyway such as refrigerators, TV sets, cars, at least new fancy cars, certain hair oils and deodorants and general junk you finally always see a week later in the garbage anyway, all of them imprisoned in a system of work, produce, consume, work, produce, consume, I see a vision of a great rucksack revolution thousands or even millions of young Americans wandering around with rucksacks, going up to mountains to pray, making children laugh and old men glad, making young girls happy and old girls happier, all of ‘em Zen Lunatics who go about writing poems that happen to appear in their heads for no reason and also being kind and also by strange unexpected acts keep giving visions of eternal freedom to everybody and to all living creatures…”

I wonder if Jack realized that the vision he had would be manifested at a time when the Occupy movement was giving people the solidarity to stand against corporate greed and people around the world are searching for the joy of living simply. Although the handful of people mentioned here may not constitute the millions that he dreamed of, it is apparent that the vision is gaining a foothold in mainstream consciousness, and I’m sure he would be delighted to see the next wave of rucksack wanderers carry his desire to the shore.

To accompany John and Miranda on their journey, visit Cycling for Sustainability at www.bikingwithintent.com.

Image by Bob Jagendorf

Steve

Steve McAllister, newly appointed “Lifestyle Guru” of Modern Hippie Mag, describes himself as a Renaissance Man. An author, filmmaker, songwriter, and perpetual artistic experimenter, he has recently re-released his second book The Rucksack Letters into paperback to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journey. His latest book, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction, is How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. His latest artistic project is The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube.

The Rucksack Revolution Continues… is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

While the protests against our languishing monetary system and the way that it has been co-opted by the greedy are necessary and admirable, the highest hope is that the end result will be that we will open our eyes to the true value of life. A great part of that value lies in participating in the life around us and discovering how we can serve.

Since money first began to be used as a proxy for value, people have been using it to help support causes they care about. While there is much nobility in giving of your treasure to help those less fortunate, it is a far more generous gift to give of your time and talent. Volunteering in your community helps you to do just that.

Image courtesy of rbostwick (sxc.hu)

The way that our society has been constructed, much of the work that we do has the ulterior motive (often the primary motive) of gaining material wealth for ourselves. Unfortunately, because our system of wealth is funneled through banks, the work that we do for money ends up being work that we do to create wealth for the money lenders.

However, the work that we do in a voluntary capacity carries with it the intrinsic value of making us completely present, not waiting for an eventual paycheck, but just living in the moment and participating in the activity we choose. The gain is made simply by the servant and the served, resulting in the truest sense of commerce.

If you want to be present, if you want to find security in a world filled with such seeming chaos, volunteer your time and talent for a cause beyond your own selfish gain. It doesn’t matter what you do as there will always be a recipient for the energy you expend. Our task now as citizens of the world is to direct our energy toward changes we really want to see instead of the change that lines our pockets. As has been said before, the new currency in the coming economy is love, and it is the only economy that can experience continual economic growth without breaking any banks or leaving people indebted.

Imagine for a moment that we had no money. Imagine that it didn’t exist and we could not simply write a check for charity and go on our merry ways. How would you get involved in the world around you? Where would you serve? Go and do it now, and let us live the lives we imagine.

Steve

Steve McAllister, newly appointed “Lifestyle Guru” of Modern Hippie Mag, describes himself as a Renaissance Man. An author, filmmaker, songwriter, and perpetual artistic experimenter, he has recently re-released his second book The Rucksack Letters into paperback to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journey. His latest book, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction, is How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. His latest artistic project is The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube.

Activism: Another Word for Participation is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

There were plenty of people there who were eager to express their feelings, so I went from person to person, a variety of citizens from young to old, and asked, “Why are you here?” The result was a fairly cohesive voice as to why this Occupy movement is occurring.

I remember marching in protests in Los Angeles and San Francisco in hopes of deterring our government from invading Iraq. Although the marches were planned with that goal in mind, the myriad of signs and causes that people brought to the event just to feel a sense of solidarity was astounding. With signs about Palestinian freedom, African genocide, and even some gay rights thrown in for good measure, it often felt like a protest free-for-all. However, with the Occupy movement, although it is extremely broad in its protest of the current economic paradigm, what has truly impressed me is how tightly the protesters fit under that umbrella instead of becoming the misdirected group of whiners that their detractors accuse them of.

Image courtesy of davidlat (sxc.hu)

What their detractors ask for now is their proposed next step. Where is this Occupy thing taking us? The Occupy movement has made it abundantly clear that they do not approve of the current economic structure, its foundation of indebtedness, or the greed and class warfare which fuels it, however, now they are called to provide an actual alternative. I don’t think anyone realizes, including many in the Occupy movement, that they are actually living the alternative.

For those who are camping out on Wall Street, they are simply giving what they have out of their passion for living and compassion for the rest of the world. From that energy, they are creating the engine of community. People are sending them money. People are bringing them food. People are giving them encouragement. People are doing their part to make something happen that is beyond their own selfish desires. Just by the act of standing up in the face of adversity and putting themselves at risk for the greater good, they are rising above the Darwinian concept of competition that is so celebrated in the capitalist system that they are fighting against, and they are embracing the essence of collaborative community, just as an evolving species should.

Throughout this movement, indeed throughout this revolution, people are realizing that although they may not have money because it is a limited resource and part of an exclusive game designed to be won by a select group of players, they are still growing in awareness of the true value in the world around them, as well as the value in themselves. Just as I didn’t have the emotional strength to do much speaking at my particular rally, I still found value in my ability to listen and share. In the same way, We the People must look beyond the limitations our paradigm offers us, and realize what we are capable of doing in order to truly Occupy our country and our government again.

What value do you bring to the world beyond money?

Image via NPR.org – “Occupy Wall Street Timeline: From a Blog Post to a Movement”

Steve

Steve McAllister, newly appointed “Lifestyle Guru” of Modern Hippie Mag, describes himself as a Renaissance Man. An author, filmmaker, songwriter, and perpetual artistic experimenter, he has recently re-released his second book The Rucksack Letters into paperback to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journey. His latest book, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction, is How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. His latest artistic project is The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube.

What is the Goal of the Occupy Movement? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Love Is the New Currency invites you on a journey to:

• MEET people who are shifting their thoughts and actions to create a world where the currency of love has a greater, more enduring value than metal or paper.
• WITNESS how everyday people are changing lives through ordinary and extraordinary acts of love and kindness.
• DISCOVER 111 simple ways that others are making a positive difference: ideas that will incite and inspire you to create your own currency of love.

Love is the New Currency is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Get Fit Tip of the Week – Ep3 from Modern Hippie Mag on Vimeo.

Kenroy

Kenroy Simmons is a Premier Certified Personal Trainer and owner of One on One 247 which specializes in sport specific rehabilitation, weight loss/gain, martial arts, core training, and nutritional counseling. As a trainer Kenroy helps people find the road to success, and age gracefully.

Get Fit Tip of the Week! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

5 things I learned today (and don’t want to forget) – Unlike most other sources people go to find good stuff online, we bring out a short post of the 5 for the day with links. Once a week, we bring out the week’s top 5 things with a video, showcasing an interesting event or location, previewing each find and getting the audience involved.

Gone With the Wynns – A quirky and energetic show about travel, food, fun and eco-adventures. Your hosts Nikki and Jason take you on the road in a Green RV in search of North America’s greatest and greenest adventures.

Conscious Living TV – Now in its sixth season, Conscious Living TV is a lifestyle news program bringing viewers the best in healthy, sustainable living. From eco-fashion to green travel, holistic healing and the best organic and vegan food, Conscious Living TV scours the globe to bring viewers a taste of the good life that is also good for the planet.

Aware We Grow – Sustainable and holistic living, up from the ‘roots. Wherever you live, wherever you look there’s someone close by who is seeking and practicing holistic and sustainable living in ways large and small. Our diverse stories can inspire each other to take just one more step towards the type of world we want to see, grassroots style.

There are more episodes in Community, Technology, Food and more!

Modern Hippie TV is an off-shoot of Modern Hippie Mag featuring video programs dedicated to exploring, featuring and promoting individuals and companies making waves in green business, conscious living and sustainability from other eco-peeps and modern hippies the world over!  Modern Hippie TV is a Modern Hippie Media production.

What’s New on Modern Hippie TV! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Get Fit Tip of the Week – Ep2 from Modern Hippie Mag on Vimeo.

Kenory

Kenroy Simmons is a Premier Certified Personal Trainer and owner of One on One 247 which specializes in sport specific rehabilitation, weight loss/gain, martial arts, core training, and nutritional counseling. As a trainer Kenroy helps people find the road to success, and age gracefully.

Get Fit Tip of the Week! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag