Promoting Self Reliance

One important way to go "beyond consumerism" is to become more self-reliant. Today, fewer of us know where our food comes from, how to repair or make even the simplest things, or how to thrive beyond the consumer economy. But these are all skills that are useful and liberating to have.

Growing your own food, building furniture, knitting and crafting, and other "do-it-yourself" projects reflect the best of American tradition and are being revitalized in households and communities across the country. Honing these skills—with a 21st-century twist—can be fun and rewarding, and during tough economic times these talents could prove the difference between financial despair and an exciting new livelihood.

In this section, learn more about the "great reskilling of America"; find tips on re-using, recycling, and creating; learn how to free up your finances; and more.

Did You Know...

• According to AAA, nearly 4 million motorists requested roadside assistance in 2006—for flat tires.
• Historically, the teaching of home economics was a critical pathway into higher education for American women, helping to bring science into the home and to propel women to leadership positions in public education, academia, government, and industry.
• After the U.S. economic embargo, Cuba went from having the most industrialized agricultural system in Latin America to being a model for agricultural self-reliance. Today, some 26,000 small-scale food gardens spread over 2,400 hectares produce more than 25,000 tons of food annually in Havana.