Living Locally in a Global Age

For most of human history, we have been deeply connected to the places where we live. Over the millennia, human communities have had an intimate relationship with local nature. Daily life has been characterized by and made more meaningful through interaction and interdependence among people in their local community.

In the past century, this has dramatically changed with advanced industrialization and the proliferation of the global economy. Daily use of cars and digital devices, in particular, have changed our relationship with each other and nature in our local context. We are more likely to be behind the wheel of a car than walking in our communities. We are more likely to be on our cell phones than connecting to nature or each other in person. A profound shift has taken place regarding how we relate to the places where we live.

Benefits have emerged from these rapid (especially on the scale of human history) shifts in human society. With air travel and digital communication, people can work across the country and even the globe, expanding economic opportunities for themselves. People with cars can drive across municipalities and counties to our desired job or to opportunities that may not exist where we live. Affluent people can invest in economies and obtain resources from nearly anywhere in the world. It’s common now to connect virtually with friends…