Relocalization

= a strategy to build societies based on the local production of food, energy and goods, and the local development of currency, governance and culture. The main goals of Relocalization are to increase community energy security, to strengthen local economies, and to dramatically improve environmental conditions and social equity.

Discussion

How relocalization is linked to global open design

Dave Sohigian:

"This is where the intersection of globalization and relocalization comes in. To make a truly local bike, we would have to consider using other raw materials that are local. For example, we have lots of trees around here. And we even have a local manufacturer making bikes out of wood (Bike Portland has a great article on the company). Are there alternative materials for other parts of the bike as well? I have no idea, but I certainly think it is possible. That’s the relocalization part. The globalization part is the knowledge required to accomplish this relocalization. If we can combine our knowledge of local raw materials with local manufacturing and global design, then we can have local goods that use the best possible designs. I realize this is not a simple problem because you can’t divorce design from raw materials. But allowing creating a global market for design means you take advantage of the intelligence of the world while not requiring massive energy consumption.

The title mentions a business opportunity. The way I see it there is a huge opportunity for companies that can manufacture things locally, using local resources. Manufacturing companies that have a deep knowledge of the local raw materials as well as a way to outsource designs for products will have a bright future. If you combine that sort of capability with the globalized design (meaning designs that are created, and licensed, from all over the world), then you are taking the best of both worlds. Imagine a database where you could look up designs for “human powered transport” based on the raw materials and manufacturing processes you have locally. Oregon might have a lot of raw materials common to other places with similar climates, and therefore could use and share designs with those areas. But the manufacturing and raw materials would all be local.

Manufacturers could become much more general, while designs become much more specific. Instead of shipping raw materials all over the place and then shipping finished goods around as well, only the IDEAS and DESIGNS would move around.

Is this sort of thing possible today? Probably not. But I see a big future for the companies that can make it happen, both on the manufacturing and design side." (http://www.commonsdev.us/content.php?id=1944)

More Information

- Relocalization Network [1]

“Localization may describe production of goods nearer to end users to reduce environmental and other external costs of globalization.” (http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/2007/07/06/the_case_for_localization.htm)