Economic localization occurs when a region, county, city—even a neighborhood—frees itself from overdependence on the global economy and invests in local resources to produce a significant portion of the goods, services, food, and energy it consumes.

We believe a strategy that brings production of vital goods and services close to home is more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable than a strategy based on economic globalization.

Bay Area Economic Localization Campaign

Redefining Progress has joined with Bay Localize, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, International Forum on Globalization, and Center for Sustainable Economy in a campaign to localize the San Francisco Bay Area economy by promoting small, locally owned, environmentally sustainable businesses in the energy, food, manufacturing, and financial sectors.

The Bay Area Economic Localization Campaign is working towards:

• Multi-agency coordination of economic localization
• Commitment to localization as overriding policy at federal, state, and local agencies
• Enhancing social equity through community accountability and oversight
• Development of a sound analytical basis for localization opportunities
• Self-reliance targets and timelines for key sectors, such an food, energy, and manufacturing
• Programs and policies, such as procurement and investment reform, implemented by government, business, and community organizations.

The campaign’s analysis and objectives are described in the report, “Building a Resilient and Equitable Bay Area Economy: Toward a Coordinated Strategy for Economic Localization.”

Download report:
Building a Resilient and Equitable Bay Area Economy (PDF)

Localization Campaign Participants

Localization campaign participants meet on a monthly basis and host regular economic forums for Bay Area economic development practitioners. To participate or to become an endorser, please contact John Talberth, Director, Sustainability Indicators Program.

Localization Campaign Endorsers

More than 20 government and nonprofit agencies support our campaign:

• Ag Innovations Network
• Business Alliance for Local Living Economies
• Bay Localize
• Bayview Safe Haven/Hunters Point Family
• Californians for GE-Free Agriculture
• Center for Sustainable Economy
• Circle of Life
• City of Berkeley, Office of Energy and Sustainable Development
• City of Oakland, Office of Sustainability
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers
• Daily Acts
• Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
• Global Citizen Center
• International Forum on Globalization
• Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
• Pacific Environment
• People’s Grocery
• Planning for Sustainable Communities
• PowerDown Project
• Rainforest Action Network
• Redefining Progress
• San Francisco Post Carbon
• Social Venture Network
• SpaceShare
• Sustainable Monterey County
• Urban Alliance for Sustainability
• Urban Habitat
• Urban Permaculture Guild
• West Berkeley Neighborhood Development Corporation

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