Why our planet needs a new economy

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As we dive deeper into The New Economy, we’ll look at real-world dimensions of change, like what your bank is doing with your money, how you can participate in the Buy Nothing movement, and what actions we can take to challenge wealth hoarding and build community wealth instead. Though, this isn't just about ideas. It’s about personal transformation.

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Start by asking yourself: 

• What is your definition of the economy? 
• What parts of it are serving you—and which parts are failing you and your community? 
• When have you felt truly rich in a way that had nothing to do with money? 
• What would an economy that actually works for people and the planet look like?
• What might you need to change, learn, give up, or grow into to help create it? 

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Your mission is to take what’s in these Action Packs and apply it to your life, your choices, and your conversations. We invite you to move beyond this article: take them on a walk, bring them into a conversation, or sit with them in reflection. The work of building a new economy starts with each of us.

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A couple years ago on a Soapbox fireside chat in our online community, Indigenous activist Pennie Opal Plant said, "We have no human enemies. Instead, enemies are the thought forms that created separation, colonization, and capitalism." Her words live rent-free in our minds.

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Then, @karishmaclimategirl made a reel announcing that billionaires aren't human. We have truly never considered this, and now, we think we agree. Here's what we’ve got so far...

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Evidence that billionaires are not human:

• 👥 Consider the words homo sapiens. "Sapiens" translates to wise, but billionaires' brains are rotted by convenience. They probably have never tripped on a lego since making their billions? Do they even know how to wipe their butts or does someone do it for them? 🤨
• ⚡ The movies prove it. In Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort who is a humanoid, but not human monster, exists that way because he's split his soul into 7 pieces through murder. (Sorry, spoiler if you missed out on this 2000s classic). Overseeing so much exploitation comes at a cost…to their own humanity.
• 🧠 We actually don't think they're capable of conscious thought. We seriously believe this level of wealth and extraction does something irreversible to your brain and soul. 

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One of our Soapbox members writes:

“Right now, when I look up from the lichens, I see rapacious men plundering everything they can. I see them blaming powerless people for problems they caused, with no regard or even a passing curiosity for the threads they rip apart. In time, they will cannibalize themselves. Until then I find strength in what I know is true: life is possible through nuance and connection, and we depend on each other in a very direct way. My life would look so small to these men if they ever deigned to perceive it, but no matter when I die, I will outlive them. - Soapbox member Heather Stone in her beautiful post "Consider the Lichen"

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Yes. To all of this.

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Here’s how bad the current system is and why it’s literally trash:

• 💰 Economic control chokeholds: the richest 1% now own 54 percent of stock and mutual funds, up from 40 percent in 2002. The top 10% own over 90% of business wealth! (Inequality.org)
• ❌ Communications control: The #1 richest person in the world (Elon) bought Twitter; the second richest (Zuck) controls Facebook, IG, & Whatsapp, the third richest in America controls the Washington Post (The Guardian)
• 🏦 Banking: Over the last decade, your bank may have been part of investing $6,900,000,000,000 aka 6.9 TRILLION DOLLARS in fossil fuel expansion (Banking on Climate Chaos Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2024)
• 💳 Investing: Your retirement money is also probably invested in fossil fuels! (FossilFreeFunds.org)

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Have you heard the phrase "Just Transition"? It's a framework that builds economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative one. Based on what you just learned above, where are YOU willing to stop the bad and build the new? How will YOU divest from their power and invest in our power?

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Get a headstart by choosing a new bank with Mighty Deposits, Bank Green, or talking to Carbon Collective about your investments. You can even start by simply sharing this Action Pack with a friend to start a conversation. 😉

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Ready to build a world where the economy actually works for people and the planet? Pick one (or more) and make your move.

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1. Make a billionaire less rich. It's super easy and fun!
During mid-March 2025, people who sold their Tesla stocks made Elon Musk SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS POORER. There are obviously lots of reasons why stocks go up and down, but definitely the international campaign to dump Tesla helped. Also, the Tesla Takedown is working. Here's a list of real time billionaires for your reading displeasure. It is sickening to see how many Waltons (of Walmart) are there. 

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2. Switch your bank.
You can go on Mighty Deposits to see what your bank/credit union is currently doing with your money. If you're happy with it, great! If you're unhappy with it, CHANGE IT! A couple of us on the Soapbox team used Mighty Deposits to open a savings account with a bank whose values align with ours and had a great experience throughout the whole process.

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3. Switch your investments/retirement. ?
You may have seen this in our Action Packs time and time again, but seriously, check out Carbon Collective. You can go even farther with your impact if you get your company to add them to your 401(k) options! They also have a $CCSO ETF, so you can go do your homework and see what money moves to make.

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4. Tell your employer or your friend's employer to escape the Chamber.
The US Chamber of commerce is a trade organization that has spent years and MILLIONS of dollars lobbying against climate progress. Employers you either work for or know (Microsoft, Amazon, Google) pay money towards this. Tell them to maybe don't do this?? Escape the chamber!

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5. Join your local Buy Nothing or similar gift economy groups.
Buy Nothing is a classic. Freecycle is cool too. If you want to join a newer org that lets you customize who's in it, check out Community Gearbox! We've got a Soapbox Seattle group going.
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6. Nudge your friends to think for .01 seconds before buying something new.
A couple of our team members are in a bachelorette planning group and the amount of Amazon links is really boggling our minds.. There are a lot of good people in the world that simply don't take a fraction of a second to THINK before they hit the Buy Now button. Next time you're part of any group purchasing decision, whether that's bachelorette planning, a baby shower, or even going out for dinner, gently interrupt the immediate purchasing fervor. You could say "Hey! I can help acquire X because I'd really like to support local businesses" or something else that's thought-provoking.

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7. Watch Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy.
You should totally make it a whole night's shindig, have some friends over, and treat them to a plant-based meal. (You don't even have to tell them it's no meat until the end of the movie where you can point out that cutting out beef is one of the most significant individual climate actions ever. They already did it tonight with you, so yay!).

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Shifting our economic system starts with small, intentional actions that chip away at extractive systems and build up regenerative ones. Every action you take brings us one step closer to an economy that truly serves people and the planet.

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Before we go any further, it's time for you to pledge your commitment. It takes less than 30 seconds to pledge and we can bother you about it in a friendly way, so we can hold each other accountable. Pledge here!

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🎯 Action step 4 of 4: REFLECT — what can you commit to? What fresh perspectives can we look at?

Here, you’ll find inspiring stories and creative reflections that bring the new economy to life in unexpected ways. 

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This powerful article from The Guardian highlights Jo Nemeth, a woman who closed her bank account and is thriving outside the traditional money system.

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Here’s also two “diamond poems” created during a magical Soapbox Seattle event, where we celebrate abundance and self-determination through words that reflect the values of gift, reciprocity, and community. We learned about diamond poems from Ben Christensen, who happens to be the co-founder of a really cool tree-loving company called Cambium.

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(1) Abundance
Cornucopia
Giant Gourds
Make Good Eatin'
nourished! yummy as heck
my tummy Explodes with Fullness
I share with laughter
care with love
Eat Veggies
Prosper

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(2) Self-determination
focus
builds tunnels
my strong hands
carry my loved ones
across the threshold of my
doorstep, welcome my friend
take a seat
welcome home
love

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Writing these poems felt like a trust fall mixed with improv and pure magic. Here are instructions on how to write a diamond poem if you want to do this with friends!

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Finally, we invite you to pause and reflect with three thoughtful questions designed to connect your own experiences to this vision of a more just and interconnected economy. 

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1. What is one activity that you did this month, without spending any money, that brought you joy?
2. What was the last time you helped someone? What was the last time someone helped you?
3. Do you boycott anything/any place? Why? (It doesn’t have to be a corporation. It can be something silly like using an umbrella)

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Whether through stories, poetry, or personal reflection, you now have a glimpse into what a new economy could feel like and how you can start living it today.

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‍🏁 Checkpoint: This is the end of action step 4 of 4: REFLECT.

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Check out our membership community for more resources like free weekly events with social justice experts, sustainable product discounts, pre-written email templates, a social impact job board, and in-person hangouts with new friends. Thanks for taking action with Soapbox Project!