Fourth Economy Blog

Flying Pigs and 50 Foot Women

Jerry Paytas — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:41:40 PDT

Gernot Wagner‘s new book, But will the Planet Notice? How Smart Economics Can Save the World. In this book, he argues that we are past the turning point where individual choices (reusable grocery bags or hybrid cars) will be enough the …

Green Space for the Seoul

Chelsea Burket — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:16:29 PDT

It’s 5:37 am Wednesday morning. I have never voluntarily been up this early, but that’s what happens when you drag your body half way around the world I suppose. So since I am awake, I figured I would take this …

Chelsea from Fourth Economy Travels to Korea

Chelsea Burket — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:02:09 PDT

This Friday I will be taking my maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean – heading to South Korea for a month of cultural and vocational learning. The trip is sponsored by the Rotary Group Study Exchange (GSE) program, which provides …

Fourth Economy’s Universe

Rich Overmoyer — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:56:34 PDT

Hello friends and colleagues, We’ve been so busy that we skipped a month on our e-newsletter, I am sure you filled your time with other pursuits – I’ve seen many of you playing Words with Friends. We wanted to take …

The Upside of Downturns

Jerry Paytas — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:24 PDT

No one will deny that the American and global economies have been in an extended slump. The question is what will lead us out of the doldrums? Right now the big argument seems to be between advocates of clean energy …

National Fourth Economy Community Index Lists Top 10 Small-Sized Counties for 2012

Fourth Economy — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:31:34 PDT

Fourth Economy Consulting has launched a new index, listing top counties based on key attributes and sizes from across the nation. PITTSBURGH, PA – The “Fourth Economy Community (FEC) Index” was released today listing the nation’s top 10 small-sized Fourth …

Translating Hashtag Activism into Sustainable Communities

Chelsea Burket — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:47:36 PDT

Last week, New York Times columnist David Carr wrote about the possibilities and limits of hashtag activism. On one hand, the ability to like and tweet about important civic issues allows people to be “engaged” at a very superficial level; …

The Art of Sophistication: Linking Universities and Towns

Fourth Economy — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:35:40 PST

In the fourth economy, the world’s universities will anchor far-reaching and interconnected communities that seamlessly blend ideation and commerce. These communities will be simultaneously virtual and place-based. In anticipation of this evolution the most forward looking institutions are working to …

Where or What is Your “Third Place”?

Steve McKnight — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:02:45 PST

The notion of the “Third Place” was first popularized by Ray Oldenburg in his 1991 book entitled, The Great Good Place. Oldenburg advanced the notion that a “First Place” refers to your home, the “Second Place” to your work location, and …

Innovation Networks and Economic Growth

Chelsea Burket — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:47:30 PST

Here at Fourth Economy, we’re always looking for opportunities to identify and build upon local assets. This often takes the form of bringing together various stakeholders to advance specific technologies and sectors. We’re currently working on building more robust sectors …