Peak Moment: Local Living Economies - Protecting What We Love

Judy Wicks' love of place, and of animals, has made widening ripples on a global scale. After she moved onto a quaint street in Philadelphia, she learned it was slated to be torn down. Organizing her community, she saved the block as a walkable community. She opened White Dog Cafe coffee shop on the first floor of her home, which grew to a large restaurant proudly serving food from local farmers. Reading John Robbins' Diet for a New America about the cruel treatment of factory farm animals, she located small family farmers and created a cruelty-free menu. Rather than hoard this proprietary information, she founded a local sustainable business network based on cooperation. She has gone on to found BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies), a national network of sustainable, small businesses that promote going local. (www.livingeconomies.org), (www.whitedog.com) Episode 144. Produced March 19, 2009.