Economics for Peace Institute works through education and economic development to build peace, to foster sustainability and to restore the Earth’s natural systems.

 

Economics for Peace Institute is a start up global nonprofit that advances neutral, science-based, participatory research strategies to reveal community well-being and ecosystem stewardship.  The socio-cultural factors that underlie healthy communities and ecoystems are poorly understood.  This information is often missing from the planning studies performed to support sustainable development in the United States and much of the world.

The Institute seeks funding to develop two programs:  1) Expanding the use of participatory research in environmental and community planing; and, 2) Expanding participatory ecotourism to conserve critical habitat while strengthening local economies and protecting local culture.

Participatory research is direct conversation with real people about their community and landscape. There are a wide range of community engagement tools available that permit the collection of valuable, unbiased qualitative data in support of actionable sustainable development.

Participatory ecotourism supports conservation of critical habitat and helps communities.  The Institute’s form of participatory ecotourism is an earned income strategy that supports conservation objectives through voluntouring and locally-owned results. Projects are evaluated by the beneficiaries using participatory methods.

 
epi formed in December 2008 and received funding from the U.S. Forest Service for a workshop in Portland in 2009.
 
As of the Fall of 2011, start up operations are on hold.  We plan to resume operations in 2013 once grant and project funding can be secured.
For further details, please select "What's Happening"
under the menu bar item "About epi."
 
About this image.   An inuksuk, or stone cairn, shows the way and offers comfort in unknown territory.  Inuit arctic peoples placed stone markers to indicate a trail or to mark a location for its significance. Historically, many people placed stone cairns or even single stone megaliths for navigation, astronomy, as a reference point, or to commemorate significant experiences.  In recent years, newly placed stone markers can be found more and more often to symboloze friendship and cooperation.  Photo © 2009 Andre Nantel.