The Hyperlocalist

Imagine how different our communities would look if we  all invested just 10% more of our time, focus, and capital locally.

That's the promise of hyperlocalism.
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We may not all be able to change the world.
But we can all change our local communities.

Over the past decade, we've watched our world unravel at the seams. Economic devastation, civic unrest, environmental destruction, and political malfunction have absorbed so much of our attention and resources, yet leave us feeling helpless to do anything about them.

Hyperlocalism proposes a solution to this mass demoralization, by focusing on a simple concept: while you may not be able to change the world, you absolutely can change your local community.

Hyperlocalism, simplified:
  • a theory of development
  • that encourages individuals & organizations to focus their
  • resources, including time, attention, and money,
  • on their local communities or geographic areas
Dive Deeper Into Hyperlocalism
Think Globally. Act Locally.
Paul McCartney

Hyperlocalism is about how we spend our Resources

Attention

Our attention has been consumed by national and global news coming from all angles. In fact, we get so much information that we can't process or remember it, and it's leading to serious rates of depression and anxiety.

Hyperlocalists focus their attention on what is happening in their local communities first, their region 2nd, and then their country, nation, or world after that. This way, you actually know what is happening around you and why.

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Time

There are hundreds of ways you can spend time, but so many of them leave us feeling worse rather than better. Social media and TV aren't inherently bad, but there has to be a way that we can pass time that makes us feel good.

Hyperlocalists focus their time on engaging, exploring, or improving their local area. That could mean exploring new parts of the city, volunteering at a local nonprofit, going to local venues, or spending time with their neighbors.

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Capital

One of the biggest factors leading to the decline of our local communities is the fact that so much capital leaves, driven largely by corporate consolidation & online shopping habits, and exacerbated by the pandemic.

Hyperlocalists spend their hard-earned capital locally, so that it goes back into the pockets of their community, not some global corporation. Same with donating money: it has a greater impact when it is spent locally.

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Why We Need Hyperlocalism

It's no secret: our world, countries, and states are suffering from systemic challenges. But in order to fix them on a global scale, we have to start at home.
Economically
Socially
Environmentally

Economically

Small businesses make up 65% of all new jobs created in the United States alone. Local nonprofits provide life-sustaining services to hundreds of thousands of people. And high growth companies are the biggest creators of new local wealth that we have. Strong local organizations mean strong local economies.

Unfortunately, these massive economic benefits have been destroyed in recent years while more and more capital has gone to international corporations. Corporate consolidation & online shopping have opened up a massive hole where needed financial resources pour out of our communities.

This trend can be reversed by focusing our spending locally. It creates more jobs, safer communities, and a more vibrant living environment.

Socially

In 2020, the COVID pandemic showed many of us what it would be like to live in a world isolated from others. Unfortunately, even as the world has reopened, so many of us still remain in a state of modern isolation.

Social media promised that we could stay connected to those we care about, but in reality, it has made the average user more depressed, more anxious, and more lonely.

There was a time when our local communities and neighbors made up a large chunk of our social circles. In communities where this is still the case, people are less lonely, happier, and even live longer. It's not too late for us to reap the benefits of close local relationships - we just need a framework for how we do that. Hyperlocalism places it as a core focus.

Environmentally

While individuals are made to feel bad for using plastics straws or not recycling a water bottle, in reality it is largely global corporations who have wrought the environmental damage that we are dealing with today.

In most cases, politics & business make it impossible to reverse course on a national scale. However, we can dramatically change the environment of our local communities for the better

Whether that is picking up trash, protecting waterways, planting trees, or implementing a reusable takeout container system, there are many actions that help the environment that have a dramatic impact locally, even if they cannot scale to solve the problems on a national level.

We may freak out globally, but we suffer locally
Jonathan Frazen

Learn More About Hyperlocalism

The Hyperlocalist is a blog dedicated to sharing more information about Hyperlocalism and how you can apply it in your daily life