America still wallows in what feels like a recession. However, Americans are taking matters into their own hands. A new movement

admin2013-09-16  47

问题     America still wallows in what feels like a recession. However, Americans are taking matters into their own hands. A new movement called the "D. I. Y. economy" is emerging. But in this context "D. I. Y. " is not about going to Home Depot to get the parts you need to fix your sink; it’s about driving economic development at the local level, with local leadership, guided by a more robust and sustainable vision. This movement is broad and diverse, starting with rejecting the mainstream approach to economic development, an approach called "business attraction", in which a city or region designs a package of tax and financing incentives to attract a large corporation.
    The D. I. Y. economy idea offers a very different approach to economic development. It brings together different elements in a new and creative mix. Collaborative Consumption— Wherever people cluster, there are assets that are individually owned but collectively underutilized. An economy can be grown by linking these assets into networks of barter and sale. Do you own a car but only use it 90 minutes a day? Rent it out when you’re not using it.
    Community Capital—Local growth requires local investment capital. Unfortunately major U. S. banks are not meeting the need. These banks mostly extract capital from the local level and use it to speculate in global derivatives. Several projects have taken shape in response; the "Move Your Money" initiative encourages individuals to shift their money from major national banks to local banks and credit unions. Platforms help small businesses raise money, much of it local, without running afoul of complex and costly regulations that make private offerings difficult. Dual Currency Systems involve alternative currencies that encourage people to spend and invest locally.
    Redirecting Government and Private Procurement Toward Local Providers—Development can be stimulated by helping local businesses get a piece of what local governments spend on procurement. One popular solution is to create a database and distribution network so that procurement staff can easily broadcast requests for proposal to qualified local providers. The same approach can be applied to quasi-public entities like educational institutions. Even local branches of major corporations can be enlisted to review their procurement spending and lower the barriers to local bidders.
    Developing Local Industries—Certain industries offer above-average potential for D. I. Y. economic development. These industries have attracted a new generation of "social entrepreneurs" who want to build a successful business and at the same time serve a social need. In agriculture, the "farm to table" movement promotes direct distribution of fresh produce to homes. In energy, local energy development start-ups tap renewable sources like wind Though their cost per kilowatt generated is a bit higher, they lose much less energy in transmission.
    National Expansion of the D I. Y. Economy requires spreading ideas, encouraging collaboration, and packaging practical solutions so they can be adopted more quickly, by more people, in more places. With little progress likely in Washington, D. C. , the D. I. Y. economy is an important part of the solution we seek.
The "farm to table" movement is mentioned to show______.

选项 A、the importance of agriculture to local economy
B、the benefits gained through D. I. Y economy
C、the industries particularly suitable for D. I. Y economy
D、the future direction of agricultural development

答案C

解析 根据题干关键名词farm to table(农场到餐桌)定位到第五段。该段首先指出,就“自助经济模式”而言,某些本地行业展现了高于平均水平的潜力(即:尤其适合DIY模式)。随后列举了农业上的“农场到餐桌运动”,指出它不仅使当地居民能够吃上新鲜农产品,且这种本地消费模式更直接、更环保。可见,作者通过说明该运动的效用,意在说明农业尤其能体现自助经济的初衷(对照第一段:自助经济旨在建立更强劲、更可持续的经济),[C]选项正确。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/8bO4777K
0

最新回复(0)