6. SELF-SUSTAINABILITY

The trend for self-sustainability, for individuals, their families and a growing number of countries, intensifies sharply in 2016.

On the national level, with trade wars expanding and geopolitical tensions and conflicts escalating, countries with large enough populations and ample and/or unique natural and human resources will build and sustain economies by manufacturing and growing what they need and trading within their own borders.

Individuals and their families, no longer able to rely on economically strapped governments and public institutions to meet their needs, while earning less in jobs that don’t pay living wages, will take life into their own hands and become more self-sustainable.

Trend Forecast: Two parallel tracks of self-sustainability—affecting large-population countries and individuals worldwide – will become clearly defined in 2016. On the national scale, countries will grow stronger by producing and consuming as much as they can that’s built and grown within their borders. Thus, money spent at home will stay at home, rather than going overseas.

On individual levels, getting off the grid and voluntary simplicity will be hot trends, particularly among millennials. These shifts will create economic opportunity to meet emerging needs in housing, food, transportation, furnishings, technology and more.