Info, news & debate

Commons economy


Together we can build a new economy

Coming together to build a new economy: Matthew Slater, barefoot economist and Credit Commons co-designer, Part 2

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In part 1 I described why a resilient economy needs be to separate from the failing capitalist juggernaut and that we need to start by finding new economic partners from without the Market.

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Perception dollar by Matthew Slater of XR and the Credit Commons Collective

Starting from scratch: Matthew Slater, barefoot economist and Credit Commons co-designer, Part 1

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Donald Trump recently derided Greta Thunberg and everyone pleading with government to heed environmental science as ‘doomsayers’. The more imminent peak oil or environmental collapse appear, the more intransigent our political system seems to be. Whatever the reasons for this, responsible citizens can only accomplish so much while the political and economic winds are blowing

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Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery shares the Grow your own Grocery guide

How to start a co-operative grocery in your town: Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery, Part 2

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This is Part 2 of an interview with Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery – a co-operative grocery store in Manchester. In Part 1, I talked with Debbie about what it’s like to work in a co-operative grocery. Here we talk about the “Grow your own Grocery” guide that her co-op has produced for people who

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Can we vote our way to a better society?

Disillusioned with the parliamentary route to a better society? Here’s an alternative.

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Before the election in December, I had a ‘lively debate’ with a friend – an old-school Labour supporter and Corbynite – who was trying to convince me that the only way that we can have an effective social safety net is by voting in a genuinely redistributive party, taxing the rich properly and spreading wealth

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Natural building meets mutual credit: Phil Christopher of Huff & Puff Construction

Natural building and mutual credit: Phil Christopher of Huff & Puff Construction

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This is an informal chat with Phil Christopher of Huff & Puff Construction. He’s a natural builder who has registered his business with the Open Credit Network. He sees mutual credit as a way to build an alternative economy – sustainable, based on small- and medium-sized businesses, and embedded in communities. We talk about ways

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Lynne Davis of the Open Food Network

How to grow the non-corporate food sector: interview with Lynne Davis of the Open Food Network (Part 2)

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This is Part 2 of an interview by Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org / NonCorporate.org with Lynne Davis of the Open Food Network as part of a series of interviews with people building the new economy. Here’s Part 1, and below is the transcript of the interview, plus the video.

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Greta Thunberg

Is Greta Thunberg right, and if so, what do we do about it?

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I identify with Greta Thunberg. I’m also aspergic, and I understand why she’s so motivated. I talked with several people over the Christmas period who don’t like her, for various reasons – her voice; her team fly even though she doesn’t; her parents are manipulating her; she’s too angry; she once used a plastic bottle,

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The money system

What I’ve discovered about the money system and how the world is run, since working with the Open Credit Network

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In the summer of 2018 I went along to Open2018 to see Matthew Slater talk about how we might shake up the money system with a global Credit Commons. After his presentation, Matthew and I met with Oliver Sylvester-Bradley of the Open Co-op, who organised the event, and decided to build a mutual credit network

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Debbie Clarke of Unicorn cooperative grocery

What it’s like to work in a cooperative grocery store: Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery, Part 1

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Today I’m talking with Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery – a cooperative grocery store in Manchester; and the thing I’m particularly interested in about Unicorn Grocery is that instead of wanting to become a huge chain, they’ve got a toolkit called ‘Grow your own Grocery’ to help people set up cooperative grocery stores in their own towns.

Read more about What it’s like to work in a cooperative grocery store: Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery, Part 1

Open Credit Network Alpha launch

Become one of the first movers in a new, collaborative economy: Open Credit Network Alpha launch

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Lowimpact.org are working with Open.coop to build a new, co-operative, moneyless, mutual credit trading system for the UK, with a view to joining many similar schemes around the world to create a new global trading system, that requires neither banks nor interest. The point of this article is to invite you, if you own or

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The tragedy of the commons

New topic – ‘commoning’ – and why ‘the Tragedy of the Commons’ is wrong

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At university, back in the 80s, we were taught about ‘the Tragedy of the Commons’ – an essay by Garrett Hardin, about how common resources are always abused, because humans are basically selfish. It seemed plausible at the time, but has since been shown to be false.

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Extinction Rebellion

We’re on the Extinction Rebellion main stage in central London on Thursday afternoon

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I’m excited to report that we’ve been given an hour on the main stage at Extinction Rebellion in the Mall on Thursday afternoon from 2pm. When I say ‘we’, it will be me and Oliver Sylvester-Bradley of the Open Co-op – we’ll speak for 10 minutes each, then take questions for 40 minutes. We’ll be

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Cath Muller of Radical Routes

The difference between the co-operative movement in the UK and the US: Cath Muller of Radical Routes

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This is the second part of an interview with Cath Muller of Radical Routes (here’s the first part). Cath hitch-hiked across the Atlantic on a sailing boat, to visit co-operatives in the States. I talked with her about the differences between co-ops over there and in the UK.

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