Info, news & debate
Economy
How do we build a new, non-extractive economy? Dil Green of Lowimpact.org
How can we build a new, non-extractive economy? Dave Darby interviews Lowimpact.org’s Dil Green to find out.
So long, Doris: how to make a Linux computer from scratch
When his old computer died, Simon Lennane knew exactly what to do to get back up and running, by building a Linux computer from scratch.
Why the future of money is mutual credit (and not Bitcoin): Interview with Thomas H Greco Jr.
Today I’m talking with Thomas Greco, who taught economics, finance and statistics for 14 years at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, and is now an activist and consultant working on alternatives to the current money system. He also wrote the End of Money and the Future of Civilisation. I came across this book …
UK Mutual Credit Network: register your interest
Working alongside our partners at The Open Co-op, the Open Credit Network, a UK mutual credit network, is starting to win support from organisations like Goodmoney and Finance Lab. Matthew Slater shares how you can get involved.
How the viable system model (VSM) can help build a new economy: Trevor Hilder of Web of Wealth
Dave Darby interviews Trevor Hilder of Web of Wealth, who is a specialist in Stafford Beer’s viable system model (VSM).
Community-supported agriculture vs corporate supermarkets: Maresa Bossano of the UK CSA Network
We interview Maresa Bossano of the UK Community-Supported Agriculture Network to see how CSA measures up against corporate supermarkets.
Co-operativising the tech sector: an interview with Graham Mitchell of Webarchitects & CoTech
We speak to Graham Mitchell of Cotech about the co-operativisation of the tech sector and helping people switch to free and open source software.
What do we do about the coming ecological crash?
So let’s start the year with a bit of optimism. Our last post was about the fact that there is a general lack of understanding of the implications of biodiversity loss, and the contribution of climate change to it. This post is for people who do understand what’s happening to nature, but can see no …
We should be much more worried about an ecological crash than a financial crash
A few years ago, I was having a beer in the bar at King’s Cross narrowboat marina, when someone called Fred asked me what I did. When I said that I worked for an environmental organisation, he came up with a classic line that I’ve quoted many times since.
Can we build a platform co-op to challenge Über? Interview with Duncan McCann of the New Economics Foundation
Dave of Lowimpact.org / Noncorporate.org talks with Duncan McCann of the New Economics Foundation (see video below), about platform co-ops. Duncan is starting a taxi platform co-op called Faircab, to challenge Über.
The coming crash, and why co-ops are so important: Mark Simmonds of Co-op Culture
Mark Simmonds gave us some free advice that saved us hundreds of pounds when we were setting up as a workers’ co-op. We talk about his work, and get deeper into the philosophy of co-operation.
Be part of keeping UK community-owned wind power alive
From launching Scotland’s first 100% co-operatively-owned wind turbine to supporting community solar and hydro-electricity projects across the country, Sharenergy are working hard to keep UK community-owned wind power and more alive in the UK.
How can permaculture contribute to building a new economy? Conversation with Andy Goldring of the Permaculture Association
We’re going to be publishing a range of videos of interviews with key people involved in building the new economy – an economy that is democratic, non-extractive and sustainable.
Big news for Bridport Cohousing CLT as a planning decision is reached
We share exciting news from Bridport Cohousing CLT in Dorset, as they celebrate a landmark step in their work to build a neighbourhood with a difference. Over to them to tell us more from here.
How the EU is causing problems for the ‘Preston Model’ of local, non-corporate procurement
I’ve often suggested that Western states are beginning to resemble an admin department for the corporate sector.
Europe: it’s time to end the growth dependency
We don’t usually blog about petitions – it feels a bit too much like begging, rather than doing things for ourselves and building alternatives from grassroots. However, this petition is too important to ignore, and politicians need to hear it, even though they might not be close to understanding it.
We’re launching a national mutual credit scheme and here’s why we’d like you to join
We’re working with other groups, including Open.coop, the Credit Commons Collective and author Tom Greco to build a UK-wide mutual credit network.
Of watermelons and apples: climate breakdown, growth, trade, state and money (an open letter to George Monbiot)
Dear George, Congratulations on your contribution to the Moral Maze last week – I switched on the radio just as your volley articulating the ideological differentiation between fiscal and legal rationing fairly seared the waves.
Is the Western mindset the source of our current ecological and social problems?
What was it about European cultural development that led to the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, capitalism and environmental destruction? Why didn’t it happen in the apparently much more fertile ground of China, India or the Arab world?
Are you ‘radical’, and if not, why not?
I’m using the original definition of the word, not its bastardisation that over the years has come to be used as a kind of insult in some circles. I’ve been called ‘too radical’, and I want to show why that’s an absurdity.