Info, news & debate
Economy
George Monbiot and friends are wrong: techno-utopianism won’t save us
George Monbiot has joined a campaign called ‘Reboot Food’, working with techno-utopians who would like to see governments remove support for organic food and deregulate the GM industry, as well as producing bacteria-based food in giant factories (‘precision-fermentation’), and getting rid of smallholdings.
Organic smallholdings, not ‘farm-free’ food factories
Another critical review of George Monbiot’s latest book, Regenesis, by Chris Smaje, author of Small Farm Future. This follows on from last week’s review by Simon Fairlie.
‘Monbiotic man’ – will future food be ‘farm-free’?
Simon Fairlie starts a series of articles about whether technology will save us. He supports small farmers over George Monbiot’s ‘Regenesis’ solution.
A range of new monetary tools for a completely new economy: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services, Part 2
This is Part 2 of an interview with Tom Woodroof, who made the move from the world of nuclear physics to the world of mutual credit and monetary change. I’m going to find out more about his work, and how it can contribute to (quite revolutionary) change.
The parklet movement – creating green space on our streets
Can the rising use of parklets across our cities increase the use of green spaces?
My journey from nuclear physics to mutual credit: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services
This is Part 1 of an interview with Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services, who made the shift from the world of nuclear physics to the world of mutual credit.
Ways Forward co-operative conference is back: Manchester, Oct 20-21
This year the Ways Forward conference – an in-person event – focuses on how we can work together to address the climate emergency.
New owner sought for low-impact pub and glamping site in rural Suffolk
Aldegarden is a wonderful site in Suffolk, with accommodation, a community pub, and a ‘glamping’ site with yurts, timber structures, a cob roundhouse, gypsy caravan and a converted barn, communal areas, solar hot water and electricity and compost loos. They’ve been in our directory for years. But now they’re looking for new owners for the property and successful businesses.
Introducing the Credit Commons Society
The Credit Commons Society has been formed to promote and educate about, and to govern the Credit Commons protocol as it evolves to serve the needs of more groups, in the same way that the Linux Foundation looks after the Linux operating system.
How much trouble are humans really in, and what can we do about it?
I’m inviting you to come on a journey with me. In an attempt to answer the question above, I’m going to research and write a series of blog articles (including interviews with key people), from which I’ll produce a book, and re-structure the Lowimpact website, including our message.
Matthew Slater’s review of recent money news
The Credit Commons protocol was written by Matthew Slater. It’s the ‘language’ that allows groups all over the world to connect and interact. It’s a bit like the rules of chess – it doesn’t matter what kind of chess pieces or board people are using, as long as they abide by the universally-accepted rules of chess, they can play together.
Join ‘Way Out Economics’ for a new economic system
Bristol Pay and the Credit Commons Society have joined forces to organise a gathering of practitioners, thought leaders and funders focused on nurturing a new economic system. The event will be hybrid, with the ‘in real life’ element being in Bristol.
Would sociocracy work for your organisation?
This is part 2 of an interview with Ted Rau, co-founder of Sociocracy For All. Part 1 (‘What is sociocracy’) is here. Now we’re talking about whether sociocracy might be a good idea for your organisation / business.
What is sociocracy? With Ted Rau of Sociocracy For All
Here I’m talking with Ted Rau, one of the co-founders of of Sociocracy For All, and leader of the general circle for that organisation.
How perpetual GDP growth is killing fishing
Stephen Coghlan, associate professor of freshwater fisheries ecology at the University of Maine, and Maine chapter director for the Center for the Advancement of the Steady-state Economy, explains how the quest for perpetual GDP growth is damaging fish and fishing.
How to spread the idea of (much) more radical change?
We need system change, no less (i.e. system replacement, rather than trying to tweak this fundamentally damaging system). Here, I want to talk more about how I came to this conclusion, and what the route to radical change might be.
Can governments solve the climate problem?
Short answer: no, because governments are fixated on maximising GDP growth, which is the root cause of the climate crisis, and which far outweighs any (rare) beneficial legislation that they might introduce.
Consider gifting land to the Ecological Land Coop to support agroecological farming
At Low impact we love to hear about our companion organizations’ successes, this reblog from the ecological land coop describes why we are celebrating. The ecological land coop have been inspired to try a new approach in their campaign to reawaken our rural economies after they were gifted land by two very noble ecologically minded farmers in Wales…
New tools and ideas for building the commons economy
The Commons economy is not, like capitalism, built around the private ownership of the means of production – but neither is it, like socialism, built on the state ownership of those means. It’s about reinstating the commons, that have been gradually enclosed over the centuries, first by the state and more recently by capitalists.
Reflections on building the ‘Commons’ economy
Lowimpact has been around since 2001, and we’ve provided lots of ways to help people live more sustainably. We’re going to also be focusing on how to build the ‘commons’ economy in future, as a viable alternative to the status quo.