Info, news & debate
Low-impact blog
Helping commons groups form and grow in Stroud and other towns (and countries)
Commons ideas have gone down well in Stroud and we have thriving groups in various sectors. We’ve been approached by formative groups in several towns in the UK and in other countries.
You can help develop non-corporate digital tools to support collaboration between community groups
Are you sick of having to always use corporate software, that uses your data to track your activities, to try to sell you things, and who knows what else?
Surviving the future: The deeper dive 2024
Autumn has always been my favourite season, and over recent years it brings additional succour, signalling time to start preparing in earnest for the winter’s Deeper Dive. This now-annual tradition has become a real highlight of my year, as a new small group capped at just fifty folk gathers to reflect meaningfully on our tumultuous times, …
Free online: 2024 revised and expanded edition of ‘The End of Money’
I read the first edition of this book around 12 years ago. It changed my life and put me on the path to where I am now – trying to build the commons economy. New 2024 edition, free online.
The first weeks of self-build at Church Grove, south London
Read about the progress with a self-build project from RUSS in Ladywell. Shaped by future residents from the start.
‘Bear ye one another’s burdens’: friendly societies for social welfare
Every neighbourhood had a friendly society. At their height, just before WW1 9 million people were members of friendly societies in the UK!
Decentralising power: the why, what, how and who of growing the commons economy
Why we need to replace capitalism with a commons economy; who will do it and how.
Beyond Conservation: The Farmland Commons
The Farmers Land Trust is diversifying participation in our food system and helping to create stronger communities that can not only survive the land, climate, and social injustices of the world, but can thrive while helping to heal them. Learn more about the work of The Farmers Land Trust and the Farmland Commons.
‘Climbing commons’: community-owned climbing centres
We’re following the exploits of Stroud Commons, in trying to build a commons economy for the town, and helping groups to launch in other towns. As well as a core group, there are now groups forming for various sectors of the economy, including housing, energy, land/food/water, community spaces – and now, climbing!
Hydrological Democracy
Water is the ubiquitous precondition for life on Earth. The great hydrological cycle, which passes through us, as much as through any river, cloud, or ocean, encompasses the living soil, plants and animals. The Gaian system is one, unified, watery, cycle. Water is essential to the functioning of our bodies, and to linking all living …
New commons group and public event: Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire
Llandeilo commons: invitation to join a formative group and public event in West Wales.
Low-impact Cheesemaking
Modern industrial cheesemaking uses a bunch of electricity and single-use plastic, but there are ways to go back to basics and make beautiful cheeses using homemade cultures and off-grid cheese aging setups. In this article I’ll look at several aspects of cheesemaking, and how to approach each one in a low impact way. Milk Milk …
How to Convert your Washing Machine to Pedal Power 1 – The Basic Model (Front-loader)
Convert your washing machine to pedal power!
How to bring the water industry into community ownership: Julian Jones of Water21, Part 2
part 2 of an interview (see video below for more details – well worth it!) with Julian Jones, a water engineer and distinguished fellow of the Schumacher Institute, who has worked and provided consultancy for water companies, NGOs, the Environment Agency, universities and governments.
Bridport Cohousing launches a range of natural build courses
Bridport Cohousing launches a range of natural build courses.
Resistance Festival to help save Monkton Wyld Court
A resistance festival of free workshops and music is taking place at Monkton Wyld Court, nr Lyme Regis. This is in support of the community that has run Monkton Wyld Court for the last fifteen years, and is now threatened by incoming charity trustees. Monkton Wyld Court is the site of a microdairy which dates …
Taking the water industry off the water companies: Julian Jones of Water21, Part 1
Part 1 of an interview with Julian Jones, a water engineer and distinguished fellow of the Schumacher Institute, about building a water commons for Stroud.
Homemade Lipbalm
An easy to follow recipe for homemade lipbalm that will protect your lips this autumn.
More on the money problem: it doesn’t have to be ‘scarce’
Following on from a recent post by Tom Greco, on the essential nature of money, Dil Green of Lowimpact.org and Mutual Credit Services here talks about its apparent scarcity, how that negatively affects our communities and our well-being, and how it could be different – based on mutual credit and the commons economy.
Earth Overshoot day and the importance of low impact living
Today (August 2nd) is Earth Overshoot day. Not heard of this? It means that between January 1st and August 2nd our use of Earth’s resources is equivalent to what it can regenerate in a year. Our demand on nature exceed it’s biocapacity. Sadly, since 1971 this date has crept forward as we continue to live …