Info, news & debate
Recent Posts
Fresh Salad Every Day? Growing Microgreens at Home in a Small Space
Hear from Mark from Vertical Veg about how you can grow a fresh salad at home in small space!
Using compost as mulch
Home compost is a great source of mulch for your garden, it will improve your soil over time.
Ancient wisdom to face challenging times
Beautiful article by El Habib Ben Amara on how development is desertifying ancient ksars (fortified oases) in north Africa, and what we can do about it.
Wild foods you can forage in January
At this time of year Nature appears to be still, sleeping perhaps. It’s a quiet month for gardeners and foragers alike but those who take time to look a little closer are delightfully rewarded with sweet promises of Spring
Bath presentation: introducing the commons
We were invited to give a presentation at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution on Jan 9th. Here’s the transcript and slides.
25 dirt-cheap ways to garden organically and save money
Far from being an expensive or exclusive hobby, organic gardening is a brilliant way to buffer the cost-of-living crisis, allowing you to grow fresh, cheap and abundant food close to home, while at the same time nurturing nature.
Vision for a UK-Wide ‘Market Garden Renaissance’ from the Landworkers Alliance
Landworkers Alliance (LWA) launched its brand new report “Horticulture Across Four Nations” at a panel discussion at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC).
Why cycling and walking are great for your mental health
Keeping active has huge benefits for physical helath – and walking and cycling are the perfect low impact exercise.
Is the corporate digital takeover of big cities ‘progress’?
In Brett Scott’s blog post, The War on Informality, he talks about his impressions of London after some time away, how it’s becoming more and more difficult to escape surveillance capitalism, and how it’s seeping into every area of Londoners’ lives.
Explaining the commons economy
The word ‘commons’ can mean different things to different people. We’ve been working with specialists to help build the commons economy, so we’d like to concisely describe what we mean, and how you can join us.
How strawbale construction can help reduce your carbon footprint
How can strawbale construction support a low carbon lifestyle?
Eco-friendly surface cleaner
A simple recipe for home made surface cleaner using natural ingredients.
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?
Restanza and the cultural commons
We’d like to see the commons economy grow to allow people (especially young people) to stay in their communities, rather than having to move to big cities to work in the corporate sector and pay extortionate rents. Here, Paul Jennings (who we’re liaising with about the commons in Llandeilo) talks about the concept of ‘Restanza’ …
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!
How to build an energy commons
This is a draft outline of a design for an energy commons in any town – an energy sector owned by communities, providing affordable, locally-generated, renewable energy.