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Thinking of taking the plunge with wild swimming? This guide can give you some hints and tips! Read more

Our village halls can be a beacon for sustainable living, community activities and the sharing of ideas! Read more

Brief introduction to a new model of commons housing to replace the current, broken housing market. Read more

How the Celtic festival of Imbolc can inspire new growth. Read more

Matthew Slater, co-author of the Credit Commons white paper, produces a biannual roundup of money news he finds interesting. Here’s the latest. Read more

Ideas from the American NRDC about how to develop a sustainable alternative for your lawn. Read more

Invitation to apply to work with Mutual Credit Services. We’ve got more work in prospect than we can handle, and what we really need now is more creative human capacity. Read more

Hans-Florian Hoyer is a retired banker and academic who specialises in the history of credit clearing – especially credit clearing at medieval trade fairs. Credit clearing is a crucial part of building a new commons economy, because it reduces the need for money and banks in communities, and it helps small businesses survive through difficult times. Read more

At last! Here at Lowimpact we’re very proud to be finally launching our Lowimpact jobs board. A service that so many of you have asked for over the years – and we know will be so useful in connecting job seekers with employers. You can find it here. The jobs board is dedicated to showcasing… Continue reading Lowimpact jobs board launches!  Read more

A celebration of local, seasonal soft fruit and the memories that it can evoke. Read more

A group of us in Stroud (Gloucs) have formed a ‘commoners club’ to try to build commons infrastructure here, and to document what happens so that it can be replicated in other towns. Read more

We like the idea of rewilding, but it needs much more thought when it removes good UK lowland farmland – because then, obviously, land elsewhere will have to brought into agricultural production to take up the slack. Read more

Despite UK-wide commitments to end the use of peat in horticulture, the legislation needed to make this happen is still frustratingly out of reach. This week, an official announcement on the ban in England was postponed because of the Conservative Party leadership election; and the other three administrations have no firm plans on the table.… Continue reading Bring on the peat ban – no garden should cost the Earth Read more

Every so often something happens that punctures our sense of what’s normal. In the UK one of those events was empty shelves that used to display fruit and veg. Then supermarkets began rationing some food items. Read more

Lusan Housing Co-op is a fully mutual co-operative, registered with the FCA and applying to join Radical Routes. There’s six of us at the moment and we’re actively seeking more founder members. We are going to start raising loanstock in April and hope to buy land and buildings somewhere in Dumfries and Galloway later this… Continue reading Housing co-op seeking founder members Read more

Learn how to upcycle an old and broken mirror or picture frame into an interesting chalk board. Read more

What has causes a devestating decline in British and Irish flora? Read more

Degrowth’s foundational opposition to continued economic expansion presents a clear challenge to coalition-building on climate. But degrowth is grounded in the ecological reality that resources are finite, a key truth that mainstream climate advocates seem to ignore. Read more

Tom Woodroof of Lowimpact and Mutual Credit Services talks with Tomaž Fleischman of Informal Systems about credit clearing. We believe that credit clearing is one of the four crucial tools in building a new commons economy. Read more

This is the first of a two-part conversation, about whether we can transition to renewable energy within the current system, or whether we need system change. Read more

Spring has sprung and with it comes one of the edible plants for the forager, wild garlic (Allium ursinum). Most people who have dabbled in foraging will know wild garlic (or ramsons) as a great plant to start with as it’s simple to recognise and use in cooking. It’s one of our absolute favourite wild foods.… Continue reading 11 easy wild garlic recipes Read more

Electrial products and e-waste are often dumped in landfill. Find out about different ways we can deal with the rubbish. Read more

Matthew Slater, co-author of the Credit Commons white paper, produces a biannual (usually!) roundup of money news he finds interesting. Here’s the latest. Read more

With the growing season, we look at whether or not a metal raised bed is safe for vegetable growing? Read more

Stroud ‘commoners club’ is hosting a public event at the Trinity Rooms in Stroud on Friday, May 19 at 7pm. If you live in Stroud, please do come along, and if you know anyone in Stroud, please let them know. Read more

Have you heard of the WikiHouse? Find out about this technology and open source construction set. Read more

This is a call out to designers, inventors, makers and creators of alternatively powered human scale appropriate technology. Read more

Today I’m talking with Matt Hancock, who’s been heavily involved with the co-operative movement in Emilia Romagna – the region of Italy around Bologna. There’s a huge, very successful co-op sector in ER. I want to try to find out in this interview is why – what’s special about ER, and can it be emulated elsewhere? Read more

Stroud Commons now has a website – stroudcommons.org. Please tell anyone you know in Stroud about us. We’re looking for people to get involved. Read more

How useful is it to know our carbon footprint? Read more

The best thing about growing Calendula for me is watching all the insects that come to enjoy those bright happy flowers that sway and sing with the wind. Calendula is a must have for any cottage garden/allotment/informal space and is an excellent open flower which is perfect for those insects and bees. Calendula officinalis is… Continue reading Calendula moisturising bars Read more

I came across a fascinating study from the Journal of Economic Behaviour & Organisation, and I’d like to share a summary with you. It’s a fascinating read if (like me) you’re interested in helping build the commons in your community. Read more

Learn about the native British pond plants that can support life in your pond. Read more

In Breaking Together Bendell argues that the collapse of industrial consumer societies is not just “inevitable” but is in fact already underway. Read more

Fashion Reimagined is a documentary film that will make you rethink what can be achieved in sustainable fashion. Read more

Building the commons may be hard in wealthier countries, where traditions of mutual aid were lost many years ago. But they’re still alive and well in other parts of the world – as this article by Janet of Grassroots Economics / Sarafu Network shows. I interviewed the director of Grassroots Economics, Shaila Agha, who told me about ‘chamas’ in Kenya – mutual savings groups, built on trusted relationships in local communities. Read more

Community orchards at their best are many things at once: a social space, a coming together of people to work together on a common task; a celebration of the abundant harvest of fruit; a haven for wildlife and a pocket of biodiversity. Read more

Matthew Slater reports on the first Collaborative Finance Gathering at the Commons Hub, Austria, May 22-28, 2023, where the concept of ‘co-fi’ was born. Read more

This is the first part of a conversation between Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Jem Bendell, professor of sustainability leadership at the University of Cumbria, and author of the now famous 2018 Deep Adaptation paper that claimed that we’re on an inevitable path to civilisational collapse. Read more

Bokashi composing could be the answer to kitchen composting. Read more

This is the second part of a conversation between Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Jem Bendell, professor of sustainability leadership at the University of Cumbria, and author of the now famous 2018 Deep Adaptation paper that claimed that we’re on an inevitable path to civilisational collapse. Read more

Microfibre pollution and wastewater? What can be done? Read more

A growing question for environmentalists is the extent to which the existential threat we face means that countries and populations should be forced to reduce consumption, and hence whether an authoritarian politics is the best way to face the future. Read more

If a fair share of the planet is a couple of ‘useful’ global hectares per individual, the planet could sustain about 10 billion people living primitively. Read more

12 easy ways to make your laundry eco-friendly. Read more

This is the latest in a series of articles documenting our group’s attempts to build the commons economy in Stroud, in a way that can be implemented in other towns, and connected together to build the foundations of a new, commons economy. It covers what we’ve done so far, and how people can get involved. Read more

Read about the importance of street trees and one group’s mission to make sure their role in our life is recognised. Read more

This article from Tom Greco contains the basics of what you need to know about money, currency, credit and exchange. Read more

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… Continue reading Earth Overshoot day and the importance of low impact living Read more

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. Read more

An easy to follow recipe for homemade lipbalm that will protect your lips this autumn. Read more

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. Read more

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… Continue reading Resistance Festival to help save Monkton Wyld Court Read more

Convert your washing machine to pedal power! Read more

Bridport Cohousing launches a range of natural build courses. Read more

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. Read more

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… Continue reading Hydrological Democracy Read more

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… Continue reading Low Impact Cheesemaking Read more

Llandeilo commons: invitation to join a formative group and public event in West Wales. Read more

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. Read more

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! Read more

Why we need to replace capitalism with a commons economy; who will do it and how. Read more

Andy Reynolds author, instructor, experimenter, forester, and long term promoter of low impact and self reliant living has partnered with lowimpact.org to release an updated version of his popular book ‘Wind and Solar Electricity: A practical DIY guide’. Read more

Can you have a low impact Halloween? Read on for some tips for a sustainable Halloween that will save you money and be low impact! Read more

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. Read more

Every neighbourhood had a friendly society. At their height, just before WW1 9 million people were members of friendly societies in the UK! Read more

Read about the progress with a self-build project from RUSS in Ladywell. Shaped by future residents from the start. Read more

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. Read more

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,… Continue reading Surviving the future: The deeper dive 2024 Read more

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’… Continue reading Restanza and the cultural commons Read more

A simple recipe for home made surface cleaner using natural ingredients. Read more

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? Read more

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. Read more

Rhubarb – one of the easiest, almost indestructable perennial plants. Read more

How can strawbale construction support a low carbon lifestyle? Read more

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. Read more

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. Read more

Keeping active has huge benefits for physical helath – and walking and cycling are the perfect low impact exercise. Read more

Landworkers Alliance (LWA) launched its brand new report “Horticulture Across Four Nations” at a panel discussion at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC). Read more

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. Read more

We were invited to give a presentation at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution on Jan 9th. Here’s the transcript and slides. Read more

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 Read more

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. Read more

Home compost is a great source of mulch for your garden, it will improve your soil over time. Read more

The climate crisis is real and is having an impact on our life now. Read ways that we can help you and fight that anxiety. Read more

Hear from Mark from Vertical Veg about how you can grow a fresh salad at home in small space! Read more

Support the lowimpact community – help sustain our site and continue our membership. Read more

A Festival of Commoning in the UK: Stroud, Gloucestershire, September 13/14/15 2024. The time is right for a Festival of the Commons. Read more

El Habib Ben Amara, an architect and urban designer from a tribal ksar (fortified oasis) in Algeria, who’s been working with a partner of ours. He’s an activist against desertification and one of the foremost authorities on sustainable water management in the Sahara. Read more

I was invited to be interviewed about the commons and mutual credit for a show on the radio station ‘Voice of Islam’ called ‘Beyond Capitalism: Mutual Economics’. Read more

We’ve put out requests for help before – in blog articles, at public events and via word of mouth. And they worked. In Stroud, we now have a core group of 10 people and three sector groups – housing commons, land common and leisure commons, with 8-10 people each. Read more

Once famed as a green and pleasant land for its verdant and varied habitat, the UK now ranks as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. This comes as no surprise to those with an interest in the countryside who have witnessed what has happened to it. Compounding the corruptions of big business… Continue reading What’s happening to hedgerows in 2024? Read more

Creating white willow involves a number of processes and a large amount of specialist knowledge and skill. A mixture of patience and haste is also required. Some stages take a great deal of time while for others speed is of the essence. Read more

Dil Green is a founder member of Mutual Credit Services, who are working with Stroud Commons to design models for the commons economy for various sectors of the economy. This article first appeared on his blog 5 years ago, but it’s so relevant to the current commons movement, that we’re re-posting it here. Read more

The commons is a movement to create a different world, not just the same system with a few tweaks to make it more bearable. If successful, obviously there will be entities out there that will try to undermine it, buy it and ultimately, to crush it. But there are aspects to the commons model that will, I think, make it more resistant to this than existing models. Read more

Hear about the building of, and ongoing use of, a compost toilet in Brazil. Read more

There’s huge overlap between the principles of agroecology and of commoning, and growth in the commons movement could mean a shift towards agroecology and away from damaging industrial agriculture. Read more

We’re building a housing commons in Stroud, and recording everything so that it’s replicable in any town. We’re finalising our partnership agreement, after which we’ll put the first house in the commons. Read more

The catastrophic problems of privatised English water companies are well known. Sewerage function and drinking water supply are now more deficient than even before privatisation. Terminal failure was in-built from the start, within the cultural, operational, & regulatory processes applied. Correcting these foundational criteria can help inform the quickest resolution. Read more

Permaculture teacher and forest gardener Tomas Remiarz reviews two of the best books that he’s read recently: Entangled Life and the Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook Read more