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    Dave Darby bio

    Dave Darby founded Lowimpact.org in 2001, spent 3 years on the board of the Ecological Land Co-op and is a founder member of NonCorporate.org and the Open Credit Network.

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    Dave Darby

    A brief history of money

    Dave Darby 06-Jun-2021

    Here’s a quick and dirty history of money. Since I’ve been involved in the mutual credit world, I’ve been reading various ‘history of money’ texts, and so I thought I’d organise the notes I’ve taken into a blog article. It’s a half-hour read, to accompany our new ‘Low-impact money’ topic, and I think it gives… Continue reading A brief history of money Read more

    Join our presentation: the Credit Commons protocol – tech agnostic, low-friction transactions for all

    Dave Darby 26-May-2021

    You’re invited to join our presentation on the ‘Credit Commons’ – a protocol to connect and unite mutual credit groups globally – on Friday 4 June from 4-5.30pm. Sign up here. Read more

    ‘Mutualism’ will supersede traditional left vs right politics

    Dave Darby 23-May-2021

    Nature, democracy and community aren’t partisan issues. No-one sensible, of any political persuasion, speaks out against them. They’re essential for human well-being. But they’re being destroyed, and disunity wastes energy and prevents us from being able to do anything about it. Read more

    Saving and investment in a mutual credit world

    Dave Darby 04-Apr-2021

    Nothing we do to try to move to a sustainable, healthy and democratic society will work as long as we have the current money system, because money has two conflicting functions. It can be used to buy and sell things, and it can be used to store, hoard, accumulate and become wealthy with. As long… Continue reading Saving and investment in a mutual credit world Read more

    New money stories: the eleven dollar bill

    Dave Darby 21-Mar-2021

    I’m writing a book – published by Chelsea Green next January – about the possibility of building a new economy around a moneyless, mutual credit core, at a time when money is going to be scarce. I’m often told that the best way to get new ideas across is with a story. Read more

    Incredible new research: how small businesses can be saved post-Covid

    Dave Darby 07-Mar-2021

    It seems pretty obvious that there’s a giant economic slump on the way that’s going to sweep away millions of small and medium-sized businesses around the world, so that Amazon can step in to continue to try to take over the entire global economy. Read more

    Help Lowimpact.org become a wiki, to provide more (and more relevant) information for visitors

    Dave Darby 31-Jan-2021

    We’ve been liaising with Simon Grant, of the P2P Foundation Wiki, and making plans for turning Lowimpact.org into a wiki. We already have a network of specialists who provide information for our topics and respond to visitors’ queries. We want to expand this network, as well as the number of topics we cover. Read more

    Resources to accompany upcoming book on new economy built around mutual credit

    Dave Darby 24-Jan-2021

    I have a contract to produce a book about growing a new economy, in communities, with mutual credit at the core. This article is a listing of key resources: video interviews I’ve done with relevant people whilst researching the book, plus articles and websites providing additional information. Read more

    I’ve got a book deal. I’d like to ask for your advice about how to deliver the message.

    Dave Darby 22-Nov-2020

    I’ve got a book deal with Chelsea Green, which is quite scary. They like my writing style, but the content needs a bit of translating for a wide audience. The Covid pandemic provided the stimulus to bring together a group of specialists to form ‘Mutual Credit Services’ (new website coming soon). My role is in… Continue reading I’ve got a book deal. I’d like to ask for your advice about how to deliver the message. Read more

    Are squirrels or pigeons ‘food’, and should we reintroduce pine martens?

    Dave Darby 15-Nov-2020

    OK, so this isn’t really about squirrels or pigeons – it’s about any animal; we’re back to the veganism vs meat-eating discussion. But just focusing on squirrels and pigeons for the moment, I guess everyone accepts that they are of course food for other animals. They’re in a food chain, after all. Pine martens don’t… Continue reading Are squirrels or pigeons ‘food’, and should we reintroduce pine martens? Read more

    CoopCycle Federation: aiming for a bicycle courier co-op in every town

    Dave Darby 08-Nov-2020

    Today I’m talking with Claire Stocks of Chorlton Bike Deliveries and Matt Nicholson of York Collective. Both are bicycle courier co-operatives. Read more

    Review of ‘A Small Farm Future’ by Chris Smaje

    Dave Darby 01-Nov-2020

    Industrial agriculture and giant monoculture farms dominate our food sector. But does it have to be that way? Could and should we build a new kind of food system based on small farms? This new book, ‘A Small Farm Future’ published by Chelsea Green, outlines what a post-covid, post-capitalist society might look like, built around… Continue reading Review of ‘A Small Farm Future’ by Chris Smaje Read more

    Are power hierarchies inevitable in human society?

    Dave Darby 25-Oct-2020

    Just to be clear, I’m only talking about institutional, power hierarchies here, not hierarchies based on beauty, knowledge, intelligence, ability, respect etc. Those hierarchies are inevitable, of course, and life would probably be quite boring without them. Read more

    Do energy-saving measures actually increase overall energy use?

    Dave Darby 18-Oct-2020

    Having worked in the environmental field for 30 years, I’ve watched the situation get worse every year, to the point that it might already be irreversible, and we don’t know what damage it’s going to do to us, exactly. That’s pretty insane, and so Read more

    My tribute to David Graeber: please read his words

    Dave Darby 06-Sep-2020

    Maybe David Graeber’s death can challenge us to take a few minutes to think about the demonisation of the word anarchism. I believe that the two fundamental assumptions of anarchism are correct – that: Read more

    We need to completely close down industrial animal agriculture

    Dave Darby 16-Aug-2020

    Industrial agriculture is cruel to animals, cruel to people who work in it, it damages the environment and concentrates wealth in very few hands. I guess if you’re reading this, you know that already, and I don’t have to explain it. The problem is, it’s still there, doing its vile stuff every day. What do… Continue reading We need to completely close down industrial animal agriculture Read more

    Beware the ‘Great Reset’: a power grab by billionaires

    Dave Darby 02-Aug-2020

    The world is run by and for billionaires. If you’d prefer it to be run democratically, for all of us, then don’t be fooled by the ‘Great Reset’ – a request by the corporate and financial sectors for governments to give them taxpayers’ money to take more control. Read more

    What post-Covid communities could look like, if enough of us want it

    Dave Darby 12-Jul-2020

    Here’s a little story for anyone who’s noticed that things aren’t going too well in our communities. Small businesses are going under, unemployment is on the rise and money’s becoming scarce. Read more

    How can people keep working if the economy crashes and there’s just no money around?

    Dave Darby 21-Jun-2020

    Imagine that there’s an enormous economic crash coming. Say, the biggest economic crash in history. Outlandish, I know, but just give it a try. Read more

    How accountants can use mutual credit to support small businesses during the post-covid slump

    Dave Darby 14-Jun-2020

    Are you an accountant? Do you have an accountant? Do you know an accountant? If you could bring this article to their attention, we think they might find it interesting – it’s an idea that can be very useful for accountants, to help keep their small business clients afloat during the post-covid economic slump. Read more

    There’s a crash coming – a slap from Mother Nature. This isn’t pessimistic; it’s realistic.

    The human impact on nature and on each other is accelerating and needs systemic change to reverse.

    We’re not advocating poverty, or a hair-shirt existence. We advocate changes that will mean better lives for almost everyone.

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