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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

    Water For Rojava international solidarity fund

    Dave Darby 03-Jun-2020

    Dave Darby shares news of a crowdfunding campaign launched by the Solidarity Economy Association to rebuild vital water infrastructure in North and East Syria. Read more

    Mutual credit – a lifeline for small businesses

    Dave Darby 24-May-2020

    This post follows on from yesterday’s, about community wealth building. Tomorrow, Dil Green explains how community wealth building and mutual credit could be a match made in heaven. Read more

    ‘The Case for Community Wealth Building’: review

    Dave Darby 23-May-2020

    This is the first of three articles in three days about ‘community wealth building’ (CWB) and mutual credit. Today we’re explaining community wealth building, and reviewing a book: The Case for Community Wealth Building. Tomorrow we’ll blog about how mutual credit can help post-Covid communities, and on Monday, Dil Green continues the theme, explaining how… Continue reading ‘The Case for Community Wealth Building’: review Read more

    Our policy on keeping animals & eating meat

    Dave Darby 10-May-2020

    Our topics include vegetarianism and veganism, but also keeping animals (for meat, dairy, eggs, honey, wool, leather, work etc); and also fishing and hunting animals in the wild. Is this incongruous? As a sustainability / new economy organisation, should we be promoting only veganism, rather than the keeping and/or eating of animals? Read more

    The alternative to the current money system: Tim Jenkin, Matthew Slater & Dil Green

    Dave Darby 26-Apr-2020

    Here I interview Tim Jenkin, Matthew Slater and Dil Green (and Keith the cat, briefly, until he got bored – see video) about the money system, the problems it causes and what could replace it. Fascinating insights from three people who have spent an enormous amount of time thinking about the money system. Read more

    Post-corona: ‘getting back to normal’ is suicidal – here’s the alternative

    Dave Darby 19-Apr-2020

    “For those who dream of a return to “normalcy”: normalcy was standing on the tracks watching an oncoming train & arguing about how fast it was going. Something just banged into us & sent us sprawling. It hurt. A lot. Now let’s get up, but NOT get back on the tracks again.” – David Graeber Read more

    Post-corona: ‘getting back to normal’ is not just a bad idea – it’s suicidal

    Dave Darby 12-Apr-2020

    There’s been a lot of talk about ‘thanking’ coronavirus for giving us the breathing space to re-evaluate, and for giving nature some breathing space too. This isn’t one of those articles. I don’t find it compassionate to thank a virus that’s killing thousands of people, and closing millions of small businesses, allowing Amazon to hoover… Continue reading Post-corona: ‘getting back to normal’ is not just a bad idea – it’s suicidal Read more

    Keeping small businesses alive during the coronavirus / economic crisis

    Dave Darby 03-Apr-2020

    The coronavirus crisis is causing an economic crash that will only get worse. Research has indicated that a shortage of money will mean that up to a million UK small businesses may close in the coming months. To prevent the devastation of small businesses, and therefore our communities, there needs to be an alternative means… Continue reading Keeping small businesses alive during the coronavirus / economic crisis Read more

    Building the new economy: how to keep local economies trading in the economic slump caused by the coronavirus

    Dave Darby 29-Mar-2020

    This is the last of six articles this week about how we can keep local economies afloat during the coming economic slump. There is already a scarcity of money, as the coronavirus crisis forces businesses to lay off workers, and sole traders to give up. But it will get much worse. How can we keep… Continue reading Building the new economy: how to keep local economies trading in the economic slump caused by the coronavirus Read more

    What’s wrong with billionaires?

    Dave Darby 15-Mar-2020

    I came across a clip recently (see below) of a radio host filled with incredulity that someone might actually believe that the existence of billionaires is a bad thing. Surely any antipathy towards the super-wealthy must be based on envy or ideology? Don’t they create jobs? Aren’t they philanthropic? Don’t they pay a lot of… Continue reading What’s wrong with billionaires? Read more

    Our new compost toilets online course is live – and we think you’ll love it!

    Dave Darby 02-Feb-2020

    We’ve produced an online course on building, using and maintaining a range of different compost toilets. You can purchase the new compost toilets online course here. Read more

    Disillusioned with the parliamentary route to a better society? Here’s an alternative.

    Dave Darby 26-Jan-2020

    Before the election in December, I had a ‘lively debate’ with a friend – an old-school Labour supporter and Corbynite – who was trying to convince me that the only way that we can have an effective social safety net is by voting in a genuinely redistributive party, taxing the rich properly and spreading wealth… Continue reading Disillusioned with the parliamentary route to a better society? Here’s an alternative. Read more

    Is Greta Thunberg right, and if so, what do we do about it?

    Dave Darby 01-Jan-2020

    I identify with Greta Thunberg. I’m also aspergic, and I understand why she’s so motivated. I talked with several people over the Christmas period who don’t like her, for various reasons – her voice; her team fly even though she doesn’t; her parents are manipulating her; she’s too angry; she once used a plastic bottle,… Continue reading Is Greta Thunberg right, and if so, what do we do about it? Read more

    What I’ve discovered about the money system and how the world is run, since working with the Open Credit Network

    Dave Darby 22-Dec-2019

    In the summer of 2018 I went along to Open2018 to see Matthew Slater talk about how we might shake up the money system with a global Credit Commons. After his presentation, Matthew and I met with Oliver Sylvester-Bradley of the Open Co-op, who organised the event, and decided to build a mutual credit network… Continue reading What I’ve discovered about the money system and how the world is run, since working with the Open Credit Network Read more

    26 questions from a 10-year-old to his parents about the election

    Dave Darby 10-Dec-2019

    At a dinner party on Saturday evening, I had a discussion about a) the efficacy of elections for bringing about meaningful change, and b) the desirability of the quest for perpetual economic growth (I didn’t feel positively about either of those things). Our hosts’ 10-year-old son was listening carefully, after which he expressed his intention… Continue reading 26 questions from a 10-year-old to his parents about the election Read more

    New topic – ‘commoning’ – and why ‘the Tragedy of the Commons’ is wrong

    Dave Darby 01-Dec-2019

    At university, back in the 80s, we were taught about ‘the Tragedy of the Commons’ – an essay by Garrett Hardin, about how common resources are always abused, because humans are basically selfish. It seemed plausible at the time, but has since been shown to be false. Read more

    Can elections really change anything?

    Dave Darby 17-Nov-2019

    Can elections really change anything? Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org shares his views on the question in the run-up to the general election. Read more

    We’re on the Extinction Rebellion main stage in central London on Thursday afternoon

    Dave Darby 06-Oct-2019

    I’m excited to report that we’ve been given an hour on the main stage at Extinction Rebellion in the Mall on Thursday afternoon from 2pm. When I say ‘we’, it will be me and Oliver Sylvester-Bradley of the Open Co-op – we’ll speak for 10 minutes each, then take questions for 40 minutes. We’ll be… Continue reading We’re on the Extinction Rebellion main stage in central London on Thursday afternoon Read more

    Does anybody fancy a free, one-day course on the viable system model (VSM)?

    Dave Darby 22-Sep-2019

    I recently interviewed Trevor Hilder, a specialist in the viable system model. I’ve been interested in it for a while, since I heard from credible sources that it could be a valuable tool for building the new economy. Read more

    Low-impact & the city 14: getting back on a bike after ten years

    Dave Darby 08-Sep-2019

    I’ve never been without a bike until recently. As far back into my childhood as I can remember, I always had one. A bike was always part of my life, part of me. 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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