Info, news & debate
Year: 2019
Exciting job opportunity: Project Officer with Big Solar Co-op at Sharenergy
Are you fired up to find practical solutions to the climate crisis? If so, this job opportunity as a Project Officer with Big Solar Co-op could be right up your street. Over to Jon Hallé at Sharenergy to tell us more.
Scribing wood to stone: how to scribe a wood post to a stone foundation
Ziggy of The Year of Mud shares a how-to guide for scribing wood to stone, with a project fitting a wooden timber frame on to a stone foundation.
The elephant in the room is capitalism. Maybe.
Chris Smaje of Vallis Veg and Small Farm Future shares his thoughts as to why the elephant in the room is capitalism. Maybe. It’s over to Chris from here…
Top tips for tiny home living in a small timber building
Are you keen to downsize and downshift? Chris from Loosehanger Oak shares his top tips for tiny home living in a small timber building.
Networking small businesses and co-ops to replace corporations: Micky Metts on the new economy
This is part 2 of a conversation with Micky Metts of Agaric – a co-op in Boston, Massachusetts that provides online tools for other co-ops. Part 1 is here. I told Micky about some of the meetings and discussions we’ve been having in the UK with people working to build ‘new economy’ infrastructure, like community …
Shou sugi ban: preserving wood using fire with Ziggy of The Year of Mud
Ziggy Liloia of The Year of Mud in Kentucky, USA, shares his how-to guide for shou sugi ban, preserving wood using fire as practised in traditional Japanese timber building. It’s a thing of beauty!
What’s the difference between capitalism and a free market?
People usually conflate the two, but I want to try to persuade (mainly the right) that capitalism is nothing like a free market, and (mainly the left) that there’s nothing wrong with a truly free market.
Making an oak swill with basket maker Owen Jones
We hear from Ruby Taylor of Native Hands about her recent trip to the Lake District, learning how to craft an oak swill with basket maker Owen Jones.
How to build a global, moneyless, interest-free trading system: Matthew Slater of the Credit Commons Collective
Today I’m talking with Matthew Slater, author of the Credit Commons white paper – an idea to link together mutual credit schemes anywhere in the world to create a global, moneyless trading system.
Biochar on trial: what scientific research tells us so far
Working wonders or potentially harmful? Dr Andrew Rollinson examines the scientific research surrounding biochar to date, including his own personal experiments.
Alternatives to single-use plastic in mushroom growing
Benedict Noel of The Mushroom Guide shares his tried and tested alternatives to single use plastic in mushroom growing.
Out of Eden: how you can get involved in a neolithic farm experiment in Wales
Dr Kevin Blockley shares how the Out of Eden project is creating a unique educational experience that immerses us in the hunter gathering world of our ancestors and our first experiments in farming.
The Mushroom Guide Part 9: working with agar cultures
A jellylike substance derived from seaweed, Benedict Noel sets out the role of agar cultures in Part 9 of his Mushroom Guide.
A strategy for challenging the giant corporate platforms: Duncan McCann of the New Economics Foundation
We talk about a strategy for challenging the giant corporate platforms in Part 2 of an interview with Duncan McCann, who’s working on a platform co-op alternative to Über in Brighton.
The Wool Journey Part 15: labelling yarn
Sue Blacker takes us on a final tour of The Natural Fibre Company’s spinning mill to learn all about labelling yarn. Turns out there’s plenty to it!
Building the open web: an interview with Micky Metts of Agaric
Dave Darby interviews Micky Metts of Agaric, based in Boston, Massachusetts, who is active in both the co-operative and free/open source movements.
The Mushroom Guide Part 8: working with liquid mushroom cultures
We learn how to work with liquid mushroom cultures as The Mushroom Guide with Benedict Noel continues.
Getting started with fishing for food: Part 2 – When and where?
Ever fancied fishing for your supper but don’t know where to begin? In Part 2 of her Fishing for Food series, Jessie Watson Brown chats with Charlie Loram about the when and where of starting fishing.
Will Facebook’s Libra coin conquer the world?
In the wake of Facebook’s recent announcement, community currency engineer Matthew Slater asks if Libra coin is poised to conquer the world.
The Wool Journey Part 14: the final wool yarn and packaging
The yarn is ready to package up at The Natural Fibre Company’s spinning mill, as Sue Blacker shares the final leg of The Wool Journey.