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    Starting a ‘commoners club’ in Stroud to help build the commons economy

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 12-Mar-2023 | 1

    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

    Housing co-op seeking founder members

    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

    Worried about fruit & veg rationing? Let’s grow our own, in our communities

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 05-Mar-2023 | 1

    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

    Rewilding or local food production?

    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

    Lowimpact jobs board launches! 

    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

    Village halls – a sustainable success story  

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

    How credit clearing can help system change: Michael Hallam of Local Loop North West

    In this interview I’m talking with Michael Hallam, who is involved with the Ethical Small Traders Association (ESTA) in Lancaster, and has recently been working with Mutual Credit Services on a credit clearing project called Local Loop North West. Credit clearing is an important part of what needs to happen to build a new, ‘commons’ economy. Read more

    We’re putting our house into the ‘commons’. Follow our progress and replicate it in your community

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 08-Jan-2023 | 2

    In 2023 I’d like to see a move towards a new system, rather than futile attempts to ‘fix’ capitalism. I don’t think it’s necessary to to try to persuade the majority of people of this. There are enough of us already to kick-start the necessary change. I’d just like to bring to your attention the new ideas that are emerging for building this new system – the commons economy. Read more

    Our most popular posts in 2022

    Read through new posts this year and look back at the most popular posts on the site from 2022. Read more

    Cumbria coal mine – anger, disbelief and shock

    A new coal mine has been approved in Cumbria – but we can not allow it to go ahead. Read more

    Building the energy commons: Marcus Saul of Island Power

    Marcus Saul of Island Power | 18-Dec-2022 | 0

    Interview with Marcus Saul of Island Power, an energy company with incredible ideas that could be world-changing, in terms of building a new kind of (commons) economy. Read more

    Surviving the Future 2023: deep dive for anyone concerned about what’s coming

    In these tumultuous times, it’s good to pull back and think together — to share conversation — curated by experts and in the company of some of the most compelling people who have been thinking about these issues for a long time. Read more

    Review of ‘Change: How to Make Big Things Happen’ by Damon Centola

    Although the ‘viral’ approach (large networks, weak ties between people) can work for small packets of information, when it comes to behaviour change, it doesn’t seem to work well, and can actually be counter-productive. Read more

    George Monbiot and friends are wrong: techno-utopianism won’t save us

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 20-Nov-2022 | 11

    George Monbiot has joined a campaign called ‘Reboot Food’, working with techno-utopians who would like to see governments remove support for organic food and deregulate the GM industry, as well as producing bacteria-based food in giant factories (‘precision-fermentation’), and getting rid of smallholdings. Read more

    Organic smallholdings, not ‘farm-free’ food factories

    Chris Smaje of Vallis Veg | 13-Nov-2022 | 0

    Another critical review of George Monbiot’s latest book, Regenesis, by Chris Smaje, author of Small Farm Future. This follows on from last week’s review by Simon Fairlie. Read more

    The parklet movement – creating green space on our streets

    Can the rising use of parklets across our cities increase the use of green spaces? Read more

    My journey from nuclear physics to mutual credit: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services

    This is Part 1 of an interview with Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services, who made the shift from the world of nuclear physics to the world of mutual credit. Read more

    Fighting our food waste habit

    How improving our food waste habit can save us money and reduce our carbon footprint. Read more

    New owner sought for low-impact pub and glamping site in rural Suffolk

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 09-Oct-2022 | 4

    Aldegarden is a wonderful site in Suffolk, with accommodation, a community pub, and a ‘glamping’ site with yurts, timber structures, a cob roundhouse, gypsy caravan and a converted barn, communal areas, solar hot water and electricity and compost loos. They’ve been in our directory for years. But now they’re looking for new owners for the property and successful businesses. Read more

    Would sociocracy work for your organisation?

    Ted Rau of Sociocracy For All | 04-Sep-2022 | 2

    This is part 2 of an interview with Ted Rau, co-founder of Sociocracy For All. Part 1 (‘What is sociocracy’) is here. Now we’re talking about whether sociocracy might be a good idea for your organisation / business. 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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