Info, news & debate
Recent Posts
How the viable system model (VSM) can help build a new economy: Trevor Hilder of Web of Wealth
Dave Darby interviews Trevor Hilder of Web of Wealth, who is a specialist in Stafford Beer’s viable system model (VSM).
7 great reasons to try bushcraft and camping in winter
Sean Fagan of Pioneer Bushcraft explores 7 great reasons why being outdoors and camping in winter can be fun, challenging and ultimately educational – and will greatly improve your overall bushcraft and camping skills.
Free learning with a Wholewoods community build camp in 2019
Wholewoods are continuing their fantastic work, offering volunteers on-site learning on a 2019 build camp to construct a roundhouse for OrganicLea. Adrian Leaman has all the details of how to get involved below.
Community-supported agriculture vs corporate supermarkets: Maresa Bossano of the UK CSA Network
We interview Maresa Bossano of the UK Community-Supported Agriculture Network to see how CSA measures up against corporate supermarkets.
Life on Birchwood Croft: tales of smallholding in the Scottish Highlands
Lesley Anderson learns about the ups and downs of life for crofters Beth and Tim Rose in the Scottish Highlands.
How to build an adobe earthen floor with Sigi Koko (Part 4)
Natural builder Sigi Koko of Down to Earth Design shares how to perfect the final finishing layer of an adobe earthen floor.
Co-operativising the tech sector: an interview with Graham Mitchell of Webarchitects & CoTech
We speak to Graham Mitchell of Cotech about the co-operativisation of the tech sector and helping people switch to free and open source software.
Chagfood community market garden apprenticeships on offer in 2019
Could 2019 be the year you learn how to set up and run a community market garden? Chagfood, a CSA scheme based in Chagford, Devon, is offering two apprenticeship opportunities from April to October.
What do we do about the coming ecological crash?
So let’s start the year with a bit of optimism. Our last post was about the fact that there is a general lack of understanding of the implications of biodiversity loss, and the contribution of climate change to it. This post is for people who do understand what’s happening to nature, but can see no …
We should be much more worried about an ecological crash than a financial crash
A few years ago, I was having a beer in the bar at King’s Cross narrowboat marina, when someone called Fred asked me what I did. When I said that I worked for an environmental organisation, he came up with a classic line that I’ve quoted many times since.
How to build an adobe earthen floor with Sigi Koko (Part 3)
Sigi Koko teaches us the different approaches to the levelling layer in Part 3 of how to build an adobe earthen floor.
How to build an adobe earthen floor with Sigi Koko (Part 2)
In Part 2 of how to build an adobe earthen floor, Sigi Koko of Down to Earth Design tackles the all important base layer.
How to build an adobe earthen floor with Sigi Koko (Part 1)
Natural builder Sigi Koko of Down to Earth Design shares how to build an adobe floor. In Part 1, we learn about the substrate through to the insulation layer critical for any earthen floor.
How do we grow the community-supported agriculture sector? Maresa Bossano, co-ordinator of the UK CSA Network
This week we’re talking with Maresa Bossano, who is the co-ordinator for the Community-Supported Agriculture Network in the UK.
An exciting opportunity to develop a natural building design company
Leading straw-bale builder Barbara Jones shares news of an exciting opportunity to develop a growing design company in the natural building world. The author of Building with Straw Bales and star of our straw-bale building online course tells us more from here.
How to source timber: a joiner’s point of view
From growing the trees to selecting the right timber for the job, Andy Reynolds brings a lifetime of experience in forestry, carpentry and innovative thinking to timber for building. Here he explains how to source timber as responsibly as you can.
Can we build a platform co-op to challenge Über? Interview with Duncan McCann of the New Economics Foundation
Dave of Lowimpact.org / Noncorporate.org talks with Duncan McCann of the New Economics Foundation (see video below), about platform co-ops. Duncan is starting a taxi platform co-op called Faircab, to challenge Über.
How to gather, store and eat sweet chestnuts
It’s that time of year when the delicious smell of roasting chestnuts fills the air. Jessie Watson Brown shares her tips for foraging, cooking and storing sweet chestnuts for year-round use.
Why pyrolysis and ‘plastic to fuels’ is not a solution to the plastics problem
Energy engineer Dr Andrew Rollinson sets out the case as to why pyrolysis and ‘plastic to fuels’ is not a sustainable solution to the plastics problem.
The coming crash, and why co-ops are so important: Mark Simmonds of Co-op Culture
Mark Simmonds gave us some free advice that saved us hundreds of pounds when we were setting up as a workers’ co-op. We talk about his work, and get deeper into the philosophy of co-operation.