Transition is a middle class movement: so what?
I believe that it’s important, but in a positive rather than a negative way. Let me explain. Would you prefer to live in a vibrant community or a dull one? If you’d prefer to live in a dull one, then don’t bother reading any further. Read more
How my cat taught me that nature is merciless
Here’s my cat – Keith. He looks cute, doesn’t he? But actually, he’s a killer. I’ve seen him torture things for his amusement – he wasn’t hungry and he didn’t want them to die quickly (less fun). Read more
Community-owned energy: how to sideline the big energy companies
A quick Halloween update from Sharenergy. We’re very proud to say we are involved in 4 great share offers at the moment – spanning wind, hydro, solar and woodfuel technologies and across a swathe of the UK Read more
How about a yurt, dome or tipi as a spare room?
Here’s an interview with David Field of World Tents about how a tipi, yurt or dome could be used as a spare room in the garden. Read more
Revolutionary super-fast composting technique
Lowimpact.org: Hi Richard – you run courses and sell products related to a revolutionary new superfast composting technique. What is this idea and where does it come from? Read more
Why Owen Paterson is wrong about GM food
Owen Paterson, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, said today that environmentalists who oppose GM food are ‘wicked’. This is why he is wrong. Read more
What’s the difference between survival & bushcraft?
The terms “survival” and “bushcraft” are often used interchangeably and yet sometimes treated as separate, even competing, disciplines. As a bushcraft survival instructor I obviously have my own views Read more
The science behind the environmental benefits of clay plasters
Clay plasters are beautiful alright – see Clayworks’ efforts in a restaurant in London (above), and see here for more about clay plasters. But for those of you who want more evidence for the benefits of clay plasters Read more
Have you heard of thermoelectric generators?
Have you come across thermoelectric generators (TEGs)? They are a way of generating electricity from heat, using the ‘Seebeck effect’ – so, for example, they can be strapped to the side of a wood stove to provide electricity for lighting. Read more
Do you think you live in a democracy?
You can’t change anything by voting. Or, as Emma Goldman put it: ‘if voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal’. Politicians can rearrange deckchairs but they can’t steer the ship away from the iceberg Read more
Eigg: community-owned island & the 1st completely wind, water and sun electricity grid in the world
Sometimes a story will remind us that things can be done differently. The Isle of Eigg story is one of them. For more details of exactly what happened on Eigg, see Alastair Mcintosh’s book Soil and Soul (available here). Read more
Invitation to visit or join Grow Heathrow
One of Lowimpact.org’s staff recently visited Grow Heathrow and was really impressed with their organisation, their gardens and their opposition to the damaging growth in air travel, airports and the proposed new runway at Heathrow. Read more
Is there such a thing as progress?
Here’s a blog I recently came across, by the ‘Archdruid’ – his argument is that the concept of ‘progress’ is now defunct and that science is just another story – a myth amongst many others that attempt to explain the universe. Read more
Every picture tells a story: the elites behind the fracking industry
NB: for a larger image click here. Let’s get one thing clear, this is not about conspiracy theories. This isn’t about a powerful elite meeting in darkened rooms to fondle their fluffy white cats whilst talking in menacing tones. Read more
Help stop giant supermarkets taking over community assets
The lease has come up for renewal for a very popular pub called the Wheatsheaf in Tooting, south London, in a prime location opposite Tooting Bec tube station. Read more
Why narrowboaters should be allowed red diesel
Red diesel is a lower-taxed fuel, that the EU want to revoke from use by boaters in the UK. On my boat I’m living an incredibly low-impact, environmentally-friendly life Read more
Review of ‘Why Marx Was Right’ by Terry Eagleton
Review of Why Marx Was Right, by Terry Eagleton. Yes, we’re all looking for alternatives to capitalism – it destroys democracy, it eats nature and it’s vacuous – but you don’t have to have read any philosophy or economics Read more
Two more community-owned renewables schemes that you can get involved with
If you would like to see more community-owned co-operative renewable energy projects in the UK, there are practical ways that you can help. Over to Jon for some schemes you can invest in Read more
FoWO (Federation of WWOOF Organisations) is born
There have been exciting developments in the world of WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms) this month. The movement, which began in 1971, and links people who want to volunteer on organic farms Read more
Incredible opportunity to join a co-operative, low-impact smallholding project in Devon
Here’s some background to the Ecological Land Co-op’s project in Devon, and here’s a post celebrating the fact that they were successful in their planning application. Now they’re looking for people. Over to Shaun. Read more