What it’s like to work in a co-operative grocery store: Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery Growing the Commons 2026-09-20 | What it’s like to work in a co-operative grocery store: Debbie Clarke of Unicorn Grocery
A housing commons for the Basque country - starting with bicycles and cars! Growing the Commons 2026-03-07 | Interview with Unai Gaztelu of Txirrin (pronounced 'chirrin') - a group looking to launch a housing commons project in the Basque country, but first, they're practising with bicycles and cars! Summary and transcript of conversation, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: growingcommons.substack.com/p/a-housing-commons-for-the-basque We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Growing the Commons: growingthecommons.org Housing commons: knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/hoco/housing_commons Commons economy: knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/coec/commons_economy
How we can break away from corporate supermarkets Growing the Commons 2026-03-06 | Conversation between Otto Hague of Growing the Commons and Nick Weir of the Open Food Network, about how we can break away from corporate supermarkets. Summary and transcript of conversation, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: growingcommons.substack.com/p/breaking-bread-breaking-out-of-the We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Growing the Commons: growingthecommons.org Open Food Network: openfoodnetwork.org.uk
Time-lapse: worlds first community-owned commons climbing gym is close to reality Growing the Commons 2025-11-16 | Article with more information to accompany the video: growingcommons.substack.com/p/time-lapse-worlds-first-community The world’s first community-owned, commons climbing gym is getting closer to reality. It will be a flagship for commons models (around finance, governance, asset locking and federation) that are being trialled in Stroud, UK.There have been some hold-ups, but just so you know they haven't been lazy, here's a time-lapse video of some of the recent work, done by volunteers and expectant climbers.Here's an interview about the concept with Chik Shimasaki, who brought together the team: youtube.com/watch?v=sWlcNbrpdlA Climbing Commons: stroudcommons.org/climbing-commons Growing the Commons: growingthecommons.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy
Conversation with Carne Ross Part 2: Rojava & the Commons Growing the Commons 2025-10-25 | Summary and transcript of conversation, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: growingcommons.substack.com/p/rojava-and-the-commons Part 2 of a conversation between Dave Darby of Growing the Commons and Stroud Commons and Carne Ross, a former senior British diplomat who resigned from the foreign office due to the UK government's decision to help The US invade Iraq in 2003. After that, he became interested in Rojava in Northern Syria, an anarchist enclave, and he made a movie about it, The Accidental Anarchist. Part 1: Anarchism and the commons - youtube.com/watch?v=bgchyVx199g We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Growing the Commons: growingthecommons.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Accidental Anarchist movie: youtube.com/watch?v=asCh9mg9sKU Carne's website – Diplomatic Anarchist: diplomaticanarchist.com Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economyCo-operation in Mesopotamia: https://mesopotamia.coop/ Rojava Information Center: rojavainformationcenter.orgThe Rojava Report: rojavareport.wordpress.comRiseUp4Rojava: riseup4rojava.org/blog
Conversation with Carne Ross: Anarchism and the Commons Growing the Commons 2025-10-16 | Summary and transcript of conversation, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: growingcommons.substack.com/p/anarchism-and-the-commons Dave Darby of Growing the Commons and Stroud Commons in conversation with Carne Ross, a former senior British diplomat who resigned from the foreign office due to the UK government's decision to help The US invade Iraq in 2003. After that, he became interested in Rojava in Northern Syria, an anarchist enclave, and he made a movie about it, The Accidental Anarchist. Part 2, Rojava and the commons: youtube.com/watch?v=6SEOY0VD5QE We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Growing the Commons: growingthecommons.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Accidental Anarchist movie: youtube.com/watch?v=asCh9mg9sKU Carne's website – Diplomatic Anarchist: diplomaticanarchist.com Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy
The potential for building a textile commons Growing the Commons 2025-08-09 | Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/the-potential-for-building-a-textile-commons This is the third in a series of interviews about the potential for commoning the textile industry. If you're interested in commons, it's a fascinating conversation about what commons might look like in a specific sector like textiles, and how we might get there.Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons is talking with Nick and Rosie of Fantasy Fibre Mill (working to resurrect the flax/linen industry in Scotland, as a commons), Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services (who build commons models for all sectors of the economy) and Zoe Gilbertson of LIFLAD and the Bast Fibre Network (working to develop bioregional fibre production and local clothing design and manufacture).The first interview in the series was with Nick and Rosie before about their work. They’re building flax-processing machinery from scratch, from designs in Victorian textbooks, and building (open-sourced) equipment so that farmers can process their own crop. lowimpact.org/posts/rebuilding-the-flax-textile-industry-as-a-commons-fantasy-fibre-mill The second was with Dil, to get his ideas about how we might build commons models that could fit the flax / textiles industry. lowimpact.org/posts/commoning-the-flax-textile-industry-dil-green-of-mutual-credit-services The idea of this series of interviews is to bring together practitioners and specialists in fibres, textiles and commons models, to see what we can learn from each other, and talk about how we might build a textile commons.We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Fantasy Fibre Mill: fantasyfibremill.com Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ LIFLAD: liflad.co.uk Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Highlights 1. We can develop a land commons – and all farms these days have to diversify, with multiple income streams. Local fibre production is likely to be layered with all sorts of other businesses and other potential commons. Developing relationships is the key thing I think. 2. Organisational structures will have to evolve slowly. 3. We're operating in an existing world, with a lot of restrictions. So how do you start? We can start with the concept of sharing, of commoning, and then try to work out together how we can common the land and potentially, what's produced on it. 4. It's anarchic in the sense that it's massively decentralised, with lots of tiny nodes that together can provide the clothing and textiles that we need to live.
The potential for community energy and commons in north Wales Growing the Commons 2025-06-15 | Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/the-potential-for-community-energy-and-commons-in-north-wales Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons talking with Lowri Hedd-Vaughan and Phil McGrath of DEG, a group (CIC) in north Wales, who are doing interesting, commons-related things around energy and more. DEG contacted us, because they saw that we're working to build commons in Stroud – to bring assets into community ownership without debt or giving away equity, but with a reasonable return for investors, strong asset locks, and the ability to federate with other projects around the country, and eventually the world. So after this initial interview, we'd like to bring DEG together with designers of commons models to see where we might collaborate. We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org DEG: https://www.deg.wales/ Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Highlights 1. DEG is involved with community groups in north-west Wales, establishing community-owned pubs, community energy (hydro and solar), retrofitting, social networks, assemblies and action plans for food production, energy generation and circular economy. They're a networking/accelerator/broker organisation. 2. There's a very strong sense of community and connection to place in NW Wales, and a large network of projects. They want to increase community resilience with more food production, energy generation, sharing and repairing. 3. They'd like to provide community-owned housing, and are interested in talking about use-credit obligations as a way of funding that, and other projects.
Fundamentals of Commoning, Part 1: Introduction Growing the Commons 2025-04-15 | Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/the-fundamentals-of-commoning-part-1-introduction/. Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons talks with Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services - who design commons models for all sectors of the economy – about the fundamentals of commoning. This is an introduction. More soon – see transcript, above. We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Highlights 1. Commons is the thing that all humanity needs – one way or another, but not necessarily branded in a particular way – to build resilience in the omnicrisis that's coming down on all our heads. 2. The famous essay 'the Tragedy of the Commons' is nonsense. He wasn't talking about a commons, and I was written in bad faith. 3. Any group of people coming together to collaboratively manage and plan around some shared resource are commoning – whether they call it that or not. 4. We now have more flexible commons models, more easily able to cope with complexity, which allows for much bigger ambitions. 5. You get stronger social bonds if they're mixed up with mutual material well-being – material interdependence.
Commoning the flax/textile industry: Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services Growing the Commons 2025-03-14 | Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/commoning-the-flax-textile-industry-dil-green-of-mutual-credit-services Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons talks with Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services - who design commons models for all sectors of the economy – about how to build a textile commons around the flax industry. This is the second in a series of 3 interviews about the potential for commoning the textile industry. If you’re interested in commons, it’s a fascinating conversation about what commons might look like in a specific sector like textiles, and how we might get there.The first is with Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans of Fantasy Fibre Mill, working to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK, as a commons. youtube.com/watch?v=AwYXVhOhgfw The third brings together Nick, Rosie, Dil and Zoe Gilbertson of LIFLAD, to exchange ideas about the potential for building a textile commons. youtube.com/watch?v=f2BSgb71OI8We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Fantasy Fibre Mill: fantasyfibremill.com Highlights 1. Land isn't necessarily part of the textile world – it could be owned by a land commons. So a flax grower might be a tenant of the local land commons. 2. Yarn could be the 'common pool resource', with some sort of weighting, based on physical quantity of yarn times some sort of quality multiplier. 3. Then you might have weavers, designers and fabricators in a commons around cloth, which might include more than just linen cloth. 4. The commons needs to take the assets of the old economy in pounds and dollars, but repay returns to investors in the value that we produce, not in pounds or dollars. 5. In the end, building a commons economy is the only way to deliver system change. The way it turns into an economy is when people have bought rent vouchers, flax vouchers, kWh vouchers etc, that they begin to be able to exchange for other things, and not need pounds. If people need fewer pounds, they don't have to work so much. 6. If the commons model is well understood, and there are secondary organisations to help set new ones up and bring best practice and wisdom for how to adapt models and solve problems, we could get rapid uptake.
A governance commons to support the commons economy? Conversation with Dr Sonia Bussu Growing the Commons 2024-12-20 | Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/a-governance-commons-to-support-the-commons-economy-conversation-with-dr-sonia-bussu Liberal democracy supports capitalism. What kind of governance system would support the commons economy? Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons in conversation with Sonia Bussu, Associate Professor in Public Policy at the University of Birmingham and project lead for INSPIRE (looking at democratic innovations and their limitations – particularly around marginalised people), about participatory democracy and its role in helping build the commons economy.We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Sonia Bussu, University of Birmingham: research.birmingham.ac.uk/en/persons/sonia-bussu INSPIRE: https://www.inspiredemocracy.eu/ Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Highlights 1. It's important to democratise spaces that are currently not democratic, like workplaces or schools. Democratising the economy is crucial. 2. It's good to think of all these tools as part of a participatory ecology. You can experiment – but really, it's all about creating spaces for dialogue across differences, to build trust in our communities. 3. Having citizens' assemblies alone isn't enough. They have to be linked to other things, like campaigning and other grassroots work – like the commons. 4. We have to think about how we can create alliances with local authorities. Local councillors are local residents and part of the community.
Affordable climbing as a commons: Chikara Shimasaki of Stroud Commons Growing the Commons 2024-12-08 | Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/affordable-climbing-as-a-commons-chik-shimasaki-of-climbing-commons Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons talks with Chik Shimasaki of Stroud Commons and Climbingcommons.org, who's building an affordable climbing commons in Stroud, and will provide information for anyone wanting to do it in their own towns. We’re interviewing key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Climbing Commons: climbingcommons.org Highlights 1. Climbing gyms are expensive, so many people are excluded by price and distance they need to travel. By commoning it, we could bring down the price and distance. 2. Climbing commons is owned by a multi-stakeholder association drawn from the community, with asset locks so it will remain community-owned forever, and can't be bought out by a big company. 3. Stroud Climbing Commons will produce toolkits / playbooks for others to do the same in their community. 4. You can support this by becoming an investor / potential user.
Hand-dug well filling with water Growing the Commons 2024-09-06 | This video is linked to a blog article, here: lowimpact.org/posts/how-we-sank-a-well-on-our-property Our friend sank a well on his property, and here it is, filling with water.See Lowimpact.org for lots more information on water supply, plus 250 other low-impact topics, which will be invaluable as the dominant system continues its collapse.
The role of the Credit Commons in the commons economy: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services Growing the Commons 2024-07-31 | Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons talks with Tom Woodroof of Local Loop Merseyside and Mutual Credit Services about the Credit Commons – a way to federate different groups all over the world that are building the commons economy (because you can’t get everything you need from just your community) – but it does it without centralised control. I want to get more details from Tom. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/the-role-of-the-credit-commons-in-the-commons-economy-tom-woodroof-of-mutual-credit-services We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Local Loop Merseyside: localloop-merseyside.co.uk Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Credit clearing: lowimpact.org/categories/credit-clearing Mutual credit: lowimpact.org/categories/mutual-credit Use-credit obligations: lowimpact.org/categories/use-credit-obligations Highlights 1. We can’t really have a thriving commons economy using bank-issued, debt-based money. We need a Credit Commons to be at the core of it. 2. First there’s the Credit Commons as a vision of an entirely new economic system – a commons system, with a commons financial system supporting it. And then there’s the Credit Commons Protocol, which is one of the tools that will be part of this new commons financial system. That’s an important distinction to draw. 3. Mutual Credit Services (MCS) try to synthesise the best thinking from tech, economics, governance / political economy etc, and try to bring that expertise to communities, and work with them using their local expertise, to co-design something that’s going to work for them. 4. Credit clearing is a ‘gateway drug’ to the Credit Commons. Then mutual credit can come later, when there’s more trust.
Spinning Online Course - Introduction Growing the Commons 2024-06-14 | Get free access to this course here: lowimpact.org/categories/spinning(under 'what can I do?').A bit about our tutor.Janet works from home in South West Scotland, earning a living by writing and teaching spinning and weaving. Spinning or weaving for at least ten minutes a day helps keep her calm and focused and she uses it as a form of meditation.Having learned to knit at the age of six, Janet had become bored with it, until one day she saw someone spinning. Rushing home, she tried it with a hand spindle made from a pencil and a potato, and was amazed when it worked. The rest, as they say, is history and in 1995 she did the Certificate of Achievement in Handspinning and became a spinning teacher. The weaving soon followed and Janet has taught many people to weave on her favourite kinds of looms – frame looms and ‘rigid heddle’ looms over the years. She is a registered teacher with the Association of Weavers Spinners and dyers, and has taught at their renowned Summer School. Janet has also taught courses for many spinning and weaving Guilds, community groups, shops and voluntary organisations.Her booklets on spinning, dyeing and knitting have proved popular with students who take her courses and this course is a natural progression.Campaigning and environmental issues has played a significant part in Janet’s life and she loves low-tech and sustainable craft equipment such as hand made looms and spindles, as well as the amazing contemporary spinning wheels and looms that are now available. She and her husband Lee run their home based business jointly and sell Lee’s hand made looms as well as Ashford Handicrafts spinning and weaving equipment, along with Janet’s books. Lee and Janet moved from the country into a nearby village with amenities years ago, in order to develop a more sustainable and simpler lifestyle. They both work part time and have a lifestyle with very low overheads, meaning there is time to have a lot more fun! They grow a surprising amount of food in an average sized if vertically challenged garden and are Working Weekend on Organic Farm hosts. Their house has solar panels and a wood burning stove. Janet is the author of 'How to spin just about anything'.COURSE STRUCTURESpinning Course - 1 Meet your tutorSpinning Course - 2 Introduction to SpinningSpinning Course - 3 Pre DraftingSpinning Course - 4 SpindlesSpinning Course - 5 How to twirl the spindleSpinning Course - 6 How to spin on a spindleSpinning Course - 7 Joining the yarn on a spindleSpinning Course - 8 How to thigh roll and kick the spindleSpinning Course - 9 How to ply the yarn on a spindleSpinning Course - 10 Spinning WheelsSpinning Course - 11 How to treadle the spinning wheelSpinning Course - 12 How to oil the spinning wheelSpinning Course - 13 Understanding the Scotch TensionSpinning Course - 14 Let's start spinningSpinning Course - 15 How to ply yarn on a spinning wheelSpinning Course - 16 How to hank the yarn on a niddy noddySpinning Course - 17 How to correct an underplyed yarnSpinning Course - 18 How to sort a fleeceSpinning Course - 19 How to wash a fleeceSpinning Course - 20 CardingSpinning Course - 21 Resources
Predicting financial collapse (and what to do about it): Matthew Slater (Credit Commons Protocol) Growing the Commons 2024-06-13 | What happens if there's some sort of financial collapse that means your savings and pension are wiped out? The commons is all about building a community-owned economy that can provide the essentials of life (including pension) whilst reducing our reliance on the money economy / finance sector, and moving towards not needing it at all. This includes self-provisioning, as well as bringing essential sectors such as land, energy and food into common ownership. But how likely is financial collapse? Matthew Slater, blogger and co-author of the Credit Commons white paper, looks into it: Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/predicting-financial-collapse-and-what-to-do-about-it We’re talking with key players in the commons economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Credit Commons Protocol: http://www.creditcommons.net Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Jem Bendell: jembendell.com
Rebuilding the flax / textile industry as a commons: Fantasy Fibre Mill Growing the Commons 2024-06-03 | Dave Darby of Stroud Commons and Lowimpact.org talks with Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans of Fantasy Fibre Mill, working to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK, as a commons. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/rebuilding-the-flax-textile-industry-as-a-commons-fantasy-fibre-mill This is the first in a series of 3 interviews about the potential for commoning the textile industry. If you’re interested in commons, it’s a fascinating conversation about what commons might look like in a specific sector like textiles, and how we might get there.The second is with Dil Green of Mutual Credit Services, to get his ideas about how we might build commons models that could fit the flax / textiles industry. youtube.com/watch?v=ZKjI9okJIz8The third brings together Nick, Rosie, Dil and Zoe Gilbertson of LIFLAD, to exchange ideas about the potential for building a textile commons. youtube.com/watch?v=f2BSgb71OI8 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the commons economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Fantasy Fibre Mill: fantasyfibremill.com Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Plant fibres & textiles: lowimpact.org/categories/plant-fibres Commons economy: lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Highlights 1. Fantasy Fibre Mill want to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK – as a commons. We can help bring together flax specialists and commons specialists to work out how to do that. 2. They’re building the flax-processing machinery from scratch, from designs in Victorian textbooks. 3. They’re building (open-sourced) farm-scale equipment so that farmers can process their own crop. They don’t want to become a massive centralised factory. They foresee lots of little hubs all over the place, that can process everybody’s local fibre. We don’t want to replicate the problems of the current system.
How to bring the water industry into community ownership: Julian Jones of Water21, Part 2 Growing the Commons 2023-08-26 | Part 2 of an interview with Julian Jones, a water engineer and distinguished fellow of the Schumacher Institute, who has worked and provided consultancy for water companies, NGOs, the Environment Agency, universities and governments. Julian lives in a village near Stroud, and Stroud Commons are talking with him about building a water commons for Stroud. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/how-to-bring-the-water-industry-into-community-ownership-julian-jones-of-water21-part-2. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Water21: http://www.water21.org.uk Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Low-impact water supply: lowimpact.org/categories/water Low-impact sewage treatment: lowimpact.org/categories/sewage Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/low-impact-economy
Taking the water industry off the water companies: Julian Jones of Water21, Part 1 Growing the Commons 2023-08-12 | Here’s part 1 of an interview with Julian Jones, a water engineer and distinguished fellow of the Schumacher Institute, who has worked and provided consultancy for water companies, NGOs, the Environment Agency, universities and governments. Julian lives in a village near Stroud, and Stroud Commons are talking with him about building a water commons for Stroud. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/taking-the-water-industry-off-the-water-companies-julian-jones-of-water21-part-1 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Water21: http://www.water21.org.uk Stroud Commons: stroudcommons.org Low-impact water supply: lowimpact.org/categories/water Low-impact sewage treatment: lowimpact.org/categories/sewage Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/low-impact-economy Highlights: • There’s a conflict of interest between the pursuit of profit and the public interest in the business of water and sewerage • Public health standards have not been applied to our rivers or seas. • There’s plenty of scope for small-scale, natural commons and/or community-owned water supply and wastewater treatment, providing useful compost, and around 90% cheaper than the hard, civil engineered corporate methods.
Conversation with Jem Bendell, part 2: how should we respond to the collapse of capitalism? Growing the Commons 2023-06-30 | This is the second part of a conversation between Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Jem Bendell, professor of sustainability leadership at the University of Cumbria, and author of the now famous 2018 Deep Adaptation paper that claimed that we’re on an inevitable path to civilisational collapse Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/conversation-with-jem-bendell-part-2-how-should-we-respond-to-the-collapse-of-capitalism. Here’s part one, about the way that capitalism is collapsing: youtube.com/watch?v=fPjMWBEAm3M Here’s a review of his new book, Breaking Together: lowimpact.org/posts/if-our-civilisation-were-collapsing-would-we-even-know-review-of-jem-bendells-breaking-together We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org JemBendell.com: jembendell.com Breaking Together: schumacherinstitute.org.uk/product/jem-bendell-book Deep Adaptation: jembendell.com/2019/05/15/deep-adaptation-versions Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/low-impact-economy Highlights: • It’s understandable (but a bad idea) that when people are freaked out they start calling for a ‘vanguard elite’ to force us all to change. • Any curbs on our freedoms need to be accountable to us. It’s the opposite of a misanthropic view of human nature – the opposite of the idea that we’re naughty kids who need a strict daddy to sort us out for our own good. • All we can point at from XR activity over the last 5 years is a whole lot of government funding for useless venture capitalist projects, and calling it a ‘climate response’. • The way that you can work with local, small businesses and entrepreneurs and groups in working-class communities with commons tools – that’s the way to go. That really is building from below, rather than just working with the middle classes who have a little spare cash to dabble in ideas like the Totnes Pound etc.
Conversation with Jem Bendell, part 1: is industrial capitalism coming to an end? Growing the Commons 2023-06-23 | This is the first part of a conversation between Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Jem Bendell, professor of sustainability leadership at the University of Cumbria, and author of the now famous 2018 Deep Adaptation paper that claimed that we’re on an inevitable path to civilisational collapse. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/conversation-with-jem-bendell-part-1-is-industrial-capitalism-coming-to-an-end Part 2 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=Q-voPbrefR0 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org JemBendell.com: jembendell.com Breaking Together: schumacherinstitute.org.uk/product/jem-bendell-book Deep Adaptation: jembendell.com/2019/05/15/deep-adaptation-versions Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/low-impact-economy Highlights: • The collapse of capitalism is a process not an event, and it’s more than inevitable – it’s already underway. • The debt-based money system is the core of our problems. So either we need monetary reform (which isn’t going to happen) or we need to get stuck into building a new system. • We’ve all grown up with this money system, and been manipulated and coerced into a destructive approach to life. We don’t know what it would be like to live free of that – how much we could be co-operating with each other, rather than harming each other and nature. • It’s really simple – getting people reconnected with their neighbours to grow food together, to cook together, to play together, to share resources, to help each other out. It’s not new.
Why is the co-operative movement so strong in Emilia Romagna? with Matt Hancock (no , not that one) Growing the Commons 2023-05-04 | I’m talking with Matt Hancock, who’s been heavily involved with the co-operative movement in Emilia Romagna – the region of Italy around Bologna. There’s a huge, very successful co-op sector in ER. I want to try to find out in this interview is why – what’s special about ER, and can it be emulated elsewhere? Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/why-is-the-co-operative-movement-so-successful-in-emilia-romagna-with-matt-hancock-no-not-that-one We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org MH Consulting: it.linkedin.com/in/mattlhancock Introduction to co-operatives: lowimpact.org/categories/co-operatives About Emilia Romagna: https://www.investinemiliaromagna.eu/ and base.socioeco.org/docs/emilia_romagna_by_david_thompson_110604.pdf Here’s what we mean by new economy: https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/... Highlights: • In ER, firms are not just small, but agile too. If a firm gets too big, skilled workers often decide to set up on their own, rather than work for someone else. • In a region of 5 million people, there are 4000 co-operative businesses, that employ 250,000 people – just under a quarter of the entire workforce. • There’s not the sense of competition that exists in the Anglo-Saxon world, and certainly not in the US. It’s cultural and deep-rooted. The origins can’t be replicated, but the practices can. The legislation and support for the co-op sector followed long after the practices. • The economy is stronger and unemployment is lower than the rest of Italy in ER. There’s a very strong co-operative sector that’s part of a unique social partnership model of governance. Decisions get made co-operatively between workers’ organisations, the municipalities, the regional government, co-operative associations and other employer associations.
How credit clearing can change the monetary system: Tomaž Fleischman of Informal Systems Growing the Commons 2023-04-07 | Tom Woodroof of Lowimpact and Mutual Credit Services talks with Tomaž Fleischman of Informal Systems about credit clearing. We believe that credit clearing is one of the four crucial tools in building a new commons economy. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/how-credit-clearing-can-change-the-global-monetary-system-interview-with-tomaz-fleischman-of-informal-systems We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Informal Systems: https://informal.systems/ @informalsystems Introduction to credit clearing: lowimpact.org/categories/credit-clearing Local Loop North West: https://www.localloop.network/ Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/low-impact-economy#MutualCredit #degrowth #neweconomy
A brief history of credit clearing, with Hans-Florian Hoyer Growing the Commons 2023-02-13 | Here I’m talking with Hans-Florian Hoyer – a retired banker and academic who specialises in the history of credit clearing – especially credit clearing at medieval trade fairs. Credit clearing is a crucial part of building a new commons economy, because it reduces the need for money and banks in communities, and it helps small businesses survive through difficult times – which there seem to be a lot of nowadays.Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/a-brief-history-of-credit-clearing-with-hans-florian-hoyer. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Here’s what we mean by new economy: https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/... Introduction to credit clearing: lowimpact.org/categories/credit-clearing Highlights: • At medieval trade fairs, merchants discovered trading loops by standing shoulder-to-shoulder to each other. The right shoulder represented ‘I owe this person’ and the left shoulder represented ‘this person owes me’. If physical circles were formed, then debt could be cleared by subtracting the smallest figure from all debts. • The story is that groups of walking clerks met in coffee shops in London and came up with the idea of clearing between banks, to save their time and shoe leather. Apparently, the CEOs of banks liked their idea and built a clearing house in the city. • If clearing is good enough for the banks, it’s good enough for us. It’s time for civil society to take advantage of this tool. There’s no licensing or regulations to comply with because no money is involved – only information.#creditclearing #medievaltimes #smallbusiness
How credit clearing can help system change: Michael Hallam of Local Loop North West Growing the Commons 2023-01-11 | In this interview I’m talking with Michael Hallam, who 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, so I wanted to talk with him about his motivations – what problem is he trying to solve, and how is he going about it. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/how-credit-clearing-can-help-system-change-michael-hallam-of-local-loop-north-west. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Local Loop North West: https://www.localloop.network/ Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Here’s what we mean by new economy: https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/... Introduction to credit clearing: lowimpact.org/categories/credit-clearing Highlights: • Credit clearing can help small traders to overcome their cashflow and late payment problems, and it dramaticallly reduce the need for cash in communities. • Local Loop North West is the first project of its type in the UK. They’re working with Mutual Credit Services, and the loop-finding software is provided by Tomaž Fleischman and his team. • The most successful example of credit clearing is between banks. Banks clear debts between themselves constantly, rather than having to pay each other for every transaction.
Building the energy commons: Marcus Saul of Island Power Growing the Commons 2022-12-17 | 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. He’s working with Chris Cook, who I’ve previously interviewed: lowimpact.org/posts/storing-value-in-a-mutual-credit-world-chris-cook Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/building-the-energy-commons-marcus-saul-of-island-power. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Island Power: island-power.netHere’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/new-economyIntroduction to use-credit obligations: lowimpact.org/categories/use-credit-obligations Highlights • The genius of the use-credit obligations approach is that it can help small businesses avoid debt, by issuing vouchers for future produce or services, and selling them at a discount, to attract customers. • In the case of energy, it means that communities will own their own energy infrastructure. • This addresses the fundamental issue of cost. But it’s also about job creation, and putting the heart back into communities. With production via micro-grids, we can move to a decentralised system, with lots of social benefits on the back of it.
From nuclear physics to mutual credit Part 2: new monetary tools for a new economy Growing the Commons 2022-10-28 | This is Part 2 of an interview with Tom Woodroof, who made the move from the world of nuclear physics to the world of mutual credit and monetary change. Here I’m going to find out more about his work, and how it can contribute to (quite revolutionary) change. Some readers will begin to see the extraordinary potential of these ideas, I think. Part 1 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=XjOOOu77tbUTranscript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/a-range-of-new-monetary-tools-for-a-completely-new-economy-tom-woodroof-of-mutual-credit-services-part-2 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debate d) help to build the new economy. Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/new-economyIntroduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/categories/mutual-creditIntroduction to use-credit obligations: lowimpact.org/categories/use-credit-obligationsHighlights: • The point of each of our projects is that they demonstrate one of our tools. These tools can be implemented, step-by-step, from a MOS network, to trade credit club, to mutual credit club, with obvious benefits at each step, but requiring a bit more trust and collaboration. • We’re working out how to build systems based on use-credit obligations, mutual credit, and the Credit Commons protocol, in different economic sectors and in different cultural contexts, that are all ultimately interoperable. I imagine more and more of the economy making use of these tools that we’ve got. • I’m interested in doing academic studies on the potential emergent outcomes of these ideas. What kind of economy would emerge if large numbers of people started adopting these tools? I want to see more solid evidence. • Instead of trying to start a business from scratch, people can start a franchise of a model that’s been shown to work. We’ll be wanting to roll out the model nationally and internationally. We can train people and provide the tools to allow them to start a project in their own community, and to plug into a wider network using the Credit Commons protocol.
My journey from nuclear physics to mutual credit: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services Growing the Commons 2022-10-19 | 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. If mutual credit is a form of money, it’s not the kind you can put in a bag with ‘swag’ written on it. It’s more of an accounting system. We think it’s central to building the new economy. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/my-journey-from-nuclear-physics-to-mutual-credit-tom-woodroof-of-mutual-credit-services. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Mutual Credit Services: https://www.mutualcredit.services/ Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/new-economy Introduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/categories/mutual-credit Highlights: 1. I found that mutual credit made the connections I’d been looking for, between money, economy, society and environment, in ways that no-one else was talking about. 2. We’re adapting tools developed by the banks and the finance sector for moneyless exchange, and making them available in the real economy – business networks and communities. 3. We need to show people how these tools will benefit them, but not be afraid of saying that communities will benefit too. The emphasis depends on who we’re talking to.#mutualcredit #careerchange #systemchange
Would sociocracy work for your organisation? Growing the Commons 2022-08-30 | This is part 2 of an interview with Ted Rau, co-founder of Sociocracy For All. Part 1 (‘What is sociocracy’) is here – youtube.com/watch?v=KNcVLJy0i2k. Now we’re talking about whether sociocracy might be a good idea for your organisation / business. Sociocracy is a non-hierarchical governance system. The basic idea is to create small groups, so that we can always have good, deep, meaningful conversations – in order to collect feedback and learning from all over the organisation. Everything that needs to be decided is split into pieces and distributed into what we call ‘circles’. So for example, in a medium-sized organisation, you might have 20 circles, that each has a clear area of decision-making – so that everything has a ‘box’ where it can be decided. Ideally, those circles will contain between 4 and 7 people – small groups that can really listen to each other. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/would-sociocracy-work-for-your-organisation. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Socoicracy For All: sociocracyforall.org Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/new-economy Introduction to sociocracy: lowimpact.org/categories/sociocracy
What is sociocracy? With Ted Rau of Sociocracy For All Growing the Commons 2022-08-27 | Here I’m talking with Ted Rau, one of the co-founders of of Sociocracy For All, and leader of the general circle for that organisation. Sociocracy is a non-hierarchical governance system. The basic idea is to create small groups, so that we can always have good, deep, meaningful conversations – in order to collect feedback and learning from all over the organisation. Everything that needs to be decided is split into pieces and distributed into what we call ‘circles’. So for example, in a medium-sized organisation, you might have 20 circles, that each has a clear area of decision-making – so that everything has a ‘box’ where it can be decided. Ideally, those circles will contain between 4 and 7 people – small groups that can really listen to each other. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/what-is-sociocracy-with-ted-rau-of-sociocracy-for-all. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Socoicracy For All: sociocracyforall.org Here’s what we mean by new economy: lowimpact.org/categories/new-economy Introduction to sociocracy: lowimpact.org/categories/steady-state-economics
Communicating about degrowth, with Mark Burton of Steady-state Manchester Growing the Commons 2022-07-08 | This is an interview with Mark Burton of Steady-state Manchester, about the madness of the quest for perpetual GDP growth. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations and information mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/communicating-about-degrowth-with-mark-burton-of-steady-state-manchester We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Steady-state Manchester: steadystatemanchester.net@steadystatemanchester7380 Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Introduction to steady-state economics - lowimpact.org/categories/steady-state-economics Highlights 1. Constant GDP growth causes ecological damage - there’s the constant expansion in the use of energy and materials, and the by-products of their use. 2. The economy has become more efficient in its use of inputs over time. But because it continues to expand, those efficiencies can’t keep up with the rate of expansion. 3. The idea that we need economic growth shapes so much of the discourse, and policy. It’s pervasive in the media. We’re the ones saying the bizarre things. But I find that we’re getting much more of a hearing than when we started. 4. A sustainable society is incompatible with capitalism, and most people in the degrowth movement are anti-capitalist – but I think that some maybe don’t follow that through consistently.#neweconomy #polycrisis #degrowth
Grace Rachmany: a moneyless economy Part 2 Growing the Commons 2022-05-31 | At Lowimpact we’re interviewing people who are working to build a new kind of world. We want to promote what they’re doing, and find ways to work together. This is part 2 of an interview with Grace Rachmany, of DAO Leadership and Voice of Humanity. She has some very interesting ideas around currency design and building a new economy based on community / reputation. As with all our interviewees, we think you'll be interested in her ideas, and what she's up to. Part 1 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=L2Ij4MNmfMI Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/grace-rachmany-comparing-ideas-for-a-moneyless-economy-part-2We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org DAO Leadership: daoleadership.com Voice of Humanity: https://www.voiceofhumanity.one/ Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Highlights 1. We’re building an ecosystem of reputation, measuring the actual value and values of communities. It’s oblivious as to whether you use money. In the community activity, and in some transactions, no money changes hands at all. 2. One of the things that our current system has done badly is to try to redistribute wealth via bureaucracy. There’s no relatedness between individual people, just bureaucracy. I think that’s the wrong approach. I think the way you’re looking at it and the way I’m looking at it is the right approach. 3. The community makes sure that everyone gets enough of the essentials. So everyone eats properly, and extra food we can sell, and the profits could be individually owned or shared. But below the sufficiency line, we make sure everyone has enough. 4. Reputation is very important – to be able to show that I’ve done my share. The reputation system can be digital, but the community has to be real, where you know people and can provide goods and services for each other, and take care of each other.
Grace Rachmany: comparing ideas for a moneyless economy Growing the Commons 2022-05-05 | This is part 1 of an interview with Grace Rachmany, of DAO Leadership and Voice of Humanity. She has some very interesting ideas around currency design and building a new economy based on community / reputation. As with all our interviewees, we think you'll be interested in her ideas, and what she's up to. Part 2 is here: youtube.com/watch?v=I-_SJqfh4V4 Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/grace-rachmany-comparing-ideas-for-a-moneyless-economy We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org DAO Leadership: daoleadership.com Voice of Humanity: https://www.voiceofhumanity.one/ @voiceofhumanity7181 Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/categories/commons-economy Highlights 1. We need to look at systemic problems, not just symptoms. Things we sometimes take for granted don’t actually have to be the way they are – the money system for example. 2. Voting is another example of a system that people think is the best thing we’ve invented so far. So what? It’s not good enough for our current situation. We can invent something better. 3. We don’t need an overarching blueprint – we just need to build the elements of a new system. 4. ‘What I’m trying to create is an economic system linking community with community / module to module (rather than individual to individual). I’m calling this a values system or reputation system.’#commonseconomy #endofcapitalism #money
Co-operative social care with sociocracy and mutual credit: Emma Back of the Equal Care Co-op Growing the Commons 2022-04-04 | At Lowimpact we’re interviewing people who are working to build a new kind of world. We want to promote what they’re doing, and find ways to work together. Here I talk with Emma Back, one of the founders of the Equal Care Co-op, in Halifax, Yorkshire. Apart from looking at ownership, decision-making and payments, they are constantly investigating ways to make life better for care providers, care users and their families. There are some very interesting aspects to the Equal Care Co-op, for example: • The members of the co-op include care providers (including volunteers), care users (supported people), advocate members (family and friends of supported people), plus investor members– anyone who has a stake in the outcome of the work of the co-op. • Sociocratic decision-making. • An internal payments system that could be described as a cross between mutual credit, timebanking, tokenising, and recognition of informal labour, including emotional labour and care work. • There are some interesting facets of their operations, such as their ‘Teams’, that hugely benefit care users. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/co-operative-social-care-with-sociocracy-and-mutual-credit-emma-back-of-the-equal-care-co-op We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Equal Care Co-op: https://www.equalcare.coop/ Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Introduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/mutual-credit Highlights 1. Membership of the co-op includes care providers (including volunteers), care users (supported people), advocate members (family and friends of supported people), plus investor members– anyone who has a stake in the outcome of the work of the co-op. 2. There are some very interesting aspects to the co-op, including 'Teams', sociocratic decision-making and an internal payments system that could be described as a cross between mutual credit, timebanking, tokenising, and recognition of informal labour, including emotional labour and care work. 3. You can invest in ECC’s ‘Back on Track’ community share offer; offer your skills to support Equal Care; tell other people about the offer and see if they’re interested in helping.
Fairbnb and housing Ukrainian refugees: Emanuele Dal Carlo Growing the Commons 2022-03-25 | I was scheduled to interview Emanuele about @Fairbnbcoop – a co-operative alternative to Airbnb, which we absolutely support. However, things have taken a bit of a turn since we started talking, and now the platform is being used to help Ukrainian refugees. At Lowimpact we’re interviewing people who are working to build a new kind of world. We want to promote what they’re doing, and find ways to work together.#airbnb #refugees #cooperative Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/fairbnb-and-housing-ukrainian-refugees-emanuele-dal-carlo We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Fairbnb: https://fairbnb.coop/ Fairbnb refugee landing page: https://fairbnb.coop/refugees/ Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Low-impact tourism: lowimpact.org/categories/low-impact-tourism Highlights 1. Our platform is similar to other booking sites like Airbnb, but ours is co-operative, and we reinvest in the places we operate, rather than sucking wealth out of them to pay shareholders. 2. This platform can be used by people willing and able to give shelter to refugees. We just provide the framework, and tech support, and we’re working with NGOs worldwide, because we’re not experts in this field – the psychological burdens of refugees, care provision. 3. By the way – this will not just be about the Ukrainian situation. The platform will stay, so that we can try to help homeless people and refugees from future crises. We want to provide this service into the future. 4. People can register here – https://fairbnb.coop/refugees/.
Mutual Credit Documentary Trailer Growing the Commons 2022-03-02 | Introduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/categories/mutual-credit
Cordelia Rowlatt: Vallis Veg Farm Tour Growing the Commons 2022-03-02 | Here's Cordelia's compost toilets online course: lowimpact.org/categories/compost-toilets/online-courses Here's Cordelia's partner, Chris Smaje, talking about his book 'A Small Farm Future': Here's a review of Chris's book on Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org/posts/review-of-a-small-farm-future-smajeHere's Chris giving advice to anyone wanting to get into farming: lowimpact.org/posts/want-to-be-a-farmer
Conversation with Chris Smaje, author of A Small Farm Future Growing the Commons 2022-03-02 | Chris's book 'A Small Farm Future' is out. Get it here - lowimpact.org/categories/smallholding/books Here's our review: lowimpact.org/posts/review-of-a-small-farm-future-smaje
Pat Conaty - What do we call this new economy? Growing the Commons 2022-03-02 | See part 1 of this interview here - youtube.com/watch?v=l045kn4t8JY&list=PLNNdLYx-Mxhbe_aUBk4PDrDQWEUlWlyMo&index=50 and part 2 here - youtube.com/watch?v=rjJH49ikffw&list=PLNNdLYx-Mxhbe_aUBk4PDrDQWEUlWlyMo&index=48
Is money the root of all evil? Shaun Chamberlin Part 2 Growing the Commons 2022-01-10 | At Lowimpact we’re interviewing people who are working to build a new kind of world. We want to promote what they’re doing, and find ways to work together. This is Part 2 of a conversation with Shaun Chamberlin. Shaun left the board of the Ecological Land Co-op as I joined. He’s been involved with the Transition Network – he wrote the Transition Timeline. His website is Dark Optimism. He took on the work of David Fleming after his death, and produced the wonderful ‘Lean Logic: a dictionary for the future and how to survive it’. In Part 1 we talked about where humanity is headed: youtube.com/watch?v=dtwE14oskjk Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: coming soon. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Dark Optimism: darkoptimism.org Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Introduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/mutual-credit Hhighlights 1. It’s strange that scientists studying the non-human world on this planet are telling us that it’s collapsing under the weight of our economy, but then we’re supposed to cheer when we hear that our economy is growing faster. 2. It’s better not to focus on degrowing the current economy, but in growing the new economy to replace it. 3. We’ve been trained to think of savings and pensions as the way to obtain security – but ultimately, security will be based on relationships and nature.
Where is humanity headed: Shaun Chamberlin of Dark Optimism Growing the Commons 2022-01-04 | At Lowimpact we’re interviewing people who are working to build a new kind of world. We want to promote what they’re doing, and find ways to work together. Today I’m talking with Shaun Chamberlin. Shaun left the board of the Ecological Land Co-op as I joined - https://ecologicalland.coop/He’s been involved with the Transition Network and wrote the Transition Timeline - lowimpact.org/categories/transition/booksHis website is Dark Optimism - darkoptimism.org He took on the work of David Fleming after his death, and produced the wonderful ‘Lean Logic: a dictionary for the future and how to survive it’ - lowimpact.org/categories/new-economy/books You can join his upcoming course, Surviving the Future here - https://www.ce.sterlingcollege.edu/surviving-the-future Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/where-are-we-headed-physics-doesnt-negotiate-shaun-chamberlin. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgHhighlights 1. We face a rift in realism. People on both sides paint themselves as realists – but there seem to be different realities. One reality states that humans are as they are, and unlikely to change, and the other sees ecological and physical reality, and states that unless we change, things will be done to us that will damage us. Physics doesn’t negotiate. 2. Lifestyle change is too small-scale, and if you try to lobby politicians, you get ignored – again, because you’re too small. For me, operating at the community level is most effective – the human scale. It’s large enough to affect your locality and the people who live there, but small enough for your voice to be heard. 3. Movements that catch the zeitgeist have room for people who want to make society better, and people who are preparing for collapse. Nonetheless, the things that it makes sense to do are very similar. They’re not opposing camps. Protecting ecology and community makes sense whatever you think will happen.
Building the new economy with mutual credit in Costa Rica Growing the Commons 2021-11-06 | Here’s a conversation with Emmanuel Savard, co-founder of a group in Costa Rica that’s looking at providing all the essentials of life - food production, housing and energy – for their town via regenerative, non-extractive, sustainable, comm Theirs is a really fascinating project, as it encompasses so many of the 'new economy' ideas that we espouse at Lowimpact. He told me that he's watched all of our video interviews with new economy / mutual credit people, and that he's very interested in setting up trading and investment systems using mutual credit and Chris Cooks's use-credit obligation ideas. Here’s a text oultine of the conversation: lowimpact.org/posts/building-the-new-economy-with-mutual-credit-in-costa-rica Revive Regenerative Systems: revivenosara.com Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.org Introduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/mutual-credit Savings and investments in a mutual credit world: lowimpact.org/saving-investment-mutual-credit-world Credit Commons: http://creditcommons.netGasification: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/gasification Permaculture growing: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/permaculture Rammed earth building: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/rammed-earth-building (not the same as compressed earth bricks, but similar)Solar electricity: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/solar-electricity
Craft production, prices and mutual credit: weaving Growing the Commons 2021-10-09 | This is the third and final part of an interview with weaver and mutual credit enthusiast Eloise Sentito of These Isles, in which we talk about the prices of craft produce, and how mutual credit can help. Part 1 contained advice for anyone considering a career as a weaver - lowimpact.org/career-change-making-a-living-from-weaving Part 2 was about the sustainability of craft production - lowimpact.org/is-craft-production-sustainable Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/posts/craft-production-prices-and-mutual-credit-weaving We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Introduction to mutual credit: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/mutual-credit Introduction to craft production: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/craft Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgThese Isles: weavingtheseisles.wordpress.com Hhighlights 1. If you see a mug or a t-shirt that are suspiciously cheap, you know that someone is getting exploited somewhere – and the environment is getting exploited too. 2. If you’re producing things for this local market as well as consuming things from this local market, you’ll be receiving higher prices as well as paying higher prices. So they cancel each other out – and everyone gets higher-quality, sustainable goods. 3. The mutual credit advantage is that you don’t actually need any money to trade.
Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 3. Caroline Bennett Growing the Commons 2021-10-02 | Here’s the third and final part of my interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of ‘Sole of Discretion’, a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon. We’re talking about how government quotas benefit super-trawlers and disadvantage the small boats. In Part 1 we talked about sustainability and community benefits of buying from small fishing boats, and the barriers that they face - youtube.com/watch?v=FU95sfmnVmkIn Part 2 we talked about the life of small fishing boat skippers - youtube.com/watch?v=E2MaBiqEhEk&t=1sTranscript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/why-we-should-support-small-fishing-boats-over-super-trawlers-part-3 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Introduction to Low-impact seafood: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/craftLowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgSole of Discretion: soleofdiscretion.co.uk Hhighlights 1. The UK fleet is made up of 5,911 boats, 21% of which are more than 10 metres in length, while 79% are 10 metre or smaller – the official ‘small-scale, inshore fishing’ definition, and the boats that Sole of Discretion work exclusively with. In terms of access to fishing rights (quota), the under ten fleet has less than 2% with the larger sector taking the remaining 98% share. 2. The government have this idea that we need scale - that without the giant supermarkets for example, we wouldn't be able to feed ourselves. Of course we'd be able to feed ourselves. We'd have small-scale grocers and butchers and bakers popping up all over the place. 3. My first goal is to allow people to choose not to buy fish from the giant boats, and to support small fishers instead.
Is craft production sustainable? Interview with weaver Eloise Sentito Growing the Commons 2021-09-20 | This is the second article of three with weaver Eloise Sentito of These Isles. In Part 1 (lowimpact.org/career-change-making-a-living-from-weaving) she gave advice for anyone considering a career as a weaver; and part 3 will be about how craft production and mutual credit are a match made in heaven.Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/is-craft-production-sustainable We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Introduction to craft production: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/craftIntroduction to weaving: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/weavingLowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgThese Isles: weavingtheseisles.wordpress.com Hhighlights 1. Fast fashion is one of the worst polluting industries in the world. 2. A fibreshed is a textile catchment area - ideally where the fibres were farmed, where it was milled and spun, woven, the clothes were made and sold - all within the same catchment area. That's a fibreshed. 3. We have a massively centralised system, which is almost a global dictatorship. We're nearly there - a few people controlling everything and the rest of us unable to get out of it.
Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 2. Caroline Bennett Growing the Commons 2021-09-13 | Here's Part 2 of my interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of 'Sole of Discretion', a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon. Here we talk about the life of small fishing boat skippers.In Part 1 (lowimpact.org/why-we-should-support-small-fishing-boats-over-super-trawlers-part-1) we talked about sustainability and community benefits of buying from small fishing boats, and the barriers that they face; and in Part 3 we’ll look at how government quotas benefit super-trawlers and disadvantage the small boats. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/why-we-should-support-small-fishing-boats-over-super-trawlers-part-2 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy And here's an introduction to low-impact seafood: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/seafood Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgSole of Discretion: soleofdiscretion.co.uk Hhighlights 1. We're basically subsidising damaging fisheries. 2. The small boats will keep wealth in communities, while the big boats suck wealth out to pay shareholders. 3. Small fishermen's instinct is to not overfish, but to go home when they've got enough. But when they see these huge super-trawlers sitting at the 6 mile mark, they think that they have to catch more, because tomorrow, all the fish will have been hoovered up by the big boats.
Career change? Making a living from weaving Growing the Commons 2021-09-07 | At Lowimpact.org we’re interested in helping to bring production back to communities, and so we’re talking with craftspeople, smallholders, natural builders, renewables installers and small business owners in our range of topics. I’ll be asking them about their jobs, and for advice for people who might be interested in doing similar things. I’m talking with Eloise, who is a weaver. This is the first of a three-parter. I want to get her: 1. advice for anyone considering a career as a weaver 2. opinions on the sustainability of weaving and craft production 3. ideas about how craft production and mutual credit are a match made in heaven Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/career-change-making-a-living-from-weaving We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgThese Isles: weavingtheseisles.wordpress.comWeaving introduction: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/weavingHighlights 1. I started with a very simple 22 inch table loom, that I'd been given by a housemate. He had an engineering background, and it's funny, because crafts are both art and engineering at the same time. A 22 inch table loom is very simple - just wood, wire and string. Very ecological, and you can pick them up easily on eBay. 2. I learnt from youtube videos, plus a very good book - A Handweaver's Pattern Book - lowimpact.org/books/books_weaving - the Handweaver's Bible. I'm quite practical - I looked at the loom and worked it out, with a bit of help from a friend. (NB if you'd like your hand held a bit more, we have an online course - lowimpact.org/onlinecourse/weaving/). 3. A lot of my customers have modest lifestyles, but they'd rather buy one shawl and have it last a lifetime, than lots of cheap shawls.
Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 1, with Caroline Bennett Growing the Commons 2021-08-31 | Here's Part 1 of our interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of 'Sole of Discretion', a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon. I talk with her about the sustainability and community benefits of buying from small fishing boats, and the barriers that they face. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/why-we-should-support-small-fishing-boats-over-super-trawlers-part-1 In Part 2 we’ll talk more about the life of small fishing boat skippers, and in Part 3 we’ll look at how government quotas benefit super-trawlers and disadvantage the small boats. We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy and low-impact seafood: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/seafood Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgSole of Discretion: soleofdiscretion.co.ukHhighlights 1. Small boats' equipment is so light that they can't do the damage that the bigger boats do; plus there are far fewer discards. 2. The smaller boats are more carbon-efficient too. I always assumed that bigger boats have economies of scale. So per kilo of fish caught, you'd have thought they'd be using less fuel. But actually the complete opposite is true. 3. Then there's the social equality issue as well. The small boats are owned by the skippers, whereas with the large boats, it's distant shareholders; and you know that the localisation of the economy is very important.
Career change? Making a living from making pottery Growing the Commons 2021-07-25 | At Lowimpact.org we’re interested in helping to bring production back to communities, and so we’re going to be talking with craftspeople, smallholders, natural builders, renewables installers and small business owners in our range of topics. I’ll be asking them about their jobs, and for advice for other people who are interested in doing similar things. Here I’m talking with Tom Humphries of the Little Pot Company, about his career in pottery. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/career-change-making-a-living-from-making-pottery We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Here’s an introduction to pottery: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/pottery Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgThe Little Pot Company: thelittlepotcompany.co.uk#greenjobs #greeneconomy #careerchange
Community energy, mutual credit and the mutualist economy Growing the Commons 2021-07-18 | This is part 3 of a conversation with Jon Hallé of Sharenergy, about how energy production can be localised and mutualised. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: coming soon. Here’s part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=Fo7lBqVqobU And part 2: lowimpact.org/keeping-energy-production-local-and-mutualised-jon-halle-of-sharenergy-part-2 We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgSharenergy: https://www.sharenergy.coop/Big Solar Co-op: https://bigsolar.coop/Community energy: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/community-energy Highlights1. Often people I speak with, who I consider ethically-minded, think nothing of taking an Über. It’s not something I want to support. There are still alternatives that we can support.2. With a lot of co-ops, it’s a bit of a leisure thing – they’re not necessarily providing the best service, in the best way. We need to take a look at ourselves and ask why consumers aren’t rushing to us.3. How do we get that message out, that there are alternatives to provide what people need, and make it tangible for them? I still don’t think that work is being done.
Keeping energy production local and mutualised: Jon Hallé of Sharenergy, Part 2 Growing the Commons 2021-07-10 | This is part 2 of a conversation with Jon Hallé of Sharenergy, about how energy production can be localised and mutualised. Transcript of interview, with links to organisations mentioned in the video: lowimpact.org/keeping-energy-production-local-and-mutualised-jon-halle-of-sharenergy-part-2 Here’s part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=Fo7lBqVqobU&t=4s And part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=AWMFgNUJJlk&t=258s We’re interviewing key players in the new economy, to: a) bring their work to a wider audience b) try to find ways to co-ordinate their efforts c) stimulate debated) help to build the new economy.Here’s what we mean by new economy - lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/new-economy Lowimpact.org: lowimpact.orgSharenergy: https://www.sharenergy.coop/Big Solar Co-op: https://bigsolar.coop/Community energy: lowimpact.org/lowimpact-topic/community-energyHighlights 1. There’s effectively a planning ban on onshore wind turbines in England. Only 5 big turbines have got planning permission over the last 5 years. 2. Energy Local have set up some interesting pilots. In Bethesda in North Wales, locals can buy electricity from community hydro for about 9p per unit, rather than 17p per unit from the Grid. So it’s an amazing saving for the locals. 3. The Big Solar Co-op is pretty similar to buying shares in a local Tewkesbury solar co-op, but if something goes wrong with the sites in Tewkesbury, you’re still part of an co-op owning arrays all over the country.
