We’d like to see the commons economy grow to allow people (especially young people) to stay in their communities, rather than having to move to big cities to work in the corporate sector and pay extortionate rents. Here, Paul Jennings (who we’re liaising with about the commons in Llandeilo) talks about the concept of ‘Restanza’…
I’d heard of friendly societies – small groups of local people who would put some money into a shared pot every week, and use it to look after families when the breadwinner was unable to work, for any reason. I thought that these little local insurance schemes were socially useful, but marginal. I was wrong.…
We’re following the exploits of Stroud Commons, in trying to build a commons economy for the town, and helping groups to launch in other towns. As well as a core group, there are now groups forming for various sectors of the economy, including housing, energy, land/food/water, community spaces – and now, climbing!
part 2 of an interview (see video below for more details – well worth it!) 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.
This is the latest on our group’s attempts to build the commons economy in Stroud, in a way that can be implemented in other towns, and connected together to build the foundations of a new, commons economy. It covers what we’ve done so far, and how people can get involved.
Housing is the ‘rock’ on which the commons economy can be built. Everybody needs it, it’s non-technical and it’s in a mess. Last year, my wife and I were selling a house in London and moving to Stroud. We were hearing stories from people in their 30s that we knew in London about the impossibility…