Resilience

Permablitz Designers' Guide

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:36:49 GMT

Over the last couple of years we've developed some guidebooks for the people variously involved in running permablitzes: the designers, the facilitators, the hosts, and the photographer/reporters. They are all works-in-progress and constantly being updated.

Each is licensed under Creative Commons copyright laws so you are free to edit them for your local groups' use. You can download editable copies here.

How To Start A Tool Library (or any other lending library)

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:10:42 GMT

Would you like to start a lending library in your neighborhood, but aren’t sure what it would take? Or maybe you’re concerned about the liability of loaning tools out that people can cut their fingers off with? It’s not as difficult or as scary as you might think, and the documents in this starter kit show you how to lose your fear, but not your fingers.

Start Your Own Food Rescue

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:53:45 GMT

Do you want to rescue food in your community? Awesome! We can help. We’ve made a guidebook that walks you through the steps of starting a bike-powered food rescue.

WEBINAR: How to Start a Babysitting Co-op

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:52:27 GMT

Childcare doesn't have to be frustrating or expensive.

Why not start a babysitting co-op in your neighborhood? Watch this free webinar to learn how!

Effective Groups Toolkit

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:14:40 GMT

Practical tools to help people create groups and organisations that are more effective, enjoyable and successful.

Economy sandwich

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:58:27 GMT

Sharing, cooperation, DIY, and the local economy are all wonderful, but they operate in some interesting legal grey areas.

Toward Sustainable Communities

Fri, 31 May 2013 11:53:46 GMT

The need to make our communities sustainable is more urgent than ever before. Toward Sustainable Communities remains the single most useful resource for creating vibrant, healthy, equitable, economically viable places. This comprehensive update of the classic text presents a leading-edge overview of sustainability in a new fully-illustrated, full-color format.

Time Trade Circle

Tue, 28 May 2013 13:43:57 GMT

What if you joined a bank where you deposited hours, instead of money?

TEDxManhattan - Brian Halweil: From New York to Africa, Why Food is Saving the World

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:35:48 GMT

Brian Halweil, publisher of Edible Manhattan, was on track to become a doctor until he realized that repairing the global food system could help to conserve people’s health and wellbeing more. Halweil believes that the local food movement is a truly powerful medicine.  

Designing a Resilient Community

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:36:46 GMT

Students participate in project-based learning over several days as they assess their community's ability to respond to crises that threaten both natural and human systems. Then they develop ideas for redesigning their community to be more resilient.

Stories of the Great Turning

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:31:56 GMT

Here is a book of stories written by people who decided to act, in their own lives, in response to the challenges of our time, and found their own way to make a difference. They are not stories about celebrities or gurus of the environmental movement but honest accounts from people who share a concern for the world we live in and who, in the words of one of the contributors, “just got on with it".

Share Spray: A New Way To Do Everything

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:04:22 GMT

With creativity, charm, and a bit of fun, Share Spray explores how sharing could transform our lives and neighborhoods.

The Five Stages of Collapse: Survivors' Toolkit

Thu, 09 May 2013 20:51:17 GMT

A user's guide to economic, political, social and cultural collapse by Dmitry Orlov

The Art of Hosting: Exploring a Framework for Working with Complexity

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:51:03 GMT

This TeleSeminar will explore the Cynefin framework, a model used to help organizations and communities make good decisions and create useful actions especially when working with complexity.

Starting a Community Garden

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:37:14 GMT

There are many ways to start a community garden. Whether you're working with friends, neighbors, or a local organization, there are many things you'll want to consider before you ever dig the first hole. This fact sheet is designed to give many different groups the basic information they need to get their gardening project off the ground.

Arguing for Our Lives: A User's Guide to Constructive Dialog

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:34:57 GMT

We live in a time when public discourse is more skewed than ever by the propaganda that big money can buy, with trust in the leadership of elected officials at an all-time low. The "news" has degenerated into sensationalist sound bites, and the idea of debate has become a polarized shouting-match that precludes any meaningful discussion.

State of the World 2013: Is Sustainability Still Possible?

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:24:27 GMT

Every day, we are presented with a range of “sustainable” products and activities—from “green” cleaning supplies to carbon offsets—but with so much labeled as “sustainable,” the term has become essentially sustainababble, at best indicating a practice or product slightly less damaging than the conventional alternative. Is it time to abandon the concept altogether, or can we find an accurate way to measure sustainability? If so, how can we achieve it? And if not, how can we best prepare for the coming ecological decline?

VIDEO: Local Entrepreneur Showcase

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:13:08 GMT

In this video, New Dream highlights an Entrepreneur Showcase hosted by Seacoast Local in Portsmouth, NH.

VIDEO: Organizing a Cash Mob

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:11:41 GMT

Join New Dream as we visit a cash mob for a local shop in Roanoke, VA.

How To Manual for The Gross National Happiness Index

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:54:21 GMT

A quick how to guide for using The Gross National Happiness Index for transformation of our economy and society.

Starting a Community Orchard in North Dakota

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:16:00 GMT

Community orchards are growing all across America today. These orchards are being established by local organizations looking to beautify their land and grow healthful food for their people.

Staying Green and Growing Jobs: Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance as Career Pathway Stepping Stones

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:04:42 GMT

The operations and maintenance of green infrastructure represents a significant opportunity to create entry-level jobs in the green sector for individuals from disadvantaged communities. In the coming years, thousands of new green infrastructure projects will be installed throughout the country. They will require a workforce trained to maintain and monitor the projects.

San Francisco: Reclaiming Streets With Innovative Solutions

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:56:29 GMT

Tom Radulovich, the executive director of the local non-profit Livable City, describes the recent livable streets achievements in San Francisco as "tactical urbanism" -- using low-cost materials like paint and bollards to reclaim street space.

Honeycomb Kids

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:41:45 GMT

Including more than 300 practical ideas and activities, Honeycomb Kids is a book with two priceless benefits: not only does it help you prepare your children for an uncertain tomorrow, it also helps you shift to a better family life for today.

Closing the Loop: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Creating Green Jobs Through Zero Waste in B.C.

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:29:32 GMT

This study aims to address the core problem: a culture of consumption and an economic system that is wasteful and that contributes to climate change. It looks at the possibilities for reducing both solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining a high quality of life from the products and services we use.