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The Commons

Becoming stewards of our social, cultural, and natural heritage.

At Last, a Human Right to Water At Last, a Human Right to Water
by Daniel Moss
Good news for thirsty people around the globe: The UN affirms the right to safe and clean drinking water.
When Couches Become Communities When Couches Become Communities
by David Bollier
Venturesome travelers are using the web—and the couches of strangers—to create an international gift economy of hospitality.
Better Than Facebook? Better Than Facebook?
by David Bollier
Fed up with Facebook's commercialism, four NYU students have created an open source, peer-to-peer alternative: Diaspora.
10 Ways Our World is Becoming More Shareable 10 Ways Our World is Becoming More Shareable
by Neal Gorenflo, Jeremy Adam Smith
We're sharing more things, more deeply, with more people. Why sharing is the answer to some of today's biggest questions.
Dry Run: Bostonians Learn to Appreciate Clean Water Dry Run: Bostonians Learn to Appreciate Clean Water
by Chuck Collins
On May 1st, Bostonians got a remarkable glimpse of our water commons and how we might respond to future disruptions.
City Repair in Action City Repair in Action
Photo essay: City Repair helps people organize, design, and implement new, people-friendly visions for their communities—and reclaim the notion of “neighborhood” in the process. Here’s a collection of their best work.
Building the World We Want: Interview with Mark Lakeman Building the World We Want: Interview with Mark Lakeman
by Brooke Jarvis
Interview with the co-founder of the City Repair Project, a Portland group that helps neighbors turn public spaces into gathering places.
Transforming Space Into Place Transforming Space Into Place
Video: Is the shortest distance between two points all that life is about? City Repair doesn't think so. They're helping people imagine and create lively public spaces—starting with your local intersection.
The Village Building Convergence The Village Building Convergence
Portland, Ore. is the home of the Village Building Convergence, an annual event that draws on the power and creativity of neighbors to build the places they'd like to live.
5 Ways to Stand Up for Fairer Taxes 5 Ways to Stand Up for Fairer Taxes
by Chuck Collins
How can we protect public services while stopping the "Great Tax Shift" from corporations and the wealthy to the middle class and small businesses?
Solidarity as Economic System Solidarity as Economic System
by Beverly Bell
In Haiti, sharing communities are proving more shock-proof in the wake of disaster than market-based economies.
Elinor Ostrom Wins Nobel for Common(s) Sense Elinor Ostrom Wins Nobel for Common(s) Sense
by Fran Korten
Elinor Ostrom was an unusual choice for the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
8 Keys to a Successful Commons 8 Keys to a Successful Commons
by Elinor Ostrom
Advice on how to govern our commons by Nobel winner Elinor Ostrom.
We Won't Bow Down We Won't Bow Down
by Rebecca Solnit
The tradition of Carnival teaches us that resistance to the status quo can be a pleasure and an adventure.
Have Yourself a Commons Holiday Have Yourself a Commons Holiday
by Jay Walljasper
The holidays are the one time of the year when American domesticity expands beyond the narrow circle of the nuclear family of mom, dad, and the kids—when we take a step in the direction of commoning.
No Need to Wait (or Pay) for Climate Technology No Need to Wait (or Pay) for Climate Technology
by David Bollier
Did you think most clean energy technology is locked up by patent holders? The Global Innovation Commons lists thousands of energy-saving technologies already in the public domain.
Giving Thanks for What We Share Giving Thanks for What We Share
by Jay Walljasper
The sharing ethic of the commons is woven into American traditions.
The Victory of the Commons The Victory of the Commons
by Jay Walljasper
Nobel Prize-winning economist Elinor Ostrom proved that people can—and do—work together to manage commonly held resources without degrading them.
One World, One Web One World, One Web
by Nathaniel James
On OneWebDay, people worldwide celebrate the democratizing power of the Internet by working to give everyone fast, affordable access to the Web.
Udaipur Hands Down Skills Udaipur Hands Down Skills
by Lynsi Burton
Shikshantar believes anyone can be a teacher and when people collaborate, they can develop a “culture of learning.”
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