Challenge Intro: Protecting and enhancing commons

When commons are endangered is when we realize their value. With natural resources growing scarce and the remaining ones growing expensive, we are living on our own skin the effects of poor management of both commons and our private goods; so new approaches are needed, not just to protect the ecosystem, but to make our lives and our communities’ easier.

This is a mission pinning down innovative ideas to help protect and re-create commons, and be efficient in collectively using them.

  • Identify an initiative to build a commons in your city and tell us about it. Is there collaboration involved? What value does it bring to the community? How is it sustainable?

Hint: In the new sharing economy, the focus is not so much on ownership, but on access to resources. Here is what others are already doing to raise awareness or actively enable commons, generally in a collective manner:

www.shareable.net - Online magazine promoting an economy based on the value of sharing

http://meshing.it – Online inventory that connects users with businesses, enabling access to cheap goods and services at any given moment

Car sharing – A form of collaborative consumption helping to save money from ownership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Co-housing initiative in Milan – A 32 apartment building hosting 12 families practically living together at lower costs

Couch surfing – Travel community and multicultural network of people offering hospitality to one another for free

http://www.bagborroworsteal.com –Online shop that makes it possible to rent designer accessories at very low rates

###Count me in! How do I participate?

It’s easy! submit your contribution by clicking on the “DO THIS MISSION NOW” button look up to your right on this page.This will open a WYSIWYG editor where you can write about your experiences.

If you´re not already signed in to the Edgeryders platform you can do it here.

Like all missions, this one is worth 250 reputation, but extra points are awarded for great content.

Start now! Or get the bigger picture on Caring for commons.