The Pass It On Network invited Cat Johnson from Shareable, an award-winning nonprofit news, action and connection hub for the emerging sharing transformation, to tell us about this global movement that is impacting ever part of society. She gives us 10 simple, practical examples of how anyone can join in and start making a difference today.
Do you think something as simple as sharing can transform the world? We at Shareable sure do. An award-winning nonprofit news, action and connection hub, Shareable is focused on drawing out, and amplifying, the power of sharing as a transformational, global force for positive change.
This sharing transformation is a many-faceted, non-centralized movement. There are sharing economy companies creating apps and platforms to make sharing more efficient, but there are also countless grassroots, neighborhood-level organizations and projects building community around sharing. These projects include worker-owned cooperatives, seed libraries, food sharing services, public spaces and other commons, participatory budgeting programs, crowdfunding, urban villages, coworking and much, much more.
In addition to telling the stories of sharing organizations, we work to empower people to start their own sharing projects. One of the primary ways we do this is by providing how to articles, which we have hundreds of in our How to Share resource. We’ve gathered up some of our favorites, specifically for the Pass It On Network.
How to Be An Urban Fruit Forager
Delicious foods can be had in the urban environment if you take time to find them. Foragers work a patch with a radius of up to 10km and often swap or purchase their finds.
Foraging for fruit in the city is a fun way to experience (and share) the abundance of nature. A lifelong forager shares her tips for preparing to forage, finding the food, and sharing the bounty.
Mapping local sharing organizations and services is a good way to build community, bring visibility to worthwhile projects, and create a network of sharing economy entities.
How to Host a Great Sharing Event
Reading about exciting things happening in the sharing arena can be inspiring, but the real fun is getting out and connecting with people in-person. Experienced sharing economy organizers offer tips for throwing a great sharing event.
How to Start a Community Currency
Community currencies help neighbors regain control of the flow of money and credit. They keep more resources local, create strong communities, and prioritize justice, community well-being and sustainability over profit.
Farmers markets help build community around fresh food and sustainable agriculture, but not every community is fortunate enough to have one. This is how one group of Bay Area neighbors who joined forces to create their own community farmers market.
How to Throw a Community Swap Meet
At community swap meets, people can barter for music lessons, fresh fruit, massage and more. A community organizer from upstate New York shares her secrets for throwing a successful one.
How to Make Better Decisions Together
Collective decision-making has innumerable rewards. When group members are involved in the decision-making process, there will be less conflict, decisions are more likely to be supported, and people make longer-term commitments to projects.
House concerts are a beautiful way to create community around music. An experienced house concert host shares her tips for creating a memorable and fun one.
Every one of the examples that Cat Johnson has described in her blog could become an innovative program for older adult leaders to organize! I hope that every reader will go to the Shareable.org website and sign up for their free newsletter. Great ideas!