Ideas

A few interesting items for your consideration.

Bioregionalism: Coming home to place, connection, and mutuality

Bioregionalism is a philosophy that empowers improved coordination to address the polycrisis in ways that are hopeful, sustainable, democratic, and grounded in place, culture and ecology. Rather than abstract political boundaries, bioregionalism calls for the recognition of natural boundaries and ecosystems, along with human culture and inhabitation patterns, as the foundation for governance and economy. In doing so, bioregionalism encourages the developed world to reevaluate the way we organize ourselves and relate to each other and our place.

Humanity needs positive, long term futures, now

If humanity, even a small part of it, is unable to envision positive futures to guide our lives and actions, we're unlikely to ever live them.  We must break free from this downward spiral of negativity and shift our societal perspective on the future.  By allowing ourselves to dream beyond perceived limitations, we open the door to possibilities. Imagination, freed from constraints, plants the seed for potential positive futures.

Koyaanisqatsi: Seeing and feeling a life out of balance

“Koyaanisqatsi,” a Hopi word meaning “life out of balance.” The developed world suffers from an impoverished worldview. Our stories blind us to the humbling truth that humans are but a single thread in the vibrant fabric of life's vast tapestry. Without the deep meaning and “awe”-some knowing derived from understanding our interdependence with nature, we are living a life out of balance.

#CivicTech Primer: Uncharted territory

Civictech is a new(ish) sector focused expressly on the public good. This definition opens countless roads for exploration, and yet many are not currently taken. Radical innovation hasn’t disrupted voting, political discourse or wealth structures. Say what you will about the cult of disruption, I am optimistic that the civic tech movement will improve our public sphere.

#CivicTech Primer: What is civic tech?

Here in the Second Great Internet Bubble, we’ve come to accept Marc Andreessen’s maxim that “software is eating the world.” The evidence is outstanding for sectors like retail, social, finance and entertainment. And as you read this, software is quickly devouring many more sectors and systems, from transportation to health…

Building Community for Better Cities at CityCampSF

(Cross posted from the CivicMakers blog.) What happens when you gather local officials, city staff, entrepreneurs, designers, developers, journalists and citizens in a room for one day, and ask for their best ideas to improve their communities? You get CityCamp – a lot of excitement, a little chaos, plenty of…

A labor of love: Do the Wiggle!

Today is May Day. A time for celebration, for new beginnings. The start of my birth month. The start of Bike to Work Month. All in all, a terribly fitting time to share with the world my labor of love for the past year. Ladies and gents, I present to…

EcoFinder & Regional Recycling Database Project

The EcoFinder web service provides local recycling, reuse and disposal information for residents and businesses. Data is available via a web form, and iPhone app and an XML data feed.  EcoFinder home page: www.sfenvironment.org/EcoFinder EcoFinder XML Feed Documentation EcoFinder iPhone app Additionally, I have assembled a group of local agencies to…