About The Commons

About
The Commons

The Commons: a first stop shop for concerned citizens, researchers, students, policy makers, entrepreneurs, investors or social activists interested in quickly getting a feel for world sustainability issues, views and developments from an unbiased critical perspective. An Open Society Initiative we invite unencumbered public discussion complex thinking about these complex issues which are loaded with internal contradictions and major divergences of views and priorities.

What sets us apart from the rest?

There are plenty of fine programs and sites out there in various corners working on issues of sustainability, and for a pretty fair overview identifying literally hundreds each of which sawing away at the own corner of the greater challenges, we invite you to click the World Resources link on the menu. That's the context where we try to fit in and do our bit here at The Commons.

The Commons, as we put it with only half a grin, has been created to go beyond talk and is dedicated to: "Increasing the uncomfort zone for hesitant administrators, industrialists, and politicians; pioneering and supporting new concepts for activists, community groups, entrepreneurs and business; and through our joint efforts, energy and personal choices, placing them and ourselves firmly on the path to a more sustainable and more just society." In other words, a thorn in the side of the inertia and entrenched intersts that are locking us into unsustainability and its pretty rotten concomitants.

Here are some of the kinds of approaches which we feel are called for in what we regard as a very high emergency situation.

Tools

Starting from here you will find many tools that will help you access many of the programs that are currently going on in many corners of the world, each of which are working hard to make their much-needed contribution.

We are team workers and ready to add our efforts to yours in the name of sustainability and social justice in any corner of this beleaguered planet. Click Collaborative Initiatives on the top/side menus, or Contact or Direct Access below to talk it over or know more.

Oops.

As one of our friends has put it: "the content rich & important site … that I'd want to frequently reference and use". That's nice, but that's not all. He also wrote: "I find that this (The Commons et al) is generally and sadly one of the least-satisfactory-to-use sites that I'd want to frequently reference and use". Now that's a challenge and let me at least comment briefly.

Our friend was coming in with a Mac and using Firefox as his browser. Apparently this is not a good combination. For one reason or another and for now at least, the best way to view and work with this site is via PC technology and Internet Explorer (Firefox actually works quite well for us with only a few glitches, but that's just us.) Even at best the site is still encumbered by its JavaScript menu and a few other odds and ends which make it not as easily accessible as we would like it to be. The reason: lacing the means and times to do better, basically we are still using the tools and technologies that we started with a decade ago. It is time for a thorough-going overhaul, and we much want to get to it. In the meantime, be patient. There is a great deal you can work with here even in this primitive and at times cumbersome form. And in fact, if you want to lend a hand, well this is the right place to get in touch.

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