Imagine a better country, a better world for our
children and their children. Imagine helping to
build a new future, based on renewable energy,
efficient transportation, and flexible, local alternatives
for manufacturing and agriculture, along with
improved opportunities for everyone through
innovative approaches to education and higher
levels of community participation.
The challenge is so enormous that the work itself
is hard to imagine. Yet I believe that makers offer
one of the best hopes for the future. Makers have
the knowledge and skills paired with the energy and
enthusiasm to lead the way. The time to start is
now, to do something, however small, at home or
in our local community. Together, we’ll begin to
make considerable progress on this giant, multi-generational DIY project, which we’re calling
ReMake America: Building a Sustainable Future.
In this spirit, here are some ideas to consider as
first steps in the right direction. —Dale Dougherty
MAKE THINGS » Make things that other people need. » Make things so that
you don’t need to buy them. » Start a business that employs people making
things. » Make things closer to where they’ll be used. » Repair things instead
of replacing them. » Harvest usable components from devices and redeploy them.
» Get to know your local salvage yard and recycling center.
ENERGY USAGE » Buy or build a home energy monitor that lets you see how
much energy you use. » Conserve energy by understanding how much you really
need to use. » Share your own energy use data. » Unplug what you don’t use.
» Use more energy-efficient lighting systems. » Use low-tech solutions like the
clothesline when appropriate. » Take advantage of sunlight to warm your house
and dry your clothes. » Experiment with generating energy at home, such as
solar and wind power. » Use solar energy to heat water. » Weatherize your home,
repairing or replacing old windows.
TRANSPORTATION » Get your bike in working order. » Invent ways to make
riding bikes on roads safer for more people. » Consider how cellphones and the
web can make public transportation and carpools more convenient to use. » Map
the routes you travel frequently and share with others at work. » Walk when you
can. » Use your car less. » Try or buy electric vehicles. » Monitor your usage of
gasoline; it’s a precious resource. » Drive slower to save gas. » Work from home.
FOOD & WATER » Grow your own food. » Experiment with different methods
of growing what you need. » Cook your own food. » Raise chickens and give
them your food scraps. » Know the land you live on. » Compost and create
richer soil. » Use worms to create new soil. » Monitor your water usage.
» Collect rainwater and reuse it in the landscape.
LEARNING » Learn new skills and teach others what you know. » Engage your
kids, and kids in your community, in DIY projects. » Create a place to work on
projects. » Embrace failure. Failure is part of learning. » Encourage curiosity and
self-directed learning. » Promote hands-on projects in schools and after-school
programs. » Form ad-hoc groups to share knowledge and resources.
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