The New Dream Blog
In our blog, we feature stories, tips, and commentary from contributors around the world on topics ranging from
consumerism and parenting to how to live a fuller life with less. Enjoy!
Interested in contributing a guest post? Please review our submission guidelines.
Want to Change the World? Focus on Partnership Rather Than Domination
by Riane Eisler | April 9, 2018
Dr. Eiser suggests that the best way to overcome conventional divides between right and left, religious and secular, is to focus on partnership systems based on mutuality and caring.
Community in Action Challenge: Share With Others
April 3, 2018
Sharing frees us from having to earn, buy, and consume ever more stuff, reducing our debt and our environmental impact—all while strengthening relationships with our neighbors.
Save Money and Go Green by Sharing and Reusing Kids' Stuff
by Shara Drew | April 3, 2018
New Dream's Shara Drew offers tips on ways to share our kids’ things, providing great opportunities to help our children learn the value of reusing and making do.
Top 10 Neighborhood Platforms for Connecting and Collaborating
by New Dream | April 3, 2018
Inspired by a lively conversation in our Community in Action Facebook Group, we’ve put together a list of the various platforms you can use to communicate with your neighbors.
Building Community in a California Suburb, One Project at a Time
by Wen Lee | April 3, 2018
Former New Dream staffer Wen Lee shares how she’s building community in her California suburb, one project at a time.
The Activist Roots of Mother's Day
by Michele | April 3, 2018
The ways in which we’ve chosen to celebrate are not only hyper-commercialized and impersonal, but a far cry from the values underlying the origins of the day.
Community in Action Challenge: Build Connections
March 12, 2018
Let's consider reaching out to make new (or newly energized) connections in our neighborhoods or workplaces. Take our challenge to learn fun ways to do this!
How to Host an Unforgettable Party
by Michelle Damiani | March 7, 2018
Learn how one Charlottesville resident organized an unforgettable party around soup, designed to celebrate, honor, and support the diverse strands of her community.
Excerpt: The Art of Frugal Hedonism
by New Dream | March 5, 2018
Looking for a way to save money (and the world), inoculate yourself against many of the ills of modern life, and enjoy everything more? Try "frugal hedonism."
Let's Get to Know Our Towns and Neighbors
by Bea Echeverria | February 28, 2018
New Dreamer Bea Echeverria offers insight into how she built a small network of acquaintances in her new home country and eventually found her community.
May My Children Be Givers
by Bellamy Shoffner | February 7, 2018
Bellamy Shoffner, editor of the online magazine Hold the Line, shares an eye-opening experience that led her to deepen her social justice work and step up her family's efforts to give more to their community.
The Value of Reducing Children's Screen Time: An Interview with Jean Rogers
February 6, 2018
Jean discusses how screen-time overuse is affecting kids' social-emotional and physical health, and provides tips for parents seeking to reduce screen time.
10 Great Books to Teach Your Kids About Consumerism
by New Dream | February 6, 2018
Shara Drew, the director of New Dream's Kids & Commercialism campaign, reviews two recent children’s books that deal with the topic of consumerism in a way that's impactful and fun, and also suggests eight more oldies but goodies.
Real Celebration: Nature Brings Surprises to a Montana Wedding
February 6, 2018
SoKind user Holly C. offers some lessons from her recent wedding experience, including that “keeping it simple” can be harder than expected.