Helping Your Kids Embrace a “More Fun, Less Stuff” Holiday

Blog   |   by Edna Rienzi   |   November 7, 2017

New Dream's Edna Rienzi shares six tips for how she gets her family on board with a simpler, yet more meaningful, holiday season.

Top 10 SoKind Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Blog   |   by Edna Rienzi   |   April 15, 2014

I certainly can’t speak for every mother out there, but my informal survey of mom friends and family members seems to indicate that what most of us want for Mother’s Day this year cannot be contained in a box or bought at a store.

Helping Communities Think Systemically: An Interview with Eleanor Sterling

Blog   |   by Lisa Mastny   |   January 19, 2012

Sterling talks about the need for “big-picture” thinking to address the world’s most pressing environmental and conservation challenges.

Real Celebration: Toronto Neighbors Rally Together to Sponsor A Syrian Refugee Family

Blog   |   by Edna Rienzi   |   December 9, 2015

In the Real Celebrations series, SoKind asks registry users to share a bit about their celebrations. Read about how a group of strangers in Toronto are using SoKind to support a refugee family and strengthen their neighborhood community along the way.

Weaving a Sustainable Future: An Interview with Gay Nicholson

Blog   |   by Lisa Mastny   |   October 13, 2011

The founder of Sustainable Tompkins in New York State talks about how she's helped her community lay the groundwork for sustainability.

Community Building Through Peacemaking Circles — and Dinner

Blog   |   by Jessica Laus   |   June 26, 2018

Community dinners bring people together as equals in order to have honest, and at times difficult, exchanges in an atmosphere of concern and respect for all.

How to Host an Unforgettable Party

Blog   |   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.

Lessons Learned from a Low-Waste Party

Blog   |   by Shara Drew   |   September 12, 2018

When New Dream's Shara Drew moved her family to Maine, she took on the challenge of hosting a low-waste party for friends and family. Here are some lessons learned.

Neighborhood Challenge

Custom Pages   |   December 21, 2017

How We Started a Holiday Share Faire to Build Local Resilience and Create Community

Blog   |   by Rani Jayakumar   |   November 17, 2017

Learn how one California group is boosting local resilience and strengthening community ties by sharing stuff, skills, memories, and stories.

New Dream Staff Picks: Books We Love

Blog   |   by Lisa Mastny   |   April 11, 2012

New Dream staff share their picks for the most inspirational books they've read on topics of consumerism, parenting, and work-life balance.

Save Money and Go Green by Sharing and Reusing Kids' Stuff

Blog   |   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. 

Starting a Tool Library: Inspiration and Insights from Baltimore’s Station North

Blog   |   by John Shea and Piper Watson   |   March 8, 2013

An innovative new tool library is opening its doors in an urban neighborhood that's ripe for a renaissance. Here's the story of how it came about.

Spirit of Change Magazine: 15 Tips For Commercial-Free, Fun-Filled Family Holidays

Blog   |   by Shara Drew   |   December 1, 2017

If you want to make this year’s holidays more meaningful, memorable, and rejuvenating for your family, these 15 tips will help you opt out of the commercial hype and create a truly special celebration for your kids.

Activism in a Place Where Eco Isn’t the Norm

Blog   |   by Christine Kane   |   October 18, 2018

Retiree and New Dreamer Chris Kane shares some of her strategies for being an eco-activist in her adopted home state of Florida.