Search for "Lifestyle"
Great Summer Reads: 2017 Edition
Blog | by New Dream | June 2, 2017
Looking for a great summer read? Here’s a list of our favorite recent (or recent to us!) books.... and a few more we're excited to delve into.
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.
Rethinking Plastic, Consumer Choices, and Our Values as Americans
Blog | by Dyaami D’Orazio | September 18, 2019
"We consume to have fun, to fit in, for convenience, to fill the spaces between ourselves and our families...and because the structure of society forces us to."
Living the Dream: Island Minimalist Moira Silva
Blog | by Moira Convey Silva | May 3, 2018
In our latest Living the Dream interview, we talk with Moira Silva, a mother, writer, and teacher, about the joys and challenges of living in a small island community.
Top 10 Best (Free!) Green Apps
Blog | by Sarah Baird | August 8, 2013
Use technology to help go green with our top ten favorite smart phone apps: part two!
Bringing Meaning Back
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | May 30, 2017
New Dream's SoKind registry enables registrants to request meaningful gifts from the heart.
The High Price of Materialism: Further Reading
Custom Pages | January 9, 2018
How to Protect Ourselves by Protecting Each Other
Blog | by Christina Lewis | April 26, 2020
COVID-19 has ripped through our society and exposed us at the seams. Forced to confront glaring discrepancies, we now see how vulnerable our society really is. What will get us through?
The Atlantic: The Joy of No-Gift Christmas
Blog | by Joe Pinsker | December 13, 2018
Raagini Appadurai, a 26-year-old educator and social-justice advocate living in Toronto, told me that her family—her two sisters, her parents, and herself—made a no-gifts pact this year. “When we remove material purchasing and consumption from the table, we are forced to question what we are bringing to [the holiday] instead—individually and collectively,” she said.
Josef Beery: Connecting Community Through Art and Books
Blog | by Lisa Mastny | December 11, 2012
Beery talks with us about his efforts to broaden the dialogue around sharing, simplicity, and community connection.
Why Gift At All? Top 3 Reasons Why People Should Still Use Registries
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | February 25, 2016
A few years ago, when the New Dream staff started tossing around the idea of creating an alternative gift registry, we weren’t all on board. Most of us had an “ick” sort of feeling when it came to registries. Traditional registries can sometimes come across as a bit tacky or even greedy. Plus, New Dream is an organization dedicated to shifting the ways that people consume—so why were we jumping into an industry dominated by big-box stores hawking more stuff? Wouldn’t we be encouraging people to create more waste and clutter? Read on to learn the top three reasons we were convinced that registries (and gifting) are still important.
The Balance: What Is the American Dream Today?
Blog | by Kimberly Amadeo | October 29, 2018
The Center for a New American Dream envisions "... a focus on more of what really matters, such as creating a meaningful life, contributing to community and society, valuing nature, and spending time with family and friends."
Let's Get to Know Our Towns and Neighbors
Blog | 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.
Guest Registry: Curated by Jen Boulden
Blog | by Jen Boulden, Host of JenBTV.com | February 12, 2015
In the Guest Registry series, SoKind asks our friends and supporters about their favorite SoKind gift ideas. The result? A collection of creative and inspiring guest registries! Enjoy.
Excerpt: The Art of Frugal Hedonism
Blog | 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."