Search for "Living the dream"
The High Price of Materialism: Further Reading
Custom Pages | January 9, 2018
Want to Change Your Life? Change How You Consume
Blog | by Chris LaPlante | June 6, 2017
Take Back Your Time's Chris LaPlante describes the pitfalls of consumerism and explains why we can all benefit from cutting back.
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.
Beyond the Lion’s Den: Mapping a More Meaningful Family Holiday
Blog | by Shara Drew | October 12, 2017
New Dream's Shara Drew describes her quest to create a different kind of holiday tradition for her family—one that has nothing to do with "stuff."
Community in Action Challenge: Build Connections
Blog | 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!
Give What Matters—Your Loved Ones Will Appreciate It
Blog | by Edna Rienzi | September 2, 2015
Read an excerpt from Rachel Macy Stafford's (also know as the Hands Free Mama) beautifully written new book, and learn how her daughter Natalie taught her to let go of societal expectations and her perfectionist tendencies and give the gifts that really matter in life.
Northwest Earth Institute: How to Enjoy the Holidays with Less Stress and Less Stuff
Blog | by Deb McNamara | November 20, 2017
Our friends at New Dream have created a variety of resources designed to help people escape the shopping, spending, and frenzied preparations that have become synonymous with the winter holidays.
Building Community in a California Suburb, One Project at a Time
Blog | 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.
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.
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.
New Dream Evolves: The Future Beyond Overconsumption
Blog | by New Dream | June 13, 2018
New Dream is ramping up our collaboration with young people to engage them more directly in our efforts to tackle excess consumerism, build community, and improve overall well-being.
What You Want From New Dream: Key Themes and Messages on Equity and Consumption
Blog | January 14, 2019
New Dreamers share their thoughts about the connections between consumerism, class, and race; our new focus on equity and consumption; and what you’d like to see from New Dream in the future.
How to Stage a Clothes Swap
Blog | by Regan McMahon, courtesy of Shareable.net | July 25, 2011
At these friendly social gatherings, one person’s discard is another one’s treasure.
5 Action Steps to Change Kids’ Screen Time
Blog | by Shara Drew | May 15, 2018
Here are five steps you can take to help make childhood what it should be for kids: filled with play, quality time with caring adults, and exploration in the natural world.