The Mesh - Lisa Gansky [69]
http://www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com
Ragamuffin Cooking Club: Small community of food enthusiasts who schedule regular potlucks.
http://ragamuffincooking.blogspot.com
The Big Lunch: Once a year, people in the U.K. sit down to lunch with their neighbors—a simple but profound act of community.
http://www.thebiglunch.com
The Pet Food Bank: Supplies food to animal rescues.
http://www.thepetfoodbank.com
Your Pure Beehive: Consumers purchase a tenth of a beehive and provide funds to sustain two hectares of native forest in New Zealand.
http://c10.yourpurehoney.com
GARDENING
As people flock to dense urban areas, many are challenged by the prospect of growing their own food without ample land for gardening. Mesh businesses offer a possible solution by connecting landless gardeners to homeowners with unused plots that are ripe for land sharing. Other Mesh businesses in this category arrange seed and vegetable swaps through online exchange platforms.
In early 2009, an organization called Landshare observed an excess of underused or forgotten land in the U.K. It soon realized that some of it could be cultivated for vegetables and fruit. So Landshare set out to connect would-be growers with people who have available land, uniting those in the U.K. who have a passion for homegrown food. To “get growing,” Landshare helps you create a profile, post a listing that states where you are and what you have to offer, and get connected. Since Landshare’s launch in April 2009, nearly 50,000 members have already signed on.
GardenWeb Plant Exchange: Online forum for trading plants, cuttings, and bulbs.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/explant
Grow and Share: Provides assistance to homeowners willing to start or expand their own gardens in order to share produce with those in need.
http://www.growandshare.org/?p=420
Landshare: Online platform where landowners, growers, or helpers can advertise their offerings.
http://www.landshare.net
Philly Garden Swap: Promotes local cooperation for the beautification of Philadelphia by providing homeowners with a free forum for exchanging garden plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs.
http://www.phillygardenswap.org
Seedy People: Online seed swap.
http://seedypeople.co.uk
The Fernwood Commons: Aims to connect gardeners without land to garden owners needing help for the purpose of growing food organically in Fernwood and Oaklands, British Columbia.
http://thevillagevibe.ning.com/ group/sharinggardens
Urban Garden Share: Matches homeowners with unused garden space to gardeners.
http://www.urbangardenshare.org
Wasatch Community Gardens: Empowers people in Salt Lake City, Utah, to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food.
http://wasatchgardens.org
WWOOF: Worldwide network that links people who want to volunteer on organic farms with people who are looking for volunteer help.
http://wwoof.org
yours2share: Provides information about landsharing.
http://www.yours2share.com/fractional-info/landshare .shtmlI
GOODS SWAP
Mesh businesses reduce the stress that buy-and-throw-away companies exert on natural resources by keeping usable goods in circulation. Goods swaps or barter exchange platforms enable consumers to trade unwanted goods or services for those they do want. While some platforms encourage direct, good-for-good swaps, others are managed by point systems. Free classified listings enable community members to arrange and negotiate trades among themselves as well.
Kashless is a new kind of marketplace where everything is free. Its goal is to connect those who want to give things away with those who are looking for gently used, free stuff. From antique furniture to barbeques, dirt to mealworms, Kashless listings never stop surprising, or delighting, members of the marketplace. Kashless members can browse listings in over 110 U.S. metro areas by neighborhood or category and receive a tax deduction after contributing