The Envienta project has recently come to my attention – it is a ‘connect the dots’ type initiative which aims to collect various forms of open source technology to make up an entire lifestyle based on low-cost modular solutions and open knowledge. They are clearly inspired by Jeremy Rifkin’s ‘Zero Marginal Cost Society‘ hypothesis, and – I would suspect – the Zeitgeist movement, talking about how ‘we must return to a harmonic, stable, science-based, inherently sustainable socioeconomic model.’
From their blog:
“We figured out a new lifestyle, focusing on households. A laterally scaled socioeconomic model begins at the tiniest piece of our society: the individuals and the families. To make our model time and cost-effective, we bring domestic developments under one roof.
In modern times – especially in large cities – to get food and water, energy, household objects, furniture and so on, in a reliable form subject to a lot of conditions. ENVIENTA was born as a Do it Yourself, community-based solution package for the 21st century, which provides share of know-how, resources, products, food and water for the members.
And as an open source model, it offers business plans to anyone for free, as well as full transparency.”
There is a very slick (possibly too slick IMO) video about the project:
And they have a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe which I suggest is worth supporting. If a mainstream-oriented project like this can help to spread the word about integrating open source design and technology into our daily lives, it could be an important initiative. More about what they plan to do with the crowdfunding income:
“On our new website we’ll share the open source planning process, with version tracking. Searchable building techniques, collaborating experts, constructors, 3D printer hubs according to your location, all of these, with calculating the cost of your investments will be available on mobile, to propose the lists of available solutions in your region. It can be also a project organizer for groups. With the help of our new website and mobile application we build a maker movement – a community from innovative experts to bring commons-based peer-production into reality by building and managing ENVIENTA project centers around the world.”
Very interesting inciative. We share in our blog in Spain. Good luck !