Co-operative Community

Making use of resources in the neighborhood

Do you have too much “stuff” but never the item/tool you need? Reluctant to buy another item you may only use once or twice? Why not borrow? We occasionally see a request on our Cherryhill Google Group, or Nextdoor, to borrow an item.

Let’s find a way to make this a sustainable practice in Cherryhill. One way to do this would be to create a list of items within the neighborhood we could share when requested.

Activities & Challenges

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Visit a Little Free Library (FAMILY/KIDS).
    Take a family walk around Cherryhill and explore any of the Little Free Libraries, which are community book-sharing outdoor cupboards. (Optional: Take a book to donate.) The locations are:
    • 1062 Valley Forge Dr.
    • 1236 Elderberry Dr. (also includes a Seed Library)
    • 1125 Robin Way
    Use the Activities Submission Form to let us know which ones you visited; we’ll randomly draw 2 winners to receive a 30-day Go Green Challenge Set (tear off one per day for 30 days)
  2.  Check out local libraries for non-book items to borrow.
    Did you know Sunnyvale Library has a collection of non-book items to loan? Check them out at Sunnyvale, CA-Unique Collections

    Other local libraries have their own collections:
    • City of Santa Clara
    • City of Mountain View – Seed Library

    Take a look at what is available at our libraries. Use the Activities Submission Form to

    A) Let us know what is available that interests you
    B) Tell us what you think the Sunnyvale Library could include in their “Unique Collections”. We’ll group everyone’s suggestions and send them to the Library.

CHALLENGES:

  1. Tell us what item(s) you have that you would be willing to allow a Cherryhill neighbor to borrow using our Challenge Submission Form. (Please note that this is NOT a commitment, but rather a way for you to consider how co-operative sharing could work.)Think of items you don’t use very often but also don’t want to give up. Let’s get creative! Perhaps it’s a Tupperware container designed to carry a cake, or the “Celebrate” party banner, or the extendable cobweb duster, or a tool in your garage you only use occasionally. Or maybe it’s something you use often, but it’s hardy and someone else could borrow it, like a shovel.
  2. Consider what type of “Time Bank” skills you can lend to the neighborhood. Time banking is a safe, equitable way to barter skills and services within a community. Learn more about time banking HERE.
    For example, you might teach a neighbor how to bake bread in exchange for help setting up a printer or home network. Use our Challenge Submission Form to list skills/services you would be willing to “loan” (Please note that this is NOT a commitment, but rather a way for you to consider how time banking could work.)
  3. Also think about what type of “Time Bank” skills you would find useful and want to take advantage of. Use our Challenge Submission Form to let us know which skills you’d like to “borrow”.

Other Actions You Can Take

Within these weekly Everyday Sustainability Challenges, you will find more opportunities for a Co-operative Community, like our Cherryhill Harvest Share in September, or sharing a ride.  When we are able to get closer together post-pandemic, these activities can blossom.

Resources & Further Reading

  1. How to Make a Dream Neighborhood: Resource Sharing and Collaborative Communities
  2. WEBINAR: How to Start a Time Bank (newdream.org)
  3. ACTION KIT: Guide to Sharing – tips for exchanging stuff, time, skills, and space (newdream.org)
  4. ACTION KIT: Guide to Going Local – tips for building stronger, healthier, and more vibrant communities (newdream.org)

Activities Submission Form


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Challenge Submission Form

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