I actually quite like the big data week blurb on why sponsors should get involved (points 1-5). Here they use the 2015 theme as the hook which could be the equivalent of our spotlight challenges/nodes.
Hi all,
we really need to push this as an asset! I go ahead and make a suggestion how we could tackle it.
##Name
I would suggest to call it:
„OSCE Utopia“
or maybe
„OSCE utopia – list“
##Use
Where to locate it, how to make it available and how to start to use it in our communication?
- Create Blogpost about it.
- Place a link to it in the „Participation Guide§ under „Challenges“ and also in the „What is A Challenge“ topic.
- Locate the topic in the Main-„Channel“ Category and make it a pinned topic there (so it will always be on top of the forum – i think)
- Create a topic in the „What is Circular Economy“ category in „Resources“ with the same name that links to the main topic.
- . . .
And here is a sketch for it:
##Sketch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
###OSCE Utopia List
Open Source Circular Economy – that sounds like utopia. And indeed. There is not much in the world that we can call Open Source & Circular. And that is what the OSCEdays is about. Build a platform where this solutions can be build and shared – where we can build this utopia. But what is this Utopia we want to build? Here is a description.
It is a list. A list with challenges. Some of these challenges are already explored in the network or in other networks. Feel free to take on one of the tasks!
Here is the list (imagine all in Open Source).
Comment: english is horrible, i know. I think the drive is good. But to work as an introduction to our list it should be written in great language. If everything breaks we can ask @cameralibre for help.
Comment: After the introduction the list starts with a view „cateogry“ headlines.
ENERGY
- bullet point example, max 2 sentences. (active project) (active project)
Comment: „[active project]“ – When people start to work on it or we know and example of an open source project we link to it.
FOOD
HOUSING
STUFF
MOBILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE & TOOLS
_
OSCE Utopia List is curated by @sharmarval @Jaime @Silvia @lars2i
Please suggest ideas to add to the list below in the comments.
Comment: We make it clear, that we are the ones curating the list. And we try to keep it short and inspirative instead of complete. Good rules like having super clear eamples like „biodegradable ink“ instead of broad ones like „A database for circular solutions“. And maybe we can say the list should not be longer than 50 items. This will be enough to inspire people. Also for stuff that is not on the list I guess.
Comment: OK, What do you think? Should we create it that way?
Comment: Please start to add things for the list here.
Hi @Lars2i I know you will not be happy that I am saying this: I don’t really like the name OSCE Utopia List and would prefer something more practical sounding.
Also, in English, it doesn’t really sound correct.
Maybe in future we can make these decisions more collectively. 
Hi, it is not a decision. It is a suggestion. And you are right, it is not a good name.
“Utopia” means - no place (german “Un-Ort”) - so a place that is not existing and can’t exist at all! I always thought this might be a problem.
We can come up with a better name.
Hello guys,
It took me a long time, but here I have a first proposal of OSCE challenges to bridge our current extraction to waste economy to a proper circular/regenerative economy.
Since every sector is related to every other sector, I couldn’t come up with only three global challenges, but have tried to identify three challenges for different sectors.
I looked for the biggest causes for pollution and have decided from it that these should be the problems we tackle first.
So here are the challenges for different sectors that I believe would have a great impact:
Transportation
-Affordable and inclusive mobility alternatives using no fossil fuels and using little public space
-Scalable solutions to fuel renewable vehicles
-Alternative non-toxic replacements to oil, paint, engine lubricants and other chemicals from cars
Energy
-Most efficient energy solutions to stocking, generating and transporting energy made from upcyclable materials
Electronics
-Create modular electronics that allow for the upcycling of rare metals
Housing
-House made of renewable and non-extractive materials
-Furniture made without toxic chemicals and excess of spent solvents, paint and ignitable wastes
-Tools to build with bio-sourced materials
Textile:
-Cost-effective bio-degrabable non-toxic dyes
-Yarns to make durable clothing (tights that don’t have runs, durable pants and so on…)
Waste Recovery
-Effective and scalable techniques to recover oil and plastic waste from the ocean
Food:
-Non-toxic alternative packagings (like Ecovative’s mushroom packaging, but made Open Source)
Paper:
-Alternatives to toxic inks
Guidelines that the solutions should follow:
- Being durable and energy efficient
- Being harmless to humans and to the environment (the products should be composed of healthy and non-toxic materials)
- Being at least as practical to current solutions
- Being cost-effective
- Being reusable, repairable and recyclable/cradle to cradle
- Being Modular (when possible)
This is just a first draft, I hope we can build from this and get inspiration for other challenges.
Do you know if there are already solutions to certain of these challenges? Can you think of more targeted challenges or challenges that could have more impact?
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How to make OSCE a reality - Challenges and solutions for 2016
OSCE from utopia to reality - 2016 to do list
OSCE mainstream by 2020 - how to get there
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I like a lot the mix of your two top suggestions: OSCE from utopia to reality- Challenges and solutions for 2016
In addition to all of the above, here are some challenges that I would like to see included:
WORK
- how will work, employment and income change in OSCE
- types of commercial associations that are compatible with OSCE (non-profit, coops, B-corps, makers, freelance, etc.)
- can we shift our work from wants to needs
PLASTICS
- how to eliminate fossil based plastics, all of them
- list of circular materials substitutes for all current plastic uses through Open Source design and making
- do we need any plastics if OSCE is local
FARMING
- historically an OS activity, until it became “industrialized”
- can we take it back to OS while integrating it in a CE model?
- how much of the industrial resource demand (materials, energy, etc) can be satisfied by OSCE farming?
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Jeai! We are making progress. I will later copy all of our suggestions so far into one Wiki here for us to edit. But here are my 5 cents on the META stuff.
##Name
The ideas for a name i found was:
- Open Source Circular Economy FUTURE List
- Open Source Circular Economy WISH list
- The Open Source Circular Economy List
##Intro Text
Here is a draft for the intro text. PAD LINK
##On the bullet points
We have 2 different types of suggestions for bullet points now. We have something very concrete like:
„biodegradable inks“
And some stuff is pretty meta or philosophical like:
„how will work, employment and income change in OSCE“
I think we should be clear about which is the way to go and the question for this: What is the purpose of this list. And what are propper crafted bullet points then. Here is how I see it:
###Concrete questions to trigger concrete projects
For me the goal is to inspire people for new and practical experiments and projects. Therefor it should be stuff they can really control and get their hands on. So as concrete as possible would be good.
###Be open about specific technologies
By coming up with my bullet points (in the wiki below) I saw, that many of the points I thought about were already up for debate or a political decision. For example it is clear we want to have renewable energy. But what is the right way to go here? Decentralized solutions (everyone has a battery in his house) or centralized solutions (that might be easier to maintain and recycle and consume less materials). You can argue about this question for hours without a clear outcome … should we make the decisions.
We will not be able to avoid this in every point, but we should be sensitive about the problem.
###To inspire!
Maybe that could be a general rule when to decide if something should go on the list or not: Can we (or some of us) imagine, that this bullet point inspires the creation of a practical project in the context of a hackathon or challenge?
Let’s try to craft the points like this. My suggestion for example would be not to call it: „Create modular electronics that allow…“ but „Create a modular vacuum cleaner that allow…“ -> A toaster is more concrete – the task is more concrete. And people are not stupid. They will know, that a „modular dish washer“ is equally good. But when they decide to create a modular „dish washer“ – this is their own idea. And people love to follow their own ideas. With this little trick we are more concrete and allow more imagination at the same time.
##Adding Guidelines?
Jaime added the suggestion that we could add Guidelines to the list with requirements like „durable“ or „cost-effective“.
If we decide that the main purpose of the list should be to inspire people to START new practical projects I would suggest to have no further Guidelines on the list. Because:
- Reality slows down imagination, and how could a new project deliver on that imediately?
- People will ask themselve these questions about their projects anyway at some point.
- Some points already make somehow a suggestion about what is the right way to go for a CE - beeing „cost-effective“ (might be seen as „the logic of capitalism”) or “durable” or “modular” – maybe we find out, this is not the best way for a CE at least not for all stuff.
- Inspiration is thinking yourself, not read other peoples thoughts. The shorter we can make the text around the bullet points (that also should be limited) the better.
(Ok, I will copy all suggestions made so far together in one topic and add mine and let’s see how it looks like.) If you have more just post them.
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Hi,
just copied together what we got so far without cleaning or merging stuff too much. Please add. This post is a wiki.
##Names
How to make OSCE a reality - Challenges and solutions for 2016
OSCE from utopia to reality - 2016 to do list
OSCE mainstream by 2020 - how to get there
Open Source Circular Economy FUTURE List
Open Source Circular Economy WISH list
The Open Source Circular Economy List
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
###LIST
##TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY
- Affordable and inclusive mobility alternatives using no fossil fuels and using little public space [Jaime]
- Scalable solutions to fuel renewable vehicles [Jaime]
- Alternative non-toxic replacements to oil, paint, engine lubricants and other chemicals from cars [Jaime]
- Affordable, open and circular designed technologies for mobility and transportation [Lars]
##ENERGY
- Most efficient energy solutions to stocking, generating and transporting energy made from upcyclable materials [Jaime]
- Affordable, open and circular designed technologies for renewable energy (Sun, Wind, Biogas, Hydropower, +) [Lars]
- A recyclable smartphone [Lars]
##ELECTRONICS
- Modular, scalable and upcyclable electronics [Jaime]
- Create modular electronics that allow for the upcycling of rare metals [Jaime]
- Circular Light-Bulbs or circular electric lightning. (because LED & Energy Saving Lamps are toxic or not fully recyclable – though more energy efficient.) [Lars]
##HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE
- House made of renewable and non-extractive materials [Jaime]
- Tools to build with bio-sourced materials [Jaime]
- Modular Construction Systems for Houses and also furniture. Made with really reusable, recoverable and (if broken) recyclable parts. (In best case scenarios use of something that is already there – hack it.) [Lars]
- Circular Sanitation In Cities = Systems that win back phosphate to grow new food and have a way to get it back to the farmers. [Lars]
##STUFF (TEXTILES) (PAPER) ((?ELECTRONICS?))
This and That
- Furniture made without toxic chemicals and excess of spent solvents, paint and ignitable wastes [Jaime]
- Non-toxic alternative packagings (like Ecovative’s mushroom packaging, but made Open Source) [Jaime]
Inks & Dyes
- Cost-effective bio-degrabable non-toxic inks and dyes [Jaime]
- Alternatives to toxic inks (Paper) [Jaime]
- Circular Paints, Laquers, Varnishs, Inks (biodegradable or recyclable) [Lars]
Textiles
- Durable clothing (tights that don’t have runs, durable pants and so on…) [Jaime]
- Cost-effective bio-degrabable non-toxic dyes [Jaime]
- Yarns to make durable clothing (tights that don’t have runs, durable pants and so on…) [Jaime]
- Modular Shoes and Clothing ? [Lars]
Plastics & Packaging
- Alternative materials to plastic for daily use products (ie: Ecovative packaging made Open Source vs plastic packaging) [Jaime]
- how to eliminate fossil based plastics, all of them [Silvia]
- list of circular materials substitutes for all current plastic uses through Open Source design and making [Silvia]
- do we need any plastics if OSCE is local [Silvia]
- Circular Food Packaging (for Cheese, Meat, Milk, Frozen Vegetables) [Lars]
##BIOSPHERE (WASTE RECOVERY)
- Effective and scalable techniques to recover oil and plastic waste from the ocean [Jaime]
##EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION
- A list (or database) of materials that are really recyclable (and open). The list is easy to understand for non-scientists – so that designers and start ups can make sense of it. Simple rules and indicators for recyclability. (Database could include if material is Open Source and if there is an Open Source technology for the recycling.) [Lars]
- An educational resource or educational device (toy?) to teach children Circular Economy. The toy or resource works on the whole planet and across cultures (Following the premise that CE must be a globally shared and understood idea.) [Lars]
- Ecosystem Awareness Systems (Educational Resource): How can we understand and experience ourselves as parts of ecosystems? How can we teach this to children and human beeings? [Lars]
##FOOD
- Scalable and convenient permacultural practices [Jaime]
- historically an OS activity, until it became “industrialized”: Can we take it back to OS while integrating it in a CE model? [Silvia]
- how much of the industrial resource demand (materials, energy, etc) can be satisfied by OSCE farming? [Silvia]
##POLICY & SOCIETY
- how will work, employment and income change in OSCE [Silvia]
- types of commercial associations that are compatible with OSCE (non-profit, coops, B-corps, makers, freelance, etc.) [Silvia]
- can we shift our work from wants to needs [Silvia]
- A government authority that tests products for circularity. (Idea derived from my visit at the “Kaiserliches Gesundheitsamt” = “the emperors health authority” – founded in 1907 to bring order and security to the fast growing market of “artificial food” made possible through chemical industrialization in that time.) If products use open source materials and construction methods it is cheaper to be tested than if they use closed ones. [Lars]
- Strong laws that demand repairability of products, and recyclability. (Use of non recyclable materials should be taxed.) [Lars]
- Policies and tax laws that enable sharing instead of owning. ? [Lars]
. . . . . . . .
TO ADD: Gien created a variety of Challenges last year. Most of them would fit here as well: Tag „city-capetown“ http://community.oscedays.org/tags/city-capetown - Could you come up with a two or three sentence version of each @Gien?“
Hey Lars! Yes, I don’t think I am getting these notifications. Maybe I’ll just sample more often. Probably even a couple times a day is good enough.
Sure, I can add all those categories, expanding on each.
guys,
Could OSCE Days work with Beirut University students and activist movements for an emergency circular waste strategy to prevent waste from continuing to pile up? They are now in crisis after 6 months of striking and garbage in the streets.
I think this is an excellent opportunity to apply circular concepts and collaborate to devise an emergency strategy to reduce waste flow. What do you think?
Let’s put our collective brains together and solve this real world crisis. They may be reaching a threshold of actually taking sustainable waste actions they normally would not be receptive to. If this solution works to reduce waste flow significantly, they may continue using it even after the strike is over. I think it’s an excellent opportunity to create a zero waste city.
OK. I have contacted the “You Stink” movement to see if they would be interested
http://www.youstink.org/?page_id=37
- assess the situation and determine all parameters - establish if the city has recycling depots or not
- bring as many interested local stakeholders on board, including designers, makers, students, universities
- perform garbage analysis: what makes up the waste?
- divide garbage into organic and non-organic - don’t mix, develop separate strategies to deal with each
- for organic, determine the fraction that can be composted at the community level and create emergency, rapidly constructed community level composters. Determine best materials to build these in their environment. harvest methane if possible
- if community gardens do not exist, create rapid urban community garden strategy to uptake all the compost to grow food in urban centers
- what are other fractions of waste? Diapers? Contact https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eco-innovation/projects/en/projects/diapers-project and others for ideas
- meat bones? Any ideas what to do with this?
- if there is no recycling, establish community based and community operated sorting facilities
- perform industrial symbiosis match to see which local manufacturers could use these separated streams
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Hi @Gien,
no problem. I created a topic describing how you can enable email notifications when you are pinged. I think as BoST member it would be good to activate it.
Regarding you comment above. I think it is great but off topic here. This thread is to discuss the list of challenges.
A better place would have been in a new topic in the “places & spaces” channels category or as a quick comment in the BoST & Association Chat.
Cool. Will post there.
Hey Lars, good points.
I would insist in having these guidelines remain in the challenges. I believe that creating frames to work are liberating for creativity, and make it easier to create new realities.
But I totally get that making it too constraining might undermine creativity.
Nevertheless, any innovation that is not cost-effective or affordable in the capitalistic sense of the term will not be adopted, and defeat our purpose.
As long as we are not able to adapt the capitalist economy to a gift economy, which is not OSCE’s mission yet, prices will still determine adoption on a global scale of new innovations.
My initial intent with the challenges was not only to inspire, but to draw a roadmap of where our circular economy should go, and without the guideline criteria, I wouldn’t know how to get there.
My guideline points my not be the best ones, but I think it’s important that they are there and would show everybody what our vision is and where we want to go.
And if these guidelines are already there, they might simplify the development of the projects to make them directly useful to everybody.
If you think they could be better put into context, please build on top of it : )
All of this is up for debate!
Ok. I am not super keen on kicking them out (still would but can also live with them). 
- And if you think they are important, why not keep them.
We can shrink them down maybe a notch - just have them in 2 or 3 sentences on the bottom (or even on the top) of the post.
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Ok cool,
Will think of a simplet way of tying them together and explaining their purpose 
Update: The List above is now a wiki!
Discourse had changed how to make a wiki and I could not find the Info. But thanks to sam now we all know.
Hi @Jaime, @Silvia, @sharmarval, @gien
to make progress with the list I created a first full version and published it here.
It was a lot of work and meant to shrink down and rephrase some stuff. It is now of course what I thought should the list be like. But this is not necessarily how you think it should be.
I’d suggest that we continue the meta-conversation on the list here. While we could discuss content in the actual list.
###Political Neutral?
When you look at the list, the thing that concerns me the most is the area „Policy & Society“. Because here it is very hard to stay politcally neutral. Some of the things I added are based in a certain world view that is not necessarily the only way to analyze the world. This would mean raising a political or ideological flag.
Not sure if we should stick with the OSCEdays to be „absolute neutrality“ (probably impossible anyway) or show some political orientation. I think though that should not concern us too much with the list as it clearly says, it is not a project of the Organisation but of the 5 of us. Although we are all part of the BoST …
Sorry for answering late. The list is good, let’s go with it. Thank you for getting it done.
On politics, you are right, there is nothing neutral. I think we can avoid too many ideological “food fights” if we emphasize policies over politics. Policies are necessary and unavoidable, so our role is to get the ones that underline OSCE to be embraced and implemented.
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