Posted by Ryan
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:17:00 GMT
We are long overdue for an update. Lots of exciting things happening at Loanables, including our coverage on KXAN and CNN (more on this later). I wanted to take a moment to pass along an announcement from Austin EcoSchool -- see below.
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What would a school look like if it were comprised of an old stone house, reclaimed furniture and school supplies, and trash for art supplies? Come to EcoSchool to find out. For two years we've been growing organic veggies, composting our lunch scraps, caring for the creek, and cleaning our building with vinegar. Our kids show up in used clothing, so they can play, create, and get downright dirty without worry. They've come up with hundreds of uses for the bamboo that grows in the yard, and they've given every oak a pet name. We pack our lunches as sustainably as possible, with real linens and dishes, not disposable stuff. This year our kids reached out to help men, women, children, and animals without homes. You need to meet this dynamic group of children;
they're expressive, compassionate, hardworking. Their hearts hold hope and their minds seek wisdom.
Austin EcoSchool is holding Summer Informational Orientation Nights:
Tuesday, July 1st, 6pm
Sunday, July 13th, 6pm
Thursday, July 31st, 6pm
The beautiful EcoSchool campus is located at 3000 Del Curto, Austin
TX 78704
Please join us to meet the community and discover if our school is right for your child. Austin EcoSchool is a 3-4 day/week school providing a bridge between homeschooling and full-time private education. Academic instruction is woven into a thematic and creative curriculum designed to make learning natural, relevant, and lasting. EcoSchool is a fun and loving place where every child is accepted and respected in their journey of self-discovery.
austinecoschool.org
(512) 447-8516
Please direct inquiries to kshoberg@gmail.com.
Now enrolling children ages 5 – 11 for Fall 2008!
Posted in Austin, TX | no comments
Posted by Ryan
Fri, 18 May 2007 16:30:00 GMT
We are long overdue for a more interactive way to communicate with our fans! For starters, here is a little more background behind who we are and what we're trying to accomplish. We have a humble goal: to change the world through community bonding.
In the beginning...
Loanables started out as two families living in Austin, TX who realized the untapped power of neighborly connections. More specifically, we observed a couple of trends that we felt needed to be changed:
1) Neighbors tend to be strangers.
We enjoy our neighbors and our neighborhoods, and we welcome the opportunity to meet more of the folks who live in our area. The trend today is towards less neighborly interaction. Many people communicate more with folks halfway around the world than with the families living just a couple of doors away. That seems odd to us.
2) People have a lot of unused stuff.
We realize how much "stuff" the average family accumulates, and more specifically, how much dust this stuff collects from not being used most of the time.
So we said "hey, why not put these together in a way that benefits everyone!" And Loanables was born.
But wait, there's more
The idea quickly expanded. You see, we also believe in charitable giving. The borrowing idea seemed like a perfect way to benefit non-profits, schools, and other groups and individuals who often need to borrow things that they cannot afford to buy or rent from conventional stores. Donating money is great, but why not also donate items you aren't using? Thus we added a new role at Loanables, that of the CCO -- Chief Charitable Officer. We now let Loaners offer up their items to schools & non-profits at no charge, and are always looking for other ways to benefit those in our community who are in need of help. We have a couple of programs in the works, including one to provide baby clothes/items to parents who cannot afford to buy stuff that their children will outgrow every 3 months.
We also realized that the flip side of borrowing is not purchasing. In addition to saving money, our community is helping to save the earth by reducing the consumerism that seems to be rampant these days. We gave our Chief Charitable Officer another hat to wear, that of CEO -- Chief Environmental Officer. (She is now the CCEO, and is always on the lookout for more letters to add to her title.)
Most importantly, what do you think?
We love talking to like-minded folks, in Austin and around the world. Do you like what we're doing? Do you have ideas for how we can do even more with this community? Please share your comments with us!
Posted in Loanables, Austin, TX | 9 comments | no trackbacks
