“However, a change in modern ways of thinking and living cannot be commanded ‘from above’, but solely grow ‘from the ground up’” – Wilhelm Schmid, contemporary German philosopher.

Governments are wholly incapable of holding your hand through climate change and economic turmoil. And they can’t give you a substitute for the neighbourhoods and large families that used to take care of their own. But you, my friend, have the chance to do something for yourself and the people around you. Something lasting.

You and the people close to you can make a difference in a way your government cannot. Let me tell you how a relatively simple endeavour like changing merely the layout of a single building can change everything.

“How does a new society grow from the old society? Like mushrooms on a rotting tree stump.” – Roel van Duyn, Dutch politician and activist.

Here’s an idea:

Take a large building or row of town houses, at walking distance of amenities.

Turn the ground floor into a large shared space, where food and play and equipment and care tasks and cleaning duties can be shared at will.

Turn the first floor into private apartments of high quality, wholly separate units.

Turn the third floor into gardens, where people can unwind and grow fruit and vegetables.

You would need to find people to find and buy a house with, people who are eager to reshape the building, and financial and other assistance from appropriate organisations. The rewards will be: much less individual costs, greener living that’s easy and far more effective than recycling, a choice of deeper social connections with practical benefits, and a more pleasant living environment overall.

The idea of such communities should not be associated with wishy-washy ideas of communes. The concept is ideally suitable for wide middle class appropriation.

And that is the short of it. This is how society can change from the ground up. If we begin by changing just the layout of only one building, we can live in comfort personally and with benefits for everyone.

Discuss.