Gifts from Nature, Tapestry of the Commons by Jan Edwards

A project of the Alliance for Democracy created by Jan Edwards of the California Center for Community Democracy

Tapestry of the Commons - Gifts from Nature

Common Gifts and Services Status

SKY Air, atmosphere, ozone layer, UV protection Polluted air, holes in ozone layer, cancer rates rising, burning of fossil fuels

SUN Light, warmth, photosynthesis, also moon, tides, stars, navigation, planets, outer space, day/night National and corporate plans to colonize planets, star wars weapons, trash in space

LAND Topsoil, growing food, grazing animals, living on, mountains, valleys, coastal lands Privatized, soil poisoned and eroded, mountains strip mined, valleys flooded by dams, coast land paved

WATER Watersheds, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, drinking, irrigation, washing, swimming, fish and wildlife habitat Privatized, Trade agreements, pollution, dams, diversions, shortages, commodification

FORESTS Clean and create air, lumber, paper, habitat, grasslands Privatized, trade agreements, clearcuts, shrinking in size and diversity

PLANTS Food, healing, clothing, grazing, seeds, algae Privatized, corporatized, GMOs, species disappearing, mono-culture

ANIMALS Wild, domesticated, food, labor, pets, clothing, scavengers, pollinators, population balance, humans, friends and family Loss of habitat, extinction of species, overpopulation of other species, poisons in environment

MINERALS Metals, rocks, gems, oil, uranium, gold, natural gas, geysers, coal Privatized, trade agreements, corporatized, strip mined, depleted

CLIMATE Rain, snow, weather, temperature regulation, ice shelves, seasons Global warming, climate change, melting arctic, greenhouse gasses

OCEANS Fisheries, kelp forests, water cycle, most of planets area and life Polluted, warming, over fishing, fish farms, desalination, species extinction, dying reefs

ENERGY Oil, solar, wind, coal, electricity, fire, tides, water power, nuclear Privatized, corporatized, trade agreements, fossil fuels/ global warming, oil depleted, nuclear waste, renewables underused.

DNA Lifes building blocks, individuality, diversity, evolution, cures? Corporatized, patented, GMOs, stem cell research blocked

AIRWAVES Radio, cell phones, TV, satellite, radar, sonar Privatized, corporatized, loss of public access

CYCLES Fresh water replenishment, erosion control, waste absorbtion, nutrient recycling, photosynthesis, pollination, fossilization, birth, growth, death, decay Over stressing of these vital services by upsetting balances, cutting forest, loss of habitat, etc. corporate excesses, private neglect

QUIET And sound, bird song, inspiration, beauty, views, aesthetics Noise and light pollution, urban sprawl, traffic, lack of public access, underwater

Common	Gifts and Services	Status
SKY	Air, atmosphere, ozone layer, UV protection	Polluted air, holes in ozone layer, cancer rates rising, burning of fossil fuels
SUN	Light, warmth, photosynthesis, also moon, tides, stars, navigation, planets, outer space, day/night	National and corporate plans to colonize planets, star wars weapons, trash in space
LAND	Topsoil, growing food, grazing animals, living on, mountains, valleys, coastal lands	Privatized, soil poisoned and eroded, mountains strip mined, valleys flooded by dams, coast land paved
WATER	Watersheds, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, drinking, irrigation, washing, swimming, fish and wildlife habitat	Privatized, Trade agreements, pollution, dams, diversions, shortages, commodification
FORESTS	Clean and create air, lumber, paper, habitat, grasslands	Privatized, trade agreements, clearcuts, shrinking in size and diversity
PLANTS	Food, healing, clothing, grazing, seeds, algae	Privatized, corporatized, GMOs, species disappearing, mono-culture
ANIMALS	Wild, domesticated, food, labor, pets, clothing, scavengers, pollinators, population balance, humans, friends and family	Loss of habitat, extinction of species, overpopulation of other species, poisons in environment
MINERALS	Metals, rocks, gems, oil, uranium, gold, natural gas, geysers, coal	Privatized, trade agreements, corporatized, strip mined, depleted
CLIMATE	Rain, snow, weather, temperature regulation, ice shelves, seasons	Global warming, climate change, melting arctic, greenhouse gasses
OCEANS	Fisheries, kelp forests, water cycle, most of planets area and life	Polluted, warming, over fishing, fish farms, desalination, species extinction, dying reefs
ENERGY	Oil, solar, wind, coal, electricity, fire, tides, water power, nuclear	Privatized, corporatized, trade agreements, fossil fuels/ global warming, oil depleted, nuclear waste, renewables underused.
DNA	Lifes building blocks, individuality, diversity, evolution, cures?	Corporatized, patented, GMOs, stem cell research blocked
AIRWAVES	Radio, cell phones, TV, satellite, radar, sonar	Privatized, corporatized, loss of public access
CYCLES	Fresh water replenishment, erosion control, waste absorbtion, nutrient recycling, photosynthesis, pollination, fossilization, birth, growth, death, decay	Over stressing of these vital services by upsetting balances, cutting forest, loss of habitat, etc. corporate excesses, private neglect
QUIET	And sound, bird song, inspiration, beauty, views, aesthetics	Noise and light pollution, urban sprawl, traffic, lack of public access, underwater