Don't spend money. Just exchange things, talent, services for everything you need. As long as you can. One week, one month, one year... :) An idea from Urikane

oh like this one.... you need to be very creative, that is what is so challenging and inspiring

love this one

bartering! great!

i see a lot of ideas about consumption, environment, organic stuff etc which is of course really good but some of those seem to be inventive challenges for Maarten rather than small steps to make the world a better place in my opinion. Correct me if i'm wrong here.

I like people! There are lots of people in need of direct help/love. Come on guys; social screams and ideas!

peace!
Thierry

while money is a tool for a lot of bad things that happen in the world, i don't see what this makes the world better.
in essence money is just a tool for making bartering easier, so that you can get some bread even if you don't have anything that your baker needs. Or to get some green electricity to run your computer or to maintain this website.

it's not the money that makes you use unnecessary stuff or makes you buy things that are bad for the world. That happens because we tell eachother we need the stuff.

so if you want to do something about consumisme, show us how many unnecessary things you buy with your money.

i would recommend this idea :) http://www.iwanttomaketheworldabetterplace.com/idea/take-a-picture-of-everything-that-you-buy-in-a-mon

I think that living without money can be a good exercise while most of people think that money can solve all problems.

Money ···> Bancs ···> Speculation ···> Crisis

that banks caused a financial crisis is true and that some people get too much money for what they do is also true. But money is not the problem, it's a symptom.
And while it would be great to learn what damage money can do to the world, i think this idea would just prove that money is very convenient for common people like us to get common things like housing and food.
In a small village you might be able to succeed, but then Maarten would probably own a couple of fruit trees so that he has something to trade with. Our urbanized world is just too complex to be able to maintain yourself in with no money... not a lot of people i know are working on basic things like producing food.

@ Bart: fully agree

@ Urikane: I think it should be
People --> Greed --> Banks --> Speculation --> Crisis

Money is just a tool, not the cause. Like any tool, it can be used beneficially but also in a malicious way.

Greed is one of the so-called "7 deadly sins". The world would definitely be better if our greediness is reduced. How? Education. So Maarten could do a job here in the idea Bart proposes.

Good idea, it has already been done a lot of times, but still: the outcome can be a hugh villa (I heard...)