There Is No Climate Refuge Except in Each Other

That's a sharp headline (says the copywriter in me). I came across it on a website when I was researching mutual aid societies.

Are you aware of mutual aid societies? I think somewhere in the murk of my subconscious I’ve been peripherally aware of them, but really couldn’t tell you what they did except to guess based on the descriptive nature of the name itself. This past week I was spurred to learn more about these organizations when a mutual aid society focused on reproductive rights held a town hall meeting in my office.

Mutual aid societies are basically loose-knit, non-hierarchical organizations where individuals come together to help those in need of social or financial support. They generally operate around principles such as:

• Voluntary participation

• Collective support

• Shared responsibility

• Non-profit nature

• Informal structure

While mutual aid societies have been around for centuries, the name was coined by the Russian philosopher Peter Kropotkin in his 1902 publication, Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution. Kropotkin championed the idea of societal mutual aid through pragmatic collaboration and reciprocity as an evolutionary alternative to the theory of competition and survival of the fittest held by social Darwinism.

Historically, mutual aid societies provide social safety nets, especially in times and places where government assistance is limited or nonexistent. They are found in cultures and societies around the world, addressing the needs of marginalized groups, immigrants, workers, and other communities that face economic and social challenges.

One of the more widely known mutual aid societies in this country is Mutual Aid Disaster Relief. (It’s the organization where I found this article’s headline.)

I’m glad I finally woke up to this community operating system. How about you? Were you ahead of me on this one? Are you aware of any mutual aid societies in your community – or perhaps have even benefitted from one? If so, let us know – we’d love to hear about the mutual aid society and any stories you might share.

Godspeed, friends.

Russ

💥 Quick Hits

• If an impact happens in the forest and no one's around to report it - With apologies to trees everywhere, here's your chance to participate in an impact reporting survey PLUS be entered in a drawing for a gift certificate from Simple Switch, a marketplace for ethical + impactful shopping. 3-5 minutes is all it takes.

• Riddle me this - Which costs more - recharging your EV or refueling your gas tank? Find out here.

• “We all loathe the term ESG” - An interesting little research exercise from impact pro Hannah Keartland.

🛠️ Cool Tools

• Friends with benefits - Benefit corporations (which we recently covered here) are required by law to use a third-party standard to certify they are actually creating a public benefit. Benefit Corporations for Good (BCFG) helps companies become benefit corporations and also provides certification services. BCFG has certified companies in 9 states and British Columbia. So if you're interested in becoming a benefit corporation or need help with certification, check them out.

🤔 Trivia Time

The people have spoken 💪 and after a one-week absence, trivia is back! 🔥

There are more than 10,000 breweries in the United States, and 18 of them are Certified B Corporations. Which one of these states does NOT have a B Corp Brewery headquartered there?

• Georgia

• Idaho

• Texas

• South Carolina

• Wisconsin

Today's trivia answer can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.‌‌‌‌

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Trivia Answer‌

Turns out the Lone Star State is mighty lonely when it comes to B Corp breweries as there isn't a single one in Texas. Georgia (Creature Comforts), Idaho (Lost Grove Brewing), South Carolina (Liability Brewing), and Wisconsin (Lakefront Brewery) all get to hoist pitchers from B Corp breweries located there. 🍻 For more on B Corp breweries, check out this article in Forbes.

Have an interesting social impact tool, idea, or trivia question you'd like to share? Reply to this newsletter and let me know - I'd love to hear about it. You can also hit me up at rstoddard@oliverrussell.com.

Also - please don't hesitate to forward this to a friend you think would benefit from it - thank you!