CasaRobino

Casa Robino is many things. One of them is a laboratory to test ideas that might change the world. A meme lab. Currently analysis is being done on open source solution like urban food gardening services and clothes lending green laundromats. There are also other sharing techniques being practiced. Casa Robino is in Amsterdam.

Some of the ideas made it public, like Trashwiki and the Random Roads magazine, due for its first publication early 2009. Other things that sprung from the house are example the Sustainable Hospitality Exchange Conference (SHE). The idea for CashWiki was born while Kasper was on a bike cycling to CasaRobino.

Other ideas are very much in development path and for which we need skill-surfers, currently mainly in the field of css-web design, graphic design, (hitchhiking) writers and urban farmers. Casa Robino advances the vision that hospitality combined with activism creates not just friendships, but the possibility for political transformation.

One of the base-ideas now is to create a network/ platform to share open source social projects; to stimulate a bunch of cooperatives that are based around these ideas and that want to implement social transformation projects. These open source projects could include many things.


 * One of these is based on urban farming. We want to set up a cooperative in the city of Amsterdam for urban farmers, that go to people's gardens to practice permaculture, to offer them a a home-grown food garden and maintenance for a fixed amount. We also want to radically turn the balcony and rooftop of Casa Robino green.


 * Another is sky dry: A highly environmental friendly laundromat which is a front for a clothes lending library. Where members can contribute by paying either in clothes or labor or cash. Discount laundromat fees for members, to encourage them to share machines. Ideally, drying the clothes on giant artistic flag polls. Clothes cleaning costs are based on the amount of energy and environmental impact of the wash cycle - cheapest would be cold water and no soap.  Only low impact/bio-degradable soaps would be used in this project.

To contact Casa Robino, please leave a message on the talk page, create an account at casarobino.org or leave your message at Robino's talk page here.