In Harmonyville, nothing ever truly went to waste. A bent nail could find its way into a new hinge, fabric scraps could become a book cover, and a pile of discarded cardboard could be stripped, rolled, layered, and transformed into something both useful and unexpected.
Nora understood this well. She moved through the town with an eye for what others might overlook—a knack for seeing not just what something was, but what it could become. At ReLeaf, the cooperative she co-owned with others, she spent her best days immersed in the slow rhythm of upcycling: slicing cardboard into ribbons, twisting them into tight cylinders, weaving fibers into new patterns. She often lost track of time, hands following an instinct older than machines—the simple satisfaction of making.
Her work spoke in layers. A sculpture built from old circuit boards and broken jewelry told one story up close, another from far away. Her digital art hinted at forgotten landscapes, ruins overgrown with vines, fragments of letters never sent. The boundary between fiction and reality blurred—not because she intended it to, but because to her, both were equally real.
ReLeaf recognized the value in this. The cooperative had a system—Life Story metadata—that didn’t just track hours worked or materials used, but also the inspiration behind a piece, the stories woven into it, the labor invested over weeks or months. A sculpture wasn’t just metal and wire; it carried the memory of where those pieces had been and the hands that shaped them.
Some weeks, Nora led workshops, showing others how to turn waste into raw material, how to roll tight cylinders for structural strength, how to layer fabric for sound baffling, how to work with what was at hand. Other weeks, she was elsewhere—watching, sketching, dreaming. In a place like ReLeaf, that didn’t mean she had disappeared. The work she had done before continued to circulate, supporting both her and the community, much like fallen leaves enriching the soil long after they had dropped from the branch.
It wasn’t about endless productivity or constant output. Things moved in cycles. Some days were for making. Some days were for letting things be.
In Harmonyville, the most valuable resource wasn’t raw material or even time—it was the understanding that everything, and everyone, had more than one purpose, more than one life, more than one way to belong.
🚮 W.A.S.T.E.: Words Assisting Sustainable Transformation & Ecology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Biomimicry | The practice of drawing inspiration from nature’s designs, processes, and systems to create sustainable human technologies and solutions. |
| Cooperative | Welcome to our exploration of the Cooperative Ownership Model. This section highlights ReLeaf, an organization that has embraced this alternative business model, fostering both economic and environmental sustainability in Austin, Texas. Through various articles and SolarPunk fiction, we examine how ReLeaf's cooperative structure empowers its employees and local communities, providing a democratic and equitable alternative to traditional hierarchies. From accelerating the circular economy to combating 'enshittification' in digital communities, ReLeaf's strategies are far-reaching and impactful. We delve into ReLeaf's unique approach to data dignity, logistics, and the nuanced balance between technology and caution, drawing inspiration from historic Luddite literature. The stories and articles also highlight how the cooperative model can provide an answer to homelessness, promote vegan values, and set the stage for shared prosperity. As we navigate through this section, let's reflect on the potential of cooperative ownership as a transformative model for future businesses. It promises to be an exciting journey as we uncover how this democratic alternative can revolutionize our economy, society, and environment. |
| Inclusivity | |
| Life Story | |
| Mental Health | |
| Upcycling |
|