Do and DIY

We're not just talking knocking up some shelves in your bedroom here (IKEA instructions clutched in one hand), although that's part of it; the DIY ‘movement’ has been gaining momentum over recent years, as society realises sharing our knowledge and skills may be the key to our survival.
The ethos is simple: you want something done, then get it done yourself –  remove the need to rely on other people's expertise that can be expensive, time-consuming and plain unsatisfactory. Plus there’s that added degree of pleasure in solving your own problems, whether it's fixing your computer or planting your first row of veggies.

This month a bunch of like-minded folk from different organisations have come together to create Edinburgh's DIY Gathering and Symposium. Between February 5 – 9 there will be all sorts of introductory sessions (such as bike maintenance, herbalism, vegan cooking and home brewing) helping you see how easy it is to input more DIY into your life. Says participant Anarchist Teapot: “[Such] gatherings are fantastic opportunities… to learn new skills and get excited about things”, and are all about “grassroots organising and activity without profit-seeking or exploitation”.

Not all the venues have been confirmed yet but you can count on The Forest to be at the centre of things. On 7 and 8 February they’re hosting Zine-o-Rama, open to all who want to come along and browse through the range of handcrafted publications for free.

Zines are basically handmade mini-magazines, and you can find one on just about any subject; it’s a great way to get your message across without interference and without, in the words of one zine writer, "worrying about perfectionism". Expect independent writing on wind power, generator building and social organisation, from writers who probably wouldn't have had their ideas published if they hadn't up and done it themselves.

Keep an eye on the website for details of exactly what's happening where. And should you have a skill you’re willing to share, if you've built your own composter or can make killer jam, then go to the forum and sign up; somewhere out there is a young jam-making Jedi, looking for their fruit-preserving Obi-Wan. Go forth, share the force.