Edinburgh is a hotbed of community self-empowerment - with the Edinburgh Tool Library showing the way
Edinburgh has featured a lot in our list of places where community self-strengthening is happening - there are remakeries, utopian interiors, heart-led activisms, psychedelic cycle tunnels…
So we’re happy to help share a call out for help at the Edinburgh Tool Library, as they expand their services through the city (see map graphic at the bottom of the page).
They neatly phrase their mission as being about “access, not excess”. And by means of providing a storehouse of tools for use, sharing and rent, they serve a wider agenda of regenerative self-determination. Their manifesto is clear:
We share. It’s what we’re here for. Sharing tools, sharing skills and sharing know-how.
We fight waste. The three R’s – reducing, reusing and recycling – are central to our work. We repair tools to be reused and we reclaim materials whenever we can. We believe the first R is the most important: reducing the amount of excess tools and materials so often wasted.
We are inclusive. Ours is a welcoming space of respect and tolerance. We work to make it accessible to all, breaking down any potential barriers of gender, race, age, ability, means or experience.
We are open. To everyone in our community, our members and our volunteer crew, we’re not only as transparent as possible, but we’re ready to listen. Everyone has a voice in our decision-making process.
We work for the community. Empowered individuals make for vibrant communities. We bring people together so everyone can learn from each other, share knowledge and find support.
We inspire. By showing that alternatives work, we’re creating a ripple effect that turns small actions into big waves of change – opening minds to a low-carbon, community-forward future.
ETL are trying to expand their current three shops into the Colinton area of Edinburgh - and they’re sending out a request for volunteers, tools and other resources. If you’re local and interested, contact them here.
