New Dream – previously known as The Center for a New American Dream – is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

with a stated mission to "

empower EmPower is a brand name that refers to three different power outlets available on commercial airlines: * 15-Volt, 75 Watt DC connector (now called EmPower Classic by the vendor) * 5-Volt, 10 Watt USB power-only jacks * 110-Volt, AC power jacks (some ...

individuals, communities, and organizations to transform the ways they consume to improve well-being for people and the planet."

Overview

The organization works with individuals and communities to "counter the

commercialization Commercialization or commercialisation is the process of introducing a new product or production method into commerce—making it available on the market. The term often connotes especially entry into the mass market (as opposed to entry into ear ...

of our culture, support community engagement, and conserve

natural resource Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. O ...

s." New Dream believes commercialism and overconsumption have negative effects and thus seek to change

social norm Social norms are shared standards of acceptance, acceptable behavior by groups. Social norms can both be informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of a society, as well as be codified into wikt:rule, rules and laws. Social normat ...

s around consumption and

consumerism Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the supp ...

and to support the movement of individuals and communities pursuing lifestyle change and community action. New Dream’s overall goal is to change behavior, attitudes, and social norms to reduce consumption, build community, and improve quality of life. The organization states that it embraces

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...

and a celebration of non-material

values In ethics and social sciences, value denotes the degree of importance of something or action, with the aim of determining which actions are best to do or what way is best to live (normative ethics in ethics), or to describe the significance of dif ...

. One of New Dream's stated goals is "to shift the culture from an emphasis on ''more'' to an emphasis on more of what ''matters''." It is up to the individual to determine what matters in his or her life, but the organization offers, by way of example, more ''time'', ''nature'', ''family'', ''community'', ''fairness'', and ''fun'' as appropriate points of emphasis over material goods. The organization's informal motto is "More Fun, Less Stuff." Overall, New Dream strives to create a vision of life beyond

overconsumption Overconsumption describes a situation where a consumer overuses their available goods and services to where they can't, or don't want to, replenish or reuse them. In microeconomics, this may be described as the point where the marginal cost of a ...

, disposable lifestyles, and perpetual

marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...

, and to provide the tools to help families, citizens, educators, and activists rein in consumerism in their own lives and in broader society.

Programs

New Dream's work centers on three program areas: SoKind Registry: Through New Dream's "alternative gift registry", users can start a

gift registry A gift registry is a particular type of wish list in Western countries. Description Typically, when a recipient compiles a list of items they wish to receive and then distributes it to family and friends, they have created a wish list. A registry, ...

or wishlist that helps them focus on fun experiences, time with family and friends, and offerings of service and support for causes they care about. Kids & Commercialism: offers practical tips for creating non-commercial environments and experiences for children—helping people make lasting change in the lives of the kids they care about. Simplify the Holidays: encourages people to focus on "more of what matters" during the holiday season by offering creative gift ideas and simplifying tips to help people prioritize connection and joy over stress, waste, and expense.

History

With its founding in 1997, the Center for a New American Dream sparked a new and unprecedented national conversation on

materialism Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materiali ...

, living in balance, and the hidden costs of a high-consumption society. The organization’s focus on the intersections between consumption,

environmental degradation Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment (biophysical), environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; an ...

, and

quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...

have made it truly unique among environmental and

social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fu ...

organizations. The center closed September 2020. In 2017, the Center for a New American Dream underwent a strategic restructuring and name change in order to streamline programs and better respond to the needs of a growing audience. It is now known simply as New Dream and is currently a Joint Plan of Work Partner of

Virginia Organizing Virginia Organizing, formerly known as the Virginia Organizing Project (VOP), is a non-partisan grassroots organization in the state of Virginia. Founded in 1995, Virginia Organizing brings people together to address issues that affect the qualit ...

, a tax-exempt organization that accepts contributions on behalf of New Dream. On September 30, 2020, New Dream released a statement saying they, as an independent non-profit organization, would be closing their doors. They still continue to operate in conjunction with other community partners. They were in operation for nearly 25 years. While the group proposed that American-style consumerism and the drive to achieve the " American Dream" are largely to blame for normalizing high-consumption lifestyles, the organization's name update reflects the need to help individuals and communities around the world reduce consumerism and materialism.

References

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External links

New Dream
- official website
SoKind Registry
- official alternative gift registry website
Simplify the Holidays campaign

Kids & Commercialism campaign
Environmental organizations based in the United States Ethical consumerism Consumer organizations in the United States