Ever wonder what people are talking about when they talk about “regeneration”? Currently applied to fields as diverse as ecology, spirituality, health, and economics, regeneration has become a bit of a buzzword lately.

Defined by Merriam-Webster as the “renewal or restoration of a body, bodily part, or biological system,” Don Hall, author of The Regeneration Handbook: Transform Yourself to Transform the World, argues that we might come to understand regeneration more broadly as the “act of helping to bring something back to life – ourselves, our communities, and, ultimately, the Earth.”

In the face of mounting environmental, economic, and social crises, Hall, a long-time activist with the international Transition Towns Movement, observes that “more and more people genuinely want to help bring about a just and regenerative future, but feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to start.” “Fortunately,” he says, “there are so many things we can do right now to make a real difference, starting wherever we are.”

According to Hall, a regenerative community might look like one where there’s an abundance of small farms and gardens, a vibrant culture and economy powered by sustainable local businesses, solar panels on every rooftop, more bikes than cars, good public transit, and plenty of spaces to gather and commune with nature. It would also be a place where people from all walks of life regularly come together to dream, discuss, and design their own destiny.

For more information, you can visit Hall’s website, evolutionarychange.org, where you can pre-order his book, subscribe to his blog, and find other upcoming events. In these increasingly uncertain times, one thing’s for sure: we’ll be hearing a lot more about regeneration in years to come