Orbis Collaborative: Possibilities

Possibilities. They are what incite our actions to achieve greater heights. They push us forward, oftentimes outside of our comfort zone, to new and unexplored areas. They are what instigate change and inspire improvement. The idea that you can improve on something—a process or outcome, a day or a life, an individual or a whole community—is what prevents the world from being static, stagnant, and mundane. The process to improve is second only to the desire of it. Without the latter, we cannot have the former. While it is easy for us to become complacent, the road less traveled is often filled with greater reward. Believing that things are the way they are because they are the best way to do things is an understandable fallacy to fall victim to, but letting our roots grow too firmly in that soil can have severe consequences.

It is comforting knowing that things are not perfect as they are, they we can improve as individuals, partnerships, and communities. If we had already reached the pinnacle of what we can do and achieve, then what a sad state we would be living in. Perfection has never been an attainable goal—or anything even resembling a reality—for humans. Improvement is always more satisfying than striving for the misguided goal of perfection. Seeking improvement admits our past flaws; and ideas are the shape those possibilities take. Orbis Collaborative is about thinking in diverse ways, formulating ideas that push us to improve, and about possibilities we can achieve.

Our mission is to foster meaningful change through collaboration, innovation, and inspiration.

Possibilities are what created Orbis Collaborative, and they are what inspire and drive all those associated with it. Possibilities only exist because there are limits or obstacles in place preventing something from happening. If it were not for the limiting forces, so many more potentialities could be reached, dreams realized, and lives bettered. These limiting forces are not laws of nature. We do not seek to overthrow gravity or defy any other laws of science. The obstacles we seek to overcome are those created by current systems and past approaches. They may not have been created by design or with malicious intentions, but they were created none-the-less. They are byproducts of our world which inadvertently cause harm to or disenfranchise so many of our fellow citizens, the communities we live in, and the social, economic, and environmental stability of our planet.

What outcomes do we look to create? What relationships do we look to facilitate? What improvements are we striving for? And for whom do we attempt to make them a reality? As our name not so subtly suggests, all our approaches, projects, and practices are collaborations via a network of interdisciplinary contributors and organizations. At the heart of our organization are the beliefs that sustainability is key, quality comes before quantity, and solutions to the problem are more desirable than addressing its symptoms. We do not seek to provide one-off results. Our interests are not narrowly defined or rigidly exclusionary. We work toward long-term, stable solutions for all who seek them.

At the heart of our organization lies a few primary foci, around which all other goals and activities circulate. These focal points are sustainable living, education, agriculture, housing, and healthcare. Sustainable living involves conscious decision-making regarding what and how we consume, minimizing our negative and lasting impacts on the earth for those today as well as future generations, and finding new ways to evolve society and civilization responsibly. Our education goals are basic, but substantive. There is nothing more harmful to society than an individual who feels they have no purpose or nothing to add. We believe that everyone can offer the world something and we look to assist in making that happen. Some of our most basic needs are ones often most difficult for some to attain. Food, housing, and healthcare are a few of those needs we want to ensure people have.

It is not necessary to look far or deep to find connections between so many seemingly unrelated areas. The human network is a cycle—a circle of sorts—where we interact, build connections, address wants and needs, and create a symbiotic world interdependent on the individual parts. In a world of insecurity, instability, and uncertainty it’s important for all of us to have a place we can turn to.

Orbis Collaborative is that place.