ABSTRACT
Simply stated, a commons is something owned by everyone and so by no one. Moreover, the global commons is the “birthright” of every living thing-not just humans. From a human perspective, however, it is the vast realm of our shared heritage, which we typically enjoy and use free of toll or price. Air, water, and soil; sunlight and warmth; wind and stars; mountains and oceans; languages and cultures; knowledge and wisdom; peace and quiet; sharing and community; and the genetic building blocks of life-these are all aspects of the commons.
