Community Currency as a catalyst for local food production

[Matt Richards]

Hi All,

I'm doing this semesters' project at RUC on the effect that community currency can have on decentralized food (and energy) production. Do any of you have experience with community currency? If so, what are your thoughts as it relates to community food production?

If it's of interest, I'd be happy to share my project with everyone here once it is finished (likely mid may).

Thanks much for your time!

Best,

Matt

[Matt Richards]

Stefene Russell said:

Hey Matt, I know that Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage here in Missouri (http://www.dancingrabbit.org/) has had some success linking their own local currency with food production, so you might try contacting them. I wrote an article about this about a year ago & they were one of the organizations I contacted. The other folks in the article might be helpful as well and are easily google-able:
http://www.stlmag.com/media/St-Louis-Magazine/February-2009/Counter...

hope that helps!
Stefene

Hi Stefene,

Thanks so much for the link! That's very helpful =)

I really like what they are doing there. I'll follow up with them. Thanks again!

[Sara Kali Sabine Stern]

Hi Matt,

really interesting issue of your project. I believe that community currencies and local food production go perfectly together....
Many of the members and supporters of our
Community Garden Project
are organized in a LETS-system.

Until now we didn't sell the vegetables, but the LETS-system had a huge influence in the social network and supporters of our group.

I'm curious about what you find out in your research work. Please let me know !

Sabine

[Sara Kali Sabine Stern]

Probably this ning network might be a source of information for your project

TheFinanceLab

[thuja]

Hi Matt,
In Ithaca, NY, Ithaca Hours have been around for quite awhile. They are used at many local businesses, some non local chain stores, and at the Farmer's Market. Here is a link to their site. http://www.ithacahours.com/

The Ithaca hours have also been a catalyst for a local healthcare system.

[Sarah Noyes]

Hello,

My name is Sarah Noyes and I'm the Program Assistant with Common Good Finance. I will briefly introduce the idea. Its an Alternative Form of Exchange, among many viable options.

Common good banks™ are designed to be basis for a new economic system -- a democratic, community-based system that can spread quickly to give everyone a home, healthy food, and satisfying work. Common good banks will be different from ordinary banks in two ways: who benefits (everyone) and who gets a say in how the money is used (everyone). This is not just another bank with a social mission. This is
a social mission with a bank!

* All profits go to schools and other nonprofits.
* Depositors decide what the bank should invest in.
* Free local credit card processing for local businesses.
* Micro-loans for new businesses and community projects.
* A full range of secure, FDIC-insured banking services.
* Committed to sustainability and economic justice.

Once the first common good bank opens, any community ANYWHERE can start one in just a few days, with no need for a bank building.

Sign up now, with no cost or obligation, at commongoodbank.com...

What do you think? Will you take the 10 seconds to register and share your thoughts?

P.S. And you can be paid to start one in your area.

[Sara Kali Sabine Stern]

Probably this might be interesting for you.

www.communityforge.net

Best solidarity economic and community garden wishes from Austria,

Sabine

Manager of the Intercultural Womans Community Garden in Klagenfurt/Austria


Sarah Noyes said:

Hello,

My name is Sarah Noyes and I'm the Program Assistant with Common Good Finance. I will briefly introduce the idea. Its an Alternative Form of Exchange, among many viable options.

Common good banks™ are designed to be basis for a new economic system -- a democratic, community-based system that can spread quickly to give everyone a home, healthy food, and satisfying work. Common good banks will be different from ordinary banks in two ways: who benefits (everyone) and who gets a say in how the money is used (everyone). This is not just another bank with a social mission. This is
a social mission with a bank!

* All profits go to schools and other nonprofits.
* Depositors decide what the bank should invest in.
* Free local credit card processing for local businesses.
* Micro-loans for new businesses and community projects.
* A full range of secure, FDIC-insured banking services.
* Committed to sustainability and economic justice.

Once the first common good bank opens, any community ANYWHERE can start one in just a few days, with no need for a bank building.

Sign up now, with no cost or obligation, at commongoodbank.com...

What do you think? Will you take the 10 seconds to register and share your thoughts?

P.S. And you can be paid to start one in your area.

[Mark Herpel]

Hi try our magazine for general CC stuff http://ccmag.net Community Currency Magazine

And reach these guys for specific info and connections on local food and CCs. They have several food projects up and running also in Eugene, OR -http://localcurrencycouncil.org/

Kevin Kerber, Director
Local Currency Council
541-942-3227
http://localcurrencycouncil.org

[Matt Richards]

Thanks everyone for your help! We've finished our paper and it's now available online at my blog: http://matttrichards.blogspot.com/2010/05/complementary-currencies-...

[KingofthePaupers]

Jct: Currency, interest-free or not, is catalyst for everything production. Of course, interest-free doesn't cause the mort-gage musical chairs death-gamble of everyone trying to repay 11 when everyone only got 10. Good luck at setting up your LETS timebank lifeboat. In 1999, under the UNILETS Time Standard of Money, I paid for 39/40 nights in Europe with a timebank IOU for a night back in Canada worth 5 Hours which I recorded on my public do-it-yourself timebank account: http://johnturmel.com/unilets.com
I'll take your Hours in Canada if you'll take my Hours chez vous.

[Sara Kali Sabine Stern]

Hello,

do you know community gardens who use community currencies ?

Sabine

www.astern.at



KingofthePaupers said:

Jct: Currency, interest-free or not, is catalyst for everything production. Of course, interest-free doesn't cause the mort-gage musical chairs death-gamble of everyone trying to repay 11 when everyone only got 10. Good luck at setting up your LETS timebank lifeboat. In 1999, under the UNILETS Time Standard of Money, I paid for 39/40 nights in Europe with a timebank IOU for a night back in Canada worth 5 Hours which I recorded on my public do-it-yourself timebank account: http://johnturmel.com/unilets.com
I'll take your Hours in Canada if you'll take my Hours chez vous.

[Sara Kali Sabine Stern]

Felicitation :-)

Thanks for sharing !!!!

Sabine



Matt Richards said:

Thanks everyone for your help! We've finished our paper and it's now available online at my blog: http://matttrichards.blogspot.com/2010/05/complementary-currencies-...