[COMM-ORG] query: local currency

Wed Dec 17 15:28:23 CST 2008

[ed: thanks to Andy, Bonnie, Claire, Matt, Bill, Annalisa, and Kathleen 
for responding to Lisa's query.]

From: "Andrew Mott" <andymott at communitylearningproject.org>

The Time Dollar Institute specializes in these arrangements. See website at
http://www.timebanks.org/

Andy Mott

Andrew Mott, Director
Community Learning Partnership
1301 Connecticut Avenue, NW--Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

202/822-6006
andymott at communitylearningproject.org
www.communitylearningproject.org

***********************

From: Bonnie Bazata <bonnie.bazata at gmail.com>

There is an organization on community in Yellow Springs Ohio that Arthur 
Morgan, former president of Antioch College, started that would have 
information on the YS experiment with alternatinmve currency in the 30s. 
You'll have to google them.

***********************

From: Claire Allen <hex at humanities.wisc.edu>

Hi Lisa,

For literature on local currencies in 1930s America, you might want to 
look at a book by Richard Douthwaite, "Short Circuit: Strengthening 
local economies for security in an unstable world" (Green Books, 1996). 
You might also want to check out Irving Fisher's book "Stamp Scrip" 
(1933), available online at 
http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~roehrigw/fisher/, and this "Economic 
Commentary" by a federal reserve banker, at 
http://www.clevelandfed.org/Research/commentary/2008/0408.cfm

 From what I've read, many of the local monies created during the 
depression were referred to as "scrip" or "stamp scrip" or "scrip 
schemes," so you might want to try those as search terms as you look up 
other references. Hope this helps--

Claire Allen
-- 
HEX Program Coordinator / AmeriCorps*VISTA
The Center for the Humanities
University of Wisconsin-Madison
218 Memorial Library
728 State Street
Madison, WI 53706

TEL: 608.890.1146
FAX: 608.890.0779
www.humanities.wisc.edu

********************

From: matt oppenheim <oppenm at earthlink.net>

Greetings, the greatest example that I have experienced is Maleny, 
Queensland, Australia. The city is also home to about 30 cooperatives as 
well as the world headquarters of permaculture. There is a cooperative 
bank as well. Many people live off the "bunya" nut system- this is their 
local currency. I belieeve they produce virtually everything they need 
to survive.

Now I live in Albuquerque, and we are also moving towards a local 
economy. Now our goals is to develop a trade and barter network amongst 
small farmers, microlenders and school-based family centers and 
community centers.

If you want to learn more about starting a regional cooperative economy 
I suggest you look into a social change philosophy called PROUT 
(www.prout.org) or for Maleny, google just on Maleny. Ｂａｒｔｅｒ　 
ｓｙｓｔｅｍｓ　ｓｔａｒｔ　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ　ａ　ｓｉｍｌｕａｔｉｏｎ　 
ｇａｍｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉｓ　ｇｒｏｗｉｎｇ　ｉｎ　ｉｔｓ　 
ｅｆｆｆｅｃｔｉｖｅｎｅｓｓ，　　Ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　 
ｇａｍｅ　ｂｙ　ｇｏｏｇｌｉｎｇ　ｓｉｔｅｓ　ｒｅｌａｔｅｄ　ｔｏ　 
‘Ｌｅｔ ‘ｓ　

regards

matt oppenheim
action researcher, the prout research institute.

***********************

From: "Bill Schlesinger" <pvida at WHC.NET>

There's rather extensive documentation on 'Time Dollar.' You might want to
google it or go to www.timebanks.org to start. We used a version of it
internally for several years.

Bill Schlesinger
Project Vida
3607 Rivera Ave
El Paso, TX 79905
(915) 533-7057 x 207
(915) 490-6148 mobile
(915) 533-7158 fax
bschlesinger.pv at tachc.org

***********************

From: "Annalisa L Raymer" <afalr at uaa.alaska.edu>

the wikipedia entry for local currency seems to have links to lots of 
examples.

Annalisa Raymer
Civic Engagement
907.786.4011

mailing address
3211 Providence Dr
Anchorage, AK 99508-4614

******************

From: "Kathleen Powell" <KPowell at frostburg.edu>

Reply to Lisa Marshall's query on local currency.

I would recommend that you check out TimeBanks USA's website at 
www.timebanks.org. They are a wonderful resource and can connect you 
with others who are exchanging services within local communities, which 
is one type of local currency. Also, you might want to look at resources 
on "coproduction," which is the umbrella concept for local currencies. 
The E.F. Schumacher Society (www.smallisbeautiful.org) is another 
resource that might be helpful.

Kathy Powell
Associate Professor
Dept. of Social Work
Frostburg State University
Frostburg, MD

Discussion list for COMM-ORG wrote:
> --------
> This is a COMM-ORG 'colist' message.
> All replies to this message come to COMM-ORG only.
> --------
>  
> Starting a local currency
> From:
> [ed: please feel welcomed to copy COMM-ORG with responses to Lisa's query.]
>
> "Lisa J. Marshall" <lisa at smartworkco.com>
>
>
> I’m thinking about starting a local currency (also known as a 
> “complementary currency”) in my rural community. I know about Ithaca’s 
> work in this area, but would love to hear from others who’ve done it. 
> And I’ve heard that many communities tried it in the ‘30’s, but can’t 
> seem to find any literature on it. Can anyone point me towards some?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lisa J. Marshall
>
> 145 Greenbriar Gap Rd.
>
> Spring Mills, PA 16875
>
> 814 349-5561
>
> "Preparing for the Best"
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