A New Way Forward - Restore the Economy in the Public's Interest Local currencies cash in on recession -- latimes.com PITTSBORO, N.C. — The stimulus for this mill town turned artist's colony arrived in the form of green bills bearing sketches of herons, turtles and trees. A few dozen local businesses banded together this spring to distribute the Plenty -- a local currency intended to replace the dollar. Now 15,000 Plenties are in circulation here, used everywhere from the organic food co-op to the feed store to, starting this month, the Piggly Wiggly supermarket. Last popularized during the Great Depression, scrip, or locally created stand-ins for U.S. currency, is making a comeback. "The Plenty is not going to get siphoned off to Wall Street, or Washington, or make a stop in Bentonville on its way to China," said B.J. Over the last two decades, a few communities have created their own cash in an effort to preserve local ties or businesses. The idea caught on fast, and other taverns agreed to help back the currency. "It's like a wink or a secret handshake," Belanger said. Thus Mesa Bucks were born.
IJCCR New Economy Working Group | Equitable economies for a living earth. Communities print their own currency to keep cash flowing By Marisol Bello, USA TODAY A small but growing number of cash-strapped communities are printing their own money. Borrowing from a Depression-era idea, they are aiming to help consumers make ends meet and support struggling local businesses. The systems generally work like this: Businesses and individuals form a network to print currency. Shoppers buy it at a discount — say, 95 cents for $1 value — and spend the full value at stores that accept the currency. Workers with dwindling wages are paying for groceries, yoga classes and fuel with Detroit Cheers, Ithaca Hours in New York, Plenty in North Carolina or BerkShares in Massachusetts. Ed Collom, a University of Southern Maine sociologist who has studied local currencies, says they encourage people to buy locally. "We wanted to make new options available," says Jackie Smith of South Bend, Ind., who is working to launch a local currency. "We print the real thing," she says. The IRS gets its share.
Welkom bij Torekes! | Torekes Americans for Financial Reform Local Currencies Grow During Economic Recession The gentle mountain slopes of New England isolate the Berkshires, creating a peaceful remoteness in this southern Massachusetts region. As a result, independent thinkers have thrived here. Herman Melville penned Moby Dick; Norman Rockwell etched paintings of American life; W. Today, the Berkshires is giving rise to a new wave of free thinking. Since the currency's launch two years ago, five local banks have printed more than 2 million paper notes. The Berkshires is not alone. Witt is now fielding calls from around the world, she said, especially from the United States and United Kingdom. "In the last four years, there has been a renewed interest in local economy, local production," said Witt, executive director of the E. Complementary forms of currency are nothing new, and they frequently appear when mainstream financial systems are in distress. The currencies take on various forms. In Switzerland, the WIR (the German word for "we") functions as a mutual credit system. von Raivo Pommer
Περιφέρεια Κρήτης AMIBA | Welcome to AMIBA! Local Currencies Grow During Economic Recession Photo courtesy Jason Houston Five local banks have printed more than 2 million Berkshare notes since 2006. The 10 Berkshare note features Robyn Van En, a local pioneer of community supported agriculture.The gentle mountain slopes of New England isolate the Berkshires, creating a peaceful remoteness in this southern Massachusetts region. As a result, independent thinkers have thrived here. Herman Melville penned Moby Dick; Norman Rockwell etched paintings of American life; W. E. Today, the Berkshires is giving rise to a new wave of free thinking. Since the currency's launch two years ago, five local banks have printed more than 2 million paper notes. The Berkshires is not alone. Witt is now fielding calls from around the world, she said, especially from the United States and United Kingdom. "In the last four years, there has been a renewed interest in local economy, local production," said Witt, executive director of the E. The currencies take on various forms.
Public sector innovation - Industrial innovation - Enterprise and Industry The public sector plays a key economic role as regulator, service provider and employer. It accounts for more than 25% of total employment and a significant share of economic activity in the EU Member States. An efficient and productive public sector can be a strong driver of economic growth through its support for and governance of the private sector. At a time where governments face the challenge to ensure financial consolidation while fostering growth, competitiveness and employment, there is a strong justification for efficiency gains, better governance, faster delivery and more user involvement in public sector. First European Public Sector Innovation Scoreboard published! European Public Sector Innovation Scoreboard 2013 What are the key results? The key results show that the public sector in Europe innovates but it faces still a number of obstacles. This report [190 KB] is also available.
Swapaskill | a favour for a friend Introducing Mendo Time Bank « Ukiah Blog Live [Local community advocate Julia (Dakin) Frech is heading up a local effort to organize a Time Bank. Mendo Time Bank website is here. The link to join Mendo Time Bank is here. How Time Banks work is here. Excerpted from No More Throw-Away People by Edgar Cahn “Time Dollars” in a “Time Bank” are a local currency, issued locally, and honored locally. There is no doubt that money rewards self-interest, greed, ruthlessness and material acquisition. Time Dollars simply count the hours people put in. Counting counts. A user-friendly information and accounting system serves two functions. Most of us do not know what our neighbors can do. Merely the issuing of Time Dollar bank statements operates as a kind of reward. Time Dollars in a Nutshell 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.