Signing in and stepping up - moving away from 'their' money?

Hi all, I'm Sean Owen on FB. Although I live away from the city, and have very little time to spend with you, in the Haymarket, I will try to be around or support in any way I can.

I'm very interested in how we move away from reliance on 'their' money and create our own sustainable systems. I spoke to some peeps on Saturday about things like the farm share, lets and other alternative currencies. Any thoughts on this would be welcomed.

Hi Sean, nice to hear from you. Even if you can't be with us in person, join in the discussions on FB and spread the word!

Cheers PhilG, am doing and will continue as required

Heres a video I came across recently on that very topic:
YOUTUBE - Barter Markets : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Cheers Ruski, that is a fantastic piece which both highlights the problems of globalisation and the solutions possible on a local level. I saw car boots and jumble sales being easily transformed by this system and with the lack of cash effecting most people including those who are selling, it might be relatively simple to gain acceptance from the public.

Yes, couldn't agree more.

I've been excited about alternative currencies since I discovered their potential and the fact that - now we're in what some call the Greater Depression - lessons can be taken from the Great Depression where goods and services were plentiful yet people could starve simply for lack of money, oiling the wheels of exchange, doing what it does best. Alternative currencies will have saved lives in the 1930s and do so again a century later.

Bernard Leitaer, who I'm seeing as the primary 'thinker' on this topic, prefers the term complimentary currencies because they can work perfectly well in parallel with a (failing) national/fiat currency system.

Co-operatives is a business model ripe for this time and should encourage the use of complimentary currencies. Leitaer, as I understand him, thinks reinventing our relationship with money is the fundamental to shifting from the growth fetish to sustainable economy.

I will look at this in more detail skintnick, thanks for the info. I see the majority of the issues we are dealing with coming from the current monetary system and the greed it induces, after all, those in debt need to service that debt in the same way an addict needs to service his addiction - to avoid the negative consequences. Which, with a solid and well supported set of complementary currencies in place, in which joint wealth not debt is the focus, would be reduced/removed.
Would like to talk more, maybe see you on site or we'll meet on here

This sounds really great, I'm hoping to be down there for the Credit Union workshop at 2.30pm today as this may be another useful option, I know very little about them.

I've always been keen on barter, NORLETS member for many years, and keen to promote the idea of co-operatives, especially since seeing it at work for The People's Supermarket in London. Would be quite something to set ourselves up and be self-supporting. I know that Transition Norwich have been working on ways of doing this since around 2008, with thoughts on sustainability (not only from an environmental viewpoint, but also with a mind to economic crisis).

Last I knew they were attempting to make it possible to produce our own bread entirely from scratch in Norfolk, at present we are reliant on most things being transported in. The idea being to not only grow the wheat but to mill it (land somewhere near riverside was talked about as a potential site for a mill), and so on. I think that's pretty tough but not impossible, an aim of self-reliance as a county would be no bad thing in my view, in terms of goods and currency.

Hi eco, I've been a LETS member in the long distant past, and looking into it again, but the issue has always been, IMO, about fulfilling the neccesities, which never seemed possible.

I've heard about the Co-Op farm north of Norwich and have looked at some of the info on the Transition Norwich site.

There is also now a business structure called a CIC or Community Interest Company, which sits between a traditional Charity and Limited Company.

I couldn't make it down for today, I like the idea of Credit Unions, but wonder at where they invest the money saved, especially in this current situation.

Got to go now, speak later I hope.

Hi Freeheart,

I think it's a shame NORLETS doesn't seem to work as well as it might, but we don't seem to be meeting each others needs at the moment. I reckon i've used it about... once, lol. I don't know how active it is nowadays tbh, but could it be worth giving it an Occupy boost with the movements needs and skills in mind? Perhaps that might appeal to more people and encourage use overall?

Yes I do know about CIC's, I run one myself actually! In hindsight I'd prefer to go for charity or Co-op status as CIC's do not currently have proper recognition for what they stand for in many instances, e.g. they do not enjoy many of the funding benefits of charities, even though they are non-profit, so tend to fall down the middle of that gap. Government has made promises of promoting and supporting CIC's, but hey, the government does like to make its promises...

The Credit Union talk was very interesting. My understanding is that the money people put in as savings goes out as loans to other members. Will have a look on their website re: investments, I know she mentioned it but I may have zoned out for that crucial second! They are regulated by the FSA. The good news is that there will be another chance to hear all this as Debbie will be coming back on 5th November 11am, be great if you could make that as it's a Saturday. Must admit that, as a savings account, I do like the sound of it and will be making an application. Sounds about as ethical as you can get.

Catch you later x

HI, on phone at mo, will respond soon when got proper sized screen + keyboard...