Local Currency

Islanders responded to the recent opening of Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union by opening accounts already totaling more than 2 million dollars. Clearly, many of us consider it important that our money be invested exclusively in our community. The Chamber of Commerce is always exhorting us to patronize island businesses so that our dollars continue to circulate amongst islanders and provide livelihoods for more of us right here on Vashon. Wouldn’t it be great if we all had an opportunity to make a living without having to commute to the mainland?

Michelle Pratt contends that we have another powerful tool we can use to both promote our local economy and insure that the greatest amount of locally produced goods and services will be available to all: local currency. Say you are currently unemployed, low on cash, but have goods or services you can offer; you can receive or offer goods and services at any time: no need for US dollars or paying interest on your credit card! As Michelle says:

"At the recent We All Belong event sponsored by Welcome Vashon, my husband Johnnie and I were able to launch a vision we had brought with us when we moved to the island last year – Life Dollars, an alternative currency that supports a cooperative economy and builds community and resilience. Soon after our arrival on the island from Tacoma we connected with SEEDS, a local nonprofit focused on sustainability. They gave us their green map of Vashon that had ‘wishes’ radiating from the map of what they envisioned for the island’s community that included alternative currency. We knew then it was possible. As we began to know the community more intimately, we saw how many of its members already practiced an ‘assets based community’ -- sharing resources such as the No Trash Bash Stash, bartering their needs and services, and caring for each other, as exhibited when John Browne was hurt last winter and the community came together to care for his needs. Everyone can contribute, young or old, rich or poor, we all have something of value to offer toward the economic enrichment of this community; and as such can thrive in an assets based paradigm.

"Life Dollars can provide an infrastructure for what already exists to a great extent here – community and caring, resourceful, skilled people. In these times, we already know the importance of strengthening our local economy both for resilience and for the future of our community, both local and global. Life Dollars is already flourishing in the nearby communities of Bellingham and Port Townsend; and has recently been launched in Graham, Tacoma, and Lakewood. Its founder, Francis Ayley of Fourth Corner Exchange, is also bringing it to parts of Europe. His vision is to go global. Our vision is to start with our own community, Vashon.

"We couldn’t have had a more appropriate forum, thanks to Dan Kauffman and friends’ vision -- We All Belong; as well as the resilience movement driven by Transition Vashon, The Backbone Campaign, The Loop and others. As members of Sustainable Tacoma Pierce, a local organization whose resilience work is based primarily on Permaculture principles, we first learned of Life Dollars and became committed to establishing it in the greater Puget Sound. We were able to present the idea at the We All Belong breakfast (not having been the first we learned), and harnessed the interest and commitment of a small group. We’ve since held our first event, which garnered another twenty prospective members and a wave of enthusiasm. The recent Island Earth Care event, Economics of Happiness, was the perfect venue to gather more interest, and another twenty or more potential participants. It seems we have something here.

"Check out www.LifeDollars.org to learn more. Contact Michele Pratt of Heart & Soil at monkey.mermaid@gmail.com to get on the list to learn about upcoming events or to volunteer in the launching of this promising community venture."

Thanks, Michelle. Don’t feel bad if you don’t readily get this. I didn’t. I encourage you to read more about it online. It really works!

Be sure to catch the ongoing discussion of poverty, homelessness, and community engendered by the book Breakfast At Sally’s. This meeting at Café Luna on April 30, 5 -6 PM will feature Alan Berliner who promises to show us what we can do here to make a difference.

I f you are interested in immersing yourself in Mexican culture, come to the Vashon Playspace (Vashon Hwy and Gorsuch) on Sunday, May 1, from 4 -6 pm to play Mexican Lottery.

Questions, comments, ideas for columns? terry@vashonloop.com