Addressing scarcity, building community using LETS
Devin
I was unfortunately unable to attend the Great Unleashing due to work
scheduling. I am quite interested in creating local economies as an
alternative to our mainstream, centralized economy that has in many
ways proved disastrous for humans and non humans alike. To those ends,
one possible strategy out there that has caught my imagination is
known as a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS).
In short, it is a model for an alternative currency system that has
been in practice around the world since the 80's. LETS exists as a
critique and an alternative to centralized currency.
This idea has caught my interest for several reasons; I think that
LETS could serve to help reduce scarcity and help people get what they
need to survive, create a truly sustainable economy on the
neighborhood level, shift a considerable percentage of the
economic activity of LETS participants outside of the unsustainable
centralized economy of the state, and help build a community based on
cooperation and consent.
Also, to the last point of the breakout session notes of this group,
LETS can be quite sustainable without endless meetings. I'm no fan of
them myself!
If you have some time I've included some links that explain the system
further. While some of the material is dated from the mid
nineties LETS continue to function, as close as Asheville.
http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/
http://www.ashevillelets.org/
I'm throwing this out here as a place from which a conversation may be
started, rather than suggesting a one size fits all solution. I would
be interested in hearing what you all think when you have the chance.
e.m.fields
re. "LETS" local exchange system:
I think this is an interesting and potentially powerful idea; I think it's also something that's been in the works for a while, (possibly in a different form?) in the carrboro "Plenty". There's also a new farm-bucks exchange token that people can use for the farmer's market that has just recently started up.
So, is this LETS system something different, or just along the same lines of an idea?
If it's the same thing, it may be best not to try and reinvent the wheel. Maybe we should try to harmonize our group's goals with those of the Plenty dollars and other local exchange systems that have already begun and try to help them become established?
If this LETS system is different than what's already being done, maybe it's something that has a place along side the other systems; there's also a certain amount of controversy and possibly bad feelings around the Plenty dollars, I gather, because they had a rocky start and almost collapsed, so I think there's serious doubts within the community as to whether this is a viable system. I definitely would encourage you to not let the group get tangled up in that part of it if so; we need a lot more consensus about good ideas than we need more ongoing debate. I would like for TransitionCCH to be a model of how people in a community can get along and move forward with positive ideas instead of getting wrangled up in debate, as I've seen so often.
Just my two cents.
But, I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of the local economies group, and seeing successful projects beginning to fall into place.
peace & encouragement,
- Matt F
Devin Ross
I think that a LETS does differ from what already exists in Carrboro.
In regards to the PLENTY, I find that an important departure between
the two systems occurs around the issue of scarcity. Two ways that the
PLENTY differs from LETS in this regard:
- The PLENTY is tangible, a physical object - they exist in limited supply.
- Not everyone is able to create PLENTY's as needed to measure value,
only a few can print them.
In a LETS, the currency is not tangible. Balances of members can be
recorded in many ways, but no printed currency exists. Everyone who
participates in a LETS is able to create the currency they need at any
time, for a transaction with another LETS participant. Member accounts
are debited or credited accordingly. This FAQ explains the system
further: http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/faq.html
I am aware of the controversy with the PLENTY, the near collapse of
the Carrboro PLENTY and the Carrboro/Pittsboro PLENTY split. I agree
that it seems like engaging with the PLENTY would indeed involve this
Transition CCH group in what appears to be a complicated debate, one
which may be best avoided to ensure that we keep moving forward.
As far as the farm bucks token, my understanding is that the token
system is not an alternative currency but a proxy for debit/credit/ebt
transactions that occur on a single card reader at the farmers market.
I believe that the system was introduced to allow farmers affordable
access to the technology and to make markets accessible for people who
use food stamps, not to create an alternative economy.
In the links that I posted with my last email, the functions of a LETS
is described as being internet based. However, reading through the
group notes from the Great Unleashing I was excited about the idea of
a kiosk: perhaps a simple system of recording credits and debits from
transactions within the neighborhood could be displayed in this type
of form, giving us all something to gather around as we work to better
measure the value that we and our neighbors bring to our daily lives.
If anyone has a chance to respond I would be excited to hear your thoughts.
Devin