By Tom & Carol Braford
We are taking our economy into our own hands. With the big banks and billionaires sitting on piles of money and over $1 trillion in the S&P 500 on the sidelines, it looks like we are on our own to get our economy moving again. When national monetary policy failed in Argentina a few years back, people decided to make and grow what they needed and print their own local currencies to facilitate the exchange of goods and services at markets that spontaneously sprang up all over the country.
The same thing is starting to happen around Europe and the US with LETS networks, time dollar exchanges, regional, local and sub-local currencies, digital dollars, etc. So far the piece that is missing to have it become a major part of the economy like it did in Argentina is a proliferation of markets for handmade goods and services.
At Culver Way Ecovillage we are out to remedy that by holding the first Integral Economy Marketplace on Saturday, November 12th from 8 am to 4 pm.
If you have art, crafts or upcycled products or services to provide, then you are invited to participate. Admission for vendors is $50 in advance or $60 at the door. That gets you $50 in Culver Way Cash to use to make change for customers or to purchase items from other vendors.
Customers can either purchase Culver Way Cash at the door at a discount or buy items from you with US dollars at full price.
Culver Way Cash can also be used to participate in the ecovillage, i.e., purchase of membership, unit reservations, unit purchase and/or shares in Culver Way Ecovillage co-op businesses that will initially include gardens and craft items. They can also be turned in for US dollars when the project is built out and the tax credit proceeds that back them up become available.
Check out our great new website, created by Stacey Lindgren of Spry Digital. Yeah, Stacey! We welcome your input and feedback in the ‘Forums’ section. You are welcome to join us on Saturday, October 15th, for our monthly ecovillage tour and open house at 11:00, followed by a potluck lunch.
Contacts
Culver Way Ecovillage: Tom & Carol Braford
www.CulverWayEcovillage.org
braford@sbcglobal.net
314-534-4780
Green Beings Urban Farm: Michelle Erhard
www.greenbeings-stl.com
greenbeings@gmail.com