an email from way up north.

to everyone:

a brief update, a long-winded call to action, and a sweet hello from the gal in Burlington VT.

It's FWT and I'm rockin' out in Burlington (finally we have snow). I've got myself two jobs and they're keeping me fairly busy. Check 'em out:

Shelburne Art Center:
as most of you had probably heard, this isn't exactly what I had hoped for. They run all sorts of great classes and have frequently rotating exhibits (an exhibit of ancient Asian art is there now... crazy stuff)... but as far as the "sustainable community" part of it... maybe I need to take part in a class to see it. I do a lot of "intern tasks": breaking down boxes, data-entry, phone calls, trips to the post-office. I'm beginning on a larger project: cleaning out the loft above the
woodshop which is covered in an inch of sawdust and dirt. I do love organizing and purging what isn't needed... and I'm getting to find and keep some cool furniture like a rocking chair and nightstand (don't ask what I'm going to do with it... that's not the point). I just wish things were more vivid and lively there. BUT! I've got one huge benefit: I'm going to attend the intro to throwing class Tuesday nights. So maybe I'll actually learn to throw... that is a plus.

What I wanted to tell you more about was the

Burlington Currency Project:

The BCP is an umbrella organization that is sponsoring two kinds of currencies: the Burlington Bread, where a slice of break equals a dollar... is a fiat system (it's not based on anything really... it's created as it's needed), and has been fairly unsuccessful. People love the idea and there are a good amount of businesses that accept it. It just has some basic design flaws: tourists take it out of the city, people keep it in shoeboxes, most businesses only take a percentage of it, and there are some places that are sinkholes because businesses can't pay their bills with it. It's still important however but will probably be going through some changes sometime down the road.

The other currency is the TimeDollar. A TD is worth 1 hour of time. Community members join a TimeBank where TDs spent and collected are tracked. The TimeBank consists of a variety of members, usually in a neighborhood or small region, who contribute skills to the community. An example: I spend two hours showing Jane how to videoblog. I earn two TimeDollars and she spends 2 TimeDollars (you are allowed to go into a negative balance). I then spend those one of those TDs to get my oil changed by Dan. He spends that TD he earned on freshbaked bread or a massage. And the cycle continues. The idea is that these services are being valued by something other than the market economy. It involves and utilizes people who can't contribute to that
mainstream economy and brings neighbors closer together. More solidarity in neighborhoods means safer neighborhoods for everyone.

The TDs were just kicked off here in the beginning of December and already there are all sorts of services being offered: simple plumbing, email therapy, rides around town, home-cooking, childcare, green housecleaning, and even teaching the art of bow-ties.

As you can see, I'm pretty excited about this program. It's exactly what I was looking for in terms of "sustainable community." As I've been learning about these currencies that are being used in Burlington, I've also had to catch up on all of the economics that I never studied. The environmental side of sustainability has been a hot topic, especially with An Inconvenient Truth coming out last summer (did you see it yet mom?) but it's amazing to realize the far-reaching benefits that monetary reform could have; it requires as much attention as environmental issues do.

So I've got a challenge for those of you who are up to it. Educate yourself about all this crazy money stuff... it makes you think twice (or maybe three times over) when you pay for things. Check out this movie: the Money Masters (available on Google video FOR FREE). It was
made in the early 90s and is fairly low-budget... and it's 3 hours long. But if you watch it in segments (instead of Battlestar Galactica or whatever you already watch) it's completely do-able. I've only found one error in it so far (something about For Knox) and over all it's backed up by a bunch of other books (like The Future of Money by Bernard Lietaer).

Also, I attached a short article about a TimeBank in Jerusalem. Check that out. That's really easy to do.

But what am I doing at the BCP? I'm videoblogging of course! I'm creating a series of "Stories" about people's experiences in the TimeBank. Not bad, eh? I haven't actually gotten to film anyone yet but that shall happen soon I hope. I'm also tagging along when they go canvassing, signing people up online, and helping out anyway I can.

so that's what I'm up to. Ask me about it. Challenge me on it. Make me find out more. Hey surprise, surprise! FWT can be educating after all!

hope everything is going well for you all, in your homes, on your other FWTs, and all 'round the country.

send me a line. check out my vlog. you know the drill.

cheers.
joanna

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