1. Refuse
2. Reduce
3. Reuse
4. Repair
5. Recycle
6. Relocalise
And what’s left,
7. Offset
© It’s the Planet 2008
How to beat the Credit Crunch and look after people and the planet
To take the UK as an example, we are one of the most affluent countries in the world but our production and consumption patterns have a dark underside that all those politicians trying to recreate business as usual after the credit crunch would prefer not to talk about. If you have not yet seen the fast-paced, fact-filled Story of Stuff please give it a try, it’s fascinating! For images of the enormity of our consumption which statistics alone cannot really convey take a look at Running the Numbers by photographer Chris Jordan.
There are alternative ways to exchange goods and services which not only help to beat the credit crunch but also mean that we consume less stuff by getting the most out of what we have. Up and down the UK there are plenty of schemes which are creating local currencies and other ways to swap, exchange, and trade goods and services.
So, whether you would like to start the local currency, trade with your neighbours in ekos, stones, or beaks, find some land to grow vegetables, or just swap books or fashion designs, here are links to some of them:
www.letslinkuk.net (the umbrella organisation for LETS - local exchange trading schemes - in the UK)
www.timebanking.org (time banks link people locally to share their time and skills)
www.justfortheloveofit.org (the freeconomy community)
www.whatsmineisyours.com (there’s no such thing as ‘throw away’ fashion’ - every item can go on a series of journeys from one loving owner to the next)
www.seedypeople.co.uk (seed swap site where by people with surplus seeds can get in touch to swap seeds from vegetables, herbs, flowers and trees)
www.readitswapit.co.uk (the UK's free second-hand book exchange - swap books you've read for new books, recycle books and get rid of used books)
www.uk.freecycle.org (freecycle groups match people who have things they want to get rid of with people who can use them, and so keeping usable items out of landfills)
www.communitylandtrust.org.uk (helping communities to acquire fixed assets and then hold them in perpetuity for local use)
www.landshare.net (a UK wide initiative to make British land more productive and fresh local produce more accessible to all)
www.lovefoodhatewaste.com (in the UK we throw away one third of all the food we buy – most of which could be eaten. Love Food Hate Waste is a campaign from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) that provides tasty recipes and top tips that helps us cut back on wasting food)
www.liftshare.com (sharing journeys saves money, reduces CO2 and is fun!)
And finally, money ...
Economic localisation is considered to be a key aspect of the transition process, and local currency systems provide the opportunity to strengthen the local economy whilst preventing money from leaking out. Several local currencies are already underway, or soon will be:
www.totnes.transitionnetwork.org/totnespound
And in September 2009, Transition Town Brixton’s Currency Group will launch the Brixton Pound: a local currency which can be spent only with local Brixton businesses.
Roger Scruton