Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Time Banking and Digital Credits: Building Blocks of the Bridge

My introduction to time banking was back in January when Sirius Community members traveled to the Earthlands Collective during their annual retreat for "Joyful Productivity" work exchange on a Saturday and each of us who worked received 4 hours of time in the Earthlands Collective Time Exchange, which is affiliated with the hOurworld time banking network. Sirius Community, thus far, does value exchange work hours as a supplement to residency fees for those of us living on the land, yet most other transactions involve fiat US dollars as currency. Many participants who received time to deposit via hOurworld have not done so, as there is a general disconnect with the concept of time banking. I have added 9 more hours of time to my account at Earthlands Collective Time Exchange and now have joined Valley Time Trade (also an hOurworld affiliate) so they may all be transferred to the Northampton based time bank that is closer to Sirius in Shutesbury than Earthlands is in Petersham. First intended outreach is into the Hearthstone Village near Sirius Community...



The Hearthstone Village grew up around this intentional community founded by Gordon Davidson & Corinne McLaughlin in 1978 (Bruce Davidson and Linda Reimer joined them as co-founders in 1979). Some members of Valley Time Trade live in Shutesbury and may also reside in the Hearthstone Village area on Baker Road near Sirius. Until time banking is viable for value exchange within Sirius Community itself, Valley Time Trade for goods and services exchanges around Shutesbury and the surrounding Pioneer Valley is one way of bypassing fiat money of the Federal Reserve System in the United States. Earthlands in Petersham is exploring the option of using a digital currency: rCredits created by Common Good Finance. John G. Root, Jr. presented this recently at "The Future is Now" planning conference held in the big tent between Earthlands Lodge and Medicine Circle... ~ JDHWB-R


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