In past recessions and depressions across the world, communities have reclaimed the power that the bankers hold by creating their own forms of money and Local Money shows how this is possible. This book is an inspiring guide that helps you understand what money is and how you can create money that stays in the community, building loyalty between consumers and local traders rather than losing wealth to corporate chain stores. It explains how alternative currencies can work with local banks and credit unions to strengthen the local economy, supporting the local production of necessities such as food and energy while helping to reduce the community's carbon emissions. The book draws on the long history of local currencies, from Local Exchange Trading Schemes and “time banks” to paper currencies such as BerkShares, Ithaca “Hours,” and German regional currencies, which circulate between local businesses as an alternative to their losing trade to the big-box retailers. The story culminates in the development of the first Transition currencies, the Totnes, Lewes, Stroud, and Brixton Pounds.
Foreword by Rob Hopkins
Introduction The vision
PART ONE: THE JUSTIFICATION
Chapter 1 The money we have
Chapter 2 What is money – and can we change it?
Chapter 3 Localisation
PART TWO: ALTERNATIVE CURRENCY MODELS
Chapter 4 A brief history of alternative currencies
Chapter 5 Local Exchange Trading Schemes
Chapter 6 Time banking
Chapter 7 Ithaca and other ‘Hours’
Chapter 8 Argentina’s barter networks
Chapter 9 German regional currencies
Chapter 10 BerkShares
PART THREE: TRANSITION CURRENCIES
Chapter 11 The first Transition currency: the Totnes Pound by Noel Longhurst
Chapter 12 Build the world anew: the Lewes Pound
Chapter 13 The Stroud Pound Co-op: a local currency for the Five Valleys with Molly Scott Cato
Chapter 14 Local money in a global city: the Brixton Pound
Chapter 15 How to do it: starting and building a local currency
PART FOUR: TOWARDS RESILIENT LOCAL ECONOMIES
Chapter 16 Towards a deeper ecosystem of currencies and local finance
Chapter 17 Some closing thoughts
References
Resources
"If you're ready to embark on the rather exciting journey of local money in your town, this is the most helpful book I've come across so far."
- Make Wealth History
"Transition groups and others interested in finding alternatives to big money and the big banks will find plenty to stimulate their efforts as they work to biuld a resilient economic future for their communities."
- Blackmore Vale Magazine
Peter North
Dr Peter North teaches Geography at Liverpool University. He first heard about alternative currencies while doing a Masters in Peace Studies in 1992, and has been exploring local money worldwide since then. He is one of the founder members of Transition South Liverpool.
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