[ShareTompkins] Fwd: [sustainable_tompkins-l] Bartering on the rise in Greece

[Shira Golding]

very interesting!

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Katie Quinn-Jacobs <kqj at quinn-jacobs.org>
> Date: October 2, 2011 7:08:11 AM EDT
> To: Sustainability in Tompkins County <sustainable_tompkins-l at list.cornell.edu 
> >
> Subject: [sustainable_tompkins-l] Bartering on the rise in Greece
> Reply-To: "Sustainability in Tompkins County" <sustainable_tompkins-l at list.cornell.edu 
> >
>
> Interesting article today in the NYT on the emergence of bartering  
> networks in Greece in response to the Greek economic crisis.
> Source:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/world/europe/in-greece-barter-networks-surge.html?ref=global-home
>
> "Part alternative currency, part barter system, part open-air  
> market, the Volos network has grown exponentially in the past year,  
> from 50 to 400 members. It is one of several such groups cropping up  
> around the country, as Greeks squeezed by large wage cuts, tax  
> increases and growing fears about whether they will continue to use  
> the euro have looked for creative ways to cope with a radically  
> changing economic landscape."
>
> "...if Greece does take a turn for the worse and eventually does  
> stop using the euro, networks like hers are prepared to step into  
> the breach. “In an imaginary scenario — and I stress imaginary — we  
> would be ready for it.
>
> The group’s concept is simple. People sign up online and get access  
> to a database that is kind of like a members-only Craigslist. One  
> unit of TEM is equal in value to one euro, and it can be used to  
> exchange good and services. Members start their accounts with zero,  
> and they accrue credit by offering goods and services. They can  
> borrow up to 300 TEMs, but they are expected to repay the loan  
> within a fixed period of time. "
>
> This echoes back to Cuba during the oil crisis in the early 1990's:
>
> "In an e-mail, the mayor of Volos, Panos Skotiniotis, said the city  
> was following the alternative currency network with interest and was  
> generally supportive of local development initiatives. He added that  
> the city was looking at other ways of navigating the economic  
> situation, including by setting aside public land for a municipal  
> urban farm where citizens could grow produce for their own use or to  
> sell. "
>
> -- Katie Q-J
>
>

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