Community currency keeps the dollars local

Read the latest article on the Baroon Dollar in Australia's Green Magazine:

At a time when domestic and global economies are suffering a downturn, it might feel like the man on the street has little or no control over the situation. But what if we started to think outside of the conventional money box?
A growing number of social entrepreneurs are doing just that by introducing community currencies into their neighbourhoods. Essentially a form of voucher system, they offer a complementary alternative to established legal tender, but one with a deep-rooted sense of community spirit.
By championing regional business and production, they strive to keep money flowing in the local economy, which also reaps environmental benefits by keeping food miles to a minimum.
With such schemes already enjoying success in parts of the UK, Germany and North America, Australia is about to try out its own socio-economic experiment with the launch of the Baroon Dollar ($B) across the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
"It's a playful response to the recession," said Darren Mitchell, (pictured centre) an educator in the town of Maleny (pop. 3000) and 'Currency Architect' of the initiative. "We're creating a new story about money and how we can take ownership of it."

Pictured from L to R Barry Earsman, Darren Mitchell and Sue Mihovilovich.

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