In the process of creating your currency from day one, when was the GLCC Steering Committee formed?
I would guess that the GLCC Steering Committee was formed when we got down to writing the GLCC By-Laws. When we first starting meeting, we mainly talked about the currency, how to issue, what denominations, and then we got to writing the By-Laws and that was then that the Steering Committee was formed.
Your mission statement from the bylaws reads:
The Gorge Local Currency Cooperative (GLCC) seeks to create and sustain a local currency system in order to build community, promote regional economic independence, support local business and trade, encourage entrepreneurship, honor diversity, and enhance the local minimum wage in the Mid-Columbia region.
I know that when I move to a new area, it's often very difficult to meet people. Can you provide us with examples of how River Hours have helped to build more community trust, goodwill and interaction between users and neighbors?
You should watch The Money Fix and see the interviews with RiverHOURS business people. Hearing it from their lips will be have more impact on you. It feels different to spend your money with a business which takes local currency. In essence, by doing so, "you are saying I believe in this community and I want to see it thrive." The Mount Adams Chamber of Commerce, a coop member, includes a copy of our trade directory in each of their relocation packs that they send to people considering moving to the gorge.
What products do you buy locally with River Hours that you may have previously brought in from outside the area and purchased with USD? In other words, can you give us specific examples of how using River Hours has promoted regional economic independence?
We are promoting regional economic independence, but that doesn't mean that we have reached regional economic independence.
I'm not familiar with the Columbia River Gorge region but I see on the map how you encircled the region which shows the area of usage. (Mid-Columbia region and, in particular, the geographic region included within a thirty-five (35) mile radius from the Interstate Bridge between Hood River, Oregon and Bingen, Washington.) Aside from the geography of the area, what were your factors in determining where the currency would be used?
It included the major communities in the area.
How come your model is not a 70 radius or a 15 mile radius?
Because we wanted to include those major communities in the Gorge bioregion, and the number that fit was 35 miles. We did not want to start too big or too small. The 35 mile radius is only our distribution and advertising target area. But that doesn't exclude people living outside the 35 mile radius from using RiverHOURS.
Gandi said, "Be the change that you want to see in the world." However, it's very hard to create change on a large scale or with a wide audience in America. From reducing everyday pollution to using less oil and even something as simple as buying your produce from a local grower, these changes are difficult to effect with mainstream American. Consequently, all that your community has accomplished and all the positive changes you have achieved with River Hours do not put even a small dent into the one days sales of Wal-Mart USA. Average consumers will still drive 30 extra miles to buy cheap Wal-Mart goods from China and vegetable imported from Chile then take it home in 2 dozen plastic bags which get thrown out. Your area's efforts won't change the way all American's live so why do you even try? Why not just use a charge card, save money at Wal-Mart and leave 'change' up to the government?
We are not trying to change all of America. We are trying to create local regional economic sustainability. When the TV controlled and media mushed minds of Americans fall prey to the collapse of our nation, we will have in place a means of facilitating the trading of goods and services locally.
I've tried to explain the concept of local currency to 'Average Americans' and 99 out of 100 can't conceive of why they would use a local CC over USD, even just a few times a month. I hear comments like, "why shop local, it's more expensive, there is no parking and the stores are not open late". What's it going to finally take for the average American to wake up? What caused you to use the local money, what is the actual reasoning behind your choice to spend River Hours instead of USD?
It is Scot's belief that "It will take at least three weeks of going hungry for the average American to wake up. When they do wake up and start causing trouble, they will be escorted to FEMA camps and exterminated or put into slave labor. Rebecca is not sure how to wake people up. It comes from within. Maybe with the economic downturn, people might start waking up? Bruce here…I am talking with marketing experts to get ideas how to market a mind-set shift or paradigm shift from ME thinking to WE thinking. That seems to be a prerequisite for people to “get it” and realize the value of using local currency specifically and community building in general. People in Fargo, ND recently shifted from ME thinking to WE thinking because of a natural disaster. It probably will take an economic disaster just as big and up close for many people to make the shift to WE thinking. We think that economic disaster is on its way and soon will be close enough to trigger the paradigm shift. It happened in the great depression.
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