News
‘Solidarity Economy’ Emerging in North Carolina
Submitted by Administrator on Fri, 04/10/2009 - 10:35am
The 'Plenty': Local Currency Is One Tool of Local Coop Economy
From Democracy Now
April 9, 2009:
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to look now at how one North Carolina town is trying to become more self-sufficient by moving towards, well, being able to feed, fuel and finance itself. The town of Pittsboro, North Carolina—we just passed it yesterday—it houses the nation’s largest biodiesel cooperative, a food co-op, a farmers’ market and, most recently, its own currency, the Pittsboro Plenty. Pittsboro is one of a number of communities across the country printing their own money in an attempt to support local business.
We’re joined right now by community activist, entrepreneur and author Lyle Estill. He is also the author of Small Is Possible: Life in a Local Economy, and he’s founder of Piedmont Biofuels. He is also author of another book, as well.
We welcome you to Democracy Now! It’s good to have you with us, Lyle.
LYLE ESTILL: Thanks.
AMY GOODMAN: Plenty—where is that currency? I had it here somewhere. How could I lose that? Ah, here it is. Here it is. This is a—looks like—a little bit like Monopoly money. And tell us about Plenty. What does it stand for?
LYLE ESTILL: It’s an acronym for Piedmont Local Economy Tender. And it was started by a group of activists in Carrboro, North Carolina back around 2001. And it is predicated on the idea that by having a role in our own monetary circulation, we’ll all be better off. Our local economy will be better served.
Thoughts on the USSEN Mission
Submitted by emilykawano on Sun, 02/01/2009 - 1:15am(This was prepared as a discussion piece for a small network forming within the Democratic Socialists of America. Comments and discussion should be addressed to Eric Ebel, eebel@voyager.net.)
Congress: “Solidarity Economy in globalized Capitalism”
Submitted by emilykawano on Thu, 01/15/2009 - 2:42pmBerlin, 24 to 26 November 2006
This huge congress of 1400 persons on « solidarity economy » was organised by a number of German social organisations, including CICOPA member Netz für Selbstverwaltung and Selbst-Organisation (Network for Self-Management and Self-Organisation).
Among the central topics discussed at the congress was the new German cooperative law which came into force only three months ago, and which lowers the minimum number of members to establish a cooperative from 7 to 3, thus opening a huge potential for new cooperatives in that country, especially in our sector. Another main theme was how the solidarity economy could organise in Germany itself, as well as at the world level.
Fair Trade Sales Increase
Submitted by Administrator on Fri, 11/07/2008 - 10:31pmGlobal Fairtrade sales increase by 47%
Worldwide consumers spent over 2.3 billion euros on Fairtrade certified products in 2007. This represents a 47% increase on the previous year and means that over 1.5 million producers and workers in 58 developing countries now benefit from Fairtrade sales.
Impressive growth can be seen across all product categories. In particular, sales of juices have almost quadrupled, sugar have doubled and bananas have increased by 72%. Coffee, the first and one of the most established Fairtrade products, continued to grow steadily with an increase of 19%. Fairtrade cotton farmers have also seen demand for their produce more than double in just one year. During 2007, the sales of items made out of Fairtrade certified cotton, ranging from cotton wool to jeans and towels, surpassed 14 million individual items.
The growth is the result of the expansion in existing markets and the opening of new ones. The value of sales in Fairtrade’s biggest markets, the UK and US, grew by 72% and 46% respectively. Sweden and Norway were home to the fastest growing markets for Fairtrade with increases of 166% and 110% respectively. The highest per capita consumption in the world was in Switzerland where consumers spent an average of €20.8 on Fairtrade products in 2007.
Solidarity Economy Workshop at Highlander Center
Submitted by emilykawano on Fri, 11/07/2008 - 11:24amTwenty-four activists and educators from five states met for two days at the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, Tennessee to learn about the Solidarity Economy and build relationships for future work together. The group included people working on immigrant rights, sustainability education, living wages, police brutality, the cradle to prison pipeline, using art for social change, alternatives to militarism, community building, sustainable economic development, youth leadership and more. More...
Fair Trade Reveals Dirty Secret about the Rwandan Genocide
Submitted by Administrator on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 2:36pmThe U.S. NCBA
Submitted by Administrator on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 2:34pmOur History
Founded in 1916, the National Cooperative Business Association was known as the Cooperative League of America until 1922 and as the Cooperative League of the USA (CLUSA) until 1985. It was the first national organization for cooperatives.
Read more at: www.ncba.coop
ICA Open Letter to the G8
Submitted by Administrator on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 2:13pmOpen Letter to the Governments of the G8
Not By Bread Alone
Submitted by Administrator on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 5:13pmJune 2005
Not by Bread Alone
A handful of Bay Area collectives take their cues from an innovative Basque cooperative
by Traci Hukill
As pizza counter guys go, Willie Perez is unusually cheerful, especially for the middle of a lunch rush that, by all rights, should be tailing off. At half-past one on a spring Tuesday, a line of hungry customers is snaking out The Pizza Collective storefront on Berkeley’s Shattuck Avenue, the ovens are gusting heat into the kitchen and flushed workers in aprons and tennis shoes are darting about in what appears to be barely organized bedlam. This is not the best time for an interview, I think, as I make my way to the front. But Perez’s face breaks into a huge smile of welcome, he greets me like an honored guest and I am ushered to a table with a delicious slice of organic vegetarian pizza.
Towards the Solidarity Economy: A View from India
Submitted by Administrator on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 11:52am
Towards the
Solidarity Economy:
A View from India
By InfoChange India
News & Features
