there are some in the U.S. who operate outside of the money system by choice (rather than circumstance.) who live as urban scavengers, subsisting on food saved from dumpsters and turning abandoned buildings into homes and collective squats. there are also a few rural communes that exist as completely self-sustaining communities, living off the electric grid and growing all of their own food. but both of these options require a fair amount of security to begin with. what about those of us who can not afford to completely drop out of this capitalist system (for reasons of finance or efficacy)? how do we circumvent this destructive economy from within?
deciding to buy as little as possible by making, trading, salvaging, and repairing is one way to create less waste. gift economies are another powerful tool. in addition to saving resources by recycling goods and bartering services, they also create spaces of autonomy and cooperation. gift economies have existed in different forms and in many cultures long before capitalism was practiced, but here are a few ideas that challenge us to move beyond the role of passive consumers, to become active participants in local economies of exchange.
-beyond barter is a skills pool in L.A. when members sign up they list what skills they have to offer and how many hours a week they are available. services such as acupuncture, massage, computer repair and legal help are available. (there is an initial registration charge of $50 and then it's about $8 a month. but hey, if you start one in your city, you wouldn't need to charge a thing.)
-really, really free markets are now active in san francisco, nyc, philadelphia and carrboro, nc. once a month people gather in a central location with whatever they want to give away. everyone is welcome to take. the carrboro organizer's explain it this way: "Because there's enough for everyone. Because sharing is more fulfilling than owning. Because corporations would rather the landfills overflow than anyone get anything for free. Because scarcity is a myth constructed to keep us at the mercy of the economy. Because a sunny day outside is better than anything money could buy."
-with the motto that we are all learners and we are all teachers, free skools offer a variety of classes for free with an emphasis on skill sharing. free skool santa cruz organizes quarterly classes in homes and public spaces on local plant identification, meditation, canning, bike repair, conversational spanish, internet security and more.
-online, websites such as freecycle and craigslist provide forums for locating, and offering, free goods and services. wikis and software exchanges provide free information and resources. it has even been argued that the internet itself operates as a (threatened) gift economy.
-in your neighborhood free boxes, book exchanges, and babysitting coops can all function as gift economies.
what can you offer? what do you truly need?
more links:
the church of stop shopping (i heart reverend billy)
the compact (a commitment to buy nothing for a year)
bay area gift economy
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2 comments:
I appreciate your mention of my BEYOND BARTER skills pool in L.A. One correction: After the $50 registration fee, the annual dues come to about $4 a month (not $8).
I note also your suggestion that a similar organization could be run without a membership fee. Unfortunately, this would probably not work, because of the amount of time required for administration (not to mention expenses).
Two more books on this subject:
Mongo: Adventures in Trash by Ted Botha
Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine
I want to do The Compact, but I don't know if I'm ready...hopefully someday.
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