Revitalising Communities with Bartering

Bartering, as a form of community currency, is becoming a sustainable development policy objective. It is a strategy to boost sustainable consumption by motivating individuals to use their consumer sovereignty in transforming markets. Bartering has become a system in response to the failings of conventional economics. Importantly, it places communities on the path towards self sufficiency and encourages localisation, self-reliance and co-operation between individuals. It promotes governance and citizen action on a small-scale but still makes a political statement against consumerism and self interest, shifting the community away from a market oriented world view.

Some communities in Greece are using the bartering system to reject the austerity imposed by the Greek government to meet the needs of the community. Currency is still used but goods and services can also be used in a fair trade arrangement. Argentina relied heavily on an alternative money system traded in barter markets during its national economic crisis in 2001/2002. This became a real lifeline for its population. It is not even exclusive to communities as during the 2008 financial crisis, Thailand bartered food for oil with Iran.

There are several forms of the bartering system which vary between communities and some are designed with a different purpose. LETS (Local Exchange Trading Schemes) is a form of trade adapted to local circumstances with specific community currency equivalent to standard money. This system can be found in several locations across the world. Another system is the NU-card. Developed in The Netherlands, the NU-card enables users to gain 'green' points for specific actions and for purchases of sustainable goods and services, acting as an incentive towards environmental lifestyle changes. The points can then be spent on several services around the city. Time banking allows participants can 'deposit' and 'withdraw' their time like currency. The service aims to rebuild supportive community networks of reciprocal self-help (Seyfang, 2004).

Money on on its own is meaningless, yet in society it has the power to encourage or discourage specific emotions or behaviour patterns. Bartering changes this by making individuals aware of the impacts of their choices. The success of bartering systems is individual, depending on context, local situation and objectives but the examples discussed demonstrate the viability of the system with the potential of implementing such a scheme into mainstream society. A key characteristic of adaptability and resilience is diversity, and bartering used with other sustainability methods is a flexible system for community empowerment.

Reference

Seyfang, G. (2004) Bartering for a better future? Community currencies and sustainable consumption. CSERGE Working Paper. http://www.cserge.ac.uk/sites/default/files/edm_2004_10.pdf