The Moneyless Man: a Year of Freeconomic Living

[preppingsu]

But what about the exchange of skills/goods etc. Surely this is a good way to work towards some sustainable living? Transition towns have a similar premise and the local one is holding a barter market soon.
And I only said to live by some of the principles.

[the-gnole]

And I only said to live by some of the principles.

I know you did Sue,

But what about the exchange of skills/goods etc.

And those are the bits to be encouraged to the max,

Transition towns have a similar premise and the local one is holding a barter market soon.

They sound good don't they, but they don't work very well on a large scale as I would guess that over 90% of the population doesn't even know what it means, or even if their town is a part of it, it is mainly aimed at a certain element (usually heart in the right place) of society, and try as they might they don't get a lot of support. (Green party types generally).

But on smaller scales like a village, or a street there is a lot that can be done.

[preppingsu]

They sound good don't they, but they don't work very well on a large scale as I would guess that over 90% of the population doesn't even know what it means, or even if their town is a part of it, it is mainly aimed at a certain element (usually heart in the right place) of society, and try as they might they don't get a lot of support. (Green party types generally).

But on smaller scales like a village, or a street there is a lot that can be done.

In an ideal world......having a conversation with my neighbour yesterday who poo-pooed the whole idea of alternative energy ( we had a solar panel salesman do cold calling this week). As she is also my landladys daughter I don't think we re gonna have solar power anytime soon. Not sure I could work with my neighbours in this way, they just don't share the same mindset. Transition towns are the next best thing. I will pop along tho the AGM to get an idea of what they are all about and make my decision from that.

[the-gnole]

I like alternative energy ideas, I have solar panels powering my allotment shed, I would love to have them on the roof of the house as well, nice south facing roof, and a small turbine in the garden would have covered us for a lot of the low wattage and low usage stuff.

But the finances aren't up to it and the freebie places want a bigger roof

I hope your local group comes up to muster Sue, let us know how you get on

[scoops_uk]

Ah, I see. Well, I don't care about that really. I bought it. I enjoyed it. That's good enough for me.

I've added it to my wish list and will no doubt read it and enjoy it myself. I was really just observing an inherent contradiction that amused me

[scoops_uk]

Surely this is a good way to work towards some sustainable living?

My personal view is that money has become to disconnected from real worth. For example our own economy is now massively based on the trading of opinion, whether that opinion is the future worth of a company on the stock exchange, or a celebrity, media and marketing etc.

The "free economy" is a reaction to that and seeks to base an economy on exchange of worth without attaching a value. Everyone does what they do to add worth to society and each takes what they need, but everyone's contribution is of equal value and as such value is irrelevant. Essentially communism with a new name. In theory if everyone continued doing what they're doing and taking what they are taking you could just remove the exchange of money and the wheels would keep turning.

Of course in reality....people tend to be people.

As for being leeches, that suggests the taking of something someone else wants (blood in the metaphor). Freegans generally survive on what is discarded or unwanted by others, perhaps they ought to be compared to wombles?

Scoops

[preppingsu]

Underground, overground wombling free,
The wombling if Wimbledon Common are we.
Making good use of the things that we find,
Things that the everyday folk leave behind.

The original recyclers/freecyclers. Fanbloodytastic!

[PreppingPingu]

As for being leeches, that suggests the taking of something someone else wants (blood in the metaphor). Freegans generally survive on what is discarded or unwanted by others, perhaps they ought to be compared to wombles?

I like that thinking Womble is good! I just made a compost bin from pallets that the local builders merchant didn't need and a pallet I was allowed to take from a skip. There is alot of wood going for free it seems that I can use to make raised beds, a gate and other things for the allotment with. The fact it was someone else rubbish, and that I have used it for free, as well as the fact I actually made something has given me a lot of satisfaction from an ecological and ecconomical point of view. I quite like doing a little bit of "wombling" now and then !