MAY ECOACTION ROUND TABLE: TIME BANKING

30 Apr MAY ECOACTION ROUND TABLE: TIME BANKING

An Hour Given = An Hour Earned Timebanking and Community Resilience, May 3, 8:30 A.M., Wilkinson Public Library Program Room

Time Bank of the Rockies is up and running, and we are delighted to bring Cynthia Harwood to the EcoAction Roundtable to present information and help people sign up for the regional Timebanking system. Cynthia began the Timebank of the Rockies in 2012 and welcomes participation from everyone in the region.

Time banks, also known as time exchanges are about people helping people in a system where everyone’s skills are equally valued and where everyone benefits. One hour you spend helping another in the system creates a time credit that can then be used by you to get help from other members. Once you’re a member you log on to the website and post the skills and talents you are willing to share – as well as those you’d like to receive.

In our society some skills are perceived as having a higher value than others. That may be why many parents encourage their offspring to become doctors or lawyers. It is true their hourly rates are rather elevated in comparison to the salaries of carpenters and dishwashers, but in Timebankland everyone is equal no matter what they do. An hour of doctor time is equal to an hour of massage or an hour of running errands or an hour of weeding a garden or an hour of reading and conversation with a shut in. The goal here is to build healthier communities based on mutual respect for everyone’s efforts, talents, and skills and provide a strong network of relationships that create community resilience.

Time credits can also be used to donate time to friends, family, or charities. It’s easy to join with a small membership donation request. Then you continue doing those great things you do for others anyway – but get a time credit for doing so. The more people who join, especially from our region, the better. Joining creates more goods and services available through the exchange.

Timebanking is not the same as bartering and it isn’t an alternative currency either. Rather it’s a community exchange – people doing things for each other outside of our “normal” monetary system. And since all hours are equal the concept truly builds appreciation in and amongst community members for what each of us can give. Some members have seen this as a great way to get the word out about their business. They may offer a free hour of their service to help people get to know them. Each member has control over their time though. In some timebanks doctors, chiropractitioners and other health care providers participate. But they can limit the number of timebank exchanges so they can still participate in the money economy too.

Timebank of the Rockies operates out of Montrose for the Western Slope, but there is a really cool feature on the website that allows members to say how far they are willing to go to give or receive. That’s one reason we are encouraging folks in our region to join.  If you can’t wait to find out more check it out at http://www.timebankoftherockies.com. ootherwise  we hope to see you Friday, May 3 to help you get your skills and talents out there and start enjoying this community building exchange.

About EcoAction Roundtables:

EcoAction Roundtables generally happen the first Friday of the month and are co-sponsored by the Wilkinson Library and Alpine Bank with help from Telluride Inside… and Out.

Light refreshments provided. Please RSVP for this FREE EVENT via Facebook, email or phone by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, so we are sure to have enough food.

A $5-10 donation is suggested to cover the cost of breakfast. All donations are greatly appreciated.

About EcoAction Partners:

Now in its seventh year EcoAction Partners (formerly The New Community Coalition) continues to work in local sustainability issues throughout the San Miguel Watershed and beyond. Our mission is to inspire, initiate and support collaborative community actions that enhance resilient economic, environmental, and social systems. We focus on three main areas: 1) Energy-efficiency, conservation, renewable and green building, 2) Zero Waste through Resource Recovery and Recycling – reduce, reuse, repair, recycle and rethink, and 3) Food – localizing our food supply.

Such efforts all help to realize the vision of world where people and their communities partner to enhance local self-reliance and ensure a sustainable future.

Contact us at (970) 728-1340 or programs@ecoactionpartners.org or visit: www.ecoactionpartners.org or our Facebook page.