BerkShares

Our local currency for the Berkshires region. Prioritizing local production and exchange for a thriving, sustainable Berkshire economy. #LetsGrowLocal

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

“Little things add up and using BerkShares is not an insignificant way of supporting your community.”

Nice coverage of our local currency via @BostonDotCom

[Boston.com @BostonDotCom]

Why do the Berkshires have their own currency? https://t.co/FHF22a5M2y

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

Berk-shares cordwood notes — a precursor experiment to our local currency!

[Schumacher Center for a New Economics @Center4NewEcon]

"[W]ith its own currency, a region can issue all the credit it needs to local merchants, small businesses, and farmers to encourage local production and distribution. It can do this for as little as the estimated cost of handling the currency and loan."
https://t.co/lk3MasXaL1

[CultureHackLabs @CultureHackLabs]

#CultureHackLabs Issue 02 | Democratizing Monetary Issue by @susanwitt

🌳 Local currencies be a viable alternative to centralized monetary systems? These are examples of successful local interventions to find out what they can teach us.

Read now 👉 https://t.co/sqV5e555I1

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

We’re pleased to once again convene our membership for an in-person annual meeting—a first since 2019.
To fit this convivial atmosphere, we’ve chosen to host the meeting at Cove Bowling Lanes in Great Barrington!
Read more here: https://t.co/a0JOjE6azt

[Schumacher Center for a New Economics @Center4NewEcon]

"A local currency can have an incubator effect—it encourages local production and responsibility to one another and the local ecology..."
— Robert Swann (1995)
https://t.co/OjlXGAm3in

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

“...we’re not going to change anyone’s lives, but we can certainly help change people’s days.”
- Erik Bruun of SoCo Creamery, our latest BerkShares Business of the Month
#ShopLocal #PayLocal
https://t.co/EA3pUtddgS

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

UPDATE: The BerkShares app experienced a short period of server downtime last Thursday. It was resolved later that day and should be functioning normally for all users!

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

The BerkShares app is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Our tech team is working on it and should have it up and running again shortly. Thank you for your patience!

[Schumacher Center for a New Economics @Center4NewEcon]

"What's your money doing tonight?"
A look back at SHARE, a local micro-lending initiative in the #SouthernBerkshires that help direct investment into projects known by the community.
https://t.co/F3BsZ8CbGv

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

The North Plain Farm Store honor checkout is a thing of beauty.
#Farmstand #CommunitySupportedAgriculture #PayLocal #LocalCurrency

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

Imagine the exponential impact on community and local businesses if cash assistance were issued in a #localcurrency and encouraged to recirculate in place. #BuyLocal #PayLocal
https://t.co/mZs6Hyr4ur

[Chris Hayes @chayesdc]

Visiting #magicfluke in #sheffieldma which takes #Berkshares #blockchain @HumanityCash @CeloOrg #Celo

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

Our new business of the month features Gwendolyn VanSant of @BRIDGE413, discussing our organizations' innovative partnership on cash assistance via #localcurrency https://t.co/ae9ElOV24h

[Multicultural BRIDGE @BRIDGE413]

https://t.co/02ngqqp7GU. Supporting local business & families — BRIDGE & @BerkShares — we are the focus of BerkShares Business of the Month story featuring our mutual aid Universal Basic Income placing over B$5800 in vulnerable families homes. Donate to us in BerkShares! 💰💞

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

This data from @civiceconomics gives a general comparison (from 2012) of revenue recirculation when you #BuyLocal. The idea of our local currency is to keep that local share recirculating—at as close to 100% as possible—without leaking out of an economic area. #PayLocal

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

An introduction to the idea of Import Replacement, taught by Alice Maggio, former Local Currency Program Director @Center4NewEcon. This was part of the first session of the Entrepreneurial Apprenticeship in the S. Berkshires a few years ago.
https://t.co/Vzb3YGoITe

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

And #PayLocal with participating farms like Many Forks!

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

Stephen Root of Berkshire @BikeandBoard, long-time participant in our local currency, on the importance of a #BuyLocal mindset— even if it sometimes means a small inconvenience.
#PayLocal

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

Keeping more of our money local here in the Berkshires since 2006. (📸 Ben Garver, @BerkshireEagle)
#ShopLocal #PayLocal

[BerkShares @BerkShares]

"It's an unspoken rule in the Berkshires: #buylocal whenever possible."
Another angle on digital BerkShares via @BostonGlobe, feat. our area's own @BikeandBoard!
https://t.co/5DuXeNNzrg