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Slow Movement News

Turkish fast food: Real food fast

The definition of ‘fast food’ according to the Wikipedia is food cooked in build and in advance, kept warm or re-heated to order....

Slow Fish a great success

Slow Food in collaboration with the region of Liguria, has just finished celebr4ating the event Slow Fish 2007. It was a great success with 42,000 visitors, a much higher number than expected. ...

National Sea Change Task Force urges more flood studies

ABC Wed Jul 11 07 The Mayor of Maroochy Shire on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, Joe Natoli, says it could be another 12 months before the CSIRO is able to undertake a flood modelling study in the Sunshine Coast region because the research body is under-funded. ...

Treechangers change country culture

An influx of treechangers into a rural community can keep population levels steady but it can change the needs and expectations within the community. ...

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Local Excange Trading Scheme LETS

Local exchange trading scheme (LETS) are local community-based networks in which people exchange goods and services with minimal use of money. They provide a good means to connect to our community and to its economic development. The focus is taken off money and on to exchanging services – you do something for me and I’ll do something for you. It is in sync with the ethos of the slow movement.

Instead of money LETS use 'community credits'. People earn LETS credits by providing a service and they spend their credits on whatever is offered by other people in the scheme eg childcare, transport, food, trade services or home repairs. Where there has been a financial outlay to provide the service eg purchase of wood to make a box, the recipient pays for the wood, but not the service of making the box.

There are many difference between LETS schemes, and members trade a diverse range of products and services. Traditionally LETS systems have operated by distribution of a directory of services to members. Currently there are moves to distribute a directory of services to members through online bulletin boards and discussion groups.