Money Matters

Putting the Eco into Economics

- global crisis and local solutions

David Boyle

28th May 2009

Published by Alastair Sawday Publishing

Visitwww.sawdays.co.uk to buy a copy

£7.99• Paperback •  ISBN 9781-906136-20-8

From
hedge funds to hyperinflation, credit cards to credit crunch, David
Boyle’s new book demystifies the economic system that has us all caught
in its tentacles. 

Now,
more than ever before, we are worrying about money.  With our
mortgages, savings, credit card bills, loans and pensions, we are all
implicated in a system that operates ostensibly in our name.  But for
something we all use so much of, money is extraordinarily elusive; it
is coins and it is debt, it is a plastic debit card and it is infinite
numbers of bytes in cyberspace.  But where has all the money gone?

Money Matters is
essential reading for anyone who feels in the dark about the economic
situation.  It will brief you for the current financial debate and will
make you look at everything from your bank statement to the coins in
your pocket in a whole new way.

The
book covers the origin of money, the banking system, the stock markets,
trading, the global flow of e-money, debt, mortgages, interest, tax,
pensions, the global currency of oil, forgery, great crashes of the
past, the dot.com
explosion, the credit crunch of 2007 and the 2008 crash, and the
emerging ways to trade in the future, such as Ethical Banking, Local
Exchange Currencies, the Transition Town Movement, and sustainable
finance.

David Boyle has
written widely about money from a green and ethical perspective.  He is
a fellow of the New Economics foundation and editor of their newspaper,
Radical Economics.  His books include Why London needs its own Currency (2000), Virtual Currencies (2001), The Money Changers (2002) and The Little Money Book (2003).

In these cash-strapped times,
local food producers offer consumers a way to not only save cash but
eat healthier too.  It’s a little known fact that locally produced
food can be cheaper than that available in the supermarket, the problem
is people just don’t know where to look.  Until now.  BigBarn,
the UK’s leading local food website, has just made finding out how everyone
can save by buying local that much easier. 

While
many Farm Shops have signs showing price comparisons with local supermarkets
and others check prices and are confident they are cheaper, consumers
only find out they are saving money when they visit the shop. 
Thanks to BigBarn all this has changed.  BigBarn already puts consumers
in touch with local producers through its popular postcode-generated
map technology and has now introduced a new £ flag to its maps, showing
producers who are cheaper than the local supermarket. 

All people have to do it visit www.bigbarn.co.uk and type in their postcode. 
Over 6,500 producers and retailers have icons on the BigBarn map from
farm shops to Farmers Markets.  Clicking on a producer’s icon
reveals what they offer, ratings and feedback from the public and the
ability to get in touch direct with the producer themselves.  Over
400 of these local producers and retailers have already registered cheaper
products.

How can this be?  The
supermarkets huge buying power does mean they can buy cheap, but the
supply chain costs mean that farmers only get 9p in every £1 spent
on food in a supermarket.  The maths is simple – if the producer
can sell direct for even 50p he will be getting five times as much and
giving the stretched consumer a 50% discount on supermarket prices –
a win-win, for all but the supermarket!  No wonder the new BigBarn
flag is proving so popular!   

Thousands of people have already
recognised the difference and changed to shopping locally every week
for essentials and the supermarket once a month for dry goods. Many
are even making extra savings by avoiding BOGOFs and impulse buys.

Biofuels: They’ll save the planet. They’ll wreck the planet. You decide.

Biofuels are being suggested as a way to help us cut our carbon emissions and slow climate change. They have their detractors and their supporters. What do you think?

Throughout September Ethical Junction member Passion for the Planet radio will be broadcasting a series of interviews with experts from both camps to explore the pro’s and con’s.

You can listen to the interviews by visiting www.passionfortheplanet.com/biofuels.htm

Interviews include:

• Abi Bunker, agricultural policy officer at the RSPB explains why many environmental NGOs are seeing red, not green, over the growth of biofuels.

• Graham Hilton director of biofuel company Ultra Green Fuels will be answering the case for biofuels – and how some biofuels can be part of the answer when it comes to protecting our planet.

• Deepak Ragani from Biofuel Watch is concerned about the impact of biofuels on people and wants to see the Government’s policies regarding these fuels changed.

• Ian Swingland Emeritus professor of conservation biology at the Durrell Institute looks at how biofuels can make a positive contribution to our environment and biodiversity and even the lives of people of people in poorer countries.

Plus

• Whats actually involved in refining a biofuel

• Biofuels impact on food

• Europe’s position on biofuels

• A look at the recent Gallagher Review on biofuels

What do you think?
Visit www.passionfortheplanet.com/biofuels.htm – listen to the interviews on air or on-demand and then place your vote in the Passion for the Planet online survey.

Passion for the Planet is the UK’s only ethical radio station providing you with solutions for a green and healthy lifestyle. Playing music from around the world plus interviews and features focused on your health, environment and personal development. Passion for the Planet is a radio station for people who care. Listen on DAB radio across the south of England and nationwide via the Internet at www.passionfortheplanet.com

Interest in UK farmstay holidays has more than doubled in the past year* according to the world’s leading online ethical holiday company, responsibletravel.com.

The 106% increase in enquiries for the company’s UK farmstay accommodation collection – many of which are certified as organic – reflects a growing trend as more and more UK farmers are turning to travel and tourism – ‘agro tourism’ – as a means of subsidizing incomes**.

The news is announced during the Soil Association’s Organic Fortnight (6-21 September) and is welcomed by co-founder of the company, Justin Francis:

“Agro tourism is already very popular in many countries in Europe but I don’t think it has received the recognition it deserves yet in the UK. Across all industries, whether it be food or tourism, consumers want to have a more local and authentic experience. A farmstay holiday is a great chance to really experience life on a farm. They also offer the visitor a great opportunity to stay in beautiful surroundings, often in historic buildings and the chance to sample delicious local produce.”

Lizzie Myers, owner of Huntstile Organic Farm in Somerset, said:

“We’re an organic farm, producing organic oats for Jordan’s breakfast cereal and organic milk thistle for Neal’s Yard, among others. We’ve definitely noticed an increase in visitors this year. In particular, we’re seeing more young families with children who come to see where their food comes from and learn about growing food. They help us dig potatoes and collect eggs – the children love it! The income from the B&B helps us to continue our renovations on our fifteenth century farmhouse.”

Farmstay holidays

Autumn is a great time of year to visit a UK farmstay. It’s also the traditional time to head out into the countryside and go foraging for blackberries, chestnuts, sloes, mushrooms and the like. Check out five of responsibletravel.com’s best UK farmstay escapes below…

Peak District self catering cottages – from £250 – £690 per cottage, per week
This traditional farmhouse on an organic dairy farm in the beautiful Peak District National Park offers the chance to wake up to stunning views and the scent of fresh organic bread. The breakfast is lovingly prepared by your welcoming hosts, with homemade organic yoghurt and special local porridge, alongside food sourced from local and organic suppliers. Local honey is available too, and you can ‘Meet the Bees’ with honey man Mark.

Herefordshire farmstay accommodation  – from £40 per person, per night B&B
This award-winning self-catering and bed and breakfast accommodation is based on a working farm in Herefordshire. The welcome tea tray typically comes with home-made baking and fruit from the orchards, a range of teas and suggestions of local places to eat out. Depending on farm commitments, Jon, the owner, enjoys taking guests around the orchards, talking about the ancient names of the fields, the crops that are grown and his life as a third generation farmer.

Lake District organic bed & breakfast  – from £58 per double room per night including organic breakfast
This grade 2 listed property and farm in Cartmel has been certified by The Soil Association and operates an organic fruit and veg box scheme throughout Cumbria and North Lancashire. Owners Paul and Julia actively encourage visitors to get involved in farm life during their stay.

North Cornwall luxury accommodation - from £45 – £65 per person, per night  including organic breakfasts
Situated near Bude this is the UK’s first certified organic B&B in a beautifully restored Victorian house and converted coach house. Sample delicious home cooked food in the restaurant prepared with fresh organic produce from the gardens.  Enjoy the chic and elegant ensuite bedrooms with roll top baths, crisp white linen and antique beds.

Organic farmstay accommodation in Somerset  – from £50 per room per night B&B
This is a fascinating 15th century farmhouse offering comfortable B&B rooms, well equipped self-catering accommodation, and a very peaceful camping and tipi field. Activities on the farm and nearby can include walking, cycling, fishing, falconry (1:1 private tuition can be arranged), Wwoofing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), and a Farm School.

See www.responsibletravel.com/farmstays

*Figures from customer data for the year September 2007-2008 compared to the same period in 2006-2007

**See DEFRA’s information for farmers on diversification: http://www.defra.gov.uk/FARM/working/diversify/index.htm

Damhead Organic Farm and Shop is celebrating Organic Food Fortnight by offering all visitors to the Organic Farm and Shop in Edinburgh a free cup of organic coffee and slice of organic cake until Sunday the 21st of September.

Damhead is also taking part in the Organic Food Festival in Glasgow’s Merchant City on the 20th and 21st of September.

For further information and instructions on how to get to Damhead log on to www.damhead.co.uk

A Schumacher College course
October 14-17, 2008

Those on this participatory Mythodrama workshop will benefit from a unique form of experiential learning that combines theatre practice, psychology and philosophy with organisational development.

The sessions utilise Shakespeare’s timeless play ‘As You Like It’.
Participants will explore for themselves a fascinating journey of
renewal, philosophical thinking, creative expression and new
possibilities, an invaluable process for leaders in sustainability.

Teacher:
Richard Olivier is Artistic Director of Olivier Mythodrama. He is at
the leading edge of bringing the world of theatre into the development
of authentic leaders. From 1999-2005 he was the Master of Mythodrama at
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

For further information on our courses, please see our website:

www.schumachercollege.org.uk

+44 (0) 1803 865 934
admin@schumachercollege.org.uk