To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org>
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 07:35:37 +1000
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Pack Rat Day?!?!


Back in the late 70's we started an organisation called REVOLVE that was 
based on scrounging at the local rubbish tip and sold useful products at a 
local market as part of an Unemployed Workers Union Initiative. I moved on 
but some young entrepanours took it on and turned it into a million dollar 
business that can now recycle more than 60% of our nations capital city's 
waste! Green Waste, Food Scraps etc included! It is a non-profit 
organisation so as it makes a profit it employs more people and expands its 
process. One thing that I love is that it approaches manufacturers and 
retail outlets to secure their waste which, from an artists point of view is 
a wonderful resource.....you know, short equel sized pieces of Aluminium 
extrusion in their hundreds, wierd shaped offcuts of otherwise really 
expensive materials that large manufacturers discard rather than keeping 
"just in case", remember aluminium bottle tops? the sheets of aluminium foil 
that these were punched out of and other stuff! Lasat year they had a the 
complete makings of a milk bottling plant. I passed up on an opportunity to 
buy a machine for $300 aus ($150 US) that included nearly 30 minature 
pnuematic rams and controllers...DUH!
The other initiative is LETS...or Local Energy Transfer System. Sounds much 
like Freecycle but you trade for a currency token and includes labour and 
some retail outlets that will trade 50% LETS 50% cash etc. Doesnt have to be 
significant items either, back rubs, a companion for a day, Joke of the Day 
as well as more serious items like assistance building houses, panelbeating 
and of course lots of home made items, produce and "junk". Our Tax office 
ruled that IT IS taxable but only in the currency of the trade and as they 
arent set up to deal within arbitary economies they passed on it. 
Unfortunatley Social Security doesnt take the same attitude but then 
struggle to place a value on a "redback" or the other plethora of currency 
tokens. I "sell" lots of our old sets, props, lights, puppets and "junk" 
this way. By the way, debt in LETS is GOOD! There is no interest and It 
means that someone is in credit and cashed up to spend!

D. 

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