Mendoza: The land of wine and ecovales
Since Emma is off traveling Patagonia, Cam and Preston decided to indulge a little bit of travel as well- so we packed up everything into 1 1/2 backpacks (one is just a little bookbag) and headed west to Mendoza. You may know the area for its Malbec wines (here, the going rate for an excellent bottle of Malbec is 12 pesos, or roughly 4 dollars) but it is also to be the future hotbed of the ecovale. Let me explain.
We decided that our time in Buenos Aires, while fun, was somewhat unfulfilling (working in front of a computer = good time waster, bad for human and community interaction). So, we searched a website and applied to a few nonprofits out here- and within hours, El Prosumidor had written us back with an invitation to work (well, volunteer) with them.
The organization has been around since the 1990s, and has done a variety of things in the province of Mendoza- communal living and social sustainability projects- but one of the most interesting initiatives they have undertaken is the implementation of a “social currency.” In the 1990s, El Prosumidor began printing out a form of currency to be used within a given community- with the intention of retaining money, goods, and jobs within a certain marginalized area. Basically, it operated as a form of backlash against the negative effects of globalization, and as a way for the poorer subsets to be able to trade and operate without restraint. What is interesting is that at the same time, a Canadian man (whose name has escaped me) had introduced the same concept in parts of Canada- however, this currency was used by more affluent people in smaller towns, as a way of preserving the town and local ecology. In strict comparison, the Argentine example was not limited, but grew tremendously over the years- to a point where between 2 and 4 million people were using the notes.
Of course, all things come to an end, and some people began to print bills without restriction, which led to inflation and a loss of confidence, as well as the eventual disappearance of the currency. In recent years, others on the international scene- most notably in Forteleza, Brazil began to use their own currency, modeled on the Argentine version, called Palmas. You should definitely Google it; there is a video summary. In this slum of the city, community members started circulating this currency, and some people in the community operate and run businesses solely on the Palma: loans are given, products are purchased, people are paid. One woman proclaimed that she now never has to go downtown to purchase goods.
The Argentines are now revamping the initiative, and they are renaming the currency the ecovale. El Prosumador is again the driving force behind the reintroduction. The organization is incorporating certain safeguards to ensure that it won’t fail again, such as the support of local government, businesses, and other social organizations. Our job will be to help edit and translate a document that will be submitted to a World Bank summit, with the intention of introducing the project and seeking funding. In the process our gracious host, Alberto, has promised to introduce us to the intimate details of the project and other initiatives El Prosumador is spearheading, as well as introductions to other nonprofits in the community. He also employed another worker, Mauro, to help us find housing- which is costing just $100 each for a month, in a nice residential house that we share with 2 (or 3?- there are people constantly popping in and out) Argentines.
Tomorrow we plan to visit the Bodegas, so I’m sure there’ll be plenty of vino news for all those that are interested.
