The MEC Joins Mendo Time Bank

The Mendocino Environmental Center has recently joined the Mendo Time Bank, an up-and-coming local exchange network that uses time for currency. In pursuit of our common goals of environmental stewardship, community building, and social justice, Mendo Time Bank is partnering with the MEC and will eventually be part of MEC’s new Transition Town Ukiah project <to be explained in a future post>. The MEC is the new “house”, so to speak, of the Time Bank, providing it with meeting space, a place to have regular orientations, office hours, and social events, as well as providing volunteers to help with administration, promotion, and networking.  The Mendo Time bank has already had orientations at the Center, and is now producing a regular radio program on the MEC’s Low Power FM radio station, KMEC Radio.  The show is airing every other Tuesday from 6 to 7pm.  The show will feature Time Bank news, stories from users, new services offered, music, and more.

The MEC is also accepting Time Dollars for payment of membership dues.  Memberships usually cost $35 dollars per year, or 5 hours of community service per year for trade.  Therefore, the MEC will charge 5 Time Dollars per year for membership.  What membership provides is access to the Center for meetings and so forth, the chance to have a show on KMEC, connection to our email list which provides local action alerts and issue updates, as well as a place for the activist, social advocate, etc to work on projects out of a home base with a phone number, address, and wireless internet that the member can use.  There are many more ways people can benefit as members, check out our “Members” page for more information.

Members and Administrators who put in many hours of work keeping the MEC alive, will now have the opportunity to be compensated for their work with Time Dollars.  It is exiting to offer something to them as a thanks for all they do.  Policy will soon be developed that details who and how members can earn Time Dollars.

To join the Mendo Time Bank, go to www.mendotimebank.com and submit an application.  If you are a member of the MEC <or wish to be> and are interested in helping us to develop this relationship, earn Time Dollars, and meet new people, please contact the MEC by calling our office at7074681660 or emailing us: mendocinoenvironmentalcenter<at>gmail.com

The more we use Time Dollars in diverse ways, the more valuable they become, creating momentum toward a sustainable future.  As we transition our area into a fully inclusive local economy, become more conscious about our consumptive life style, and decide to do things differently, we actually make real change.  Hoping all in Mendo Land will become members of the MEC and the Time Bank, so the services they offered can be fully utilized.  Both organizations are community resources that are waiting community involvement. Start using it, create the habit, and create change!