Community Exchange Network of Portland

The Point of COGS

COGS stands for Circle of Gifts, and is a complementary currency specifically designed to help local communities re-localise activities. The aim of re-localisation is to provide inhabitants with the possibility of an acceptable quality of life when traditional economic development fails, or their circumstances are against them.

We believe complementary currencies will become more important as energy supplies dwindle and impact the economic growth so essential for inter… Continue

People around the world are increasingly concerned and even fearful about the present state of our economy and the real possibility of a recession turning into a depression. Having grown dependent upon an economic system which has increasingly failed us now our economy is in a rapid state of decline. As a growing number of people are losing their jobs and homes, many are finding themselves in rather precarious and even dire circumstances. Should the economy significantly worsen none of us likes… Continue

Have a look at this. Quite incredible: http://www.usdebtclock.org/

The Method by which the Federal Reserve creates money out of nothing; the concept of usury as the payment of interest on pretended loans; the true cause of the hidden tax called inflation; the way in which the Fed creates boom-bust cycles.

Interested? Read more here.. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/888963/posts

Credit and Debit Limits

What are credit and debit limits and why do we need them in a community of givers and receivers promoting the notion of abundance? Surely limits create a shortage of the currency, taking us back to debt-based conventional money where those of us who are short of the stuff have to borrow it from those who have a surplus?

Credit and debit limits are absolutely essential for the health of an exchange. In the CES we do not impose 'hard' limits where the system stops… Continue