LETS: Local Exchange Trading System (本地交易所交易系統)
筆者前言: 身為已經居住在加拿大不列顛哥倫比亞省 (British Columbia, BC, Canada) 近20年，在台灣直接參予建置及推動 CES 全球交換所/時間銀行系統 (Community Exchange System, CES, by Tim Jenkin, Cape Town, South Africa)，也快三年了。竟然，現在才得知，這 LETS (Local Exchange Trading System | 本地交易所交易系統) 就是在加拿大BC省，1980年代一位省民所創建的。 而這也是 CES 的前身系統。 真是後知後覺，但也真是與有榮焉！
而如此「白石國度社群雲」支援與強化模式: 從 「白石時間銀行社群雲」( KCE2CES and KCE2SG 多元治理應用)，邁向「白石永續發展社群雲」 (KCE2ESG Community Cloud) … 真也是一個不斷社經創新的躍進!
“…There are three basic types of community currency systems: Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS), Time Banks, and Hours Systems (Meeker-Lowry, 1996). LETS began in British Columbia in the early 1980s and have been the most widespread form of local currency schemes…” Source: Engagement of the Elderly in Time Banking: The Potential for Social Capital Generation in an Aging Society, By Ed Collom, California State University, Fullerton, February 2008, Journal of Aging & Social Policy 20(4): 414-36
三種主要的社區貨幣系統 Cited:
LETS: Local Exchange Trading System (本地交易所交易系統)
Time Banks (時間銀行系統): “…Dr. Edgar S. Cahn coined the term “Time Dollars” in Time Dollars: The New Currency That Enables Americans to Turn Their Hidden Resource-Time-Into Personal Security & Community Renewal, a book co-authored with Jonathan Rowe in 1992.[8] He also went on to trademark the terms “TimeBank” and “Time Credit”.[9][10]…” Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time-based_currency
Hours System (時數系統): “…The Ithaca HOUR is a local currency formerly used in Ithaca, New York and was one of the longest-running local currency systems, though it is now no longer in circulation.[1] It has inspired other similar systems in Madison, Wisconsin; Santa Barbara, California, Corvallis, Oregon;[2] and a proposed system in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.[3] One Ithaca HOUR is valued at US$10 and is generally recommended to be used as payment for one hour’s work, although the rate is negotiable…” Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Hours
“…邁克爾·林頓（Michael Linton）可能在1983年創立了“本地交易所交易系統”一詞，曾經營不列顛哥倫比亞省考特尼 ( Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada | 在溫哥華島的東岸中部地區) 的 Comox Valley 的 LETS (Local Exchange Trading System | 本地交易所交易系統) 系統 。[4]他設計的系統旨在作為本國貨幣的輔助貨幣，而不是替代本國貨幣。[5]他稱該貨幣為“綠色美元”，該貨幣主要由當地牙醫使用，但在他離開後逐漸減少。 Linton 至少又推出了四個版本，並取得了不同程度的成功，例如 2008年的“ Community Way Dollars”。該系統在前兩年的營業額達到了綠色的500,000美元。… 基於自由軟件的LETS網絡的例子是基於開普敦的社區交換系統（CES），截至2019年3月，該系統已鏈接到基於日內瓦的Community Forge [9]和SpanishIntegralCES。[10] [11] …”
“…Michael Linton may have originated the term “local exchange trading system” in 1983, for a time running the Comox Valley LETSystems in Courtenay, British Columbia.[4] The system he designed was intended as an adjunct to the national currency, rather than a replacement for it.[5] He called the currency “green dollars” and it was mostly used by a local dentist, but dwindled when he moved away. Linton started at least four more versions, with varying degrees of success, such as the “Community Way Dollars” in 2008. The system’s turnover in the first two years amounted to green $500,000…
… Examples of LETS networks based on free software are the Cape Town-based Community Exchange System (CES), which as of March 2019 links to the Geneva-based Community Forge[9] and Spanish IntegralCES.[10][11]…”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_exchange_trading_system