Ithaca HOURS
Community Currency
since 1991
    This website is maintained by the founder of Ithaca HOURS.
The official website of the Ithaca HOURS board of directors is at ithacahours.org
 Paul Glover consults for grassroots economic development as GreenPlanners.
HOME INTRO CURRENCY SUCCESSES HOW-TO BOOK PUBLICITY ESSAYS BY GLOVER

GREEN JOBS and
POWERBALL

       Yes, the lottery is a tax on desperation. But when Powerball hit $193 million, I made a list of how I'd spend them. Then I compared my list with how most winners spend-- for megamansions, olympic pools, week-long beer blasts, investments in destructive multinationals. So I bought one ticket, because I'd invest in Philadelphia to seed the following enterprises, to create thousands of green jobs:
* PHILADELPHIA INSULATION FACTORY (PIF) Superinsulation made of local newsprint would cut our heating/cooling bills by over 80%, giving us discretionary income to support local businesses & farms, thus creating new jobs & strengthening local culture. The foundation of economic development. $10 milllion.
* PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC SUN CO-OP (PESCO) to generate rooftop electricity, while retaining wealth locally. $12 million.
* PHILAHEALTHIA HEALTH CO-OP to allow thousands of members to self-insure, keeping billions/year insurance payments in this county instead of wasting it on HMOs. $18 million.
* DENTAL CLINICS member-owned by low-income residents, to provide free care. $14 million.
* MASSAGE ARMY to provide free chair massages citywide every day for 10 years. $5 million.
* ECOLONIES and EARTHSHIPS create mixed-use, low-income, multifamily dwellings which need no fossil fuel for heating and cooling. $35 million.
* HOMEOWNER REVOLVING LOAN FUND interest-free, to transfer rental homes to co-op owners. Removes housing from the speculative market by attaching limited equity riders. These co-ops would provide child/elder care & other neighborhood services. $15 million.
* LAND TRUSTS purchase vacant lots for ecolonies, removing them from speculative market. $15 million.
* PHILADELPHIA ORCHARD PROJECT (POP) to plant 40,000 vacant lots for fruit and nut harvest. $10 million.
* FOOD PROCESSING & STORAGE CENTERS to convert neighborhood organic harvests into pasta, canned goods & dehydrated stock. Expands local agriculture by enabling farmers to grow for more than the seasonal market. $8 million.

* FARMERS MARKETS to store and sell the above below commercial rates. $4 million.
* PROUD OF ORGANIC PHILADELPHIA (POOP) replaces toxic sewage sludge w/clean, sweet smelling fertilizer via aerated waterless toilets. No more pooping into clean water. $10 million.
* BIKEPATHS allow us to move safely without traffic jams & pollution. They permit emergency vehicles to move freely. $5 million.
* PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL & INDEPENDENT STOCK EXCHANGE (PRAISE) to connect regional skills & tools to create flexible manufacturing networks that capture contracts. $2 million.
* PHILADELPHIA FUND FOR ECOLOGICAL LIVING (PhilaFEL) makes tax-deductible donations to install green tools in our lowest-income neighborhoods. $10 million.
* PHILADELPHIA HOURS LOCAL CURRENCY could donate community currency at-cost to local government & nonprofits, enabling millions of dollars of services to be provided without raising taxes & without paying interest on bonds. HOURS would be welcome everywhere when government agrees to accept them for tax payment. $2 million.
 *DREAM-COME-TRUE GREEN JOB CENTERS to connect residents to the regional resources that make our wildest hopes real. $2 million.
* MOSAIC SIDEWALKS would spread wonder & color underfoot (local plants, animals, fantasies) employing dozens of local artists. $2 million.
* MUSICIANS EVERYWHERE would provide acoustic accompaniment in hospitals, parks, aboard trollies, at bus stops. $3 million.
* JUGGLERS, CLOWNS, PUPPETEERS? how could I leave them out? $2 million.
* NEIGHBORHOOD ENTERPRISE SCHOOLTEACHERS (NESTS) to reward and credential neighbor adults for teaching neighbor children. $5 million.
* Together, these will allow us to relax in a beautiful, exciting community, raising the standard of living while lowering the cost of living & setting examples for the nation.
* How would you spend lottery winnings? If you win, call me-- let's have some real fun.

Next edition: accomplishing this list without the lottery.
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Books by Paul Glover: Click title for more information.