Spring into Action

Howdy Time Exchangers and prospective Time exchangers.

Are you a crafter/artisan/maker? Do you have a project you want to launch? Perhaps you’re starting a business and want to get the word out. There could be a cause you are passionate about. Maybe you have a skill to share.

The Austin Sustainable Swap for Micro-Farmers, Crafters, & generally Skilled Folks meets at Hot Mama’s Café 2407 E. 6th St. on the 3rd Saturday of each month. This is a great time and space to see and be seen.

ATEN has previously had Creating Commerce Circles where each person in attendance gets 5 minutes to promote themselves/their cause. Beginning in April we are combining the commerce circle with the Swap! The Swap is from Noon till 4pm giving you much more time to promote.

We would like to see folks sharing skills as well as promoting. You may bring wares that you made yourself to sell with no vendor fee in exchange for sharing your skill.

We also love to hear about nonprofits. Come educate the community about what you are involved in.

We set up general swap tables for clothes/shoes/house wares/etc. What’s left at the end of the day is donated to Safe Place and sometimes to Treasure City Thrift depending on the items.

This is an exciting opportunity to expand our “alternative currency” by sharing and swapping our resources. Learning something new or passing on something you have learned is priceless.

If you have questions about the Swap please visit our website at www.austinsustainableswap.net

Bring the family we have crafty things for the kids and Hot Mama’s has great food if you get hungry!

This event is open to everyone so please spread the word.

-Jennifer J. 

 

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Time Exchange at work in a labyrinth

A couple of our members got together to help clear and prepare a labyrinth for the upcoming East Austin Studio Tours. Take a look at their work at Synaesthetic Breakfast.

ATEN

The Austin Time Exchange Network (ATEN) is a local program that enables individuals to provide and receive skills and services within a network of people and organizations in Greater Austin. Similar to concepts expressed in bartering and alternative currency systems, this grassroots initiative lets members exchange labor and assistance without using the U.S. Dollar. Launched in April of 2006, ATEN currently has over 300 members and invites new participants to join by attending any of our upcoming introduction meetings.

ATEN values equality and compensates each of its members uniformly for the time and work they provide to others in the network. When an individual completes an hour of service for another member, they earn one Exchange Share, the unit of credit used within the network. All hours of service provided by members of ATEN are considered to be of equal value regardless of the type of skill offered in the exchange. The Exchange Share earned can be spent on receiving an hour of service from any other member of the network.

The Austin Time Exchange serves a significant purpose for Austin on several levels and in many areas of life. It is a common-sense, practical, and useful system that not only theorizes about the way communities should interact, but puts in place the methods and tools to make it happen. It provides an alternative means for its members to meet their everyday needs through promoting a complementary, local economic system. ATEN also creates a web of interaction and support that includes people from different areas and diverse backgrounds in its membership. The Austin Time Exchange has the promise to promote social change and encourage economic self-sufficiency through rebuilding a sense of community and opportunity in Greater Austin.

To learn more or become involved in the Austin Time Exchange, please attend an informational meeting.