農夫市場自己發行貨幣CurrencyFair&Local currency

我認為台灣農夫市集應該聯合發行貨幣, 在有機愛好者之間流通.
貨幣為什麼不能獨立發行?
自從海耶克提倡Free Banking觀念以來, Local currency算是具體實踐成果, 連非洲都有很多例子, 香港馬來西亞也有, 為什麼國內沒有任何單位運用這個工具?
Local currency世界何其廣大? 期待農夫市集有心之士 能夠參考參考! 日本Local currency就是最可以參考的實例.
Eco-Money is the name of many Japanese community currencies, used to connect neighbours in obtaining the goods and services they need.
Eco-money may also be used to describe forms of alternative currency and complementary currency that encourage ecological and socially responsible actions in other regions as well.
In the town of Kuriyama, Hokkaidō, for instance, second grader Ami Hasegawa paid 1,000 kurins to get her favorite toy fixed. The Kurin is the local currency that was named after the township. Ami's father earned 3,000 kurins for fixing the handrail of a staircase in a neighbor's house. And her mother paid 1,000 kurins to an elderly man who wrote addresses for her on postcards in beautiful handwriting.
In spring 1999 Kusatsu in Shiga Prefecture became the first city in Japan to use eco-money, calling it the Ohmi, which is what the prefecture was called in the old days. Several other cities followed suit with currencies of their own, with Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, calling it the dagger (borrowed from the local dialect) and Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture.
Some 30 more communities across Japan are introducing such currencies. Some municipalities plan to use the money to plant trees and reduce garbage.
Eco-Money Network Secretary General Masanari Nakayama stated, "Eco-money is a way of getting neighbors to help each other out and to deepen their ties to the community."



via : springwise, Feb 23. 2011.
Peer-to-peer currency exchange puts users in control
Currency exchange is a function that has long been dominated by banks with high international transfer fees, but a new Irish site hopes to change all that. CurrencyFair is a fully regulated online marketplace that lets ordinary people exchange currencies with other people anonymously, at rates typically available only to multinationals and market professionals.
Users of CurrencyFair can choose to exchange their currency on the spot, selecting from multiple competing market-beating rates, or they can offer up their own rate and wait for someone else to match it. Either way, the site works on the barter principle whereby an exchange is made only when it benefits both sides. In general, CurrencyFair says rates approach or even beat the Interbank Rate, which is the price financial institutions charge each other. All funds are received and paid out via Electronic Bank Transfer, so no physical notes are involved. Fourteen currencies are currently tradeable on the site, including the British Pound, the Euro, Krona, Zloty, and U.S., Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore Dollars.
Middlemen have already taken a beating in so many areas at the hands of peer-to-peer sites — to the considerable benefit of consumers — so it's no great surprise to see the same phenomenon come to currency exchange. What markets remain ripe for a dose of peer-to-peer innovation? (Related: P2P lending arrives down under — Peer-to-peer student loans.)
Website: http://www.currencyfair.com/
Contact: theteam@currencyfair.com

REDD 拯救森林的萬靈丹？

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation(http://www.un-redd.org/ )是聯合國下屬組織.
在保護雨林方面先進的觀念與做法, (當然也有質疑聲浪). 國內環保運動實在太冷門, 當然也有少數企業(例如張明正先生在越南)投入造林投資, 政府也提出不痛不癢獎勵政策, 令人心痛.

環保有機產業如何平順商業運作?當然是艱鉅挑戰.

以下資訓來自[資訊環境中心]值得參閱.
週三, 2008-09-24
作者：王茹涵


森林能夠固碳，進一步減緩溫室效應是眾所皆知的事實。然而過去國際氣候變遷協議的討論多集中於如何創造出減量效益，意即如何利用造林或再造林，來進行碳匯，增加二氧化碳吸收量，用以抵減在其他地方產生的排放污染。
2001年通過的「波昂政治協議」及「馬拉喀什協定」正式同意將造林及再造林活動，納入「京都議定書」的清潔發展機制項目（CDM）中，即在2008～2012年間，允許已開發國家可以透過在開發中國家實施CDM造林再造林計畫來抵消其部分溫室氣體排放量。然而經過多年來經驗發現，造林計畫往往存有許多漏洞（可參考存有迷思與漏洞的碳市場機制一文）；而京都議定書下的CDM機制，對造林與再造林計畫設立了十分嚴謹的遊戲規則，再加上造林計畫本身的高投資風險，都導致了反誘因，在已經通過並註冊的1299個CDM計畫中，只有一個為造林計畫。這顯示出造林計畫實在不受青睞。
為開發中國家保護森林提供信貸
與此同時，森林對減碳重要性的討論卻從未間斷過。2007年IPCC發表的第四次評估報告即指出，全球17.3%溫室氣體排放來自毀林，佔全球約22.56% 二氧化碳排放量。幾乎是同時期，一份由世界銀行與其他研究單位發表的報告首次指出，森林消退已經使得印尼成為全球第三大溫室氣體排放國家，另一個熱帶雨林國家──巴西則緊追在後。這樣的結果讓眾人驚覺到，熱帶雨林的破壞殆盡是全球氣候變化的重要原因之一，因為毀林將使原先貯存樹木體內的碳立即釋放回大氣中，造成溫室氣體的大量增加。
這些發現以及國際輿論促使了2007年峇里會議產生了一套新方案，即對開發中國家保護森林提供信貸的方案，也就是所謂的REDD（減少毀林及森林退化造成的溫室氣體排放，Reduction in Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation）。此方案可能以優惠條件來促使印尼和巴西等熱帶國家透過保護森林的方式來實現減排。REDD之基本概念很簡單，即富裕國家協助貧窮國家保護其森林，並因此取得可以使用來符合其達成新協定規定達成排放減量目標之碳減量信用額度。
概念雖然清楚，遊戲規則卻很模糊。要如何善用市場工具達到保護森林的目的，其過程有太多細節需要規劃。舉幾個例子來說，首先，REDD應該包含的範疇應該多廣？是僅使用於減少毀林？還是應該包括森林退化？或是更進一步的包括森林復育以及森林保育？在訂定範疇時，有很多面向需要考慮。假使遊戲規則只包含減少毀林，那麼因森林退化造成、很大一部分的排放量將被忽略；然而目前對於REDD的國際協商已迫在眉睫，若廣納REDD的範疇將使的計算方式更複雜，更難在時限之內（2009哥本哈根協商之前）有結論。因此接下來的研究問題應包括，是否將森林復育及保育歸於REDD的範疇內？不同做法會有甚麼樣不同的可能作用？
排放基準惹爭議
再者，要如何決定參考的排放水準（即基線，用以評估減少排放量的基準線）？這部分也有多種選項，包括歷史排放基線、歷史排放基線加上其他因子的預測值、模型模擬的未來基線、因國家而異的協商基線等。很顯然的，採用不同的基線計算方式都會產生不同的顧慮。若僅由過去的排放量來給予減少毀林的「獎勵」，那麼REDD對過去已實行很好的森林管理國家，無疑起不了多大誘因，如此一來，REDD的成效必定大打折扣；而同時，過去大量毀林的國家卻會因此而得到很多額度，無疑是對保護森林的模範生賞了一個大耳光。
然而要獲得未來排放的預測值也十分不容易，不但要有高解析度地理資訊及在地社經資料，很多動態因子（人口、貨品需求與價格）都會對未來的森林成長或消退有重要影響。因此研究人員必須針對不同（甚至是混合的）基線計算方式可能產生的不同效應進行分析，並且對採用歷史排放基線可能產生的反誘因提出解決辦法。
交易方式仍待釐清
另外，REDD是否應該歸為以國家為基礎的一套機制？如此一來，森林的減排將被算入國家整體的減量承諾，且相關的金融交易也會是國與國之間的買賣。又抑或是如同目前的清潔發展機制，為計畫型，政府參與較少。倘若以國家為單位，對一些組織及技術能力較弱的開發中國家來說，會產生執行上的困難。因此是否有辦法找到一套機制，結合這兩套方式的特點，而同時又能避免問題？就金融制度面來說，REDD的財務支持應該是來自於基金或市場交易，也是討論重點。
市場提供資金有下列好處，包括低投資風險、高成本效益等等。然而若將REDD額度整合至現有的碳市場，由於REDD的投資門檻低，不需要開發或投資新技術或設備，這將嚴重降低其他低碳領域（如再生能源等）的投資，並且讓碳市場充斥便宜的額度，這也是為何多年前，在商討京都議定書第一承諾期的減碳方案時，環保團體（如綠色和平）大力反對透過保護森林獲得減碳額度的緣由。以上提到的例子，都是研究人員與制度規劃者應該思考的。在所剩不多的時間裡，如何在眾多制度的選項中找到最合適的方案，並且儘量避免可能產生的問題，實在是艱鉅的課題。

編按：全球森林的減少是造成氣候暖化的主因之一。2007年峇里會議產生一套REDD （減少毀林及森林退化造成的溫室氣體排放，Reduction in Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation）新方案，對開發中國家保護森林提供信貸。原則上是由富國協助窮國保護其森林，並取得碳減量信用額度。但這一概念雖然清楚，遊戲規則卻很模糊，也牽涉到利益分配等現實問題，因而引發若干疑慮。
減少毀林與森林退化不只能夠減緩溫室效應，對於棲地與物種保育也是百利而無一害。然而，在大力推廣森林保育的機會來臨之時，許多人也擔憂，REDD同時也可能帶來危機。
權益分配問題多
世界上多數雨林嚴重消退的國家（如印尼、剛果與奈及利亞）皆有著共同的問題：貪汙腐敗的政府體系。這樣的特性讓環保人士無法信任這些國家能有效的執行減少毀林的工作。甚至，由於減少毀林可以獲得金錢資助，在這樣的國家監督資金運用更是一件困難的事。此外，REDD可能誘使政府加嚴對土地、森林的控管，這可能會使得原居在林地的原住民權益（包括土地所有權、自然資源使用權等）受到侵犯。而今年（2008）波茲南會議中，竟在關於REDD的決議文中刪除原住民「權利」之文字，更加深了這層憂慮，也促使國際間各原住民團體群起抗議，強調「沒有權利，免談REDD」（No Rights, No REDD）。
即使REDD的設計仍在摸索當中，即使還存在多原則問題令人詬病，但國際間已經加速腳步，開始了一系列的規劃與示範計畫。例如世界銀行推出「森林碳夥伴基金（Forest Carbon Partnership Facility）」，目的是針對森林資源永續利用建立正面誘因與資金流動系統，基金規模共計3億美元。其中1億美元將用於開發中國家之能力建構，另外2億美元將用於小規模示範計畫。即使聯合國還不承認這些REDD減量額度，購買這些減量額度者多為自願推動減量組織；但是許多保育人士與金融人士早已開始自行設計各項拯救森林之行動概念與計畫，這反映了民間團體發起之減量倡議，有可能刺激行動緩慢之政府磋商加速行動。
例如美國自然保育協會（The Nature Conservancy，TNC）、兩間美國電力公司以及石油業者於1997年付給玻利維亞政府一千多萬美元，以保證接下來30年間，諾依可佩夫國家公園170萬公頃園區內的森林能夠健康生長。另外像針對鄉村地區設計的碳補償機制「生存計畫」（Plan Vivo），即在墨西哥、莫三鼻克、烏干達等國，提供資金給承諾保護鄰近森林或願意進行植樹活動之村落。在查證預期排放減量已經達成後，即由Plan Vivo頒發相對之碳額度給原始出資者。
又例如美林投資銀行（今更為美國銀行），計畫將在印尼亞齊省協助保育大片森林。該銀行將出資協助印尼政府加強執行森林法規，並且提供替代生計給非法伐林者，目的乃是取得部分之REDD碳額度。
以生態為名的金融遊戲？
英國的固碳資產管理公司「樹冠資本」（Canopy Capital）則著眼於蓋亞的那伊沃克拉瑪（Iwokrama）森林所提供之各項功能（例如碳儲存、保護野生動物與孕育雨水等）具有經濟價值，因此願意付款來保護此森林，以取得森林所提供生態服務之部分權利。蓋亞那亦歡迎此構想，該國總統去年宣布願意將其森林管理開放給外國團體經營。
從上面的例子我們可以發現，雖然就國際政治協商的架構下，REDD還無法產生具體共識，但哥本哈根的期限即將到來，加上民間團體與投資業者腳步逐漸加快，REDD蔚然形成一股風潮。今年在波茲南會議中，已看不見對造林計畫的討論，取而代之的是熱鬧的REDD周邊會議。然而REDD的規則設計與概念尚有許多問題需要釐清，到底可否以REDD計畫獲取額度，而後在碳市場上進行交易？減少毀林其實同造林一樣，牽涉繁複的方法學，且與計畫當地的社經文化脈絡有深刻的相互關係。因此REDD的困難度並不亞於造林計畫。目前尚未完備的遊戲規則，會不會讓REDD落得跟CDM的造林計畫一樣，花了很多力氣討論但最後卻少有人願意投資？
在各界對REDD投入相當大的期望與精力之餘，種種的疑慮還需要更多相關研究來釐清，畢竟在減緩與調適氣候變遷的政治協商與解決方案這條路上，過去已有太多可供借鏡的經驗，REDD可以不需要重蹈覆轍。

※ 本文與農委會林務局合作刊登

5 Green Products to Watch in 2011-2012

via : TriplePundit, February 7th, 2011
 5 Green Products to Watch in 2011-2012

最值得注目綠色商品五項!

Innovating for sustainability brings with it exciting opportunities for businesses to grow their top-line sales and even evolve and transform their business models. To stay competitive and meet the challenges of sustainable development, forward-thinking businesses will need to combine innovation with ecology, through the power of “eco-innovation.”  That’s a key message in Jacquie Ottman’s just-released book, The New Rules of Green Marketing: Strategies, Tools and Inspiration for Sustainable Branding.
Green is Now Mainstream
Since 1989, Ottman, a green marketing pioneer, has been an expert adviser to Fortune 500 companies and the U.S. government.  An acknowledged guru of all things green, she has been tracking the transition of the green consumer from fringe to the societal mainstream.  In her new book, which is sure to become the must-read resource guide on the topic, Ottman reveals what it takes to succeed in this new green marketplace, providing insight into the specific needs of today’s mainstream consumers, and how companies large and small have responded with fresh green marketing strategies.
Following are a number of green products detailed in the book that she recommends watching in the coming years.  Each of these eco-innovations solves a pressing environmental issue while superbly meeting consumer needs. And each has the potential to ultimately transform their company and industry— profitably.

1) Nissan Leaf Electric Car
Driven in part by clean air/ greenhouse gas emissions laws in the states, and the predicted growth of electric charging stations such as GE’s new WattStation, expect Nissan’s LEAF all-electric car to become to this decade what Toyota Prius was to the last.
The LEAF (an acronym or Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family car) is unlike Toyota’s Prius or even Chevy’s new Volt which both combine electric batteries and gasoline engines. Rather, the LEAF is solely powered by an electric battery and is an affordable, zero-emission medium-sized family car. Ottman is especially bullish on the future of electric cars when she sees equally “eco-innovative” efforts by companies such as GE build their Watt Stations, and the BetterPlace recharging station pilot now underway in Israel.
2) Energy Management Devices
With energy prices on the rise, consumers will be watching their watts more than ever.  Eco-innovative appliances and devices are now coming onto the market that will enable more significant energy conservation progress than that afforded by motion detectors and dimmers. DIY Kyoto’s Wattson is one of many such devices that help to monitor a household’s electricity use. When the dishwasher revs up, Wattson glows red. Turn off the AC, and Wattson turns green.
Many electric utilities, electrical product manufacturers, government bodies, software manufacturers including Microsoft and even Google are now working to transform the nation’s power grid into one digitally controlled Smart-Grid network that can convey electricity to consumers more efficiently, cutting pollution and electric bills in the process.
3) Smart Grid Appliances
Seizing opportunities to get in on the action and help consumers save money, Whirlpool and GE are introducing SmartGrid-enabled appliances that can be controlled from afar by the power company. They will soon have the power to lower thermostats, switch appliances into energy-saver mode, or shut them down entirely during times of peak demand. As pointed out in the book, Whirlpool predicts it will put one million smart clothes dryers on the market during 2011.  Offering the potential for significant energy and cost savings, a smarter clothes dryer just may help Whirlpool climb out of recession-induced sales slump.
4) “G” Diapers
Cloth diapers may not have posed a threat to disposable diapers, but gDiapers just might. Conventional diapers are composed of an inner diaper made of wood pulp and an outer lining made of plastic — both of which are thrown away with each diaper change and ultimately find their way to landfills. gDiapers have an innovative two-part detachable construction that allows their inner lining to be flushed, ensuring human waste winds up in the sewage treatment system where it belongs, not in the landfill where it is a source of hazardous waste.
The colorful outerpants—a veritable infant fashion statement—can be reused over and over.  Representing a feasible and convenient alternative to both cloth and disposable diapers, and a measurably reduced environmental impact, the gDiaper just may overtake significant market share from conventional diapers. With 20 billion disposable diapers dumped in U.S. landfills each year—and potential pressure by local regulators expected now that a viable alternative to cloth is available, it won’t be long until Pampers and Huggies respond with a flushable overhaul of their own.
5) Biobased Products
Ottman’s client, the USDA, just last month announced its new “USDA Certified Biobased Product” label, heralding a new era in consumer products and packages. “Biobased” is defined by the USDA as non-edible consumer and commercial products that are based on agricultural, marine or forestry-based raw materials. Indeed, given our nation’s agricultural abundance and with energy independence a growing imperative in the U.S. it just may signal the dawn of a new “biobased” economy. Consider compostable gardening bags made from cornstarch, lip balm made from soybeans, and even towels and bed sheets made with eucalyptus fiber.  Expect Coke to capitalize upon its new recyclable “Plant Bottle” (made of 30% sugar cane), and Frito-Lay to launch a second-generation compostable (and less noisy) SunChips package made from corn.
Click here to learn more about The New Rules of Green Marketing
***
Elizabeth A. Weisser  is a NYC-based sustainability marketer. A recent certificate holder from Columbia University’s Environmental Sustainability program, she is passionate about our earth and especially maintaining natural environments and local cultures.

The OAT shoes ....[非燕麥]生物可分解流行鞋款新品牌

via : EcoFashion, Feb 7. 2011 The First Biodegradable Sneaker!

“The future of fashion lies in a reconciliation between nature and industry. OAT Shoes strives to lead the way to that future.”這是OAT的品牌願景.
該品牌推出第一款運動休閒鞋, 所有材料都可以生物分解, 設計非常有味, 從官網得知的訊息判斷, 創辦人Christiaan Maats是荷蘭最知名TU Delft工業大學工業設計系畢業, 一場轟轟烈烈的品牌冒險旅程已經啟航, 拭目以待.


OAT’s fully biodegradable sneaker collection, the first of its kind, has all the “good stuff Mother Earth has to offer,” according to the Dutch footwear company.

Oat uses innovative materials of soft, breathable canvas and flexible seed-embedded cork soles that quite literally go to  dirt dump them. Don’t think that because they are good for the environment they aren’t good-looking, these “kicks” walked the Amsterdam International Fashion Week’s Green Fashion Competition in January, OAT placed second after presenting its first—and aptly named—”Virgin” collection.

"清醒(醒悟)"系列綠色概念服裝預告! H&M佳作!

 

H&M 今年地球月"清醒(醒悟)"系列綠色概念服裝預告! 材質由有機棉, 有機麻, 機能性天絲棉, 回收再製聚酯纖維構成; 加上fashion的設計, 應該會是口碑暢銷商品.

via : inhabitat

H&M Will Launch Their Eco-Chic “Conscious Collection” for Earth Month in April 02/06/11

H&M cam under fire last year for their questionable clothing disposal practices, but the famed company is looking to turn a new leaf this upcoming Earth Month with their new “Conscious Collection.” This new collection will mark H&M’s latest step into the realm of green apparel, with clothes created for each women, men and children. The new stylish pieces are anticipated to be made from planet-pandering fabrics such as organic cotton, organic linen, Tencel, and recycled polyester – jump ahead for a sneak peek of what you’ll be lining up for this April!

via : ecouturre
H&M Launches Eco-Chic “Conscious Collection” for Earth Month 02/04/11

Is sustainable fashion more than the sum of its materials? H&M invites another round of debate with its latest foray into greener apparel. Announced on Thursday, the fast-fashion retailer's "Conscious Collection" is due to hit stores in time for Earth Day in April. (Ecouterre is hunkering down for the deluge of "look good, feel good, do good" pitches, but we digress.) It's described as an "ongoing range" for women, men, and children, made from planet-pandering fabrics such as organic cotton, organic linen, Tencel, and recycled polyester.