Permaculture credit union
Workshop Leader: Wesley Roe, USA
Date: Wednesday, 8 June 2005
Overview
History and Programs of the Permaculture Credit Union http://www.pcuonline.org/ In late 1996 and early 1997, as a result of a »permaculture think tank« gathering in Santa Rosa, California, a group of permaculture practitioners in Santa Fe, NM began the long process of translating this statement of principles into what has become the Permaculture Credit Union. We began by recognising the potential financial »resource« represented by the number of people who had taken the Permaculture design course over the past fifteen years. What if we were able to pool a portion of the »surplus« resources of all the Permaculture Design Graduates, so as to be able to lend funds to people and projects that supported the three ethics of permaculture? Will Talk about the pioneered programs like The Sustainability Loan Discount and other innovative ideas. As of Dec 2004 the Permaculture Credit Union has 714 members total Assets $2,700,000 and Loans $1,923,919. As Bill Mollison said well in the Designer’s Manual:«Money is to the social fabric as water is to landscape...« The Permaculture Credit Union will celebrate our Fifth Anniversary May 2005.
Summary
The Permaculture Credit Union has been running for 5 years in the USA. It is clearly rooted in Permaculture ethics and works to support individuals to make ethical decisions by offering discounted loans and mortgages for sustainable choices e.g. energy efficient cars. They have developed links with other CUs to access support when offering larger loans and in return sharing policies and expertise – stacking CUs. They offer people with no or poor credit records a means of improving their rating through member secured loans, where people can borrow their own savings to demonstrate their ability to repay, this then is fed into the organisations that keep credit records. Their growth is controlled by design and at present they are working on policies to set up student loans with discounts for sustainability. International loans through a system of member guaranteed loans are also being worked on. This will allow micro-financing of sustainable projects in other countries. A way of seeding positive changes and redistributing wealth back to those countries were a lot has been taken out.
Key Points
- Permaculture ethics are underlined in all policies
- Designed and controlled growth to ensure sustainability.
- Discounted loans and mortgages for sustainable choices.
- Co-operative working on all levels - with members, other CUs and regulators.
- Exciting ideas being worked in, loans to other countries
- Supporting education – policies are being worked on to develop sustainable discounts for student loans
- The wider Permaculture community can support the Permaculture CU by joining it, including as associations and by setting up similar CUs in other countries to work as a wider network.
[Scribe: Suzi High]