POCACITO - Public finances

Bristol's local currency

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:44:28 +0000

The city of Bristol, known as one of the most sustainable European cities, has implemented an alternative currency system designed to support Bristol’s local economy and reduce environmental footprints of long supply chains. The Bristol Pound was launched in 2012 as a joint non-profit enterprise between Bristol Pound Community Interest Company and the bank Bristol Credit Union. The Bristol Pound is a voluntary system based on the citizen's commitment to support the value of living in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable city. It is the UK’s first citywide local currency, the first to have electronic accounts managed by a regulated financial institution and the first that can be used to pay local taxes. At this moment (2015) it is considered the world's most successful local currency with the equivalent of around 700,000 £B in circulation and 800 local businesses involved.

ecoBUDGET Bologna

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:37:18 +0000

ecoBUDGET, an environmental management tool designed specifically for local authorities, has been adopted by the City of Bologna in 2001 as a part of a larger European project. Through the use of ecoBUDGET, the traditional financial budgeting system of the city has been complemented by an environmental budget, which measures natural resources instead of money. ecoBUDGET provides a set of indicators together with short and long-term targets for planning, monitoring and reporting on the consumption of environmental resources within the area of the city. The main aim of ecoBUDGET is to keep the use of environmental resources within set limits.

Crowdfunded Bike Lane

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:24:24 +0000

Following the general urban mobility trends in the United States of America, the City of Denver began planning its bike infrastructure. However, it often takes a long time for pedestrian and cycling projects to be implemented and sometimes local groups have to take the initiative in pushing the projects forward. The Arapahoe Protected Bike Lane project was led by the Downtown Denver Partnership, a business organisation dedicated to the improvement of Denver’s downtown area. The project’s funding scheme was not standard. After acquiring US $120,000 from private sector donors the Downtown Denver Partnership decided to collect the remaining $35,000 using crowdfunding. This was decided as crowdfunding has proven to be a very successful way not only for financing but to raise citizen's awareness.