How to use the Chippo Dollar

When first issued the Chippo Dollar is worth $10 when presented to participating businesses.  A new Chippo Dollar is issued at each Saturday's farmers markets at Peace Park.

The person to whom the Chippo Dollar is first issued must garden for two hours in the food gardens on our streets.  The training and jobs include: composting, pruning, planting trees, how to choose suitable plants.

This currency becomes less valuable the longer you hold onto it. It loses $1 each month. After ten months it has no value: the date of issue will be on each Chippo Dollar along with its expiry date. 

This means the currency is best used quickly.  The reason for the declining value is to make the note more useful in Chippendale's local economy, and to get it circulating more quickly.  It's similar to a coffee voucher which rewards frequent patrons with a free cup of coffee.  The difference is, by helping to grow our fruit trees and plants, the Chippo Dollar empowers and enriches our community because by earning it the bearer provides a productive result benefiting the general community.  Imagine our streets in the years to come where fruit trees bear limes, lemons, cumquats and other useful foods for anyone.  The Chippo Dollar is part of this vision.

We aim to get as many Chippo cafes and businesses to honour the note as possible.

The bearer of the Chippo Dollar may use it at any participating business.   For example, the bearer may go and have $10 worth of coffee and cake at participating cafes. The cafe owners may offer the Chippo Dollar as change to Chippo locals who will accept and spend it in Chippo. 

The list of participating businesses and gardening jobs is on our web page - www.foodforthefuturefair.org

For more information on rewards currency examples: www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/01/20/a-better-way-to-make-money/

And for more information about the Chippo Dollar, please click here