The Baltimore BNote

“Chris Ryer of Southeast CDC in Highlandtown says that in general, he thinks local currency is a good idea. He thinks Highlandtown would be a better rollout point than Hampden, being well-balanced with a number of small local merchants, and filled with a population that likes to use those businesses, such as the thrift stores, hair salons, groceries and more.”

Is Highlandtown angling for the BNote? The Baltimore Guide published the latest article on our progress – see the full text here.

What do you want on your money?  A stately Baltimore skyline, or a brilliant, geometric crab?  The Constellation, or a flock of orioles in the shape of Edgar Allen Poe?  Sharks with jetpacks, flying down Fayette Street?  It’s your currency, so get your drawing or pixel-pushing hat on and work up a design that you would be proud to lay down for a cup of joe.  All designs are due by November 11 – see the full details on our Design Contest page.  What are you waiting for?  It could be your awesome vision in that tip jar!

The BNote buzz keeps growing — but what’s up with the new Baltimore currency, and how will it help to use it?

Part of Baltimore Green Currency’s mission is to establish an alternative economy that will strengthen local business, create jobs, and ultimately, provide economic opportunity to communities facing poverty and the dire effects of this ongoing crisis.

We’ll be showing some short videos and discussing Social Business, the BNote, and your comments, questions, and feedback. Come help us shape your new currency – it’s your money, your way.

Monday, October 4th, 7-9pm
breathe books
810 W 36th Street

See the creative BNote designs from our live drawing table on
The Fridge too!

banner prep

some last-minute decoration

Show/hide more pictures from HampdenFest

hard at work!

color selection - it's a tough decision...

Jill at the table

juggling practice

kids investigate the ambush

proud (and cute) artist shows her work

sprucing up the tree

logo decoration

a motley crew?

mid-day break

concentration

checking out the poster

We were thrilled to have such great weather for Hampdenfest yesterday, and the level of interest in the BNote was very high. Talking with everyone who stopped by to learn more and to offer suggestions gave us even more to work with as we finalize the system details, and we had a lot of interest in the design contest from artists, friends of artists, and people who want sea creatures on their money. We’ll post photos here soon, as well as some of the currency designs created at our live drawing table. Thanks for a fun day on the Avenue!

Two Baltimore-area newspapers have published articles recently on the BNote and Baltimore Green:

Local Currency Set to Debut in Baltimore, in the Afro-American

Hampden might use BNote as local form of cash, in the Messenger

This is new home of the Baltimore Green Currency Association.  Check back for more details on our plans for Hampdenfest on September 11th, including live drawing and the kickoff of our BNote design contest!