This group conversation, sponsored by the Praxis Peace Institute, was recorded online April 10, 2020. It covers such critical questions as:

• What is the essence of money?
• What are the functions of money?
• Where does money come from?
• How does money enter the economy?
• Who controls the issuance and flow of money?
• Why does total debt in the world keep growing?
• Is the system of money, banking, and finance stable, fair, sustainable?
• Are there better ways to "do" money?
• Why have local currencies not been more successful?
• Are there any success stories?
• Is there a "magic formula" for making an alternative money system work?

It continues with a discussion of the history of local currency efforts in Sonoma County, California and a description of straight forward approaches to creating local liquidity that is independent of banks and conventional money.