Community projects repeatedly face the same challenge:
Different forms of work, responsibility, and commitment
are difficult to capture with a single standard.
Below is a time-based organizational and accounting system
used in practice in an ecovillage,
which distinguishes between red, blue, and green hours.
The model originates from a conversation between Nicolas Franka and Felix Schröder
and is presented here as it emerged from practice:
as a communication tool within a community,
not as an accounting system,
not as a finished model,
and not as a direct transfer to other contexts.
The following sections describe these three types of hours
as equals side by side
and make visible
how different contributions within a community
can be consciously distinguished
without monetizing them across the board.
A Practice from Community Organization
In community-organized projects, the question repeatedly arises
of how different types of work can be made visible
without evaluating everything equally or translating it into money.
The following article describes a time-based differentiation system
as practiced in an ecovillage on the Belgian-German border.
It is based on a conversation with Nicolas Franka
and serves as inspiration from practice –
not as a finished model and not as a direct transfer to TEIKEI.
In communities, very different activities arise:
necessary organizational tasks,
practical work,
but also voluntary, creative, or social contributions.
If all these activities are treated equally,
tensions often arise.
Some permanently take on essential tasks,
while others primarily choose the pleasant or visible activities.
To make these differences conscious,
the community works with three types of hours:
red, blue, and green hours.
Red hours represent necessary tasks
without which the project would not function.
These include in particular:
These activities are often barely visible
and not always popular,
but indispensable for the community's existence.
Red hours form the basis of participation.
Members take on an agreed share of these
to collectively secure the supporting structures.
Blue hours represent activities
that are collectively decided
and contribute to the structure's development or maintenance.
These include, for example:
These activities are usually more visible
and are often experienced as meaningful or fulfilling.
They are important for communal life,
but not obligatory in the same way as red hours.
Green hours represent voluntary contributions
that arise from personal motivation.
These include:
Green hours are not demanded
and not controlled.
They are intended to leave room for personal initiative
and are understood as a gift to the community.
The distinction between red, blue, and green hours
does not end with describing different activities.
It also forms the basis for a community balancing process.
The goal is not control or performance evaluation,
but rather to recognize imbalances
and collectively start a new cycle.
In practice, it is acknowledged
that not every hour carries the same burden or responsibility.
Especially red hours are experienced as demanding
and essential for the community's functioning.
Therefore, they can be internally weighted more heavily.
Orientation factors are used as examples:
These factors are not fixed rules.
They serve as a basis for discussion
to be able to name perceived differences.
An internal exchange is possible:
Those who have taken on more red hours
can exchange them for blue hours
or use them as compensation for other contributions.
The exchange is voluntary and takes place in dialogue.
A central component of the system is self-assessment.
At the end of a year or agreed cycle, participants reflect:
This assessment is recorded but not evaluated.
It serves as a starting point for a joint conversation,
not as proof of performance.
The actual balancing takes place in a joint circle discussion,
often as a separate meeting at the end of the year.
In this context:
Questions that may arise include:
The goal is not
that everyone has contributed equally,
but that everyone can start again at zero –
without unspoken frustration or feelings of guilt.
When some have contributed significantly more
and others less,
a community balance is sought.
This can take different forms:
What form the balance takes
is not predetermined,
but decided together in conversation.
The hours serve as a language for fairness,
not as currency in the traditional sense.
The practice described here originates from a conversation with
Nicolas Franka.
He has been working in community projects for many years
and brings practical experience from ecovillages
and self-organized communities.
He is also active in the international network
around Monetary Diversity,
which deals with diverse forms of money,
accounting systems, and community organization.
Further insights into this work can be found at:
https://www.monetarydiversity.org/
This contribution is explicitly understood as
inspiration from the conversation
and not as a finished or transferable model.
The distinction between red, blue, and green hours
shows a possible way of dealing with diversity in communities
without monetizing everything.
It invites reflection
on work, responsibility, and balance
anew –
as a foundation for further conversations
and possible next steps.
One level up: 02 - Council of Synergies
Author: Felix Schröder, with the help of AI (ChatGPT)
Creation: written by Felix Schröder › formatted in Markdown by ChatGPT › published by Felix Schröder › layout adjusted by Claude
Created: 2026-01-30 · Last updated: 2026-03-17 · Questions or suggestions? support@teikei.us