https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JYiv9ZM5VVM
Santa Cruz Green Exchange (SCGX) is a community exchange initiative designed to coordinate volunteers and community resources to steward the San Lorenzo River along Downtown Santa Cruz.
The SCGX partnered with community cleanups for two events:
For both events, SCGX functioned as a coordination layer that aims to super charge number of participants and incentivizes impact. With the help of backers, SCGX exchanges Downtown Dollars and gift cards from local businesses with collected and documented litter from volunteers.
By coordinating volunteer impact with the value spendable at Santa Cruz businesses, SCGX connects environmental remediation to supporting the Santa Cruz local economy.
Green Exchange Event Diagram
Taylor’s journey into community organizing began while writing Câmbio, a children’s book inspired by Câmbio Verde, or the Green Exchange—a Brazilian program where people trade recyclables for goods.
In 2019, Taylor traveled to Curitiba, Brazil to observe the Green Exchange firsthand. Câmbio was set during a time when participants traded trash for bus tokens. Today, the program allows residents to exchange recyclables (like paper, cardboard, glass, and scrap metal) for locally grown fresh produce, collected at over 100 pop-up sites every two weeks.
After self-publishing Câmbio in 2023, Taylor applied the exchange principles he had observed to his own community—leading to the creation of the **Bike Exchange** held in Capitola in November 2024.
The Green Exchange is run by Curitiba’s Municipal Department of the Environment and coordinates between four groups:
At each event:
As of 2025, 4 kg of recyclables are exchanged for 1 kg of fresh produce—encouraging regular participation and reducing waste.
Green Exchange Program Materials and Equipment
Source: Green Exchange Information Page
www.curitiba.pr.gov.br/servicos/cambio-verde-calendario-anual/544
Each group contributes and receives something of value:
The model thrives because it is both renewable (via regular collection) and regenerative (via food production)—a circular system that benefits all.
The SCGX acknowledges the two decades of service to Santa Cruz from the non-profit Downtown Streets Team, which cared for Santa Cruz County’s many green spaces including the San Lorenzo River. Downtown Streets Team concluded operations on October 31, 2025.
The program gave houseless folks an opportunity to clean streets, parks, and other public spaces in exchange for their service, volunteers earned gift cards to fund their essential living.
Program participants fostered a sense of community, belonging from civic contribution, and reaffirmed dignity, cooperation, and personal responsibility. The SCGX hopes to awaken a similar spirit of service and community modeled by the program and impact of Downtown Streets Team.