Making your own currency, and actually using it!

i'd never heard of this before, and i think its a pretty novel concept for our times and our advanced economies. I guess it is understandable 4 ppl to go back to using old methods that are tried and true (tho dated) when they are disenchanted with the status quo.
I still don't get how it works, and how they managed to convince the local community to buy into the whole idea. Wonder if it'd work in this part of the world? Would we even want to try this out? I really am clueless on this one..
No money? Then make your own
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8245276.stm