Sustainable Spaces For The Public Benefit

Throughout history, many communities have suffered from degrading public spaces due to industrialization and overconsumption.

As a result, public spaces often get seen as unsustainable and prone to mismanagement.

However, with the rise of regenerative principles, we are beginning to see a shift in how we view and manage these spaces.

Regeneration means restoring, renewing, and growing. Applying this concept to public spaces involves revitalizing these areas to enhance their value and promote sustainable practices.

Creating regenerative public spaces involves:

• Rethinking planning & management.

• Engaging local communities in the decision-making process.

• Encouraging long-term sustainability over short-term progress.

• Promoting and practicing the principles of circular economy.

• Prioritizing biodiversity and ecological health.

• Advocating policy changes at local levels: Bottom-up approach to policy

• Supporting the protection & regeneration of public spaces

Regeneration is more than just repairing what's broken; it's about enhancing and sustaining the value of our public spaces for future generations.

Transparent Public Goods

Let's imagine a world where the public maintains 'Transparent Public Goods,' a fancy term for freely available resources that anyone can view the workings of, and they benefit everyone.

Public libraries, community halls, leisure centers, weather data and the air we breathe are all public resources that benefit the general public.

We can enhance the capability of these resources by increasing their transparency and governing them more actively as a community. When we understand what they cost, what benefits they bring and how we can utilize our public resources, we can learn how to take advantage of them better.

Take Finland as an example; in Helsinki, they've developed wonderful collaborative hubs for the community. They are public libraries, but these are not your usual 'Shhh... Be quiet' type of libraries.

Oodi in Helsinki — Central Public Library

They're vibrant spaces with resources promoting learning, social connection, and community activities. Talk about a public good that benefits everyone!

We can all gauge how valuable these places are if we increase transparency.

View Oodi in 360

More insights into the Finnish Library System.

Turning the Tide from Common Tragedies to Common Amenities

Sadly, our world is not without its share of 'Tragedy of the Commons.'

It's a grim term to describe situations where public resources get depleted or misused, often due to a lack of accountability and ethical management.

Picture overfishing in a lake until there's not a single fish left. That's a common tragedy.

We, humans, are capable of extraordinary things, especially when we work together.

By rolling our sleeves and getting our hands dirty, we can transform these common tragedies into 'Common Amenities.'

Some Common Amenities we can build together:

• Converting abandoned/derelict property to sustainable and productive land for the public to use

• Opening community hubs managed by locals for the locals

• Specialized libraries staffed with people familiar with the subject matter

• Open incubators and think tanks for the public

Look at what happened in Seoul, South Korea, with the Cheonggyecheon stream.

A Lesson From History: The Cheonggyecheon Stream

South Korea recognized problems with their long term development and the harmony with their environment.

Older projects during the 60’s and 70’s covered up a historical stream running through Seoul. A restoration project began after evaluation of the current infrastructure on top of the stream.

Neglect and Underdevelopment

Overpass Construction

Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration Project

The Cheonggyecheon Stream Today

Once a polluted, forgotten waterway. Through hard work, it became a stunning urban park attracting millions yearly.

Uncovering the stream and replacing the concrete with a more natural state decreased the temperature of the city center and surrounding areas of the stream— by as much as 3 to 6 degrees. A substantial difference. (see Urban Heat Island Effect)

Read the Full Stream Restoration Report here.

The Power of Cooperative Principles

In a regenerative approach, the principles of cooperation are fundamental.

The cooperative model is an excellent way to manage resources, enhance social value, and promote sustainable practices in public spaces.

Some ways cooperative principles can foster regeneration:

• Voluntary and Open Membership: Public spaces should be open and accessible to everyone in the community. There should be no pressure to pay a fee to access public resources. A cooperative structure also ensures everyone has a say in decision-making processes.

• Democratic Member Control: Each member has one vote, providing equal representation. A democratic model allows the needs of the many to outweigh those of the few.

• Member Economic Participation: Members contribute to the economic health of the cooperative and share in its success. This structure ensures that the benefits are shared equitably among all members.

• Autonomy and Independence: Cooperatives are autonomous entities controlled by their members. This autonomy allows them to make decisions that best serve their community.

• Education, Training, and Information: Cooperatives invest in their members through education and training, which helps them contribute more effectively to the cooperative and their community.

• Collaborative Cooperatives: Cooperatives support other cooperatives, creating a network of mutual aid and shared resources.

• Concern for Community: Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities. This focus ensures the long-term health and well-being of the community and its public spaces.

Towards a Regenerative Society

A regenerative society prioritizes its communities' sustainable development and the health of their public spaces— it values cooperation, inclusivity, and long-term prosperity over short-term profits.

However, transitioning towards a regenerative society requires fundamental changes in how we think about and manage our public spaces.

Here are some steps we can take:

• Foster a culture of cooperation and mutual aid.

• Prioritize the health and well-being of the community in decision-making processes.

• Advocate for policy changes that support regenerative practices.

• Promote education and awareness about sustainable practices and regenerative principles.

• Support local businesses that value sustainability and ethical practices.

• Encourage innovation and the adoption of sustainable technologies.

• Develop community programs that promote environmental stewardship.

As we embark on this journey towards a regenerative society, we must remember that change takes time. But with patience, persistence, and a shared vision, we can create a sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative future.

Sustaining Spaces for the Public - A Labour of Love

So, we've got some great public spaces, but how do we ensure they stick around for our children and their children?

It all boils down to love and respect for these spaces. We can make a difference by adopting eco-friendly habits, participating in local initiatives, and advocating for responsible use of public goods.

We’ve talked about Korea, but did you know about the New York City's High Line?

An elevated urban park that was once a rusty, old railway, abandoned and forgotten.

Thanks to a community-driven initiative & some serious elbow grease, it has transformed into a vibrant, green space that New Yorkers and visitors love.

A Regen Recap and A Nudge in the Right Direction

The future of our public spaces, and indeed, our society, depends on our actions today. By embracing regenerative principles and practices, we can ensure that our public spaces continue to serve us well for ages.

Remember that we are not only custodians of these spaces for our time, but we are also stewards of these spaces for future generations.

Let's strive to leave a legacy of a regenerative society that future generations can inherit and be proud of.

So, dear friends, remember the importance of our public goods and resources as we navigate toward a regenerative future.

By being transparent in their usage, transforming tragedies into amenities, and sustaining these resources, we can ensure they continue to serve us and future generations.

Every effort counts - from picking up litter in the park to advocating for a community garden, no action is too small.

It's time for us to roll up our sleeves and put in the work.

For a recap, part 1 & part 2 are right there for you.

Let's continue to grow and learn together, fostering a society that values and protects its public goods.

We've got this! 🧑‍🔬 ♻️ 🌱

• 1️⃣ Pt. 1: The Power of Public Spaces: A Place to Innovate, Grow and Connect

• 2️⃣ Pt. 2: Recognizing Public Space as a Public Good

• ✍️ Regen Writers Cohort

• 💚 Join Greenpill.network!

How We View Public Goods Today

A public good can be a thing that is freely available and in use by a person while others can still use it— or there is room to grow and accompany additional people. Non-rivalrous and non-excludable is the traditional definition.

Allowing someone into the library doesn't mean there are no more books or fewer spaces or that the books themselves are not still valuable for the words written inside. They'll get brought back, and everyone can check them out.

There is little competition for a public library and thus no rivalry because there will always be people who want to read and ones who need to read.

For competition's sake, does that mean there is no incentive to improve some of these public goods? Because we define them as non-rivalrous, inherently, the standard is the accepted norm, and there are minimal reasons to improve— especially without active suggestions.

These public goods include libraries, pools, skating rinks, pathways etc.

Does it Help the Public, or Does it Hurt the Public?

Saying I'm a regen instead of degen is easy, but what does it look like?

Determining if something is good for the public can be challenging. Actions speak louder than words, but it's easier to suggest that something is regenerative before later finding out it isn't.

It will take steady hands and careful eyes to watch and value public goods; we need stewards that take care of goods and services for the public— ones that can also measure and determine whether or not a public good as it stands is serving the interest of the public or a few select members.

There are a few ways to tackle sustainability, but how do we know what is a public good and what is a public bad?

If anyone can access something without restrictions above their control, it could be a public good.

With newer technologies, particularly the internet, blockchains and networks, it is now possible to establish community spaces that effectively cater to the needs of the public without compromising their interests.

By leveraging cooperative games that are mutually beneficial, we can foster positive behaviours and cultivate a collaborative spirit that encourages people to work together towards a common goal.

When we unite and act together, voices can get heard; if we only think together, we'll stay paralyzed by analysis. A consensus bias.

Something I heard long ago that sticks with me:

"If everyone thinks the same thing is right, then someone is very wrong."

The Public Expense of Privatizing Resources

When a resource is always available, and no one can claim profit over it in abundance and without recourse, it could be a public good.

Examples of public amenities/resources:

• Air quality monitoring

• Community centers

• Parks, Green spaces & Forests

• Lakes & Rivers

• Beaches & Campgrounds

• Roads & Bridges

• Weather data tracking

Globally, governments maintain many public goods because of a perceived failure of coordination and fair allocation. We've struggled as a collective to fairly govern our public goods for the interest of the collective instead of privatized industries exploiting the resources for profit.

A problem we face with our public goods is the inherent management by governments with ideological motives. And corporate entities that seek to maximize shareholder and commercial value. The sheer size of our industries today. They've grown so large that separate departments get used to manage different industries, often leading to conflicting internal affairs and views.

An excerpt from newswire regarding fishery closures;

"The Coalition is requesting that the federal Fisheries Minister immediately meet with commercial fishing organizations, to transparently share the science behind the radical decision and to consider a delay in the closures so that the fishery can be managed in an orderly manner that respects sustainability."

Large industries that grow in places like public waters can lead to either mismanagement, negligence or otherwise inefficient distribution of public resources. Especially with technology, the bureaucracy of a governmental body may prevent it from being up to date on the newest standards, which can allow for resource exploitation against the benefit of the public.

A Recent Tragedy of the Commons

The Canadian Maritimes suffered from overfishing and mismanaged resources— recently and during the past.

During the 90s, technological advancements like sonar, trawlers and underwater location devices allowed commercial fishermen to increase catch rates and abuse natural resources. An over-competitive atmosphere ran un-checked, and the industry collapsed.

Many parties will support different types of public goods and spend more time on areas and resources defined as beneficial to the public, depending on the value they produce and if they are within the ideological frame.

Governments often make decisions that are unilateral regarding industries. Which affects a wide range of people and can have unknown impacts.

When there is more information or input from everyone involved, making fair decisions that benefit everyone can be easier. However, there are frequent time restraints, and extensive research is not permitted— especially when decisions must be made quickly to save resources and lives.

"In 1992, Northern Cod populations fell to one percent of historical levels, due in large part to decades of overfishing. Prompting the Canadian Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans to close the fishery, thus eliminating a traditional livelihood for about 30,000 people. Three decades later, the fishery still has not recovered.

Due to these market failures, the government has a special role in conserving and managing public goods...Indeed, this explains why goods such as bridges, parks, police protection, and fire departments are usually financed with tax revenues that governments collect. Government serves as a coordinating mechanism that provides public goods for the benefit of society."

- The Atmosphere as a Global Public Good by: Patrick A. Parenteau -

We are far from well-coordinated and sustainable goods for the public benefit. Even with an overarching manager and distributed funding via taxes. Our governments need help coordinating at a mass scale and with the interests of the parties involved. We can help with incentive structures and systems that work for the benefit of society as a collective.

Technology will allow us to make public spaces sustainable and regenerative for all— and many generations to come.

The Regenerative Republic

Have we truly considered the importance of interaction and connectivity in public spaces?

Thanks to the ever-increasing number of network devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) grants prolific access to open tools and accessible resources that help us develop better public facilities.

However, it's worth questioning— are we treating public goods with the same care and significance as before?

As a collective, we've demonstrated our collaborative ability throughout history. Common areas present opportunities for the development of goods and services that can greatly enhance the quality of life for the general public. All major societies revered and protected their public areas. Neglecting them meant a less enjoyable life for everyone overall.

Before overwhelming corruption, greed and overall neglect. Our structures and values were powerful at creating impact. We've created magnificent spaces that span regions, changing our perception of our environment forever.

A few times we've changed the world as a collective:

• Golden Ages: Classic Societies

• The Renaissance

• Industrial Revolution

• Transport Revolution

• Green Revolution

• Digital Revolution (3rd Industrial Revo.)

• Information Revolution

• Industry 4.0 (4th Industrial Revo.)

A Public Goods Cooperative

One way to create impact is through a coalition of like-minded individuals that believe in the power of producing things for the benefit of the public.

These individuals coalesce in positive-sum ways to foster the sustainable creation of goods and services that benefit the public.

Forming a cooperative that focuses on some set principles, public spaces, common areas, and open-sourced technology can empower society at the individual level.

Open-source means equal access.

Ways a cooperative can foster positive-sum outcomes:

• Productivity measurements: KPIs that underpin positive impacts.

• Balanced practices that regenerate versus degenerate.

• Focusing on sustainability and long-tail economic benefits.

• Sharing Resources to promote mutually beneficial outcomes.

• Use sustainable & enviro-conscious practices in operations.

• Support local economies via insourcing goods/services.

• Provide affordable and accessible goods/services to members & communities.

• Invest in education and training to empower members and strengthen the cooperative and the community they represent.

Long Game: Sustainable Spaces For The Public

Above is a short list; tons of other areas and movements resulted in a noticeable global change— even if it took many years to encourage or see measurable results.

Many of our changes for the better are only possible for us to view in hindsight. We must attempt change and shoot for inventions before we can see the results and innovate.

Right now, we are putting profit before purpose, and consequently, we see loops that reduce public resources to unsustainable levels because we industrialize before we make things more efficient. It's time for a mindset shift toward regenerative principles.

If we focus on purpose before profit, we can innovate for the greater good instead of greater wealth. After all, if nothing is left to cultivate, there will be no profits, and our health will deteriorate, and that's the main source of our wealth as a society.

• Pt. 1: The Power of Public Spaces: A Place to Innovate, Grow and Connect

• Pt. 3: Sustainable Spaces for the Public Benefit

• Regen Writers Cohort

• Join Greenpill.network!

I've poured hundreds of hours into researching agriculture, technology and economics. There is a massive opportunity for our fields.

Tech innovation in the agriculture industry will change everyone's life; it will change the trajectory of humankind and the animals of the earth.

Canada will rank as a premier place for tech innovation. And Alberta will be a top contributor. If not, the future #1 innovative tech hub for agriculture across Canada.

Innovative tech of this decade will lead to tail-end outcomes that improve our province's agricultural capacity in ways we cannot even imagine now.

Truthfully, it's likely nationwide as small towns across Alberta have the collective brain power, motivation and pride to shoot for the top.

After all, we host the greatest outdoor show on earth— the Calgary Stampede. 🤠🇨🇦

Alberta farmers have worked for over a century in some of the most challenging conditions, hot and dry summers and lengthy, frigid winters. But they've supplied the world with nourishment, and we are a global leader in agricultural products and research.

Solutions are on the horizon, and if we extrapolate principles like Moore's law, the fields will get revolutionized again. Akin to the introduction of the steam engine.

Innovations of technologies result in new power sources:

Human Energy → Animal Energy → Machine Energy → Fossil Energy → Reusable Energy → Stable, Sustainable or Infinite Energy?

Arguably, the industrial changes during the green revolution of the 1970’s (the 3rd agricultural revolution) catapulted our societies, especially the Americas, into the agriculture powerhouse we know today. All because farmers adopted cutting-edge advancements to increase productivity and production capacity.

Are Farmers Nerds?

Revolutions are a cycle of history and a repetitive one. This time it's the digital revolution. Check out this timeline and see the present decade. The software will eat the world— an anecdote because it will feed the world for a fraction of the cost we incur right now. And we can build these systems now.

Like the engines revolving many thousands of times a minute, our machines now compute millions per second. 🧑‍💻

Alberta producers recognize more than most people that there are significant and practical reasons to adopt new technologies. Farmers often adopt new technologies without much friction; however, the friction present is accessibility and education.

I co-founded a tech startup to help increase digital literacy; we noticed that the opportunities for open technology to elevate society are huge. 

However, we needed to determine an intersection, an industry that would create MAX IMPACT* and one with UNLIMITED POTENTIAL. *

Unless we believe we won't need to eat, we will refine our food systems forever.

After research and pondering, we realized it was right in front of us, and we overlooked it— it's agriculture! 

Our food, productive capacity and livelihoods as a collective depend on us finding solutions to food security and sustainability. The room to improve our food systems unlike any other, and the problem are bigger than any of us. It's a problem for all of us.

More capital, energy and ideas are required to integrate solutions for farmers that use technology, but no cohort benefits more than the producers themselves.

The mission of DecentrAgora is to empower the world with powerful software. By using blockchains, namely the Ethereum Network, we are creating incentives for people to adopt automated programs and data systems, and the community actively proves there is much work to get done regarding public goods and sustainable network infrastructure.

Blockchains are transparent by design, which would propel the agriculture industry to new heights. Clear, honest insights about commodities across the board will increase efficient exchange. The point of blockchains isn't to make third parties obsolete but to increase transparency, reduce fraud and facilitate 'trustless' interactions. A system exists that enforces a trust layer, and cryptography secures and verifies it.

There are a few ways blockchain technology makes agriculture better: supply chain tracking, automated systems improvement, reduced paper load, enhanced accounting and decreased infrastructure costs. Producers also minimize dependency on centralized entities & third parties by harnessing a public blockchain. Should there be a monopoly on grocery providers? Is that in our best interest as a collective, profit before health?

We must speak up to see the changes we ask for. 🧘

Here is a visual representation of how distributed ledger technology (blockchain) improves agriculture:

Open Green Gates: Let the Fields Extend Beyond the Cloud

With open-source software, growth is larger, and with distributed networks, many practical use cases exist for applications built on top.

Problem: Canada and Alberta specifically have a lot of red tape that hinders our innovation as a group. We need more areas that support experimentation.

Whereas people shouldn't be worried about who they are dealing with, incentives need to get outlined clearly to level the moral high ground and facilitate economic participation for the greater good.

Together, united, we can all build a system of neighbours helping neighbours— differing from neighbours racing neighbours —but no different than cooperatives, whether farmers or industry persons.

https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xdAF1222cD51e70060dAe98e78784468e1f440aeb/0

It's an ancient value. 💚

It comes full circle. ♻️

It's regenerative as a feature — not a bug. 🐛

Helping people with their goals is helping your future self, the children, grandkids, grandparents and people you don't know you even care about.

We'll let you know soon what we plan to build and release for farmers so they can reduce steps in the supply chain, increase productivity and profit margins.

In the meantime, you can stay updated by subscribing to our blog for updates and following us on our socials.

Use the links below to learn more about DecentrAgora & follow updates! 🤓

• Docs 📚

• Twitter 🐥

• Linkedin 👥

• Website 🌐

Does your community have a public space?

A public space is the perfect way to 'regenerate in the open.' In full view of the communities we cherish. Nothing speaks to a community more than shared responsibility and accessibility.

Over the last few years, we planned, designed and opened a space for the public. (Located within Village Square Mall in Calgary, Alberta.)

In most communities, there's a place that anyone can go to. Although, we don't typically view our public areas as hot spots or places we want to be at any time. Can that be changed?

What resources can we use to create better public spaces?

Some ideas:

• Devices: cheaper every year, and many can get repurposed

• Digital Interactive Textbooks (DITs): updateable, crowdsourced & opensource— empowered with tech like the EVM & AI

• Open-sourced materials & tools

• P2P systems: best for direct-to-community approaches

• Wireless networks

• Mentorships, Tutoring & Coaching

• Career Advancement Opportunities

If we create places where people from all walks of life congregate, interact, share ideas, and collaborate, then the power of socialization will spark new ideas within our neighbourhoods.

Locally, we can make the largest impact. Direct to the community is not very different than loving thy neighbour.

My Neighbourhood Has a Community Center: Why Do We Need Better Public Spaces?

Often enough, we only consider the value of a public area once its sanctity gets contested. After a contentious suggestion like rezoning nature preserves or after a real estate developer converts an open space to a high-rise apartment building without considering the perspectives of the residents of a community.

We mindlessly give up our rights all too often because of our fast-paced daily lives, the hustle and bustle. The constant grind is an exceptionally dense blindfold.

Have you had to stand in the queue at a government office? Another good example of the rigidity we find ourselves in. How can this be so consistent across the world?

Certainly, we can't all put the same effort into organizing ourselves. Or do we? Is it that obvious?

Is it a mass coincidence that we increasingly find ourselves stuck further as a global unit into debts and degenerative practices? It's as if we wish or hope for a sustainable and regenerative force to fly in and sweep up the mess before us.

The bystander effect is not limited to people and crimes but people and inaction— the thought that another person will handle this: leading to the unpleasant result of nothing.

How do we define a public space?

We must tread this line of thinking more; there are important questions to consider when evaluating your community's options and what is available for the general public.

These are some good questions to ask yourself:

1. How often do you help areas in your community that are for the public?

2. Do you take advantage of the public spaces in your area?

3. Do you help maintain the local park?

4. How often do you visit the community center?

5. Have you ever rented out a public space for an event?

6. Have you recently seen your local library?

7. Have you noticed if the staff encourages growth & introduces new topics?

8. Are the patrons engaged in these spaces?

If you answer negatively to more than half of these questions, consider championing a new public space for your community.

A decentralized agora is a town hall— more or less. Different areas will require distinct approaches and unique models: ways to adapt instead of encroach.

Investing in our communities through community-run town halls can provide a valuable space for people to connect. It will take some sacrifice and earnest work: but it is attainable.

If you can keep coming up with more 'negatives' or 'bads,' then it may be time to explore championing a valuable public space for your community: especially if you can conceptualize how to do it better.

We set out to establish a 'public space' not owned and supported by a political group: strictly, it's for the community, and the community keeps it alive. A public space is often associated with parks, libraries, and squares. But we can view this differently.

Public Goods are expensive when the cost doesn't get properly distributed. Having bootstrapped and self-funded a public space for the last three years, I can attest to the expense.

How can individuals distribute the cost of creating public spaces?

Some typical expenses:

• Leases: depends on location, negotiation skills and the overall market

• Utilities: electricity, gas, wifi etc.

• Office Furnishings: we took advantage of used office furniture; you can likely do the same! Search for commercial office movers, thrift stores or companies that resell office furniture.

• Fees: Insurance, permits and business licencing (good chance you'll need to form a corporation of some type)

• Salaries: If you can't get volunteers or if insurance doesn't permit, you may need to account for people to staff the space.

Some ways to distribute the cost:

• Grants, donations, fundraising & crowdsourcing with set goals

• Blockchains: The EVM is incredibly promising for the transparent funding and maintenance of public goods

• Quadratic Funding

• Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RPGF)

• Collective Memberships: With member fees similar to a COOP

• Sponsorships & Partnerships: Alignment/brand collaboration to strengthen both public goods and the orgs that build public-facing goods/services

• Fractionalized Responsibility: Distributing costs equally across a set of addresses via NFTs like Hypercerts — cost share is split at the sale and paid in full or with funds that stream on a set basis

How do we ensure that contributions are creating an impact?

One way is that the legal system works in our favour; some issues may exist, but distributed ownership and responsibility blend real-life credit/reputation and on-chain history.

Real world public good agreements aka RWPGA

A fixed lease is a legal contract and must get paid. It would be best to replicate the agreement or strictly put the contract on chain with the same terms minus identifiable details. (Depending on confidentiality)

With contracts, whether on-chain or not, there is no arguing that the terms outlined in a contract facilitates a base layer of honesty for both parties to commit to. A contract also creates a due process, allowing people to navigate and understand the conditions they must maintain, making it easier if anything bad happens, and enforcing accountability.

And notoriously, this is abused because businesses need a mailing address. Fake companies have been the main argument for popular short-sellers of large companies for decades. After realizing there is only a little to prevent a company from faking productivity values. And when people rarely visit factories they invest in, it's way easier to get away with fraud.

However, with a transparent money chain, it becomes much easier to audit the trail— especially if the company is fraudulent or the space doesn't exist.

With our ability to meet people or reach out virtually, we can also conduct pop-in visits, where someone locally attests that they went to the public space and signs a transaction with their wallet, posts a photo on social media or some other verifiable method.

Anything is possible if we cooperate in funding real-world public goods that interface directly with our local communities while holding each other accountable with verifiable proofs.

A Public Goods Cooperative: The Regen Republic

The concept of a PGC evolves with modern tech, encompassing areas designed to inspire collaboration and facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge. And, importantly, it doesn't need to be shouldered by individuals; we can distribute that cost.

What it looks like when a cooperative funds public spaces in the real world:

We get a brilliant way to sustain public goods while also providing a way to hold organizations or persons accountable. The best part is that we can look deeper into the financials of organizations— institutions meant to support and maintain the development of public goods are often unclear in how they use their resources. This current opaque nature of public institutions must change if we want public goods instead of public bads.

At any time, anyone can help make the budget more efficient, account for expenses or suggest new ways to use capital! Anytime the cooperative can save funds, it gets put back toward public goods, reinforcing them and adding resilience and, in turn, sustainability.

Humans are unique in that we can sense when things are not sustainable, but it's not easy to determine why or how to avoid the consequences of inaction or overreaction.

People are not upset about paying an environmental deposit for bags; they are mad that they keep purchasing reusable bags and forgetting them.

We realize as a collective that changing bags didn't help; it's unsustainable still. We didn't approach the learned behaviour with an attempt to change it; we went for a fast solution with the most obvious results.

It would be a shame if we forgot about the importance of public spaces and then desperately need them.

A modern public space entails more than a place to study, relax, or read.

With the abundance of resources available today, we can create highly advanced areas packed with information and tools for the public.

In ancient Greece, the Agoras were central public hubs where people gathered, built in the open and shared ideas.

Today, we can support decentralized Agoras that serve as real-life hubs for innovation and growth, fostering an ecosystem that promotes learning, collaboration, transparency and cooperation.

After thousands of years, it's obvious that we as humans align the most with a belief system, and the stronger the belief system, the more powerful the community.

We can incentivize positive behaviour and encourage optimistic belief systems for the world's benefit instead of harm— establishing sustainable loops instead of degenerative leaks.

• Regen Writers Cohort

• Join Greenpill.network!

• Part 2

• Part 3

How do these new companies, protocols, and projects empower or interface with their employees and contributors?

Projects that push the boundaries, like Gitcoin, Taho and Optimism, provide a refreshing and ideal version of a DAO. However, we'll have to see how these DAOs grow over time. So far, so good, but we cannot predict the future.

The idea is brilliant. Decentralization has epic potential. But, in practice, it's hard to promote and encourage people to join the Web3 workforce— to take a leap of faith, dive into an entrepreneurial spirit or an independent mindset.

It's also not easy to identify someone's skill set and allow them to thrive within a role at a distributed company. We are all very used to the direction and hierarchy within an organization.

Without adaptation, we are hindering the growth of our ecosystem, similar to internet skeptics. It will lead to a longer education time.

People are still learning about computers. People must catch up to Web3, not by steps but by leaps.

We can simulate, calculate and power our future, but can we sustain it? 🤔

At DecentrAgora, we are pushing for a sustainable, decentralized, open ecosystem.

The Decentralized Agora.

Humanity is already a distributed workforce. It's invigoration time.

Time for a true attempt at decentralizing the workforce: equipping venues and creative spaces with advanced tech and open resources. An enhanced way to work and propel a career path.

Decentralized Agoras are spaces that factor innovation, growth and sustainability for the benefit of the public.

With Web3 we own and operate our banks, data and livelihoods, why not libraries and parks? We can all collaborate to create the best spaces possible.

We recognized a need physical infrastructure early; we have operated a public space for three years!

• Our first physical location is in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

• Our first research location is a farm outside Linden, Alberta, Canada.

• Our first virtual locations are Fluf World Burrows!

The vision is to expand the Decentralized Agora similarly; the industry needs this.

Help us revitalize the Akropolis and build dAgoras across the globe.

Join the collective 👇👇👇

https://decentragora.xyz/mint

Visualizing The Vertical-Verse

We can replace (XYZ) below with a respective project and token, whether an NFT or a standardized fungible token.

The point is that a protocol is a funnel from the bottom up instead of the top down. The highest calibre of contribution gets squeezed through a small opening at the top, and it becomes increasingly more challenging to make actionable contributions.

The layers nearing the top of the funnel form a tight mesh, and network effects compound to create a much stronger trust graph— based on social connections and the actions within. And since it's a reversed funnel, the opening or 'entry' into the ecosystem is vast and easy to join.

The further you enter the ecosystem, the 'rabbit hole' becomes a way to focus your effort at the focal point.

With blockchains, three layers expand simultaneously in all directions— the captains are distributed and adjust their path according to the north star and their will.

1. Infra Layer 1 — Ethereum Network

2. Infra Layer 2 — Distributed Protocols

3. Infra Layer 3 — Collective Administration

Feedback form: https://forms.gle/BEoYHQW8R6LkHFgu5

Links:

• Akropolis (Gitbook)

• Community Center

• dApp

• Discord

• Guild

• Lens

• Linktree

• Telegram

• Twitter

My passions consist of researching, advocating and writing. I actively study; blockchains, zero-knowledge proof technology (SNARKS/STARKS), ancient society, politics, governance, economics and agriculture.

What am I doing? I'm building a company that will eventually be a regular entity— a 'Super' public good.

A disruptive, autonomous, transparent organization that develops products and provides research for the public good.

I'm writing this to explain myself to current and future subscribers and always be transparent. This article should encourage you to consider building on Ethereum. If you're skeptical about crypto, it's worth digging into the literature. Toward a more profound understanding and passed the media's interpretation.

Make up your mind once you've reviewed the facts and dug into the concept. There are excellent opportunities for all types of people. However, the ecosystem needs innovators that align with the philosophy of the Ethereum Foundation (the best representation of the ethical and moral values supported by the Ethereum network) or the vision of other projects, such as Optimism.

A Metaverse Terminal

In 2020 I cofounded a startup named DecentrAgora with my best friend from high school. (0xOrphan)

We've spent years (a solid 5) ideating and designing software for people to use— real people, farmers, the elderly, tradespeople, people who serve drinks, and people who serve food. It doesn't matter what you do because software affects your life.

You may not see it and may need help understanding what goes into the design. Or why it matters, how it works or how it affects you. Because the best part about software is that it works when needed, connects us, and levels the playing field.

The power of software is the power of the people. The power of software is limitless when we open-source it because anyone can use the building blocks to architect a better castle. 🏰

My friend and I got into Ethereum because of the potential and because it optimized for the curious outsider and, at that time, curious outsiders we were and a home we found within a community we genuinely felt we belonged. I can't say we aren't just as curious as when we first happened here; because the innovation happening every day in this ecosystem is unlike anywhere else.

I wouldn't trade my experience in this industry for anything. It doesn't matter if each day feels like an entire year. Or a weekly decade. It's because of how fast we are innovating and pulling in the world around us because an Optimistic future within an infinite garden fuels us. 🪴 🌌

Graph Theory & Cooperative Games

At DecentrAgora, we wish to power the world with open-source software— a metaverse terminal because the meta is the digital cosmos, and it meshes us all together.

As a company, we have a motto similar to Optimism, where impact=profit;

Our difference impact=profit when collective=<K2,2,2; The variable K equals a connection along a vertice— reference complete graph theory.

Definition; a graph with at least two vertices is k-connected if, for every pair of its vertices, it is possible to find k vertex-independent paths connecting these vertices;

Using graph theory as a base, we can implement a robust framework for Sybil resistance by measuring addresses within a set using varying indicators and mathematical conditions. Additionally, we can use multipartite graphs for these purposes.

The games we foster must have a minimum of 2 players before counting it towards impact and profit potential. And this scales against council members and 'trusted delegates' respectively.

C:\0xzenodotus\dagora>terminus

DecentrAgora is a metaverse terminal, a bootloader for hyper collaboration via the Ethereum network— the infinite garden.

Ethereum is open and accessible to all and is a facilitator of perpetual cooperative games. DecentrAgora is like a team— players among many but always willing to play along; the perpetual player one.

https://app.manifold.xyz/c/metaverse-terminal

A collective found within the infinite garden; if there were attendants of metaversal waystations, we would be them— the guide to accompany the Ethernaut throughout the metaverse, if you will.

We currently steward a terminal, providing entry and tour guides for the metaverse, fully equipped with the Infinite Possibility Drive.

To join our community as Public (user "Ecclesia"), use "sudo <join community>". 

See  "Eccelsia guild_join" for details.

• Ecclesia guild_join

• join community

The most popular layer two solutions abstract away from Ethereum. They are making transactions faster and cheaper. Notably, L2's redirect network congestion and increase the throughput of transactions. In addition, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon and chains like Gnosis allow users to reap the benefits of the native Ethereum chain— without excessive confirmation times and high gas fees.

Below I'll go through three of my favourite L2 solutions.

• Arbitrum 🔵

• Optimism 🔴

• Polygon 🟣

Choosing a Network

Before you bridge to layer two, consider what you want to achieve. Are you looking for cheaper fees and quicker confirmation times? You'll get that with any of the prominent layer twos.

If you want a first-mover advantage, I'll recommend Arbitrum. Many applications on the Arbitrum network span networks like Optimism and Polygon.

Although, the newer versions take time to integrate: notably Nova, the most recent release. But don't let that discourage you from bridging! It means you can rank high with early app usage. For those who want to be power users, it's easier to move up the ranks. And easier for those who wish to pioneer network releases.

Optimism is your best bet if you're looking for rewards for using applications, especially since the community made some recent governance decisions to incentivize app usage.

Follow this link for OP Summer incentives. And, if you'd like to learn more about incentives on Optimism, click here.

Reasons to Bridge

Some reasons many people bridge to an L2 solution are because fees are cheaper, there are faster confirmation times, and as of late, there are several unique games deployed to L2s like Arbitrum and Polygon.

Recently, there has been an uptick in different games, from point and click, dungeon raider, fantasy style, and storyboard — among a few. As a result, L2s are attracting more unique users, and blockchain games are getting an advantage.

Another reason to bridge is for a better trading experience; if you want better returns from your transactions or liquidity positions, I'd recommend bridging capital for preservation purposes, especially since many L2s have active programs to migrate liquidity. It's also considerably easier to compound a position because you don't need to worry about timing the day/week for the best gas prices.

There are many ways to trade on an L2, and many protocols offer capital pools that compare to mainnet in terms of slippage and depth— made possible with complex smart contracts and oracles.

Using L2’s

To get started on an L2, you'll need to use an official bridge and if you want to be safe when navigating to applications, use official portals.

• Arbitrum portal   🔵

• Arbitrum Nova portal 🟠

• Optimism portal 🔴

• Polygon portal 🟣

The only L2 above that requires a different base currency is Polygon, which requires $MATIC for transactions. The others use plain $ETH for transaction fees. 

Arbitrum has no native token or governance token; it uses $ETH for transactions. Polygon uses $MATIC to facilitate transactions, and Optimism has a governance token called $OP but uses $ETH as the gas token.

Recap

There are several reasons to bridge to another layer instead of solely using mainnet Ethereum. First, you can make more transactions and learn the ins and outs before getting burnt on hefty gas fees on the mainnet. Although the gas fees have been reasonable lately— on Ethereum L1 —it doesn't stay that way forever, but we are trying. And second, you can take advantage of applications that don't work effectively on the mainnet or are cost-prohibited.

Layer twos are one step towards lower overall fees because abstracted layers can handle the load of users. Mainnet notoriously becomes expensive when congested— because block space gets bid higher and higher, and the room is precious. With second layers, Ethereum has room to breathe when transactions don't need to be posted immediately to the chain— congesting block space.

You have multiple options to explore. If you want to find something new and exciting, check each ecosystem before bridging funds there, but remember— you can bridge between many different chains. 

Including Arbitrum, Optimism and Polygon. If the chain is EVM compatible, if constructed, you can bridge. 🏰 🌉 🏰

It's a global 'risk-off' environment. Resulting in a traditional bear season, which means Bulls are actively getting hunted.

In Simple: yields are low, and most tokens are at -90% from ATHs.

It's a brutal reality, but the point of this article is to empower you to power forward— toward an Optimistic future. The users left and projects still building are here to stay. So, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind.

• As a project/founder, put your focus on community building and funnelling users. Less noise means your voice gets through. 📣👱

• As a trader/investor, put your focus into research. These are the times when dimes return dollars. 🧑‍🔬💸

• As a freelancer/newcomer, focus on hard and soft skills. Take this time to build out your personal and professional abilities. 🧰🧑‍💻

You may win the war if you adjust your strategy in this environment.

Loose Rules of Economic Engagement :

1. Bulls lure bears. (+)

2. Bears eat bulls. (-)

3. Bulls gore bears. (+)

4. Repeat.

Bera rule #1: It's a not-so-obvious secret; the market reacts to a positive feedback loop and then up-only. The market reacts to a negative feedback loop and then blood-only. The current feedback loop trumps the other until the pendulum gets hammered in the other direction.

It's a balancing act; it's yin and yang. It's the negative and positive influence. ☯️

An esteemed philosopher best summed it up sometime over 2500 years ago:

"There is nothing permanent except change."

-Heraclitus-

You're here now; what can you do?

First, cut losses if you need to be capital efficient. Second, check all your investments and do your best to analyze your current position. Are you making more money than you are spending? In other words, do you have a positive cash flow?

If you need more clarification, you may be spending too much, and ensuring that your outgoing payments are comparable to your income is valuable. It would be best to aim for a higher ratio of funds (incoming) than expenses. (outgoing)

During a salvage operation, you want to scrap all your bad investments. Cut emotional ties with positions if you are already underwater. If not, wait out the market and don't get spooked out of a valuable place.

Just breathe, and extract value elsewhere. Anything that is high risk is safe to dump as the opportunity to buy lower could be prevalent. As the risk-off continues, you can stand on the sidelines and deploy capital as needed— Bera rule #2: curb the downside and reduce consistent losses. Conversely, the lower the investment risk, the more likely the market environment is weakening your hands and tricking you into cutting your position.

Sometimes, the market is purely irrational, and you may have suitable investments you can expand— which will reduce your average cost. But take great caution when doubling down on any position that has underperformed. Although, this will ease the pain slightly as you now have the capital to either:

a) handle your affairs: bills, debts, personal expenses etc.

b) deploy a more efficient and lucrative strategy

Ultimately, the above conditions lend themselves to the final rule of depressed markets. So get educated, comprehensive and vigorous.

https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0x91a32744ADB14a4732a2c1c0eAB61771e7A19E32/1

Grizzly Preacher Mint 🐻

The Final Rule: BYOG

Establish a solid routine and set goals. Do anything you need to do to find the energy within you. Balance your life, tend to your relationships and take care of priorities. A healthy body reinforces a fluent mind.

Bera rule #3: Be Your Own Guru. 🧘

Focusing a small amount of energy could be all you need to gain the edge; it could be more than your opponent— other market participants.

In a long war, you'd be mistaken if you think you don't need to go the extra mile. Does it feel like you are doing whatever you can to make the best of your situation? Probably, but the feeling gets reinforced by complacency.

Dust off books and expand into areas that are foggy for you. Become adept where you lack depth. An integral part of growing is the zone of discomfort. And one thing I've learnt is that when you feel so bad that you're physically ill, it may indicate that you will win big or lose more than you're comfortable with— but that's growth fren. Take it or leave it.

But please be prudent with risk management because monetary losses are temporary, and money gets earned repeatedly. However, losses are traumatic and cause psychological duress. So don't paralyze yourself when you analyze things you can't change.

We are all in this together, but not sure everyone will make it because it depends on perspective. So it's not prudent that we all make it at the same time, the same way or to the same place. What matters is that we achieve our goals.

Although personal goals are merely a stepping stone or an individual boulder, it's your mission to make moves. Extrapersonal or existential goals change your life, and the world benefits. So, set goals and achieve them.

Bear Movements

During difficult times, unless you have short positions, it's wise to sit on your hands, deep dive into protocols and cut losses where possible.

Follow the three rules, and you should be alright.

1. Bera rule #1: It's a not-so-obvious secret; the market reacts to a positive feedback loop and then up-only. The market reacts to a negative feedback loop and then blood-only

2. Bera rule #2: curb the downside and reduce consistent losses.

3. Bera rule #3: Be Your Own Guru.

Take care and be wise with your time when the markets grind downward. 💙