Introduction:
The purpose of this proposal is to present a rationale for consolidating the operations of multiple eco-regenerative businesses onto a single ledger and implementing a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS) to facilitate economic growth. By creating a unified system for tracking and exchanging resources, these businesses can work together to create a more sustainable and regenerative local economy.
Background:
Eco-regenerative businesses aim to operate in a way that supports the environment and creates a regenerative economy. However, these businesses often struggle to compete with larger, more conventional businesses that prioritize profit over sustainability. Additionally, these businesses may face challenges in accessing the resources they need to operate, such as funding, supplies, and labor.
Proposal:
The proposal is to create a unified ledger system that tracks the resources and operations of multiple eco-regenerative businesses. This system would be facilitated by the implementation of a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS), which would allow businesses to trade resources and services without the need for traditional currency.
What is a Local Exchange Trading System?
A Local Exchange Trading System (LETS) is a locally organized, non-profit exchange system that allows members to trade goods and services with one another without the need for traditional currency. Instead, members use a system of barter or alternative currency, such as “time credits,” which are earned by providing a service or offering a skill, and can be used to receive a service or skill from another member. LETS systems rely on transparent record-keeping and sound decision-making processes. They are best directed toward the promotion of community involvement, sustainability, and the sharing of resources, in order that they can operate independently of the traditional monetary system.
Overall, LETS systems prioritize social connections and mutual support – encouraging members to build relationships with one another and offering value beyond simple exchanges of goods and services. This emphasis on social capital helps to build trust and a sense of collective responsibility within the community, which in turn strengthens the system’s reliability and resilience. If all necessarily elements are in place, such systems have the potential to facilitate rapid economic growth by strategically bridging gaps in existing businesses and bringing new, potentially high-value products to distressed markets.
Benefits of Consolidation and LETS Implementation:
Enhanced Resource Access: By consolidating the operations of multiple eco-regenerative businesses, the resources of each business can be shared and accessed more efficiently. This could include sharing equipment, labor, and supplies, among other resources.
Improved Coordination: Consolidating the operations of eco-regenerative businesses onto a single ledger would improve coordination between businesses. This could include sharing knowledge and expertise, as well as coordinating on joint projects.
Increased Visibility: By implementing a LETS, businesses would be able to more easily see and track the resources available to them. This could help businesses identify new opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing.
Community Building: The implementation of a LETS could help to build a stronger sense of community among eco-regenerative businesses. By trading resources and services, businesses can develop stronger relationships and networks.
Decentralized University:
Through the consolidation of eco-regenerative businesses and the implementation of a LETS, we can begin to organically manifest what will become a node of knowledge production for a global decentralized university system. By sharing knowledge and expertise, businesses can help to foster the development of a community of learners, researchers, and practitioners.
Besides all the abstract, theoretical, linguistic, and mathematical knowledges that can be studied anywhere, our commitment to placemaking optimizes for an integration of regenerative agriculture, natural building techniques, and community-based art and design into the more “traditional” university curriculums. By doing so, we can present a timely and relevant product to human beings all over the world. Additionally, with sources of funding unconstrained by traditional university conventions, we can present an integrative education that doesn’t necessarily abide by traditional degree-divisions, but instead attends to a student’s particular needs and capacities, guiding them efficiently into a role that is right for them.
Implementation:
To implement this proposal, we would need to first identify the eco-regenerative businesses in the area and assess their willingness to participate. We would also need to develop the ledger system and establish the rules and guidelines for the LETS. Finally, we would need to educate businesses on the benefits of the LETS and provide support to help them get started.
There will undoubtedly arise various obstacles in the form of slowness to understand and resistance to change, resource limitations on account of incomplete community buy-in, potential legal regulations, unforeseeable technical complexities, and doubts and dysfunctions regarding personal sustainability equations. Which is why the first item on the order of operations must be a dedicated community of believers in the value of this operation and a dedicated educator to continuously offer trust-building content on its rationale, practicality, and benefits.
Conclusion:
By consolidating the operations of multiple eco-regenerative businesses onto a single ledger and implementing a LETS, we can create a more sustainable and regenerative local economy. This proposal represents a step towards a more equitable and environmentally conscious economic system. Furthermore, through the decentralized university that emerges from this consolidation, we can foster the development of a community of learners, researchers, and practitioners dedicated to regenerative placemaking and immersive transformative experiences.
Addendum pertaining to the decentric ecoversity in particular:
Target Market:
Our target market is students who are seeking a flexible and integrative education, grounded in community, regenerative practices, and place-based learning. We will teach independence from technology, while also equipping students with the knowledge and connections to engage with Web3 and beyond. We anticipate attracting a diverse group of learners who are looking for a more wholistic, meaningful, and practical approach to education: preparation for the roller coaster of opportunities and challenges that the 21st century promises to present.
Product/Service:
Our decentralized university will offer an integrative education that combines traditional academic subjects, traditionally taboo subjects like astrology and symbology, absolutely novel subjects like the emerging ai revolution and Web3, with regenerative agriculture, natural building techniques, community-based art and design, and ancestral apprenticeships, very old-fashioned learning opportunities.
By emphasizing practical skills and knowledge, we will prepare students to become engaged and effective members of their communities and the wider world. Capacity building to sustain connection and remain resilient and self-reliant amidst a changing world will be our priorities.
These focuses, combined with our eminent existing network of spirit and resources, will ensure that we are prominently positioned to deliver on promises to educate in critical thinking and creativity, to prepare students for evolving future job markets, and to position communities of learners to make waves of positive transformation in the ailing environments that humanity’s reckless behavior is creating.
Marketing Strategy:
Channels:
We will use a combination of online and offline channels to reach our target market. Online channels will include social media, email marketing, and targeted digital advertising. Offline channels will include community events, public speaking engagements, and partnerships with local organizations and businesses.
Messaging:
Our messaging will emphasize the value of a flexible and integrated education that combines practical skills and theoretical knowledge. We will highlight the unique benefits of our decentralized approach, including the opportunity to learn from and engage with eco-regenerative businesses, the emphasis on community and place-based learning, and the flexibility to tailor the educational experience to individual needs and goals.
Pricing:
Our pricing model will be based on a combination of tuition fees and LETS credits earned through participation in the eco-regenerative business community. This will ensure that our education is accessible and affordable to a wide range of students, while also creating a sustainable funding model for the university.
