ReFi Generation

In today’s episode I have the pleasure of interviewing TMO of BASIN Protocol for a third time. TMO, AKA Thomas Morgan, having spent the majority of his career in commercial real estate, is the bridge we need for real world assets coming on chain.

TMO discusses the nuances of nature being on the balance sheet, versus nature having its own balance sheet. The former is the old extractive mentality, whereas the latter allows ecosystems to hold their own assets of value.

BASIN as a protocol is aimed to preserve, conserve, and restore more land by building a network of agents that are stewarding & flowing value into ecosystems. The protocol uses financial models that take real value, and then apply a monetary value to ecosystem services, such as pollination, biodiversity, soil health etc.

TMO explains how Basin’s 14 different ecosystems & 18 real values of natural capital fits into the broader Ecological Benefits Framework.

Corporations have personhood in the United States - so why not ecosystems, why not rivers & why not mountains? BASIN is creating structures so that ecosystems can fund themselves, in perpetuity. BASIN is giving land back to nature, where nature owns itself. BASIN is creating mechanisms to perpetually protect ecosystems and land against future lease and sell pressure. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation, I hope you do as well.

BASIN's Twitter
TMO's Twitter

BASIN.Global
BASIN Field Manual
Confluence.BASIN

Join us as Will Masters from Ogallala Life discusses how regenerative finance can breathe life back into landscapes. Will doesn't just talk theory, he and his team are  actively building methods of landscape hydrologic restoration on the ground at the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center in the Texas panhandle.

Ogallala Life is at the intersection of nature, technology, and finance, navigating the rollercoaster of fundraising through cryptocurrency markets. Will discusses the nuances of landscape restoration, from the implementation of leaky weirs that rejuvenate creeks, to adaptive multi-paddock grazing that mimics the grazing patterns of the once prevelant bison that were the original stewards of our prairies.

Our conversation uncovers the challenges of carbon contracts and the much-needed narrative shift toward water stewardship that resonates with local landowners. With Will's insights, we explore the frontier of ecological monitoring, where blockchain technology can provide a new era of trustworthy environmental data. 

Ogallala Life Twitter
Wild Cat Bluff Rehydration Campaign (Donation Link)

Join us live at the Ethereum Denver conference! The pulse of the conference is vibrant, and there is a resounding narrative of regerneration. We are joined with Alan Ransil of Filecoin Green & William Skinner of Helios. A thing to note, the ETH Denver podcast studio had software to mute the background noise, which at times makes the audio not 100%, please excuse that for this episode, as the content the guests cover is not to be missed!

Yes, there is still degens abounding at the conference, but there were two entire days dedicated to regenerative finance and blockchain tools that can help solve climate change. Our discussion peels back the layers of how Filecoin Green builds tools using decentralized data to monitor and verifiably reduce the environmental impacts of networks and businesses.  Alan also shares with us his new project launch, Liquid Cert, which is addressing the rampant greenwashing issues around trust. Liqua Cert fosters trust and transparency by making verifiable claims in the world of regenerative finance, ensuring that eco-projects are both well-intentioned and impactful.

William Skinner's passion & commitment to sustainability and renewable energy is seen as he shares Helios with us. Helios is allowing liquidity to more easily drive capital to the imparative need for investing in solar, while giving retail investors a stable return.

We wrap up with a look at decentralized ownership models and their transformative impact on land ownership and ecological preservation. This discussion shines a spotlight on companies like Jasmine Energy who are on the cutting edge of innovation with the tokenization of renewable energy credits, propelling us towards a more sustainable blockchain industry.
***Disclaimer: Helios brought me on to advise on solar projects***

Alan's Twitter
Filecoin Green
Liquacert

Helios
William's Twitter

Let's Grow! This episode is an exploration of purpose, passion, and planting. I sit with Jimi Cohen to discuss the monumental vision of Let's Grow DAO and Treegens, aiming to integrate positive environmental actions with blockchain tools for onboarding. 

This conversation explores the encouraging reforestation movement as well as inspires listeners that Jimi's goal of planting more than 560M trees in 24 hrs to beat the current world tree planting record is possible. Jimi shares info about The Regenisance festival happening in Thailand, and how festivals can set the stage for creating monumental change.

The episode also delves into Let's Grow DAO's cutting-edge initiatives – from a dual-token system that rewards community involvement to creating new opportunities for environmental stewardship and using digital assets for gamifying tree planting.

We peer into the democratization of ecological efforts through blockchain's transformative of MRV processes, highlighting how this technology has the potential to empower communities, especially in the global south. Jimi is an advocate for connecting with nature and gives us a reminder of the importance of the connection between our wellbeing and the natural world we're striving to protect. Join us to discover how you can be a part of this regenerative renaissance.

• Jimi’s Twitter
• Treegen’s Twitter
• LetsGrowDAO
• Let’s Grow DAO Manifesto

This episode just might blow your mind and cause a massive paradigm shift in your concept of gold mining. Jose Santiago & Noach Kettler join us from Alternun, and share with us the potential of "digital exploirtation" for gold mining.

Alternun is a Columbia based ReFi project that is leveraging blockchain technology to collatoralize unmined gold, thus negating the need to mine it. This is possible because upwards of 90% of mined gold is put back into banks, so Alternun is creating a protocol that uses the ground as a vault.

Alternun hopes to stop the environmental & social degradation that gold mining causes, and isntead allow for other regenerative uses of the land. One thing to note, there are times when the audio is not 100%, so please excuse that for this episode. I hope you enjoy.

Alternun Website
Alternun Twitter
Green Digital Guardians (Alternun's suggested ReFi project to follow)

Today we get inspired by the global reforestation initiative with Djimo Serodio of Silvi. Djimo shares how his journey through agricultural technologies and environmental science education has culminated in the Silvi Protocol.

This episode sheds light on the critical role of indigenous tree stewardship, and also the sophisticated methods Silvi Protocol employs, using blockchain technology to foster transparency and further enhance environmental initiatives. 

We unearth the challenges and breakthroughs of the evolving landscape of natural capital investment in aligning financial mechanisms with positive environmental impact. Djimo's insights into collaborations with MRV (measure, report, verify) organizations and the creation of hypercerts reveal a very real and possible future for investment in our planet's health.

Djimo's Twitter
Silvi.Earth

In this episode we showcase the potential of regenerative finance with none other than Kevin Owaki, the trailblazing founder of Gitcoin and host of the Green Pill podcast. We dive into how blockchain can redefine our economic landscape and impact environmental and humanitarian efforts. Gitcoin's implementation of quadratic funding has directed over $55 million towards public goods!

As we navigate the intricacies of Web3, we confront the real-world challenges of melding traditional nonprofit strategies with the often misunderstood realm of blockchain.  The episode explores how projects like Downtown Stimulus in Boulder, CO have successfully harnessed the power of blockchain for tangible impact, without getting bogged down by crypto currency complexities.

We delve into the future of impact and funding within social media and Kevin shares how decentralized social media platforms could revolutionize the way we value online ecosystems, shifting focus from ad revenue and influencers to genuine societal contributions.

I especially loved exploring the concept of mycelium finance, drawing parallels between web3 networks and the natural world's "wood-wide web." Join us and be part of a dialogue that's reimagining the nexus of technology, finance, and social good.

Links:
Kevin's Twitter
Green Pill Podcast
Gitcoin

Today we explore a regenerative finance token, $Earth, with Utkarsh Patel , whose expertise in environmental sciences and economics helps us dissect the transformative potential of digital currencies. 

Utkarsh was at COP28 in Dubai and shares his insights from the conference, one being that there was a resounding narrative throughout COP28 that carbon is the trojan horse that got people thinking about other important environmental markers that need to be addressed, such as water, soil, air, biodiversity, & social equity. Through this "Environmental Benefits Framework" we talk about the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize environmental reporting, confronting the skepticism regarding its accessibility, particularly in less developed regions of the world.

We discuss the intricacies of designing systems that not only encourage, but also reward positive environmental impact.  I hope this episode leaves you inspired that ReFi has the potential so solve global environmental challenges because it provides a sustainabile investment opportunity, where people don't have to choose between philanthropy, and investing in their future. $Earth makes doing the right thing an easy choice for all. 

https://twitter.com/solarpunkdao
https://solarpunkdao.earth/

In this episode with Douglas Gayeton of The Lexicon we explore the nuances of regenerative agriculture and the lessons gleaned from the organic movement's pitfalls. We discuss The Lexicon's forward-thinking activator model, developed alongside Google, to create a universal framework for ecological benefits.  This "Ecological Benefits Framework" is at the integration of sustainable agriculture, regenerative finance & indigenous knowledge. 

We dissect the complexities of implementing blockchain technology in environmental initiatives, weighing its potential against its current constraints, and how it might evolve to support a more inclusive and multifaceted approach to ecological restoration.

Our discussion concludes by examining the complexities of blockchain in the food industry, with a case study on Sweet Greens' traceability efforts revealing the unexpected challenges of data sharing and privacy.  We ponder the balance between technological reliance and the wisdom of natural systems as we look towards a resurgence and broader acceptance of indigenous knowledge. 

Check out more about Ecological Benefits Framwork below:
https://www.canyouchangethefuture.org/

In this episode we discuss the potential of blockchain for social good with Teresa Bízková, ecosystem communications manager at Topl and the founder of ReFi Medellín. 

Tereza and I disucss how blockchain is not just about cryptocurrencies, but a tool for real-world impact, fostering financial inclusion, and supporting environmental causes. Teresa recounts her transformation from blockchain skeptic to advocate, while we dissect Topl's role in emerging markets and furthering financial inclusion. 

I especially loved learning about Alternun's unique approach of incentivizing gold miners to NOT MINE GOLD, and instead keep it in the ground. 

We wrap up with a glimpse into the grassroots movement and how local communities are harnessing innovative economic models to encourage environmental stewardship. From rewarding clean-up hikes with digital currency to exploring bartering systems, we discuss how blockchain tech is encouraging local stewardship and participation. 

Follow Tereza's work below:
https://twitter.com/TerezaBizkova