Eco Currency

The research provided in this project is a first step into a possible introduction of an ECO-currency. It is clear that the proposition provided is merely a concretization of the research and opens up a world of new questions. The proposition shows that many practical issues still need to be researched, designed for and validated. Future projects could use the foundations this project has laid, to dive into these new questions, and continue the rationale.

An intersting article on New York Times website today.

UNITED NATIONS — Governments are largely ignoring a biodiversity protection treaty they signed 17 years ago, allowing the rate of species decline to continue at an alarming rate, the United Nations said in a report released today.

Interim exhibition set-up

Last week we used a little experimental set-up during the mid-term exhibitions to get some initial feedback on the stewardship scenario. A tangible version of our concept platform was presented. Visitors were free to propose projects and post them on the platform. Each visitor also got three votes (lego blocks) to place next to flags on the world map that represented the project proposals.

For a time lapse movie on how the exhibition evolved please check our freshly initiated platform www.webalance.org.

An interesting article in Dutch newspaper “De Pers” today about Almir Narayamoga Surui. He is the Chief of a tribe in the Brazilian rainforest. He is nothing like the stereotypical image one might have. He uses new networks and technology, such as an iPhone, Skype and FaceBook to help preserve the forest. He even has connections with Google and Al Gore to help spread his cause.

The third scenario is based on interest over environmental value. Imagine you have a piece of land, sea or something else that is worth something for the ecology. A taxator will define the worth of this specific object according to Simpson’s diversity index. Every month interest is paid in ECO’s over this amount.

The second scenario. Many of our sources and research (this, and this TED-talk give a good introduction) show that a very good way towards reaching a goal is by collaboration and a bottom up approach. We don’t need big institutions, a lot of rules and bureaucracy, but allow a self-governming emergent system to grow. This is but one of the two main pillars on which this scenario is build.

This is the first of a series of scenarios. The starting standpoint we took was that a currency should be backed up by ‘real’ value. In the past this used to be the case with gold. Gold has some good properties which make it very valuable as a trading currency, and has been used as this for over 4000 years in a almost all cultures.It is not possible to get more through manipulation, and is thus a very good way to measure wealth.

Hans Rosling talks at TED about the difference about the way we think of the world  and how it really is. He says that the traditional we (Western countries) and them (Third world countries) attitude is not a correct model of reality anymore.

Cut down forest on Indonesian Borneo

In order to develop poorer areas, the Brazilian government has been stimulating agriculture in some remote and forested areas until recently. Although the education and healthcare facilities have improved the lives of the local people, it has come with great natural depletion. Deforestation accounts for 70% of Brazils carbon emissions today.

The richness of the soil in these areas make for attractive farming of soy and palm oil for which there is a high demand in American, European and Chinese industries. Because people cut down their trees for economic reasons, it is necessary to provide them with a financial alternative.

Hackers have recently found their ways into databases of the Brazilian governments. The aim were so-called  transport permits which allows transportation of timber.