Benjamin Life
{"type": "project", "title": "Benjamin Life", "logoImg": "bafkreib3zgjlw33urnbuo6saraijr3auhx64zua56m3mbdwlik3tqv6wai", "website": "https://benjaminlife.one", "bannerImg": "bafybeiblcajlm5rgtiw74cnazn6cuffrmvzpmfu3uxsk5pgfhixaqetobi", "createdAt": 1729540078152, "credentials": {"twitter": {"type": ["VerifiableCredential"], "proof": {"jws": "eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSIsImNyaXQiOlsiYjY0Il0sImI2NCI6ZmFsc2V9..ByEzayTNUhWbEnSWz6j5Y9r4DXs7GMdzme0ezxkaQinQIVc0obS0_DDPM4KKgCYDOxSSaJtgzQT_N8l0ETfRAA", "type": "Ed25519Signature2018", "created": "2024-10-21T19:47:24.897Z", "proofPurpose": "assertionMethod", "verificationMethod": "did:key:z6MkghvGHLobLEdj1bgRLhS4LPGJAvbMA1tn2zcRyqmYU5LC#z6MkghvGHLobLEdj1bgRLhS4LPGJAvbMA1tn2zcRyqmYU5LC"}, "issuer": "did:key:z6MkghvGHLobLEdj1bgRLhS4LPGJAvbMA1tn2zcRyqmYU5LC", "@context": ["https://www.w3.org/2018/credentials/v1"], "issuanceDate": "2024-10-21T19:47:24.897Z", "expirationDate": "2025-01-19T19:47:24.897Z", "credentialSubject": {"id": "did:pkh:eip155:1:0x7d03C5c37f77Fd01211334B9115CA108C84E8f3B", "hash": "v0.0.0:PDKZayPVT9svUsX8hGuhnayFqJ7xX24rWixCeFez4+o=", "@context": [{"hash": "https://schema.org/Text", "provider": "https://schema.org/Text"}], "provider": "ClearTextTwitter#omniharmonic"}}}, "description": "# Bioregional Governance and Web3 Coordination for Planetary Regeneration\n\n## Background and Motivation\n\nI began my journey in the climate space in 2017, documenting frontline indigenous earth guardians through virtual reality (VR) storytelling. My work focused on [sharing the story](https://youtu.be/GJE5QNC4DFc?si=UFBGZqemwgUODOKk) of an indigenous militia protecting their land from illegal logging and poaching in the Brazilian Amazon. This project culminated in presenting the documentary at COP 23 to policymakers. However, witnessing their disengaged response, I realized that simply shifting the worldview of policymakers was insufficient to effect meaningful change. This revelation led me to pursue a deeper understanding of systems change, specifically how we can address the systemic drivers of climate change and ecocide.\n\nMy exploration into systems thinking and governance eventually brought me into web3. I recognized the potential of web3 to create the new kinds of infrastructure, incentives, and institutions needed to address resource extraction and ecological collapse at their root causes. Over time, I shifted my focus from filmmaking to studying governance and human coordination, founding [**OpenCivics**](http://www.opencivics.co/) as a decentralized network of innovators developing upstream solutions to these global challenges.\n\n## Areas of Expertise\n\n- **Systems Change and Governance:** With a background in storytelling, systems thinking, and decentralized governance, my focus is on addressing the human coordination problems underlying ecological destruction and climate change. I believe governance is a crucial tool for re-imagining human interaction with natural systems.\n- **Web3 and Commons Governance:** My deep involvement in web3 has allowed me to explore the potential of decentralized networks to govern the commons. I design governance and coordination models to enable coordination among diverse actors for regenerative action.\n- **Bioregional Governance:** I have a deep passion for bioregional governance as a framework for regenerating ecologies and economies. I support bioregional organizations by helping them navigate web3 tools and governance, and by collaborating on creating decentralized, closed-loop systems.\n\n## Key Projects and Initiatives\n\n- **Planetary Regeneration Alliance:** Alongside my co-founder, Patricia Parkinson, I co-facilitated a process with nine international regeneration organizations. Together, we developed a pattern language for foundational interventions for bioregions to address in order to create closed-loop economies and parallel systems. This work has helped forge lasting relationships with bioregional organizations, and we are now co-creating a collaborative space for bioregional actors to collectively solve shared design challenges.\n- **Bioregional Builders Network:** Through this initiative, I am working with builders, developers, and community organizers to coordinate at a bioregional scale. The goal is to build infrastructure that empowers bioregions to regenerate ecosystems, create circular economies, and support commons governance.\n- **BioFi Pathfinders Grant Round:** I am currently helping to coordinate the BioFi Pathfinders grant round, which is onboarding bioregional partners into web3, providing them access to web3 grants, and using the round to facilitate coordination among bioregional organizing teams. This initiative is a critical step toward empowering grassroots movements with the tools and resources of web3 to regenerate their bioregions.\n- **Green Pill Podcast (Guest Season Host):** To further amplify the intersection of bioregionalism and web3, I am hosting a guest season on the Green Pill podcast alongside Todd Youngblood. This season will focus on the synergies between bioregional organizing and the decentralized tools available within the web3 space, aiming to inspire further collaboration and innovation.\n\n## Vision for Regen Citizens Retro Funding\n\nMy work is deeply rooted in the vision of empowering grassroots movements, especially bioregional ones, by integrating them with the decentralized tools of web3. I believe that bioregional governance offers a pathway toward building parallel systems that can regenerate ecosystems and foster resilient communities. Through my experience facilitating multi-stakeholder collaborations, designing decentralized governance structures, and educating grassroots organizers, I am committed to creating long-term, scalable solutions that honor both people and planet.\n\nThe Regen Citizens Retro Funding Round presents an opportunity to further these efforts. With support from this round, I will continue to build bridges between web3 and bioregional organizations, enabling regenerative economies to flourish and supporting the communities that are already doing the critical work of stewarding our communities, commons, and planet. My goal is to ensure that these grassroots movements have the tools, resources, and governance frameworks necessary to lead the transition toward a regenerative future.", "logoImgData": {}, "bannerImgData": {}, "projectTwitter": "omniharmonic"}