Making Regen Sexy
A New Asset Class for the UHNWI Concerned About the Metacrisis
In today’s world, a small but growing number of billenials — millenials who have inherited wealth from billionaire parents — are looking for ways to elegantly and meaningfully communicate their status and commitment to a more sustainable future. Some have recognized that their wealth could be viewed as the world’s collective endowment — accumulated on the back of unintended exploitation. One way to do this is to purchase Land Trust Tokens (LTTs). These tokens represent stewardship of a place-based regen initiative, often dedicated to protecting and restoring the health of river basins.
There are many benefits to purchasing LTTs. First, they are a way to support much-needed planetary regeneration. By supporting the work of a Community Land Trust, the token holder helps to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure the long-term health of our planet. More importantly, it is a meaningful way to offer deep gratitude, reparations and forgiveness to a centuries old cultural and land-based violence of place.
Second, LTTs are a way to connect with a community of like-minded individuals. The holders of these tokens are united by a common goal: to protect and restore our planet’s natural resources and ensure a thriving future for coming generations. By joining an LTT community, token holders can learn from others, share ideas, and support place-based action to make a difference.
Third, LTTs are a way to become personally acquainted with the stewardship of a Community Land Trust. Holders of these tokens have the opportunity to visit places they may not have visited before, experience local culture and see firsthand the results of their tokens.
Fourth, LTTs are a way to own a piece of something special. These tokens are a new and emerging asset class that represents stewardship and support of a Community Land Trust’s mission. This is a unique and meaningful way to show your support for planetary regeneration.
In addition to all of these benefits, LTTs are also a new and meaningful way status symbol for those who care about the planet. Not only are these tokens are stored on the blockchain, the Bioregional Progress Indicators linked to the tokens are also stored on the blockchain. This means that everyone can see how much difference your tokens are making, in real, verifiable ways. This makes them a unique and exclusive way to signal your commitment to sustainability and your social responsibility.
How are LTTs different from philanthropic donations?
Philanthropic donations are a great way to give back to a community and make a difference in the world. However, LTTs are different to philanthropy in very significant ways.
Philanthropic donations are typically made to a specific organization or cause. Once a donation is made, there is very little further involvement with the organization or cause. In addition, philanthropy often perpetuates the very system that created the need for financial support of the community.
LTTs, on the other hand, represent stewardship of a portion of a Community Land Trust. This means that you are not simply giving money to a community, you are also becoming a stakeholder in the bioregional results of its work. As a stakeholder, you are empowering the community to do regenerative work in a way that is meaningful to the specifics of a place-based initiative. After all, who knows how best to restore the health of a river basin than the people who live along its banks?
Are LTTs a safe purchase?
Despite the advantages of LTTs, they are not yet widely recognized as an asset class by institutional investors. This is because Community Land Trusts are not well-understood by institutional investors, and they lack the liquidity and transparency that institutional investors demand. Fortunately, platforms like Swarm are enabling the trade of real world assets (RWAs) on chain, backed by the necessary regulatory compliance. Legal structures like Territorial Foundations are emerging, which provide the bioregional governance and structural supports for the regeneration of entire river basins.
A working group has been formed to setup the structures and checks and balances to make LTTs a safe and secure investment that opens the door to institutional-level investment. Once this happens, LTTs will be a safe and secure status symbol for the conscious UNHWI. Here is a concept note for the Working Group. Feel free to share it with others who see the need for wide-scale adoption of LTTs.
Conclusion
The emerging concept of LTTs could be an innovative way to unlock healthy value flows from extractive capitalism towards regenerative capitalism. If defined and engineered well, they offer a unique status symbol that will help make regen sexy. Watch this space…
