GO OUTSIDE #18: It’s Giving Era | Q&A with QueerBrownVegan
Have you been outside today?
Climate Report:
Last week, Earth took its first step over the 2.0 degrees Celsius barrier, a critical threshold we need to keep the temperature of the planet within.
Founders Intro:
Hi Stewards,
So how did chatting with the crypto bro at your Thanksgiving table go?
And did you survive BlackFri/CyMon/GivingTu? Why do we glorify consumerism immediately after a holiday that is meant to be centered around gratitude and then limit philanthropic efforts to just 24 hours? Here at STEWARD, it’s the gift that keeps on giving (the beauty of blockchain-tied impact projects).
This week, we’re sharing a little Q&A from our mint wave co-host Isaias Hernandez, AKA Queer Brown Vegan.
STEWARD: During this process as a co-host, how do you now understand Web2 and Web3?
Isaias: Web3 is a decentralized system, which is just like nature. If the internet is a forest, in Web2 there are park rangers, like website owners, that decide the rules for all the animals. Web3 is like letting animals build nests and gather food, without having to ask for permission, or give their private information to rangers, and gets rid of a middleman.
STEWARD: What is the difference you have learned between directly donating to a nonprofit vs. having a steward?
Isaias: At first I was like, well, can’t I just donate to the nonprofits? But the truth is that lots of people don’t do that, and if they do, it’s a one-off donation to one org. STEWARD’s artwork donates to environmental nonprofits every time it’s resold, and the donations go to a diversified portfolio of climate solutions instead of a single nonprofit. So this is one way NFTs could create bridges between people, digital spaces, and natural landscapes.
STEWARD: Where else do you see the benefits of a decentralized Web3 having impact?
Isaias: You could do things like decentralize energy and loosen the power of utility monopolies, you can track supply chains and sourcing, you can even incentivize climate action and funding for environmental causes, which is what groups like STEWARD are taking on. Today, one of our biggest barriers to scaling climate solutions is funding, but projects like STEWARD help donate to the organizations that need it, many of them Indigenous-led, with each NFT purchase.
STEWARD: How can art be a tool for other movements and to bring more creatives into this space?
Isaias: Artists and creatives, I know you’re still struggling, but there’s a future where we cut out the middleman and help artists keep the money they make. We can make it easier to have contracts that will pay everyone on time and a fair amount, and it can open up new ways to collaborate and build community.
What’s going on in Climate 3.0?
Graphyte is an early stage startup pioneering a new form of carbon removal called carbon casting, which involves drying and compressing biomass from timber and farming into dense carbon blocks. These blocks are stored underground and monitored, which potentially offers a low-cost, scalable, and permanent option for carbon removal.
Steward Spotlight:
We recently had the opportunity to chat with the lovely folks at Earthsong Project, which weaves sound, meditation, and wellness into grounding workshops that connect us with nature. Founder Joseph is a sound artist and therapist who created this initiative to foster hope and collective healing of both self and the planet in the face of the climate crisis.
Lucky links:
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Want to become a STEWARD?
1. have a digital wallet (step-by-step guide)
2. join and share this Substack community
3. buy a piece of digital art in our second mint wave, open now!