This is part 2 of an upcoming Local Regen Guide. 🌱
A public good can be a thing that is freely available and in use by a person while others can still use it— or there is room to grow and accompany additional people. Non-rivalrous and non-excludable is the traditional definition.
Allowing someone into the library doesn't mean there are no more books or fewer spaces or that the books themselves are not still valuable for the words written inside. They'll get brought back, and everyone can check them out.
There is little competition for a public library and thus no rivalry because there will always be people who want to read and ones who need to read.
For competition's sake, does that mean there is no incentive to improve some of these public goods? Because we define them as non-rivalrous, inherently, the standard is the accepted norm, and there are minimal reasons to improve— especially without active suggestions.
These public goods include libraries, pools, skating rinks, pathways etc.
Saying I'm a regen instead of degen is easy, but what does it look like?
Determining if something is good for the public can be challenging. Actions speak louder than words, but it's easier to suggest that something is regenerative before later finding out it isn't.
It will take steady hands and careful eyes to watch and value public goods; we need stewards that take care of goods and services for the public— ones that can also measure and determine whether or not a public good as it stands is serving the interest of the public or a few select members.
There are a few ways to tackle sustainability, but how do we know what is a public good and what is a public bad?
If anyone can access something without restrictions above their control, it could be a public good.
With newer technologies, particularly the internet, blockchains and networks, it is now possible to establish community spaces that effectively cater to the needs of the public without compromising their interests.
By leveraging cooperative games that are mutually beneficial, we can foster positive behaviours and cultivate a collaborative spirit that encourages people to work together towards a common goal.
When we unite and act together, voices can get heard; if we only think together, we'll stay paralyzed by analysis. A consensus bias.
Something I heard long ago that sticks with me:
"If everyone thinks the same thing is right, then someone is very wrong."
When a resource is always available, and no one can claim profit over it in abundance and without recourse, it could be a public good.
Examples of public amenities/resources:
Air quality monitoring
Community centers
Parks, Green spaces & Forests
Lakes & Rivers
Beaches & Campgrounds
Roads & Bridges
Weather data tracking
Globally, governments maintain many public goods because of a perceived failure of coordination and fair allocation. We've struggled as a collective to fairly govern our public goods for the interest of the collective instead of privatized industries exploiting the resources for profit.
A problem we face with our public goods is the inherent management by governments with ideological motives. And corporate entities that seek to maximize shareholder and commercial value. The sheer size of our industries today. They've grown so large that separate departments get used to manage different industries, often leading to conflicting internal affairs and views.
An excerpt from newswire regarding fishery closures;
"The Coalition is requesting that the federal Fisheries Minister immediately meet with commercial fishing organizations, to transparently share the science behind the radical decision and to consider a delay in the closures so that the fishery can be managed in an orderly manner that respects sustainability."
Large industries that grow in places like public waters can lead to either mismanagement, negligence or otherwise inefficient distribution of public resources. Especially with technology, the bureaucracy of a governmental body may prevent it from being up to date on the newest standards, which can allow for resource exploitation against the benefit of the public.
The Canadian Maritimes suffered from overfishing and mismanaged resources— recently and during the past.
During the 90s, technological advancements like sonar, trawlers and underwater location devices allowed commercial fishermen to increase catch rates and abuse natural resources. An over-competitive atmosphere ran un-checked, and the industry collapsed.
Many parties will support different types of public goods and spend more time on areas and resources defined as beneficial to the public, depending on the value they produce and if they are within the ideological frame.
Governments often make decisions that are unilateral regarding industries. Which affects a wide range of people and can have unknown impacts.
When there is more information or input from everyone involved, making fair decisions that benefit everyone can be easier. However, there are frequent time restraints, and extensive research is not permitted— especially when decisions must be made quickly to save resources and lives.
"In 1992, Northern Cod populations fell to one percent of historical levels, due in large part to decades of overfishing. Prompting the Canadian Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans to close the fishery, thus eliminating a traditional livelihood for about 30,000 people. Three decades later, the fishery still has not recovered.
Due to these market failures, the government has a special role in conserving and managing public goods...Indeed, this explains why goods such as bridges, parks, police protection, and fire departments are usually financed with tax revenues that governments collect. Government serves as a coordinating mechanism that provides public goods for the benefit of society."
- The Atmosphere as a Global Public Good by: Patrick A. Parenteau -
We are far from well-coordinated and sustainable goods for the public benefit. Even with an overarching manager and distributed funding via taxes. Our governments need help coordinating at a mass scale and with the interests of the parties involved. We can help with incentive structures and systems that work for the benefit of society as a collective.
Technology will allow us to make public spaces sustainable and regenerative for all— and many generations to come.
Have we truly considered the importance of interaction and connectivity in public spaces?
Thanks to the ever-increasing number of network devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) grants prolific access to open tools and accessible resources that help us develop better public facilities.
However, it's worth questioning— are we treating public goods with the same care and significance as before?
As a collective, we've demonstrated our collaborative ability throughout history. Common areas present opportunities for the development of goods and services that can greatly enhance the quality of life for the general public. All major societies revered and protected their public areas. Neglecting them meant a less enjoyable life for everyone overall.
Before overwhelming corruption, greed and overall neglect. Our structures and values were powerful at creating impact. We've created magnificent spaces that span regions, changing our perception of our environment forever.
A few times we've changed the world as a collective:
One way to create impact is through a coalition of like-minded individuals that believe in the power of producing things for the benefit of the public.
These individuals coalesce in positive-sum ways to foster the sustainable creation of goods and services that benefit the public.
Forming a cooperative that focuses on some set principles, public spaces, common areas, and open-sourced technology can empower society at the individual level.
Open-source means equal access.
Ways a cooperative can foster positive-sum outcomes:
Productivity measurements: KPIs that underpin positive impacts.
Balanced practices that regenerate versus degenerate.
Focusing on sustainability and long-tail economic benefits.
Sharing Resources to promote mutually beneficial outcomes.
Use sustainable & enviro-conscious practices in operations.
Support local economies via insourcing goods/services.
Provide affordable and accessible goods/services to members & communities.
Invest in education and training to empower members and strengthen the cooperative and the community they represent.
Above is a short list; tons of other areas and movements resulted in a noticeable global change— even if it took many years to encourage or see measurable results.
Many of our changes for the better are only possible for us to view in hindsight. We must attempt change and shoot for inventions before we can see the results and innovate.
Right now, we are putting profit before purpose, and consequently, we see loops that reduce public resources to unsustainable levels because we industrialize before we make things more efficient. It's time for a mindset shift toward regenerative principles.
If we focus on purpose before profit, we can innovate for the greater good instead of greater wealth. After all, if nothing is left to cultivate, there will be no profits, and our health will deteriorate, and that's the main source of our wealth as a society.