“CommonGood” Blockchain Organizations Making a Difference
While there are endless for-profit blockchain-based organizations, it is important to remember the power this technology can hold to revolutionize traditional capitalist norms and support the “CommonGood”. It is important that we utilize this technology to support the masses, rather than the few, in learning more about how blockchain can help achieve this and the organizations that are doing such.
Blockchain organizations often run on the principle of “Open Source”, a virtual concept similar to that of the “Commons”. Open Source is something people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible. When applied to software, it becomes a program with source code that anyone is able to inspect, modify and enhance. Similar to this concept, is the notion of the “Commons.” “The commons are the things that we inherit and create jointly, and that will (hopefully) last for generations to come. The commons consist of gifts of nature such as air, oceans, and wildlife as well as shared social creations such as libraries, public spaces, scientific research and creative works (on the Commons 2010).”
The commons is a way to express the ongoing concepts that some forms of wealth should belong to all of us and that it is vital for community resources to be constantly managed and protected for the good of all. By combining these two concepts together, we create a very powerful Commons approach to sharing education, information, technology, and materials in a way that was not possible 20 years ago.
So today I took a dive into finding organizations in the blockchain space that are achieving, not “social good”, but what i like to call, the “CommonGood.” A blockchain organization that is working towards the common good is creating an organization that is good for the community as a whole, benefiting and sharing its resources and services with all or most community members. This is often achieved through collective action and active participation in both the realm of politics and public services and is ultimately a result of making ethical, sustainable, and equitable decisions.
Here are 5 blockchain-based organizations that I have found working towards achieving the common good, and doing really great work for communities across the globe.
BitGive: the first Bitcoin and Blockchain technology 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Leveraging the power of Bitcoin and Blockchain technology, Bitgive is working to create lasting social impacts by bridging the gap between innovative technology and its applications for nonprofits, humanitarian work, and community organizations in the developing world. BitGive launched in 2013 as the first Bitcoin and Blockchain technology 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In recent years BitGive has decided to focus primarily on public health and the environment. They are working on “improving public health on an international scale, including cancer and disease research and innovations, and challenges of poverty, hunger and shelter” and “Improving the environment, including protection of important habitats and species, clean water and air, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and preparing for and defending against extreme weather events.” In 2018, BitGive launched GiveTrack, a platform for nonprofits to take donations and share with donors how the contributions are spent.
Energy Web: creating a sustainable future through the open-source decentralization
Energy Web (EW) is a global non-profit focused on creating an innovative, low-carbon, customer-centric electricity system, through the use of open-source, decentralized technologies, founded in 2017. They focus on producing sustainable and innovative solutions for demand flexibility, renewable energy markets, and electric vehicles. They are doing such by developing digital solutions that they provide in open source software development toolkits. To make this possible, in 2019 EW launched the world’s first open-source, enterprise blockchain platform tailored to the energy sector. Now known as the Energy Web Decentralized Operating System (EW-DOS), this platform is a full-stack that includes front-end applications and a variety of software development toolkits. Simultaneously, in the last four years, EW has grown the world’s largest energy-sector ecosystem, made up of utilities, grid operators, renewable energy developers, corporate energy buyers, and others, all powered by open-source, decentralized digital technologies.
Goodr: wasting less and feeding more w/the help of blockchain
The United States wastes 30–40% of its food supply every year, and Goodr is working to combat that through its innovative use of blockchain technology. Since the beginning of 2017, Goodr has worked to support Atlanta businesses and restaurants in arranging their leftovers to be delivered to local charities and organizations through the company’s app. Through the use of blockchain, they are able to keep a data ledger for all of their clients on how much food is wasted, where they may be losing money, the environmental impact of doing such, and connecting the businesses to their communities. In addition, via the Goodr app, businesses are able to notify when they have excess food to then deliver, package, and track it as sent to local nonprofits and community members.
MediLedger: changing how BigPharma works with their MediLedger Network
Blockchain has the ability to reimagine the pharmaceutical industry, and MediLegger is working to do just this by creating an industry-wide network owned by the industry itself, connecting the pharmaceutical organizations directly to their suppliers and customers. MediLedger, launching the MediLedger Network in Q1 of 2019, is able to build bridges for secure record-keeping of all transactions to protect all parties and ensure fidelity across all supply chains. They are also working to connect with all trading partners and trusted service providers to work with all emerging solutions in the pharmaceutical industry today. Plus they enforce cross-industry business rules, without needing to reveal valuable private data. This allows organizations to easily certify the authenticity of raw materials and drugs, stopping counterfeit items from entering pharmaceutical supplies.
SOLshare: the first cyber-physical peer-to-peer solar sharing grids
SOLshare is creating a revolutionary approach for affordable solar electricity by creating the world’s first cyber-physical peer-to-peer (P2P) solar sharing grids. Since 2014, they have been creating a model that allows people to turn their excess solar energy into money with no hassle. It allows their community members to purchase more power on the go, invest in more power generation, and trade-off power for large rewards with minimal risks. SOlshare currently has 34 grids across Bangladesh and India, helping nearly 5,000 people out of energy poverty. They recently closed a 1.46m financing round to be able to expand beyond Bangladesh and support more underserved communities.
Check back next week when I will highlight more blockchain-based organizations working towards the CommonGood. As always I am working to get Decentralized Finance to the people, not just the 1%. Blockchain decentralization can break up our capitalist systems, so let’s talk about it. Have thoughts on this article or want to know more? Dm me on Twitter @DeFiComrade
Interested in learning more about other organizations working towards the CommonGood? Check out these articles below.
73 Blockchain Social Good Organizations That Are Actually Doing Something
Five Ways ORganizations Are Using Blockchain For Good
7 Ways Blockchain Can Be Used for Social Good
Want to learn more about the concept of the “commons” or “open source”, check out these articles below.
The Common Good vs. Individualism
Blockchain Commons: The End of All Corporate Business Models
