Regenerative Panel Talks: Weaving Ecology, Economy And Community On Bozcaada

♻️ Recycling & Upcycling on the Island

In the first conversation, attention turned to Bozcaada’s growing waste challenge and the transformative potential of circular design. Participants witnessed a live demonstration of discarded plastics; collected from local beaches and village edges, being shredded into fine particles and then reformed with an extruder machine to create useful public items such as benches, signs, and educational structures.

This hands-on approach showed that what was once pollution could be returned to the commons with a new, regenerative purpose. An open dialogue followed, exploring the feasibility of developing a community-scale composting and upcycling hub. Such a facility would transform organic and synthetic waste into valuable materials, closing nutrient loops and honoring nature’s cyclical rhythms.

🌾 Heirloom & Hemp Seeds + Island Flora Archive

The second conversation, guided by Derin Uludağ (Zero Movement) and Sohto (Earthist), honored Bozcaada’s botanical legacy. Together they unveiled an evolving seed archive, composed of heirloom vegetable seeds, traditional hemp varieties, and sacred wild flora gathered from across the island’s agricultural and natural landscapes.

In a moving reflection, Sohto reminded everyone:

“The best way to preserve a seed is to plant it — and to inspire others to do the same.”

This talk underlined that seeds should not only be stored but woven into daily life, transforming them into value-added practices that replace synthetic, degenerative materials. In this way, biocultural memory is not frozen in a vault, but continually renewed in soil, food, and handmade goods — sustaining a living heritage rooted in place.

🌍 Regenerative Finance: Soil for the Future

The final panel invited participants to imagine financial systems in a radically new light: not as extractive, transactional machinery, but as living ecosystems capable of reciprocity and restoration. Presenters shared how regenerative finance frameworks can shift capital flows toward healing landscapes and communities.

Three pioneering models were introduced:

1. Celo: a carbon-negative, mobile-first blockchain ecosystem designed for financial inclusion and regenerative project support through stable, decentralized currencies.
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3. Regen Network: a blockchain-based system that rewards ecological stewardship with verifiable carbon credits and ecological data, helping land managers to earn while regenerating ecosystems.
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5. Bloom Network: a globally connected network of local hubs using Web3 tools and peer-to-peer structures to nurture regenerative cultures, storytelling, and cooperative economies.
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Through these pathways, participants glimpsed how money itself could become soil — fertile ground for a regenerative, trust-based economy that honors ecological truth and communal wealth.