Nationwide proposal for economy – Symbiotic Economy
This proposal is based on a premise that increased demand generates an increased supply – the premise that is based on a proven way the market economy works. As a consequence various branches of economy can be stimulated by way of engineering an increased demand in the targeted areas of interest [while attempts to achieve this by stimulating the supply chain directly have proven to be largely ineffective and wasteful].
This proposal is seeking to build on this premise to evolve a Symbiotic Economy which we define in very broad terms as Organic, Green, and Sustainable. We have assumed that there is a strong public sentiment towards each of these*, and that it is strong enough to result in wealth sharing [donations and governmental support] to specifically support these by a wealth sharing subsidy to consumer.
This project is seeking to engineer a way to enable a first stage of Symbiotic Economy beginning with Agriculture that is Organic [Please see the writeup of the underlying concept]. We have chosen to begin with farming industry [Organic farming] because the contemporary [dominant] non-organic farming directly and adversely affects the health of consumers and the environment, because it is grotesquely inhumane to domestic animal, and also because the farming produce has achieved a well defined stage of ‘organic’ labeling lending our endeavor the highest probability of success.
This project ties into Project 2 [Assistive software and technology] because it effectively envisions both to employ a similar expert system providing access to Organic funds as well as extending this access to IDD people. The project has undergone a peer review producing a framework that is elaborated in further detail below.
Review of Organic concept –
1. We have defined ‘Organic’ as a part of Symbiotic Economy [Symbiotic Economy is an economy that is sustainable, green, and organic. Thus envisioning three interleaving stages: ORGANIC, GREEN, SUSTAINABLE].
2. We have adapted an approach that Symbiotic Economy can be achieved via generating a consumer demand for the produce that is ‘Organic’, ‘Green’, and ‘Sustainable’; adapting the premise that increased demand will generate the increased supply of such produce, effectively leading to a sustainable symbiotic economy relevant to our time. This approach is based on a presumed way the market economy works.
3. We have assumed that there is a strong public sentiment towards each of these*, and that this sentiment is strong enough to result in wealth sharing [donations and governmental support] to specifically support the purchase of these produce by a wealth sharing subsidy to consumer. We have projected that Government would eventually join in by allocating funds towards this end.
4. We have chosen to begin with farming industry [Organic farming] because the contemporary [dominant] non-organic farming directly and adversely affects the health of consumers and the environment, because it is grotesquely inhumane to domestic animal, and also because the farming produce has achieved a well defined stage of ‘organic’ labeling lending our endeavor the highest probability of success.
5. Central to this approach is a non-profit organization we called ‘ORGANIC’ which would maintain the consumer/member base, and receive and process all the donated funds by depositing these funds to member accounts as per defined rules**. It will also be responsible for managing the overall process and all the decision making in regard to this endeavor.
6. We have chosen an universal approach of delivery via providing each member/consumer with ‘ORGANIC’ Credit Card with a linked ‘secure account’ that would hold the donated funds [to be used to subsidize consumer’s organic purchase]. This ‘secured account’ of Organic Credit Card would allow to keep track of received and spent funds in various categories, and to authorize the use of these funds per rules and priorities of usage defined for each of the categories by the owner/member or their surrogate. We have considered extending Organic category to allow two subcategories [Local, and Green***].
7. This ORGANIC nonprofit organization would necessarily need to interface with the Credit Card venue [Bank] and the Retail Seller of farming produce [Store]. The Bank and the Store each would need to adapt some changes in their interface in order for this to work [sending and receiving information regarding the Organic purchase]. The Bank would also need to extend the use of Secured feature of the Credit Card [as mentioned in 6.] to hold the donated subsidies, and to authorize it’s use per specified categories and rules.
8. We have looked at ways to extend Organic Credit Card capability to accommodate people on Governmental programs including people diagnosed as IDD [who must use Representative Payees]. The funds these people receive include SSI, SNAP, ABEL, HCBS, and SNT funds, etc.; Organic Credit Card would allow these funds to be deposited to a ‘secure account’ of Organic Credit Card under their corresponding categories and it would allow these funds [as well as Organic subsidy] to be used in controlled way [according to the rules****] to purchase organic food, and other goods and services in universal fashion.
* While ‘Organic produce’ is sufficiently well defined for labeling, what constitutes a ‘Green produce’ on a larger scale [beyond farming] is not; and it would need to be rigidly defined. This is not a trivial task for some products [it is not just carbon based] as it would clearly need to take into account many parameters. Nevertheless it is a path that society is embarking on and so our solution should be able to scale to include ‘Green products’ as it evolves.
** ORGANIC non-profit would maintain some of the information of member ‘secured accounts’ [with the participating Bank] including all the funds that ORGANIC distributes to each member. The rules by which the donation is distributed to members shall be defined by donors (and possibly consumers) within the parameters provided by Organic design.
*** In regard to animal welfare we should adapt ‘green’ as an unifying category per “A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare“. It is encouraging that industry has chosen this [green] labeling as it also leads to Organic GREEN phase – the second phase of Symbiotic Economy [per Rhizome].
**** The ‘secured account’ should allow multi-level [at least two are envisioned] management of funds that would permit the addition of new categories and subcategories, and allow the owner to set for each the permitted rules of usage [products and/or services it can purchase], and the priority of use [between categories].
The following broadly describes the envisioned software blocks [phase 1]:
There would be a central part that manages all the member accounts and all the money that comes in; We may call it OB (for Organic brain). It allows people to register as members and it would also distribute/allocate money to members when money comes from donors or grants, etc. It doesn’t hold the money, except what’s needed to maintain the system. It is global in a sense that all the data flows through it.
When a potential member applies to Organic [via online interface] OB will ask them to sign up for a credit/debit card from the lending venue that works with ‘Organic’ non-profit enterprise. Their initial minimal entry fee will be subsequently moved to their credit card account’s ‘Organic pocket’ (similar to secure credit card pocket) with that venue. Any money Organic receive from donors OB will distribute to members as per stipulated rules (less the expenses tbd). OB won’t hold the money, and doesn’t control what happens to it once distributed to individual accounts.
The second block of needed software, we may call it OC (Organic credit) is the interface to the participating credit venue software, and a modification of their software to create an ‘Organic’ pocket for member’s account, and to process the allocation money coming in from OB (deposits), and the amount for organic purchase (withdrawals from this pocket) coming from the store – which in addition to a total amount of purchase will also send to the credit venue the amount of the organic purchase used by the member/customer] .
The third part, we’ll call it OS (Organic Store) is the modification of software that participating food store(s) [preferably large chains] would need to adapt. This software would determine (at the cashier registry) the amount of Organic purchase and will transmit the sum of it to the credit card venue along with the total amount.
Lastly we should need a smart mobile [phone] interface allowing members to view their allocations and a kind of a cart that shows organic$ in member account as one shops.
This project is in a state of design and recruitment. For participation and to contribute useful resources contact echolaliaproduction@gmail.com
