Cultures of Energy 240 - Carbon Banking (feat. Ben Luzzatto & Gustav Peebles)
Oct 13, 2025
Gustav Peebles and Ben Luzzatto, co-authors of The First and Last Bank, delve into innovative ideas on carbon banking. They explore how redefining carbon as a reserve asset could transform climate action and local economies. Discussions cover converting waste into biochar, enhancing community engagement with digital currencies, and the importance of making carbon 'sacred.' With historical parallels to banking, they outline accessible pathways for communities to establish carbon banks and emphasize the power of collective stewardship.
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Campfire Origin Story
- Ben and Gustav hatched the idea while working on an Adirondack rain-catchment project and talking around campfires.
- Their long friendship and past collaborations shaped the co-creative book process.
Banks As Carbon Temples
- Banks evolved from temples that sequestered sacred objects, showing institutions can hold priceless reserves.
- Reframing carbon as an inalienable reserve lets communities build monetary systems around sequestration.
Abundance Can Be Sterilized
- Carbon's apparent abundance can be managed by banks using sterilization to keep reserves off-market.
- Not all sequestered carbon is equal; banks can define quality and restrict monetization.
