Crypto Altruists: Real-World Stories of Social & Environmental Impact with Web3

Today we’re excited to release the first episode of our new Crypto Altruism mini series – “Impact on Optimism”, where we explore Public Goods Changemakers creating impact in the Optimism ecosystem. There is some really exciting experimentation and innovation in the Optimism Ecosystem centered around a vision of uplifting public goods, so in this series we’re excited to do some deep dives into the changemakers leading this movement, and explore what makes Optimism such a great space for public goods builders to build.For the first episode in this series, I’m honored to welcome Shady El Damaty, Co-Founder of Holonym, a decentralized protocol providing solutions for identity verification, privacy-preserving verified claims, user-owned identity, and non-custodial account recovery in Web3 applications. We discuss the role Web3 can play in building a more secure and safe digital world, why they decided to build on the OP stack, their recent experience in Optimism’s RetroPGF program, and much more. So, without further ado, please join me in welcoming Shady to the Crypto Altruism Podcast!--Three Key Takeaways--By building cryptographic privacy preserving mechanisms into democratic and governance processes, it can help protect against authoritarianism and government overreach by ensuring privacy, transparency, and accountability in these processes.Optimism’s focus on public goods was a huge selling point for Holonym’s team. By contributing to this ecosystem with useful tools and by creating more activity on Optimism Mainnet, it will support the rising tide of Web3 public goods by creating more funding for public goods through sequencer fees, while also laying the foundation for other public goods projects.There is a lot of exciting experimentation happening right now around decentralization and governance mechanisms, paving the way for a new digital commons where nation states, movements, and impact organizations can be built and maintained onchain.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-impact-on-optimism-episode-1-holonym-web3-privacy-security-accessibility-for-the-new-digital-commons--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.

In episode 162, we’re excited to welcome Rod Mamin, Founder of LunCo, an organization on a mission to decentralize space exploration and catalyze open source space engineering. We talk about the growing DeSpace movement, how Web3 can help address the pain points in traditional space research, bringing an open source ethos to space engineering, why the average person should care about space exploration, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--One of the greatest benefits of DeSpace is how it opens space exploration to the broader community by coordinating scientists, enthusiasts, and citizens around the world in funding and supporting space research. It’s also important to remember that space exploration is about more than just rocket science, and requires diverse skill sets and professions. Web3 can help coordinate this talent across borders.Web3 incentive mechanisms will be key in driving the Decentralized Space revolution. Whether it’s using tokens to incentivize participation in data networks, or IP-NFTs to monetize research discoveries, these mechanisms will be key in coordinating the community and building a sustainable DeSpace ecosystem.Supporting space exploration and research extends beyond missions to the moon or Mars. In reality, space engineering and research touch our daily lives in numerous ways. Whether it's using GPS to navigate, accessing the internet via satellite, or utilizing data collected by satellites, these advancements have a broad impact. Therefore, community involvement in the space movement is essential.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-162-lunco-decentralizing-space-exploration--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.

In episode 161, we’re excited to welcome Alexander Aleksashev-Arno, CEO & Founder of CHOICE, a decentralised community that stands for LGBTQIA+ rights and accelerates the culture of diversity, equity and inclusion through secure and immersive technologies. We discuss their Global Digital Pride campaign, the role of decentralization in empowering activists around the world, how Metaverses, NFTs, and other Web3 primitives can build a more inclusive Web3 & world, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--Metaverses can be valuable tools to create safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ people around the world. The ability to choose how you share your identity on line, and the option to remain anonymous are helpful for individuals from regions that criminalize LGBTQIA+ communities. They can also help connect LGBTQIA+ people from around the world, and provide opportunities for them to celebrate their identity, especially for those who live in areas where it is unsafe to celebrate publicly.NFTs can be a valuable way for traditionally underserved artists to bypass gatekeepers and middlemen, bring their art directly to the community, and connect with new audiences. It can also be a helpful fundraising tool for nonprofits and LGBTQIA+ audience, while giving artists a new medium to express themselves and celebrate their identities.To build a more inclusive Web3, it’s important to start at the individual level by participating in inclusive spaces and communities like CHOICE, educating oneself on the challenges and barriers facing LGBTQIA+ communities, and ensuring diverse voices are represented at the table. By doing this, we can help embed the values of equity and inclusion into the foundation of Web3.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-161-choice-leveraging-web3-primitives-to-advance-lgbtqia-rights-and-build-an-inclusive-world--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--This episode was recorded on Zencastr!--Interested in starting your own podcast? Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Alternatively, head to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code "CryptoAltruism".Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.

In episode 160, we’re excited to welcome Monica Talan of CryptoConexión and WAGMI LatAm, two incredible projects focused on catalyzing the Web3 movement in Latin America. We discuss why Latin America has been such an exciting hub for innovation, how Web3 can create economic and social inclusion in the region, some of the most exciting projects coming out of Latin America, and much more. --Three Key Takeaways--One of the biggest barriers to accessing Web3 for non-English speakers in a lack of resources and educational materials in their language. The importance of this cannot be understated, so it’s vital that education and onboarding projects (including Crypto Altruism) work to offer their content in multiple languages.Hackathons are an incredible tool for catalyzing innovation, however they have traditionally been focused on the development of software. There can be a lot of value in expanding the concept and culture of hackathons to other disciplines including education, international development, public goods, etc., to ensure diverse individuals can benefit from hackathons.A combination of great leaders, a focus on the ethos of Web3, projects centered around accessibility and social impact, and a pre-existing foundation of innovation make Latin America a great place for building and experimenting in Web3.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-160-cryptoconexion-wagmi-latam-catalyzing-the-next-generation-of-web3-innovators-in-latin-america--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--This episode was recorded on Zencastr!--Interested in starting your own podcast? Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Alternatively, head to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code "CryptoAltruism".Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.

In episode 158, we’re excited to welcome Jimi Cohen, Founder of Treegens, a community on a mission to build a world where anyone can plant trees & get rewarded. Another fun fact about Jimi, is that he recently set a Guiness World Record for most trees planted in 24 hours by a single individual, with over 30,000! In our chat we discuss how Web3 can help coordinate tree planters all over the world to plant hundred of millions of trees, how blockchain can improve monitoring, reporting, and verification in tree planting efforts, growing the regen movement, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--Mangroves absorb about 8-10x more carbon from the atmosphere than old terrestrial forests and are efficient to plant, making than an ideal fit for tree planting and decarbonizing efforts. This is why Treegens has primarily focused on mangrove trees for their tree planting efforts, including Jimi’s Guiness World Record attempt.Decentralized, permissionless tree planting is much more scalable than centralized tree planting, as anyone can support it, and anyone can be rewarded. In one of the communities Jimi has worked in, some of the locals are paid two days a year to plant trees, or simply volunteer their time. Platforms like Treegens, leveraging Web3 primitives, can create an environment where these individuals can turn tree planting into a full-time job where they are consistently rewarded for their efforts.If an individual’s first experience with Web3 is being rewarded and receiving crypto for positive impact, it can be a very powerful tool for onboarding individuals and communities to Web3.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-158-treegens-decentralized-permissionless-tree-planting-with-world-record-tree-planter-jimi-cohen--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More info HERE.

In episode 157, we’re excited to welcome Daniel Villota, Founder of Unchained Elephants, a community leveraging Web3 technology to promote elephant welfare in Thailand, and to rescue elephants enduring cruel treatment. We discuss some of the challenges facing elephants in the tourism industry in Thailand, how they’re leveraging NFTs to create a community dedicated to elephant welfare, how they raised almost $50,000 to support elephant welfare, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--In Thailand, there is a large industry built around elephant tourism. Unfortunately, many of the providers engage in unethical and inhumane treatment of their animals. As such, it’s important to work together with NGOs and local authorities to educate tourists and community members, and to build a system centered around sanctuaries and ethical tourism.NFTs can be a valuable tool for connecting community members to causes they care about. In addition to giving donors a cool memento for their donation, NFTs can also give community members certain benefits like access to a token-gated community and regular updates on the impact of their donation, helping them feel more connected to the cause.Whether it’s humanitarian aid, or donating to causes on the other side of the world, crypto can help make philanthropy much more efficient by cutting out unnecessary intermediaries and the fees that come with them, ensuring more money goes directly to the cause.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-157-leveraging-nfts-to-advance-elephant-welfare-in-thailand--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More info HERE.

In episode 156, we’re excited to welcome Ashton Hunt, Co-Founder of Kyoto, a Carbon Negative blockchain built to scale the voluntary carbon market and regenerative finance by harnessing the power of Web3. We dive into the world of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure (Aka DePIN), the tokenization of real-world assets in support of climate solutions, leveraging blockchain to bring integrity to carbon markets, how they planted over one million trees in support of their efforts to become carbon negative, and much more!--Three Key Takeaways--To date, Kyoto has planted over one million trees and is aiming to decentralize tree planting efforts by making their technology available to local tree planters. This will help individuals and organizations monetize their tree planting efforts, bringing positive economic benefits to local communities.Carbon markets have faced a lot of challenges lately, mostly due to a lack of transparency and traceability around carbon credits. Blockchain can help address this by bringing the assets on-chain, which will increase transparency, produce an immutable record of each credit’s provenance, and make them more accessible to the end user.DePIN can be seen as an evolution of DeFi, in that it utilizes the same principles of decentralization and accessibility, while expanding these principles to broader use cases beyond finance including decentralized data networks, energy grids, or carbon markets.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-156-kyoto-leveraging-depin-to-build-a-carbon-negative-planet-positive-blockchain--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--This episode was recorded on Zencastr!--Interested in starting your own podcast? Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Alternatively, head to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code "CryptoAltruism".Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More info HERE.

In episode 155, we’re excited to welcome Adam Silver, Co-Founder & CEO of Plural Energy, an organization dedicated to making the financing of renewable energy better, faster, cheaper, and accessible to all. We discuss some of the challenges in renewable energy markets, how blockchain is revolutionizing climate finance, onboarding projects and investors to Web3, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--To achieve a net-zero future, we need to change the way money flows into climate finance and improve the accessibility of climate friendly investments. By leveraging Web3 primitives to connect retail investors directly to climate investments, it gives the average individual more of an opportunity to support the renewable energy transition while creating new financing opportunities for small projects.There are too many intermediaries between retail investors and climate investments. Blockchain can help retail investors more directly invest in projects without having to go through so many intermediaries, bringing them closer to the impact while decreasing investment fees.When onboarding projects to Web3, it’s important to lead with the benefits and value of the technology, rather than the intricacies of the technology itself. It’s also important to align Web3 and traditional technologies to make the onboarding process seamless.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-155-plural-energy-improving-the-flow-of-money-into-renewable-energy-projects-with-blockchain--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.

In episode 154, we’re excited to welcome Avery Schwarz and Christian Chegne of Coral Tribe and ReFi Hub, a community of impact investors powering Web3 climate finance. We discuss how the tokenization of real-world assets can revolutionize climate finance, how Web3 can help coordinate communities around climate solutions, the growing Regenerative Finance movement, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--Tokenized Real World Assets (RWAs) can help make traditionally closed markets open and accessible to the everyday person. Currently less than 1% of assets are tokenized on-chain, so there is lots of room to grow to make more diverse assets available to retail investors.Traditionally, the world has followed a zero-sum economic system, where you can either make money or help the planet. Regenerative Finance, married with the tokenization of RWAs, makes it easier for investors to accomplish both simultaneously.When it comes to addressing climate change, we have the technology and solutions to do it, but what we lack is the will and community buy-in. Web3 can help address this by gamifying climate action, making climate investing easy and accessible, and leveraging new primitives like DAOs and NFTs to coordinate communities around causes.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-154-coral-tribe-refi-hub-powering-climate-finance-with-real-world-assets-and-web3--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--This episode was recorded on Zencastr!--Interested in starting your own podcast? Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Alternatively, head to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code "CryptoAltruism".Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.

In episode 153, we’re excited to welcome Professor Tonya Evans, an author, law professor at Penn State specializing in Web3, sought-after consultant, and award-winning tech leader. Oh, and she even testified in front of congress about Web3 regulations. We discuss how Web3 can be key in building more equitable institutions, staying agile in challenging regulatory environments, building inclusion in Web3, and much more.--Three Key Takeaways--Historically, economic institutions have not been equitable, with certain individuals and groups disproportionately extracting value at the expense of others. By creating a new rules-based economic system, it can help level the playing field by ensuring everyone plays by the same rules.By intentionally including diverse voices in important spaces and conversations, it can go a long way in building a more inclusive Web3. Diverse perspectives bring diverse lived experiences which provide incredible value to projects and organizations, especially in the early stages of building.It can be difficult to stay on top of regulatory challenges in a fast-moving sector like Web3, especially for smaller organizations that don’t have their own legal departments. Thankfully, there are many fantastic free resources online. Although these may not cover everything, the important thing is to start learning now, and to try and stay on top of developments as best as you can. The longer you wait, the harder it will be.--Full shownotes with links available at--https://www.cryptoaltruism.org/blog/crypto-altruism-podcast-episode-153-levelling-the-economic-playing-field-with-web3-featuring-prof-tonya-evans--Support us with a Fiat or Crypto contribution--Learn more at cryptoaltruism.org/supportus--This episode was recorded on Zencastr!--Interested in starting your own podcast? Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Alternatively, head to zencastr.com/pricing and use my code "CryptoAltruism".Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.--DISCLAIMER --While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More on the disclaimer at cryptoaltruism.org.