For us, we always believed that the biggest impact we can have is to change the way we live to be more regenerative. For too long we humans have tried to put ourselves outside and above nature - but we are finally starting to realize that if we do not start to live in a world of cooperation, we might just extinguish ourselves and quite possible a large part of the world's biodiversity in the process.
What do we mean by regenerative living?
Regeneration starts by thinking holistically about the systems we live in. Oasa is not here as a profit making entity to make us buy more shiny objects. We are changing our impact on the planet by changing what we measure, creating positive loops around our spaces, as well as leading by example.
In 2020, we decided to settle in Portugal to start our first project here. The goal of our project is simple yet ambitious: to prove that we can live a more connected life, while living in nature, and to prove that we can regenerate the planet while living abundant lives.
By moving out of the cities and into the countryside, we can reduce our rent. This is an important first step as financial servitude is what causes most people to fear realizing their dreams and prevent them from taking action to a better future.
But the second step of this process will be to integrate ourselves in the economy in ways that create incentives for our providers to have a more positive impact. By buying produce from regenerative farmers at a premium depending on their level of commitment to making their own lands more abundant and regenerative, and by creating our very own food forest to inspire all the inhabitants of our little town, we hope to slowly shape mentality to accept the benefits of a new regenerative paradigme.
This is not just a hippie/hipster fantasy to live in a more loving world. The soil of Alentejo has been degraded rapidly in recent years, due to "modern" agricultural practices. The little water that rains each fall on the cork landscapes isn't captured into the soil and evaporated through vegetation as it should. Heavy tilling and over pasturing has led to the land becoming more dry each year. Each year you hear of new drought records and farmers are worried they won't be able to water their crops. With no change, Portugal could become a desert - a empty plain of dusty landscapes bare of life.
But this desertification story needs not be the only ending. We humans have an incredible capacity to solve problems, and we believe that with just a little help and guidance we can turn those degenerative practices into regenerative ones. With a little education and some incentivizing economical models, we can change the course of history - from one of scarcity to one of abundance.
If you are a farmer in Portugal and you are interested in implementing regenerative practices, please reach out.
If you are working on similar projects and can see some potential synergies, please reach out.
If you are a farmer in Portugal and you are interested in implementing regenerative practices, please reach out.
If you are working on similar projects and can see some potential synergies, please reach out.
And if you are seeking a better way to live for yourself and want to create a positive impact by leading by example, please join our community of dreamers today.