(From the Diamond Age Wealth Good Time Stories)

Imagine a future where humanity doesn’t just survive climate change but thrives through innovation and collaboration. In the Diamond Age scenario, wealth isn’t about stockpiling resources—it’s about creating systems that regenerate the planet and benefit everyone. Many of these trends are already taking shape today, even if they’re not always in the spotlight:

• Global investment in renewable energy reached $500 billion in 2022 alone, demonstrating a fundamental shift in how wealth is generated—no longer from depletion, but from regeneration.

• Companies that score high on sustainability metrics have seen their stock prices outperform by 40% in the last five years, signaling that wealth is increasingly tied to long-term environmental impact rather than short-term profits.

• By 2030, the circular economy could generate $4.5 trillion in additional global economic output, showing how rethinking waste and resource use could unlock unprecedented levels of collaborative wealth.

“Imagine all the people, sharing all the world..." — John Lenon, Imagine

Regenerative Wealth:

In the Diamond Age, wealth is created by restoring the planet. One prime example is the Great Green Wall project in Africa, aiming to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. The project provides job opportunities, enhances food security, and mitigates climate change by creating green belts to halt desertification. It demonstrates how investments in ecological restoration can also yield economic returns.

Another powerful example is the Trillion Trees Initiative, a global movement backed by environmental organizations, governments, and corporations to plant 1 trillion trees worldwide. This initiative could capture upwards of 206 gigatons of carbon when fully realized, mitigating climate change while creating environmental assets that enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Additionally, the Circular Economy movement, led by companies like Unilever, is transforming how goods are produced and consumed. Unilever’s commitment to 100% recyclable packaging and zero-waste production lines sets an example for corporations moving toward regenerative practices. This not only reduces environmental degradation but also aligns long-term business success with sustainability.

what History teaches us:

During the New Deal in the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) employed millions to plant trees, prevent soil erosion, and manage natural resources. Projects like the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) helped regenerate vast areas of farmland while also providing electricity and infrastructure development. These historical examples of regenerative wealth show that large-scale environmental investments can lead to both ecological and economic gains.

Abundance Through Innovation:

In the Diamond Age, technological advancements fuel the creation of wealth while ensuring sustainability. Renewable energy is at the core of this future.

For instance, solar energy is now the cheapest source of electricity in history, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). In 2020, altready 82% of new electricity capacity came from renewable sources, indicating a massive global shift toward sustainable energy.

Another innovation shaping the future is desalination technology, which turns seawater into fresh drinking water. Projects like Israel’s Sorek Desalination Plant, one of the largest in the world, provide clean water to millions and demonstrate how innovative infrastructure can address resource scarcity. Desalination is becoming more cost-effective and energy-efficient, offering a solution to water shortages that affect billions of people worldwide.

In agriculture, vertical farming companies like AeroFarms are revolutionizing food production with 95% less water and 390 times higher yields per square foot compared to traditional methods. Lab-grown meat companies like Memphis Meats are also innovating the food industry by producing meat without the need for vast swaths of land or intensive animal farming, reducing the carbon footprint of food production.

what history teaches us:

The Green Revolution of the 20th century revolutionized agriculture, especially in developing countries. Institutions like the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines helped introduce high-yielding varieties of rice, reducing hunger and boosting food security across Asia. This movement demonstrated how innovation in agricultural techniques could feed millions and create new sources of wealth, laying the groundwork for today’s vertical farming and lab-grown food innovations.

Collaborative Wealth:

In the Diamond Age, collaboration replaces hoarding as the pathway to wealth.

One real-world example of this is Tesla’s open-source patent policy, where the company made its patents available to the public to encourage the wider adoption of electric vehicles. This open-source approach allows for collective advancement and reflects the ethos of shared wealth creation.

Another example is Patagonia’s Earth Tax Initiative. The outdoor clothing company donates 1% of its sales to environmental causes and runs programs like Worn Wear, promoting a circular economy by encouraging customers to repair and reuse products. Patagonia’s business model is based on creating shared value for both consumers and the planet.

Additionally, platforms like Wikipedia and organizations like OpenAI provide open-source models of collaboration. Wikipedia offers free access to knowledge, contributed by a global community of volunteers, while OpenAI began as a nonprofit with a mission to share AI research for the benefit of all humanity.

What History teaches us:

In the 19th century, the rise of cooperative movements exemplified shared wealth creation. The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, formed in 1844 in England, established one of the first successful consumer cooperatives, laying down principles that are still used in cooperatives worldwide today. These cooperatives allowed workers and consumers to pool resources and share profits, mirroring the more equitable distribution of wealth envisioned in the Diamond Age.

here’s the naked wealth koan:

"If wealth is about regenerating the planet and sharing abundance, what does it mean to truly possess wealth? Can “wealth” still exist if no one hoards it?”

If technological innovation and environmental restoration can create an infinite loop of prosperity, how do we define ownership in a world where everyone can share in abundance? In a world where sustainability creates prosperity for all, how do we ensure that the structures that once led to inequality and scarcity do not re-emerge under new guises?

and, as always, while you reflect, some inspirationals:

Books:

1. Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard

   • The founder of Patagonia shares how his company integrates sustainability and environmental activism into its core business model. A must-read for understanding how business and regenerative wealth can coexist.

2. The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

   • This book explores how to move beyond "doing less harm" to creating systems that generate positive, regenerative impacts. It directly connects to the idea of creating abundance through innovation.

3. Donut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth

   • A framework for how economic systems can balance human well-being and ecological boundaries, promoting a vision of wealth based on regeneration and collaboration.

4. Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken

   • This book outlines practical, scalable solutions to climate change, reflecting how innovation can drive both ecological recovery and economic success.

5. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

   • A visionary look at redesigning production systems so that everything is reusable and waste is eliminated—tying directly into the concept of a circular, regenerative economy.

6. The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power is Transforming Energy, the Economy, and the World by Jeremy Rifkin

   • Explores how the convergence of technology and sustainable energy systems is reshaping the world, echoing the ideas of collaborative and regenerative wealth creation.

   Movies:

1. Tomorrow (Demain) (2015)

   • A documentary highlighting solutions to climate change through regenerative agriculture, community collaboration, and sustainable innovation, perfectly aligned with the Diamond Age vision.

2. 2040 (2019)

   • This documentary imagines a future where current technological solutions to climate and ecological problems have been scaled up to create a sustainable, abundant world.

3. The Biggest Little Farm (2018)

   • Tells the story of a couple who turn a barren farm into a thriving regenerative ecosystem, showing how innovation and nature can work together for sustainability and abundance.

4. Kiss the Ground (2020)

   • Focuses on regenerative agriculture as a solution to climate change, showing how transforming the way we farm can lead to environmental restoration and wealth creation.

5. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)

   • Based on a true story, this film follows a boy in Malawi who uses innovation to bring water and electricity to his village, exemplifying how technological solutions can create abundance even in scarcity.

6. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)

   • A follow-up to the original documentary, this film dives into the fight against climate change, focusing on how innovative technologies and policy shifts are shaping the future.

   Documentaries/Podcasts

   1. How to Save a Planet (Podcast)

   • A podcast that focuses on climate solutions and how individuals and businesses can play a role in shaping a sustainable future, connecting directly to the regenerative and collaborative wealth themes.

   2. Hot Take: A Climate Podcast

   • A thought-provoking podcast that explores climate change from different angles, including societal impacts, wealth redistribution, and sustainability.

   3. The Circular Economy Show (Podcast by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

   • This podcast delves into the concept of a circular economy, sharing examples of how businesses are embracing regenerative practices to drive innovation and profitability.

   4. Our Planet (Netflix)

   • A documentary series that showcases the beauty of the planet while emphasizing the need for immediate action on climate change and sustainability, highlighting the importance of regenerating wealth.

   5. The Age of Consequences (2016)

   • This documentary examines how climate change acts as a catalyst for conflict, societal collapse, and economic instability, making the case for urgent innovation and collaboration.

   6. Planet of the Humans (2020)

   • A controversial but engaging documentary that questions the effectiveness of some green technologies and advocates for deeper systemic change in how we generate and use resources.