Reimagining Our Relationship with the Earth: From Ownership to Stewardship — The SoilDAO Approach
Original article published here on Medium.
I recently returned from what could easily be the most powerful and impactful two weeks of my life. I was blessed not only to be emotionally and energetically connected with some of the most inspiring humans I’ve ever met, but we were also physically together on a ship crossing the Atlantic — from the “old world” to the “new one.” The same journey many of our ancestors undertook, some willingly, others against their will.
Being in conversation with people from all corners of the globe was profoundly humbling. We had natives and indigenous elders, what I affectionately call crypto bros, innovators and change-makers, billionaires, people working with governments, and grassroots activists — from Kamala supporters to Trump supporters (which was significant as we crossed during the U.S. election).
The fact that we were physically and willingly confined to the same vessel left us no choice but to truly listen to one another, to be present with each other.
I was astonished by how people with such divergent views, especially during one of the most heated elections of my lifetime, could come together, listen, and simply be with one another. After all, we all shared a common mission on this boat: to serve Mama Gaia, our living Earth, and to support each other. So why let things like elections hinder our shared purpose? The unifying thread was the EarthOne Mission — the belief that humanity already possesses all the answers and solutions to turn this ship around (pun intended). All we need is to come together, to truly see and hear each other as humans, and unite as one. It sounds simple, yet it’s anything but easy. Sometimes, the simplest truths are the hardest to live by. It was starkly apparent how, online, people hide behind screens, spewing vitriol and hatred, forgetting that we’re all aboard the same vessel called Earth, with no choice but to coexist.
Amidst all these remarkable individuals, I found myself pondering: Who am I, and where do I fit in? As humans, we have this innate desire to identify with a group, to be a somebody rather than a nobody among so many somebodies. Maybe you can relate.
So here I am — I love my crypto bros; they’re my brothers, and I certainly identify as one. I wholeheartedly share the vision that Web3 will save the world — that’s why I started a DAO. I believe DAOs are the future and will replace traditional governments and corporations. And yet, we are yet to see a thriving, functioning, healthy, and successful DAO. (They’re often called crypto bros because, yes, there’s a lack of female representation, even though our organization has more crypto sisters than bros on our team.)
Then come voices saying we need to first listen to the elders and the indigenous, and I couldn’t agree more. Yet, what does it mean to be indigenous? Aren’t we all children of the Earth, earthlings hurtling through the cosmos in search of meaning? This brings me back to the “Soil” in SoilDAO — we need the voices of those who have a deep relationship with a place because we don’t have a relationship with the planet in the abstract; we have relationships with specific places. Many of us lack that connection these days.
Then come the scientists, the lawyers, the artists. I surely do not fit with the scientists, as I am not one, yet I believe in the scientific method and reasoning from first principles — that’s another reason for “Soil” in SoilDAO. I surely do not fit with the lawyers, as I am not one, yet the core idea of SoilDAO is to give nature a voice, to grant rights to nature. But who am I to bestow rights upon that which gives me life? Shouldn’t nature be the one granting us rights, not the other way around? Doesn’t the one giving rights have the power, and isn’t nature the one with the ultimate power? Yet here we are, humble humans grappling with profound questions, trying to make sense of it all.
I surely am not an artist, and I hear the artists suggest expressing her voice through song or interactive educational art installations. But what about the songs of the whales, already singing Gaia’s voice? What about that symphony? And I am reminded that my voice is my song; I get to sing it even if it’s offbeat, and here I am doing it as I write this.
Amidst all this, I find myself marveling at how I ended up in this rich tapestry of existence. And silly little me, I am convinced that what we are doing here matters and will make a difference.
At some point, I found myself having dinner with one of the people who inspired me to start SoilDAO — maybe even a personal hero — and I witnessed him struggling with the human experience just like the rest of us, seeking support or funding for his vision as I am for mine. It made me wonder: We’re chasing the same dream — how can we all come together? Or is that even the right question to ask?
In the midst of this divine chaos, literally in the middle of nowhere, embraced by the loving sway of the ocean, I found five other Bulgarian brothers and sisters. Speaking of seeking identity, here was my Bulgarian family — for once, I wasn’t part of a minority in such a setting. And what beautiful souls they were! Such a deep range of representation — three brothers and three sisters, each more unique and radiant than the last. My heart swelled with pride and a newfound sense of belonging. Maybe this was the group I could identify with.
And then I found myself among people who have transcended survival — not as a spiritual concept, but as a practical reality — they have more resources than they could ever exhaust in a lifetime. Watching how they navigate the world, I wondered: Could I move through life in that way? Will I ever reach a point where my decisions aren’t dictated by material resources?
In the end, I realized that embracing being a nobody grants me the freedom to belong everywhere. It’s exhausting trying to be a somebody, and it’s so liberating to be a nobody. Yet, even as a nobody, there’s a yearning within me to express myself, to have my voice heard — which instantly turns me into a somebody. And that’s okay — in fact, it’s beautiful. I get to partake in the human struggle, to pretend that my opinion matters, and to hope that it might make some difference.
Here I am, doing just that as I write these words. And if I’m going to follow this human yearning to express myself, I might as well make it colorful and perhaps a bit controversial — what else am I to do with my brief time here?
So here’s what came through me on the boat:
Nothing will change on this planet until we change our relationship to the land — not as an intellectual or spiritual concept, but in tangible, practical, measurable ways. How about we shift from ownership of land to stewardship of land? What if we embraced decentralized land stewardship?
That is the core mission of SoilDAO — a simple, humble, yet bold and courageous proposal. I mean, why not? What else are we going to do? For the first time in human history, we have the tools to make this happen. So how about we do it?
Everything we do with crypto is a wasted breath if it’s not grounded in the most tangible and valuable thing — the land we live on. As one of my crypto brothers on the boat said to me, “BTC went to $90K — who cares? Would that make my tomatoes grow better?”
To all the people around the world striving to protect and preserve land, you don’t have to do it alone; we can do it together. What if we combined the powerful tools of smart contracts and decentralization with AI, and with people who are wholeheartedly committed to stewarding their piece of Earth? And what if we connected all those who yearn to express their humanity by becoming stewards but lack access to land — and interconnected it all? What if those returning to the land and building villages could share wisdom, trade goods and services among each other, all in a decentralized manner?
Is this such a crazy concept? To me, it feels like the most obvious thing.
So what’s stopping us from making it happen?
On the ship crossing the Atlantic, an initiative called the “Declaration of Interdependence for United Humanity” was started, which I was privileged to join early on. I love this notion and the conversations it sparked. Yet, I’m wary of crafting yet another document unless we also create the infrastructure to breathe life into it. I live in the USA, and I find the Declaration of Independence to be a profoundly beautiful and powerful document, yet it has become nearly impossible to live by its principles.
So yes, let’s write these declarations, but let’s also build the infrastructure to support them. That’s what I’m committed to, and the vehicle I’m using is SoilDAO.
For the past 2.5 years, I’ve often found myself saying, “This is why SoilDAO,” in response to many events unfolding in our world. I realize that might come across as arrogant, but I assure you, it comes from a place of deep humility. The humility lies in the very name: Soil and DAO.
“Soil” because I believe humans are simply animated soil infused with this thing we call spirit; from a physical perspective, we come from the soil and return to it. “DAO” stands for Decentralized Autonomous Organization — the decentralized aspect means that what I say holds meaning only if others in the community echo it or stand behind it.
If this vision moves you, please join us in bringing it to reality: