Deforestation & Poverty: an interconnected tragedy
There's this practice in rural areas where people burn forests down to the ground in order to make coal. I found this ridiculously disappointing—why anyone would waste decades' worth of growth for coal, which sells at a mere $5 a sack was beyond me. Even hundreds, thousands, millions of pesos wouldn't compare to the damage.
It wasn't until someone pointed out to me that I began to understand: it's hard to value even a century's worth of progress on an empty stomach. For people who have nothing to eat, nothing to feed their children, survival supersedes duty.
And why is this happening in this day and age?
Progress did not happen equally across the archipelago. Some people got left behind. As those left behind struggle to find their place in modern society, they are forced to take whatever's left of the forests.
Forests are worth far more than ashes.
The incentives should reflect that value.
Nurturing forests should be more lucrative than burning them down.
Alternative livelihood solutions for locals must be explored in order to establish a productive and mutually beneficial relationship between these populations and the forests around them.
tekForest aims to pinpoint possibilities in this regard. One way is by supporting reforesting using native plants and trees, as well as launching initiatives that would further research on possible products that can be derived from locally accessible, renewable resources.
For this reason, we launched tekForest hack, a two-part blockchain hackathon for Philippine-based tech builders that focuses on the use of blockchain technology for environmental applications. We're also open to other solutions and would love to hear ideas. If you have insights that you can share or want to get involved in solving these issues, please feel free to reach out.
The future world of forest cities.
We hope to see this movement spread all over the planet—a modern workforce that thrives in a healthy, sustainable environment. tekForest aims to start this movement, and to serve as a prototype to be reproduced everywhere, by everyone.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
GOOD HEALTH & WELL-BEING
for the modern, digital workforce
REDUCED INEQUALITIES
alternative livelihoods for those living in remote, rural, forest areas
SUSTAINABLE CITIES & COMMUNITIES
redefining the healthy
modern habitat
LIFE ON LAND
restoring denuded land and protecting habitats
CLIMATE ACTION
reforestation and forest preservation
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
& PRODUCTION
supporting sustainable production and materials
tekForest: environmental and social responsibility
Let's talk about the bottom 10.
tekForest seeks out projects that aim to make life better—especially for those in the bottom 10% of the economy. We are professionals from the blockchain space with friends from other tech industries who want to deliver the benefits of modern innovations to underserved populations. tekForest generates income and spends this on maintaining the forest and supporting the local community that keeps it alive.
If you're interested in getting involved, don't hesitate to reach out. We'd be honored to discuss possibilities with those who share our vision.