Essential and Humble Elements

The building blocks to anything in this world, or even the universe at large, are extremely small and simple - like atoms or elements of the periodic table. Yet, without them and their structure, our world and our universe really could not exist.

Understanding world systems in a way that acknowledges that all systems are built with essential and humble elements is important. The real complexity comes when we interact these elements. That is not to say that there aren’t deep complexities is what appears to be simple. But the complexity is compounded when we mix things together.

Combinations for a Greater Good

When you mix the right elements together, you can create something new. Sometimes the result of that combination is something that benefits everyone.

Put simply, if you put a seed in some soil, that combination can feed someone. It feeds the sense of purpose of the person who plants the seed, it feeds both the plant and the soil with different kinds of nutrients which are exchanged in the growth process, and then it feeds systems from transportation, wholesale, retail, and more to finally feed you.

In order to make sure the combinations we make produce the greatest good, we have to make sure that throughout the “feeding” process, there is not an overtly extractive and detrimental byproduct that harms something or someone (including entities that cannot be economically measured).

Why Copper and Cobalt specifically?

Close your eyes and think of the color and periodic elements of copper and cobalt. What does it evoke for you?

To us it is the color of the gleaming ground, the deepest ocean, and a contemplative sky.

These elements are also important fabric of our life. For instance telephone wire has copper. Vitamin B12 has cobalt.

While these materials are beautiful and have tremendous utility in our lives, they are also reflective of some difficult issues. Both elements are mined in a fashion that is extractive of peoples and the environment. Both are highly valued resources and can therefore bring about difficult risks and challenges, like corruption. These challenges are not insurmountable, but they require real attention and care.

We believe the need to preserve the interconnected ecology to maintain our shared universe is the single most precious thing we all have in common. To do that we have to go back understanding the basics. The “copper and cobalt” if you will. We also have to work to undo ill-formed combinations and newly construct beneficial ones in a way that is equitable and humane.