Stakeholders
Bryce Benton, as the founding member-owner, is seeking additional founding member-owners, along with workers and business customers who could find value in becoming members.
Expectations
Financial: As we finalize our membership structure, member-owners will likely be expected to contribute a reasonable membership fee.
Non-financial: Member-owners will be encouraged to actively participate in the cooperative, contributing to waste collection, maintaining gardens, engaging in decision-making, and helping build our innovative "Life Story" metadata system.
Benefits
Financial: Profits from the sale of our vertical gardens will be shared among member-owners, with potential for residual income based on contributions to each installed garden.
Non-financial: Benefits include reduced waste disposal costs, active participation in environmental sustainability, a sense of community, and involvement in our "Life Story" metadata system that fosters accountability and offers creative outlets.
Governance Rights
Every member-owner will have a voice in decision-making, ensuring democratic governance. This will cover strategic directions, partner selection, pricing structures, membership fees, and the management and growth of our "Life Story" metadata system.
Financial Rights
Profit distribution will be based on contributions to the cooperative, as tracked by our "Life Story" metadata system. This ensures fair compensation and offers possibilities for residual income.
Guidance
We are currently seeking advisors from environmental organizations, local businesses, and the cooperative sector to guide our next steps.
Investment
While the precise funding needs are still being determined, we are exploring multiple avenues, including contributions from member-owners, grants, and external investments. We are also open to partnerships with other green initiatives.
Why Now
Environmental challenges are becoming increasingly urgent, and public interest in zero-waste initiatives is growing. Additionally, potential upcoming regulations favoring sustainable practices make now the ideal time to launch an eco-innovative cooperative like ReLeaf.
How This Grows
ReLeaf’s approach is designed for scalability, driven by our unique "Life Story" metadata system. This system not only supports operational transparency and fair compensation but also serves as a foundation for community engagement and creative expansion. The system can scale to new locations and address a variety of social and environmental issues.