(This article is a work in progress and will be updated with more resources as we move into the construction phases)

Oasa, as a company, was founded on the idea that we as humans should be able to live more sustainable lives. What does sustainability mean? Broadly, it means being able to sustain our lifestyles within the means of the planet.

"Sustainability is the ability of a system to exist constantly at a cost, in a universe that evolves towards thermodynamic equilibrium, the state with maximum entropy. In the 21st century, it refers generally to the capacity for the biosphere and human civilization to coexist." - Wikipedia

But, there is a much more personal aspect to this story. In fact, the very reason I started this company, was because I felt disconnected from my work, felt socially disconnected, and environmentally conscious about my impact. I decided it was time to create a company that I was passionate about and would solve my needs:

Access to a community of like minded friends, all around the world
Feeling more connected to my work, and being able to give back to the world
Living within the means of the planet
Being more connected to myself and to nature

Over the last few centuries, the list of issues that humanity has managed to solve is quite impressive. From a constant state of war, we now live in peace by default (Homo Sapiens). Child mortality (in the western world) is almost eradicated. Hunger is no longer a question of resources, but of political distribution. Women have acquired voting rights, slavery has been abolished, and work has for the part become much more pleasant. Human rights have been established - and for the most part are in effect. We are able to travel and communicate like never before. But with the meteoric rise in industrial capabilities that have taken us so many steps from our ancestors, we have also tragically outgrown our consumption of resources that are available on the planet. It is estimated that by 2050, we would need over 3 planets to sustain our needs. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the 21st century become the century of #Sustainability. We must balance the equation and return to a state of ecological peace where species aren't dying out each year so that humans can consume more.

But we must also take sustainability a few steps further. Sustaining economic growth, and ensuring we have enough resources is only the first part of the problem. We must also ensure that everyone not only has basic human rights, but also live a life of purpose, creativity and connectedness to other humans. May those be the new Human Rights once AI's have taken over this world.

The UN has set a a framework of 17 sustainability goals to reach by 2030. We at Oasa have decided to follow the guidelines set forth by OnePlanet, and here are our 10 sustainability development goals as we build this company and how we plan on measuring our success - because what we count matters.

Health and Happiness

Enable members to live with a community / chosen family
Healthier Food + Healthier Relationships + Healthier Environment = Healthier Life

KPIs:

More involved review process after bookings (and after each week/month of stay) which aren’t so much just giving a review of the facilities, but rather measuring how happy the individual was during this time. The goal is to create an environment where each member can be happy, can grow, can feel loved.

Equity and local economy

Partner with local businesses to build and maintain the properties
Purchase local materials and goods

KPIs:

Ratio of goods produced locally

Culture and community

Fostering a sense of belonging
Creating shared experiences that bond members
Allowing members to actively participate in the community by letting them take ownership.

KPIs:

Interconnectivity between members

Land and nature

Reforestation, and planting diverse species
Low construction footprint (stilts vs concrete foundations, designing spaces around nature rather than bulldozing our way through it)
Auto irrigation systems
Composting
When we can't reforest ourselves, we'll offset via our Tree Nation forest

KPIs:

Quantity and diversity of flora on a site before and after completion

Sustainable water

Collecting rain water into a natural pool that can be used for irrigation
Planting species that retain water in the soil avoiding flooding

KPIs:

Liters of waters consumed per day from external sources

Local and sustainable food

Growing basic vegetables in automated hydroponic gardens
Stocking the kitchen with local organic produce

KPIs:

Track in-house production and purchases from local markets

Travel and transport

Using a shared van (if possible a self driving electric vehicle) to pick up members on arrival and allowing them to access nearby activities
Possibility of developing a long distance sailboat crossing between properties as our members should for the most part be time independent and appreciate adventure
Pooling grocery shopping and other trips between members reducing miles spent acquiring goods

KPIs:

Average kilometers driven per member per month
Average kilometers flown per member to arrive at the location

Materials and products

Build structures using local materials selected for their low carbon footprint, lifetime duration, and recyclability. Especially timber should be either reclaimed or purchased from sustainable sources.
Avoid concrete structures since it produces a lot of carbon emissions
Emphasis on experiences over products for members.

KPIs:

Ratio of biodegradable materials in the construction materials

Zero waste

Composting
Reduced packaging through growth of own produces, and purchase of produces from local markets
No single use products in the bathrooms - instead shampoo, soap etc are filled from bulk supplies
No single use packaging in the kitchen - providing tupperwares etc instead
Organic construction materials selected that won’t end up in landfills

KPIs:

Tonnes of waste generated per year

Zero carbon energy

Energy efficient buildings:

Multi layer windows
Insulation
Using sunlight to heat
Using green roofs to maintain temperature
Using geothermal pumps to regulate temperature
Using low consumption light bulbs throughout
Using energy efficient appliances
Using solar energy to produce electricity
Using wind turbines to produce electricity

We made some calculations, and the world needs to be investing about 1.2T$ each year (20% of total energy cost) in order to start curbing out CO2 emissions (from energy), and make sure we can sustain continued development of poorer economies. See our calculator.

KPIs:

Ratio of energy produced vs imported (goal 100%)

local-economy

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