We must learn to create financial profits without extracting the foundational living wealth of our lands and waters.
In Avnø Oasis you create concrete value by developing activities or projects, by producing something and by serving groups and organizations. Everybody needs to relate to money; of course also partners of Avnø Oasis. However money is just one aspect of the multi-capital abundance we want to apply, as our model of enterprises. Regenerative projects/enterprises, project circles and project roles that are aligned with the 7 keys may be initiated by all collaborators, who want to do/achieve something. They are formally ‘created’ by consent in the appropriate ‘mother circle’. Go back to the organization, work and governance for more details.
A regenerative enterprise can be defined as “a venture that proactively grows and cultivates the foundational pools of social, cultural, spiritual and living capital by providing goods and services in a way that creates net positive gains for the system as a whole”.
We aim to consciously choose how we use/ gather/ store/ share/ flow/ exchange/ cultivate/ create/ generate/ focus on different types of capital.
We aim to work together with other ecovillages to develop models for measuring different types of capital.
A clear distinction between degenerative, sustainable, and regenerative systems.
Some principles we aim to follow:
- Mimicry of living systems, following clearly defined ecosystem principles.
- Being an integral part of living systems, building living capital through all processes.
- Collaboration with other enterprises: forming conscious enterprise relations.
- Focus on quality rather than quantity using edges and connections.
- Not harvesting the roots, but only the fruit of the ‘tree of production’.
- Asking the question: how can we create a system that strengthens the integrity, resilience and viability of people and places?
- Fair share business models that recognize and integrate all stakeholders such as founders, producers, employees, customers and investors.
- Support of the personal development of the people involved.
Which model will win in the long run?
Which enterprises we will end up with depends on the skills and initiatives taken by collaborators as well as permissions from coastal directory and municipality. Our location and our buildings provide many possibilities. 14.000 cars pass by each year to the nature center at the end of the road. There is nowhere else to eat or sleep, except for a shelter, which requires a mile of walking carrying all the gear.
The combination of community, small regenerative enterprises and Avnø højskole allows the school to function as an incubator for startups (≈ no permissions), and the community to provide good conditions for members to bring in existing enterprises or start a new one. However, as production grows, enterprises may need to find another location (in the local area), since we are not allowed to build more on this property.
Health and wellness
Retreats for activating self-healing powers
Retreats for reducing stress
Wellness coaching, body therapy and psychology
Food production
Outdoor crops: veggies, greens, grains, beans, berries, herbs and fruits
Indoor crops: microgreens and mushrooms
Fermented/dried foods: sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, teas etc
Chickens, ducks and eggs
Seaweed harvesting and fishing
Food forest and wild food
Bee production like honey
Small home production
Small clothes production of natural or recyled materials
Natural personal care products
Candles
Soapmaking
Furniture renovation studio
Repair shop for biks and our own cars
Biochar as a bi-product from our heating central
Other small scale production
Eco-tourism
Healthy holidays
Café
Renting out canoes and other equipement for water activities
Other
Small "farm outlet" selling our products to residents, students, tourists and local people to support Avnø højskole
Small liberal professions such as various green consultants, designers, artists, facilitators and coaches
Office for people working from home
Space for your idea
Enterprises aligned with Avnø Oasis vision and values and the legal restraints are welcome. An enterprise can be started/run by one person or by a group of people. Until our local plan is approved enterprises are run as separate economic entities under the CVR of Vitalitetsfonden.
- Each enterprise has their own budget and creates their own policy around income distribution, expenses, volunteer work, wages etc
- Enterprises pay the community to provide room and board for the enterprise, volunteers, employees, and other associated people.
- Each enterprise has their own bank account and separate entries in the book keeping system, so the result of the enterprise is transparent.
- Each enterprise is responsible for all administration connected with the enterprise.