Three Pathways to Abundance

Meet any community need through three pathways: Purchase (buy it), Produce (make it locally), or Attract (manifest it collectively through pooled resources).

Every solution can be accessed through three pathways: Purchase it with money, Produce it locally using open-source plans, or Attract it collectively by pooling resources. This creates optionality, reduces dependence, and establishes local abundance before external trade.

Overview

Rather than assuming the only way to meet needs is through purchasing (money flows out, dependence increases), regenerative communities recognize three distinct pathways for accessing any solution:

1. Purchase - Buy it from someone (money flows in, supports the network) 2. Produce - Get open-source plans, become a production center, serve nearest subscribers automatically 3. Attract - Pool local resources collectively to manifest it together (land, labor, materials, expertise)

This framework transforms communities from passive consumers to active creators, reduces extraction, builds capacity, and establishes abundance locally before seeking external trade.

The Three Pathways Explained

Pathway 1: Purchase

"I'll buy it from someone who's already producing it."

How it works:

• Someone in the network (or outside it) already provides this solution

• You pay money for it

• Money flows support the producer

• If purchased from within the network, money recirculates and becomes available for flow token distribution

When to use:

• You need it immediately and lack capacity to produce

• Someone nearby already produces it well

• Your time is better spent on other contributions

• Supporting another community member's livelihood aligns with values

Example:

• "Our community needs fresh bread. Jordan's bakery is 10 miles away and makes excellent bread. We'll subscribe to weekly delivery and pay for it."

Regenerative aspect:

• Money flows into the network when external communities purchase

• Money circulates within the network when internal communities purchase from each other

• Supports livelihoods aligned with regenerative practices

Pathway 2: Produce

"I'll make it myself using open-source plans and become a local production center."

How it works:

• Access open-source designs, recipes, plans, or blueprints (licensed under regenerative terms)

• Develop capacity to produce locally

• Serve nearest subscribers automatically (local-first distribution)

• Become a node in the production network

• Can sell surplus externally (money flows in)

When to use:

• Multiple community members express the same need (demand signal)

• You have capacity, interest, or skills aligned with producing it

• Local production reduces transportation/dependence

• Solution requires customization for local context

• You want to build that skill or livelihood

Example:

• "Five households need fresh bread weekly. I love baking and have time. I'll access the open-source sourdough bread recipe and production process, set up a small bakery, and supply my neighbors. When I have surplus, I'll sell to external communities."

Regenerative aspect:

• Builds local capacity and resilience

• Reduces dependence on external supply chains

• Open-source plans spread innovations rapidly

• Creates livelihoods rooted in meeting real needs

• Regenerative license ensures (e.g., "50% of grain must come from regenerative farms")

Pathway 3: Attract

"We'll pool our resources collectively and manifest it together."

How it works:

• Community members with different resources collaborate

• Some contribute land, others labor, others materials, others expertise, others money

• The resource manifests through collective effort

• Ownership and access are shared among contributors

• No single person had to purchase it alone

When to use:

• The need is too large or expensive for one person

• Multiple community members want access to the same resource

• Collective ownership makes more sense than individual (e.g., tools, land, infrastructure)

• Building it together builds relationships and skills

Example:

• "We need a root cellar for food storage. Casey has land, Alex has excavation skills, Jordan can provide materials, Riley knows traditional building techniques, and Sam can contribute money for what we can't source locally. Together we build a shared root cellar everyone can use."

Regenerative aspect:

• Creates commons rather than individual ownership

• Distributes cost across community

• Builds skills and relationships through co-creation

• Resources serve multiple people simultaneously

• Flow tokens can recognize each person's contribution

How the Pathways Create Abundance

Traditional Scarcity Model

Need → Purchase Only → Money Leaves Community → Dependence Increases

• Community identifies need

• Only option is to buy from external supplier

• Money flows out

• No local capacity developed

• If external supply disrupted, community is vulnerable

• Repeat with every need = extraction

Regenerative Abundance Model

Need → Assess Three Pathways → Choose Based on Context → Local Capacity Increases

• Community identifies need

• Evaluate all three options

• Choose pathway that builds most capacity/resilience/connection

• Money either recirculates internally or stays in community

• Local production capacity increases over time

• External dependence decreases

• Abundance established locally before external trade

Decision Framework: Which Pathway?

Ask these questions to choose the appropriate pathway:

Question 1: Is someone locally already producing this well?

Yes → Consider Purchase from them (supports local livelihood, recirculates money) No → Continue to Question 2

Question 2: Is there demand from multiple people/households?

Yes → Strong signal for Produce pathway (demand justifies building local capacity) No → Continue to Question 3

Question 3: Is it too expensive/large for one person?

Yes → Consider Attract pathway (pool resources collectively) No → Consider Purchase externally if no local option exists

Question 4: Do we have time/skills/interest to produce locally?

Yes → Produce builds capacity, resilience, and potentially livelihood No → Purchase or Attract depending on size/cost

Question 5: What builds the most local resilience?

Consider:

• Which pathway reduces external dependence most?

• Which builds skills and relationships?

• Which creates commons vs. private ownership?

• Which aligns with regenerative values?

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Solar Power

Need: Community needs renewable energy for 20 households

Purchase Pathway:

• Buy solar installation from external company

• Cost: $200,000

• Money leaves community

• Maintenance depends on external expertise

• No local capacity built

Produce Pathway:

• Access open-source solar installation guides

• 3 community members take training

• They install systems for all 20 households

• Cost: $120,000 (materials only, labor is internal)

• Community now has solar expertise

• Can install for other communities (money flows in)

• Maintenance is local

• Flow tokens distributed to installers

Attract Pathway:

• Each household contributes what they can: land for panels, labor, materials, money, expertise

• Community builds shared solar array collectively

• Cost: $100,000 (distributed across all households)

• Owned collectively

• Everyone learns basics of solar maintenance

• Deep relationships built through collaboration

• Flow tokens recognize each contribution

Result: Community chooses Attract for first pilot (5 households), then Produce as skilled members emerge who can serve the other 15 households and external communities.

Example 2: Fresh Bread

Need: 15 households want fresh bread weekly

Purchase Pathway:

• Buy from bakery 20 miles away

• Cost: $8/loaf × 15 loaves × 52 weeks = $6,240/year

• Money leaves community

• Dependent on external baker and transportation

• No local capacity built

Produce Pathway:

• Alex accesses open-source sourdough recipe and small bakery setup plans

• Starts weekly baking for 15 subscribers

• Cost to community: $5/loaf × 15 × 52 = $3,900/year

• Alex receives $3,900 + flow tokens for meeting community need

• Surplus sold externally brings money in

• Community has baker if Alex travels/sick, others can learn

• Resilience increases

Attract Pathway:

• Community builds shared wood-fired oven

• 5 people take turns baking weekly

• Each household contributes labor 3-4 times/year

• Ingredients sourced from community garden and local grain farmers

• Minimal money cost, mostly labor exchange

• Baking becomes social event

• Everyone learns the skill

Result: Community chooses Produce (Alex loves baking, wants that livelihood). If Alex ever needs to step back, they have option to shift to Attract model since plans are open-source.

Example 3: Childcare

Need: 8 families need childcare 20 hours/week

Purchase Pathway:

• Hire external childcare provider

• Cost: $25/hour × 20 hours × 8 kids = $4,000/week = $208,000/year

• Money leaves community

• Children cared for by someone outside their community

• No relationships built

Produce Pathway:

• 2 community members become trained childcare providers

• Serve the 8 families

• Cost: $15/hour × 20 hours × 8 kids = $2,400/week = $124,800/year

• Money recirculates in community + flow tokens to providers

• Children build deep relationships with caregivers who are neighbors

• Providers have sustainable livelihood

Attract Pathway:

• 8 families create cooperative childcare

• Each family contributes 1 day/week

• Minimal money cost, mostly labor exchange

• Children grow up with "village" of caregivers

• All adults develop childcare skills

• Deep relationships among families

Result: Community chooses Attract model (cooperative) with option for families to "buy out" their shift if needed (hybrid approach), creating flexibility.

Subscription Model Integration

For recurring needs, subscriptions create stable demand signals:

Community posts subscription needs:

• "15 households need 1 loaf of bread weekly"

• "20 households need 100 kWh electricity monthly"

• "8 families need childcare 20 hours/week"

Creators respond through pathways:

• Purchase: Existing producers see demand and offer to supply

• Produce: Someone sees demand signal and becomes local producer

• Attract: Community collectively organizes to meet the need

Auto-matching:

• Nearest producer automatically serves nearest subscribers (reduces transportation)

• If no local producer exists, demand signal persists until someone steps into Produce pathway

Open-Source + Regenerative Licensing

Key to Produce pathway working at scale:

Open-Source Plans: All solutions are open-sourced (recipes, designs, blueprints, processes)

Regenerative License: Plans carry requirements:

• "50% of farmland must restore nature"

• "Materials must be locally sourced where possible"

• "Labor must receive living wage or flow tokens"

• "Derivative works carry same license"

Benefits:

• Innovations spread rapidly across network

• Anyone can become producer

• Regenerative practices embedded in all production

• Commons grows while innovation accelerates

• Success spreads naturally

Transitioning Between Pathways

Communities can shift pathways as capacity evolves:

Year 1: Purchase externally (no local capacity yet) Year 2: Someone learns the skill → Produce locally Year 3: More demand emerges → Attract model for shared infrastructure Year 4: Local capacity surplus → Produce for external communities (money flows in)

The progression builds resilience:

• Immediate needs met through Purchase

• Capacity built through Produce

• Commons created through Attract

• Abundance shared externally through regenerative trade

Related Patterns

• Offers and Requests: Surface needs that reveal which pathway is appropriate

• Did this: Track contributions regardless of pathway chosen

• Flow Tokens: Recognize contributions from Produce and Attract pathways

• Task Buddy: Partner up to Produce or Attract together

• Open Space: Use to decide collectively which pathway to choose

• Consent Decision Making: Get consent on significant Attract investments

The Three Pathways transform every purchase decision into an opportunity for capacity building, relationship deepening, and local abundance creation. Instead of defaulting to extraction, communities ask: "How might we meet this need in a way that increases our collective resilience, skills, and interdependence?" This is the foundation of regenerative economics.