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Who Are We?

About Whole Systems  Whole Systems foundation was founded in 1973 by Neill Smith as the educational arm of Whole Systems Recycling, originator of the first curbside recycling pick up service in the U.S. The Foundation sponsored classes on recycling, and resource conservation at local elementary schools. Later it funded research in biological methods of breaking down cellulose in waste paper and agricultural waste as a preliminary step to producing alcohol for fuel. Between 1987 and 1998 the Foundation assets were employed in preserving land for open space in Tiburon, California. In its present function, the Foundation carries on the eclectic tradition by funding a variety of educational and research projects related to energy and resource conservation. We believe that to maintain a reasonable quality of life into the future, requires an integration of new "green" technologies with a global change in human values away from the present consumption oriented society. Board of Directors Melanie Smith Norton Smith Zachary Smith Adam Smith Annual Report 2000 Notes from the Treasurer   The elections of 2000 brought home to many of us the divisiveness of the present society. The pattern has become a way of life; take sides, blame the opposing side for anything that displeases us, concentrate on undermining their legitimacy, and divert attention from any attempt to find out the truth, or fix the problem.   Our failure to deal with some fundamental environmental issues follows the same pattern. The attempt at the Hague to hammer out a plan to reduce CO2 emissions by a mere 7% below 1990 levels was derailed by politics (read money). What is striking about both the election and the conference, is the subordination of truth to politics. The evidence clearly indicates that CO2 emissions are partly responsible for the global warming trend and will have increasing affects in the future, yet there were participants at the conference who maintained that there was no problem with global warming because that belief served their needs. As an electorate we took sides on the election squabble based not on facts, but on our emotional predilections. In the broader scope of policy we support a cause based on our attitude toward underlying issues of money, personal power, respect for each other, and for the natural world. Unfortunately, once the context of an issue shifts from a discussion of fact to an argument over rights, whether it be the right to consume fossil fuels, to cut a forest, to carry an assault weapon, or to drive a ORV in a National Park, the ability to make a rational decision is lost.   In the field of economics there is also a tendency to discount the facts in favor of reports of progress. We do not count the cost of environmental degradation or the depletion of raw materials in setting prices, or in indicators of progress such as GNP. If that were done, many countries would have a negative GNP. International trade would the become a zero sum game in which there are no winners, for the exporter of raw materials would have to charge the depletion of resources against his GNP account, and the importer would have to charge for the export of his environmental costs. In spite of years of effort by economists like Herman Daly and Paul Hawken, there is still an almost unquestioned belief that growth is positive, and only through growth can we solve the world's problems of population and poverty. As Herman Dally puts it "science has long abandoned the idea of perpetual motion, but economists still cling to perpetual growth."   This year Whole Systems did share in some successes. The POPS treaty was negotiated successfully to phase out persistent organic pollutants. The grass roots efforts of the Geengrants Fund brought knowledge and tools to many small groups enabling them to participate in decision making. Our support of environmental education for children has been rewarding. We continued our support for cold fusion research, realizing that there is no technological solution to the world's environmental crisis, but we cannot have a sustainable world without technological change to support the social changes that are necessary.

Whole Systems Foundation Grants List 2000 Environmental Education Slide Ranch -Program Development- $16,000 Slide Ranch is engaged in environmental education for children, families and special populations. Whole Systems agreed in 1998 to grant them $45,000 over the course of three years to support long term construction projects. This payment is the third installment. Contact: Slide Ranch 2025 Shoreline Highway Muir Beach, CA 94965 San Francisco Zen Center -Sustainable Energy- $5,000 San Francisco Zen Center promotes mindful living and Buddhist values through a wide variety of activities including prison outreach, hospice work and traditional monastic practice. Their monastery, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, is located in the Ventana Wilderness of Monterey County and serves as a retreat center during the summer months. This grant, which is the third of five installments, supports ongoing work that is intended to reduce the impact of these activities on the pristine wilderness environment through the use of solar and small scale hydro power. Contact: San Francisco Zen Center 300 Page St. San Francisco, CA 94102 Green House Network - education on global warming - $1000 The Green House Network is a grass roots organization that among other projects trains volunteer speakers to talk to local schools and other institutions. Contact: Green House Network 4160 SW Haven St. Lake Oswego, OR 97035 http://www.greenhousenet.org/index.html Grass Root Activism Oregon Natural Resources Council (ONRC) -Wilderness- $4,000 ONRC is working in Oregon to protect wild areas threatened by logging and mining and development. Using trained volunteers to map and monitor roadless areas it is able to make well documented presentations to legislators and the public to encourage permanent protection for pristine environments contiguous with existing wilderness areas. The funds will be split between riparian habitats and endangered fish populations. Contact: ONRC 5825 N. Greeley Portland, OR 97217 web: http://www.onrc.org/ The Developing World International Rivers Network - inappropriate damming of rivers - $2,000 International Rivers seeks to educate and organize local "dam affected" citizens to preserve their land from inundation by projects with questionable benefits and serious environmental problems. Alternatively IRN helps people achieve fair compensation for their lost land and livelihood. 1847 Berkeley Way Berkeley, CA 94703 USA email: irn@irn.org http://www.irn.org/ Global Greengrants - Global Environment - $10,000 The Global Greengrants Fund is a working group within the Tides Foundation that concentrates their efforts in the developing world. They support education, activism and specific projects at the grass-roots level. This grant was earmarked for projects in China and South-East Asia. Contact: Chet Tchozewski Executive Director Global Greengrants Fund 3546 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80301 email: info@greengrants.org web: http://www.greengrants.org/ Physicians for Social Responsibility - POPs Treaty - $10,000 Physicians for Social Responsibility is working with the United Nations Environmental Programme to push for the adoption of an international treaty regulating and restricting persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The grant supports small grass roots organizations in developing countries to educate and organize support for the treaty in their home country. Contact: Karen Perry Associate Director, Environment & Health Program Physicians for Social Responsibility 1101 14th Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005 web: http://www.psr.org/ Energy and the Environment Russ George - Low Energy Nuclear Reactions - $8,860 Russ George, an independent scientist, has developed some simple experimental procedures which confirm the existence of what is now termed low energy nuclear reactions (LENR). His recent work is concentrated on the detection of neutrons. Contact: Russ George One Johnson Pier #36 Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 http://www.rsrch.com/saturna/ Solar Cookers International - promoting inexpensive solar ovens internationally - $500 A truly grass roots effort at promoting wise use of energy. By promoting solar cooking in third world countries this group improves the standard of living of the people by enabling them to cook food and pasteurize water without depleting scarce sources of firewood or paying for fossil fuel. Contact: Solar Cookers International 1919 21st Street, #101 Sacramento, CA 95814 http://solarcooking.org International Society for Environment and Culture - building local economies - $5,000 ISEC has been running programs in Ladak for 25 years aimed at mitigating the damage to the social structure caused by the introduction of 20th century technology and values. In a case of reverse engineering, ISEC is now using knowledge of what was lost in Ladak to reintroduce some of the essential elements to rebuild local economies and cultural values in developed nations. Contact: ISEC PO Box 9475 Berkeley, CA 94709 http://www.isec.org.uk/ISEC/core.html Alan Kapuler Ph.D. - Preservation of endangered plants of the Baja California - $5000 Dr. Kapuler is working to identify plant species that are endangered by development and cattle grazing in Baja, Mexico. If possible these plants will be propagated and grown in a protected environment. Contact: Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D. 2385 SE. Thompson St. Corvallis, OR 97333

 

Grant Requests

Whole Systems Foundation does not actively solicit grant proposals since most of the funding strategies are internally generated, however, we are open to new suggestions. The Foundation has no set criteria, but seeks out projects that provide an opportunity to leverage a relatively small grant into a significant change in technology, policy, or attitudes. Generally this has led the Foundation to fund cutting edge science, and grass roots level of environmental activism. If you feel your organization has a project the Foundation would be interested in, send a one page summary preferably by e-mail. After an initial review the board will contact you to request a full proposal.

 

 

Application Deadlines

 

Initial summary - September 1

Full proposal - October 1

Final Decision by November 30

 

Contact

 

Whole Systems Foundation

P.O. Box 1927

Jacksonville, OR 97530

 

e-mail nsmith@jeffnet.org