OUR VISION

Humanity harmonizing with Earth.

OUR MISSION

To link surplus with needs.

We do this by:

– developing and implementing small to large-scale, replicable and convenient recycling programs;

– creating internship opportunities that value and promote naturally abundant renewable resources; 

– mobilizing teams, providing inclusive, inspirational, planet friendly platforms;

Our flagship Eco-Industrial Hub, satellite factories, and showcase Eco-Home, deliver exhibits for all ages, filled with optimism and engagingly celebrating ecology (the study of life in environments).

OUR BY-LINE

Join Eco-Enthusiasts for Renewable Resources

OUR PRESS RELEASE BOILERPLATE

Matter of Trust, a 501(c)(3) environmental public charity established in 1998, has 2 locations in San Francisco, California:  our Eco-Industrial Hub with model factory and our showcase Eco-Home with urban edible garden.  The lions share of our 50+ programs (in-house and fiscal sponsorships) link surplus with needs and spotlight renewable resources. We run the online platform TheHumSum.org for Humanity Adding Solutions and orchestrate The Hair Matters Program, which collects and felts waste fibers into mats that soak up oil spills, now with satellites in the US, UK, EU, Chile, Australia and beyond. Working with youth, we celebrate optimism for the future and promote ecology (the study of life in environments).

OUR METHODS

*Eco-Industrial Hub – our flagship factory and exhibit hall. Here we make oil spill mats out of recycled clippings of hair, fur and fleece from salons, groomers and farmers. This demonstrates best practices for sorting waste into resources. Our visually stimulating walls discuss the challenges and solutions for clean air, water, energy, manufacturing and much more. We eagerly seek out a wide range of perspectives and incentives.

*Eco-Home  showcases fun ways to green your holidays and all the areas of your house. Starting with Bee My Valentine (Bedrooms), Spring Greening (Bathrooms and Storage), Greendependance Day (Home Office / Home Gym), Fall-ing for Harvests (Kitchen and Dining), Haunted Eeek-o Home (Exterior & Garden) and ending with Seasons Greenings (Living room).

*Urban Edible Garden:  Explore our research projects made to uplift and heal the mind, body and soil.  Visit our solar tiny home, solar aerated compost pile, laundry to landscapes gray water, dog poo composter, chicken coop, fog catcher, raised veggie beds, bee hive, bat house and more.

*Locals and tourists are welcome to visit these sites during our free, week-long, open houses six times a year and book tours, corporate off-sites and field trips anytime.

Hair Matters Program:  At our Eco-Hub and our MofT Satellites we make mats for oil spills out of recycled waste fiber clippings. Salons, pet groomers and ranches donate hair, fur and fleece which we felt into strips that go into storm drains to soak up petroleum mixed with rain. Help us keep waterways clean, sort waste into resources and create green jobs!

The Hum Sum:  Our Humanity Adding Solutions online platform allows us to efficiently gather partners (individuals, businesses, government departments, schools, nonprofits…) from around the world. We have forums, local to global events calendars and eco-committment counters, free stuff and services exchange and more.

Other Projects:  We have many other delightful  in-house programs and fiscal sponsorships that our teams work on, incubate or partner with as well.  These include: Heart of the City Farmers’ Market Food Security Education, Sonoma Food Runners, Global Compost Project, SF Urban Carbon Farming Project, and more… See our Current List and Archives.

 

KEY DEFINITIONS

Eco: Ancient Greek word for relationship between life and surroundings, home, farm, planet

Ecology: Study of the relationship between living organisms and their environment (ecosystems, economics, ecotourism…)

Renewable Resources: Regenerative materials that can be collected in ways that encourage replenishing and do no harm

Surplus:  Excess, leftover, supply over demand

Zero-waste: Responsible sourcing, production, consumption, reuse, recovery and recycling of materials

Deconstructable: Manufacturing and building with disassembly and recycling in mind

Cottage Industry: A business or manufacturing activity carried on in a person’s home.

Micro-Enterprise: Small scale business with less than 6 employees

70:30 Local to Global Principle: Lifestyle where 70% of purchases have 3 degrees or less of separation from source materials and manufacturers. 30% of purchases are exotic with no means of connection with farmers or fabricators.

 

OUR GOALS FOR 2020 & 2021

To open 10 recycled fiber felting MofT satellites for making oil spill mats

To host 6 Eco-Home general public open houses, 1 every 2 months throughout the year. Each concentrating on a different room / area.

To launch new Hum Sum social media platform mobile app (events, forums, free exchange, commitments…) for humanity adding solutions

To launch online Resource Library for 2500 local to global eco-innovations

To update MofT website, internship & apprenticeship programs

To update and reprint 2nd Edition of our It’s Easy Being Green book

To research 5 Global Compost Project satellite partners

To partner with 50 classrooms on MofT programs and Peace of Mind kits

 

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES

Learn from society and nature:  We organize, develop, participate in and fund research projects with universities and other partners so that we can test potential natural solutions, see and share results with our own eyes. Also, we host open houses to gather perspectives and incentives from the public.

Orchestrate beneficial programs that improve lives and environments:  Our Eco-Home and Hair Matters program directly impact clean water, green jobs, eco-education about renewables, debris-free recycling, sorting waste into resources and much more.

To gather and present useful ecological information in immersive, inspirational ways:  Students, locals and tourists get to enjoy how to incorporate planet friendly ideas into their immediate environment when they visit the Eco-Hub and Eco-Home.  Our resources include rotating and permanent exhibits, corporate off-site and field trips, our Easy Being Green book, videos, lesson plans, eco-innovations resource library and more…

Provide popular, large-scale platforms that are inclusive and helpful:  Our Humanity Adding Solutions platform – The Hum Sum – with members forums, events calendars, free exchange, eco-commitments, surveys, resources… is free to the public.

Lead by example and grow through partnerships:  We practice a hands on approach to research, programs and systems.  Through our model factory, showcase home,  urban edible garden, satellite MofT felters, lectures, beautiful eco-art installations… we immerse visitors into a world of possibilities while gathering their perspectives and incentives. We strongly avoid reinventing the wheel and like to build collaborations between sectors and network to find peer acknowledged experts up and down the ladder.

 

OUR VALUES

Nurture only what we DO want for the planet

Remember Truth is the daughter of Time, but Apathy is her evil twin – so engage

Seek perspectives and incentives

Be inclusive (mailroom to boardroom, drawing board to boardroom, boots on the ground to seats at the table…)

Value expertise, work experience, youthful energy, and the wisdom of seniors

Celebrate peer-recognized mastery in all sectors – high tech and low tech

Look deep into nature to find answers

Study matters at both micro and macro levels

Matter of Trust (but verify) – Do the research and see results with our own eyes

Follow Mother Nature’s lead, be a catalyst, encourage integrated, complex cycles

Promote enthusiasm for renewable resources and ecology (studying the relationship of life in environments).

 

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

See our timeline.