APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY University of California I. Institute of Appropriate Technology 4455 Chem. Annex, UCD Davis, CA 95616 916/752-7166 Paul Craig, ·Acting Director Judith Painter, Assistant to the Director From a sizable research budget of 64.1 million dollars, the University of California has finally designated $190,000 to do research in appropriate tech,nology. Of this sum, '80 percent will go out in grants of $10,000 or less to students and faculty who are researching small-scale, more user-oriented techr1:ologies which rely on renewable resources and encourage self-;eliance: The center has been located, appropriately enough, in Davis., a town which is already famous for-its conservation and energy consciousness. Peop'te who are interested in funding their research through UCIAT should contact Judith Painter, at the above address. The request for proposals should be out by early November. Funding will start in late Novembet and con- .tinue until all the money is·spent. Intermediate Technology-Los Angeles c/o Jack DeSwart 2310 Glencoe Venice, CA 90291 This group is one ofthe waves that was created by the visit of E. F. Schumacher this year. They introduce themselves in this way: "The Intermediate Technology Group of Los Angeles is made up of individuals, young and old, who feel the necessity to upgrade the quality of human life by participating in the educational project of exploring and applying alternative,.systems of living. This requires being co~ciously responsible for the·kinds of technology we pa-rticipate in and for the ramifications of our individual and collective actions." When visiting with these people earlier this year, I was surprised at the number and quality of projects that are going on in a part of California which most a.t. types just write off. Right now, ITLA is in the process of organizing itself and focusing on specific projects. It will be interesting to see what approaches they develop in trying to deal with Los Angeles. ITLA is a membership organization; monthly flyers and a quarterly newsletter are sent to members. Write to Jack for further information. Santa Clara Office of Appropriate Technology Santa Clara Planning Department 70 W. Hedding Street San Jose, CA 95110 408/299-2880 Santa Clara County was once a rich agricultural valley; it is now known as the "Silicon Valley," the heart of the nation's electronics industry, and is faced with problems in transportation, , housing and energy just like any other •urban area in California. In a.ddition to ·the toll taken by the drought, agricultural land and open space is rapidly disappearing. To begin to deal with some of these problems, Santa Clara County decided to start an Office of Appropriate Techn.ology (OATS). This year, a CETA proposal to fund the office was written and accepted by the local Manpower Board and the County Board of Supervisors. Eleanor Young, a senior planner, works with five staff members: Lionel Hodge, Howard Simon, John Dawson, Dennis Oberto, and Richard Wenn, who work in Community Liaison, Food Distribution, Housing, Energy and Communications, respectively. The OATS staff is beginning to provide information, technical assistance and research services to communities in Santa Clara County. Plans for the future include an educational center to make access to these services easier. Other p.rojects of the Santa Clara OATS staff include: • • A program which focuses on energy, water conservation and urban food production. The staff is holding meetings in people's homes to assist neighborhoods in the planning of gardens, we,atherization of homes, and the use of solar energy. • A sourcebook will be published which will identify resources in appropriate technology in the county. A "home grown" conference is scheduled for February 1978 to look closely at the county and plan ways to support local economies related to decentralize~ energy and food production. • The establishment of a solar energy information center in cooperation with San Jose State University, and a food co-op with the Northern California ' Public Interest Research Group. • Technical assistance to local farmers' markets and community·gardens, and\a . study of.local community gardens' successes and failures. • • OATS is coordinating their work with other projects in Santa Clara County: the Food Bank, which provides free food to persons in need and has established community gardens for handicapped people; the Saratoga Community G<!,rden, which is an apprentice RAIN .November 1977 Page 17 training-center in urban food production as well as an education and demonstration center for the local community; and Sunrise, a non-profit food store which even delivers. In' addition, the San Jose·Parks and Recreation Department is active in community gardens, and the Santa Clara·county Board of • Supetvisors is in the process of establishing an Agricultural Preserve. All of these projects are important steps in reclaiming what was once considered the richest agricultural valley in the world. -Richard Wenn, Howie Simon Farallones Institute • Rµral Ceo ter , 15290 Coleman Valley Road Occidentaf, CA 95465 707 /874-3060 Urban Center/Integral House 1516 Fifth Street Betkeley, CA 94710 4B/525-li50 Some new developments at Farallones: the Urban Center is planning monthlohg Home Conservation courses, which will be offered six times yearly. Workshops and seminars are being held on On-Site Recycling Systems, Passive Solar Design, Small Scale Agriculture, Urban Pest Management, the Politics of •Appropriate Technology, and more. The Rural Center is conducting three one-day workshops in Whole Life Systems. The last one will be on November 13, for those who can·rriake it. Something new and good is always happening at Farallones: See Rainbook for more of what they have done, or contact them in person.
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