Ways to help the Amazon Mycorenewal Project

I'm about to order a respirator for organic vapors and a Tyvek suit, like Bob here.

In less than a month, I will be down in Ecuador with the Amazon Mycorenewal Project. We are an international interspecies alliance working to heal the oil-polluted rainforest with the power of mushrooms. As I explained in this previous post this is a one-of-a-kind ground-healing effort to apply recent advances in mushroom science (mycology) to break down and remove environmental toxins. By writing these messages, I hope to increase awareness and support for these solutionary efforts.

Much gratitude to those who have been able to provide some funds, already. As a volunteer on this project, I appreciate the support of this kind from those who can provide it to help pay for the trip.

If anyone was having trouble with the Paypal button, I've set up with the Cloud Forest Institute (the parent organization for the Amazon Mycorenewal Project) to receive online donations for my fundraising efforts. Please indicate the designation "AMP, Martin Driggs" on the donation form so that it makes it to my fund. Donate at www.amazonmycorenewal.org or by clicking:

For those who aren't in the position to spare any money but still want to support the movement (as a full-time community activist, I understand) there are so many ways to help.

First off, something I hope you all can do is get outside in the wild(er)ness this season to observe and the mushrooms and other living things. Seriously, we need more people to get to know them, and to know the healing and intelligent power of Nature. Get out there and get connected. Go on a mushroom walk with your local mycology club. Learn about mushrooms and join the growing global network of mycosolutionaries. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can start by watching this.)

Other ways to support the AMP this summer:

• Do you do science? Grant-writing? Research? There's no shortage of research topics, things that we could use help finding articles on (on University databases), grants to be discovered and written. Even remote ex situ research... And that's not all, we need allies all over: graphic design, web promotion, writing... If any of this sounds interesting, please don't hesitate to write me.
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• I need a digital camera. (I lost my last one with my laptop out of my broken trunk at the Caspa show in Cambridge last August. Good show, btw.) If anyone can hook me up with a decent digital camera, that would be so helpful. As would a flip cam or other type of camcorder. I could return it when I get back.
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• And if you're planning on investing in your health any time soon, might I suggest you invest in some PowerShrooms! AMP team member, Monica Neff makes these medicinal mushrooms. From now through July 10, for every bottle of medicinal mushrooms you buy on-line, $7.00 will be donated to the Amazon Mycorenewal Pojrect. Enter the coupon code: AMP2011 PowerShroom.com

As always, please feel free to email me at mdriggs.amp[a]gmail.com if you any thoughts, ideas or just want to connect or hit me up on facebook or Evolver.net. For those in the Boston area, I hope to see you Tuesday for the Amazon Mushroom Alliance Benefit at the Wonder Bar in Allston, hosted by Music Ecology and Evolver Boston. (details here).

Much Love and Gratitude to everyone reading this.

marty