Low-tech Lab Competitors

Established in 2006, SolarAid is the world’s first and leading non-profit organisation specialising in providing access to safe, reliable solar energy solutions to communities living without access to electricity in Africa. Our unique business model allows us to reach the most remote and disadvantaged communities to create sustainable markets. Collaboration and cooperation with others is fundamental to our approach and we ensure our work is supported by strong evidence and strengthened through the lessons we learn. Our mission is no one left in the dark by 2030.

The Long Now Foundation hopes to provide counterpoint to today's "faster/cheaper" mind set and promote "slower/better" thinking in the framework of the next 10,000 years. Positions: 1. Serve the long view (and the long viewer) 2. Foster responsibility 3. Reward patience 4. Mind mythic depth 5. Ally with competition 6. Take no sides 7. Leverage longevity The Long Now Foundation was established in 01996* to develop the Clock and Library projects, as well as to become the seed of a very long term cultural institution. The Long Now Foundation hopes to provide counterpoint to today's "faster/cheaper" mind set and promote "slower/better" thinking. We hope to creatively foster responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years. The Name The term was coined by one of our founding board members, Brian Eno. When Brian first moved to New York City he found that in New York here and now meant this room and this five minutes, as opposed to the larger here and longer now that he was used to in England. We have since adopted the term as the title of our foundation as we are trying to stretch out what people consider as now. * The Long Now Foundation uses five digit dates, the extra zero is to solve the deca-millennium bug which will come into effect in about 8,000 years.

The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) is an international network of sustainable communities and initiatives on every inhabitable continent. GEN serves as umbrella organization for ecovillages, intentional communities, transition towns and ecologically-minded, community-driven individuals worldwide. People and communities meet and share their ideas, exchange technologies, develop cultural and educational exchanges, directories and newsletters, and are dedicated to restoring the land and living a cooperative sustainable lifestyle. Network members include large networks like Sarvodaya (2,000 active sustainable villages in Sri Lanka); the Federation of Damanhur in Italy and Nimbin in Australia; small rural ecovillages like Gaia Asociación in Argentina and Huehuecoyotl, Mexico; urban rejuvenation projects like Los Angeles EcoVillage and Christiania in Copenhagen; permaculture design sites such as Crystal Waters, Australia, Cochabamba, Bolivia and Barus, Brazil; and educational centres such as Findhorn in Scotland, Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, Earthlands in Massachusetts, and many more.