Back in the 1990s, Principal Investigator Alan O’Hashi founded Environmental and Cultural Organization Systems (ECOS) as a way to meld his biology and political science academic backgrounds through a cultural anthropological approach to the world. Alan did quite a bit of social justice work, empowering entrepreneurs in Mexico, tobacco use prevention, and the like.

An early ECOS project was an academic in collaboration with the University of Wyoming.

ECOS envisions life as a web of interconnected systems. Saving the world isn’t like it used to be. Things are so fast-moving and complicated these days.

ECOS melds human society as an interactive part of ecosystems at many levels by creating new creative and sustainable (low input – high output) communities in the context of the human environment.

Lately, ECOS has become very interested in working with cohousing communities. People have to live somewhere, and housing is housing, but what differentiates cohousing from other configurations is the “secret sauce.” This work is a labor of love for me. Alan believes that intentional communities, by definition, help bridge cultural divides. He’s a starving consultant and providing his expertise for the big bucks isn’t his primary motivation.

Have Opinion – Will Travel

Community Development – Principal Investigator Alan O’Hashi has quite a bit of experience helping create partnerships and collaborations that clear a path of least resistance. He can help you write a story to target the market you want.

A current project idea is an urban mixed-use intentional community that can provide affordable housing in most cities and towns. The mix includes cohousing and co-operative (co-op) apartments. It is suited to those who don’t drive cars in favor of bicycles, the bus, and walking.

Over the years, Alan has developed a diverse background in economic and community development, having worked with local, state, national, and tribal governments on a wide variety of issues from assisting with boom and bust cycles, with business startups, planning, and zoning issues, developing affordable housing in Wyoming and Colorado.

Grant Writing and Fund Raising – The one skill Alan is really good at is grant writing. His success rate is pretty close to 100 percent. He’s always been a writer, having written for newspapers and movie scripts. I’m a pretty good storyteller and can translate your project stories, not into ones that are eligible for funding but ones that get funded. Whether it’s $30 million for a water pipeline project or $500 for a community garden, years of experience have given him the knowledge to help you tell your stories better and increase the chances for funding from public and private sectors.

Cultural Competency and Diversity Training – There’s no denying that the United States is experiencing unprecedented cultural and social upheaval. Alan can help you and your group better understand yourselves in the context of acceptance of others who may be different than you.

Having been through a lot in life, Alan can help you be better managers of change. The American culture is at a crossroads. The digital socio-political landscape is changing faster than the analog culture. The fast pace of life has resulted in the proliferation of subcultures and micro-cultures.

Cultural competence is a developmental process that evolves over an extended period. At any given moment, depending on past histories and experiences, individuals, groups, and communities are at various levels of cultural awareness, knowledge, and competency skills. I can lead you through this process.

Cultural Brokerage – Hand in hand with cultural competency is reaching out of personal and organizational comfort zones. During these times of intercultural conflict, businesses and organizations seek ways to become more inclusive without being paternalistic. Alan can help you understand your organizational needs and how to reach out to diverse communities and facilitate mutually beneficial outcomes.

If you’re interested in ECOS services, send an email to kaerupix@yahoo.com or call 303-910-5782