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The center aims to showcase the remarkable but greatly underestimated potential of fungi to solve the enormous environmental challenges we’re facing today. Fungi offer an infinite amount of innovative solutions to a myriad of global challenges through food alternatives, new health treatments, sustainable construction materials or pollution cleanup, to name only a few. In addition to the physical center, a virtual platform will be created to share knowledge about fungi globally.
“Pro Fungi” has already acquired a historic building in a culturally vibrant neighborhood of Rio. To get the center up and running, we’re seeking additional support of approximately € 655,000. “Pro Fungi” invites you to contribute with funding, connections, or personal involvement, or by just spreading the word. We greatly appreciate your help in making this visionary project a reality. Thank you!
Decades of tireless explorations have reached critical mass, mushrooms are finally entering the mainstream. By amassing tons of new knowledge about the benefits of the wide world of the fungi family, humanity is realizing that mushrooms have been crucial not only for the evolution of plants and animals, but also in the development of our brains’ capacity. Especially in Europe and in the USA, fungi are finally getting the attention they deserve.
Fungi offer many solutions to help revert climate change and other devastations we have inflicted on our environment. And they can also help us to take an existential leap: To transform from a competition-based species into one that lives sustainably and in peaceful and compassionate collaboration with its environment.
Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. Examining the extraordinary organisms of fungi, and our relationships with them, is changing our understanding of how life works as a whole. We know very, very little about this kingdom of almost 5 million species—that’s about 10 times bigger than the estimated number of plant species! It is believed that we have only documented 5% of all fungal species. There’s still so much to discover, we’ve barely scratched the surface. It’s a new frontier.
Fungi are known to wait patiently underground till their day has come to rapidly grow into our surface world. Finally, the time is ripe for them to come out of their shadow existence and flourish in the limelight they deserve. They were always ready, but for us humans it took quite some time to realize how helpful our strange, beautiful friends – neither animal nor plant – can be.
That’s why we decided to create “Central dos Cogumelos”. It will be a proud part of the growing mushroom tsunami, collaborating with the many individuals, groups and businesses that presently ride this wave into the future. We’ll participate at the forefront of this spreading mycelium that connects all things mushroom, nourishing and enriching our brains and our hearts, as well as our stomachs. “Central dos Cogumelos” will dedicate itself to the traditions that have connected humans and mushrooms for at least twelve thousand years[1]. With respect for traditions, we’ll be investigating the medicinal, technological, and cultural changes a collaboration with psychoactive and non-psychoactive mushrooms will bring.
Across the six biomes of Brazil, a growing number of scientists are exploring Brazil’s huge, but still barely known fungi worlds. From fungi-controlled zombie-ants that involuntarily help spreading spores, to ants that farm a fungus by feeding it cut leaves, to the world’s largest concentration of mushroom species with bio luminescent properties. As well as research focusing on endomycorrhizal fungi growing on or in the roots of plants, that are indispensable partners for the wellbeing of the Amazon. Initiatives like Swissnex have realized that the immense amount of unique information being unearthed is interesting not just to the Brazilians, but of fantastic value when combined with the discoveries on other continents.
In the health sector, a series of clinics are taking advantage of the situation that magic mushrooms are legal in Brazil. The positive results of these trauma, addiction and depression treatment centers produce great study material for countries still on the fence about utilizing mushrooms to cure mental health problems. Unfortunately, due to geographic and language distance, many of these discoveries don’t reach scientists in other parts of the world. Yet! “Central dos Cogumelos” will build a bridge between Brazilian and non-Brazilian mycologists.
“Central dos Cogumelos” will educate people in entertaining ways about the many fascinating aspects of fungi. The multifaceted center will encourage visitors to discover the enormous potential, not just of magic mushrooms, but of the magic of all mushrooms. Under one roof we’ll unite, stores, a restaurant, a bar, a café, a library, a cinema, and a hall for seminars, exhibitions, and other events – all focused on fungi.
To turn this well-planned dream into a functioning reality the project now needs to garner financial support. In the process of turning what we have, a historic building in need of renovation, into the mushroom center, we’ll grow a mycelium of fungi lovers that will help fund and run the finished place as well as later frequent its events.
In his brilliant bestseller “Entangled Life”[2], biologist Merlin Sheldrake writes: “When people think of fungi, most just think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are merely the fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that support and sustain nearly all living systems. They are actually what enables the cycles of nature to take place. The more we learn about fungi, the less it makes sense to live a life that ignores their incredible potential.”
““Fungi” is the overarching name for spore-producing organisms that feed on organic matter. The mostly hidden fungi world ranges from yeast to psychedelics, to those that infiltrate and manipulate insect bodies with devastating precision, to the mycelia that sprawl for miles underground and are the largest organisms on the planet[3], linking plants together in complex networks. More than 90% of plants depend on mycorrhizal fungi to improve their water and nutrient absorption, as well as the communication between them, which has led to these networks being called the “Wood Wide Web”“, writes Tim Lewis, from The Guardian.
America’s most famous mycologist, the fungal evangelist and tycoon Paul Stamets[4], who runs the multimillion-dollar business “Fungi Perfecti”[5], writes in his book “Mycelium Running”: “We need to have a paradigm shift in our consciousness. If we don’t get our act together and come in commonality and understanding with the organisms that sustain us today, not only will we destroy those organisms, but we will destroy ourselves.”
Brazilian environmental journalist Eliane Brum hails US anthropologist Dr. Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing’s prize-winning book, “The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins” as “one of the most original works of this new millennium.” Tsing’s work is peppered with inspired observations such as: “We can’t grow extra limbs, and we’re stuck with the one brain we’ve each got.” “Fungi are famous for changing shape in relation to their encounters and environments.” “We are contaminated by our encounters…” “Collaboration means working across difference, which leads to contamination. Without collaborations, we all die.” “The important stuff for life on earth happens in those transformations, not in the decision trees of self-contained individuals.” “Precarity is the condition of being vulnerable to others.” “Such indeterminacy expands our concept of human life, showing us how the uncontrolled lives of mushrooms are a gift—and a guide—when the controlled world we thought we had, fails.”
The time is now. One climate catastrophe chases the next showing us clearly that the exploitation of the planet has left us standing on fragile ground. In contrast, fungi have proven that they can provide sustainable solutions for many of our pressing environmental problems.
Mushrooms can reduce animal farming through alternatives. For example, vegan bacon, can be produced cheaper and with much less water (8 vs. 1.200 liters per kilo!) and on top is healthier, because it’s high in fiber and protein, and has one fifth the fat[6]. Another kind of fungi product, yeast supplements, have become an important pillar of a balanced vegan diet. Leather alternatives made from mushrooms are growing in popularity[7]. (The seat-covers of Mercedes’ latest high-end sportscar are made from mushroom leather[8]. Adidas recently came out with a mushroom-based concept shoe[9].) Toxic dyes can be replaced with harmless natural mushroom dyes[10] and portobello mushrooms show promise in replacing the graphite in lithium batteries. Our plastic waste[11] problems, like Styrofoam packaging or cups that fill a third of our landfills, can be solved by using a very similar mushroom product that sequesters carbon and biodegrades within weeks[12]. TNT and Dioxin, as well as oil and radiation spills can be “eaten” up by mushrooms, and so can waste from food and building processes, even plastic, all materials that would otherwise end up in landfills[13].
What many don’t know is that the construction sector is the biggest environmental destroyer of all. But many toxic building materials produced with huge amounts of energy, can be replaced with mushroom products that are sustainable and higher performing. A mycelium insulation has been developed that outperforms almost every traditional petrochemical construction material in its thermal and acoustic properties, while being safe and non-toxic. Mycelium insulation can be grown from toxic byproducts because it manages to break down petrochemicals and other substances into harmless, biodegradable hydrocarbons. Mycelium “wood” is grown by feeding the root system of mushrooms with waste. The result is a carbon-neutral building material that is so versatile it can be used as a wood-substitute in construction and furniture-making. Mushroom-based concrete is in development[14].
Transitioning from fossil fuel to electric power is a big step forward. A serious problem is that this requires lots of batteries, produced out of toxic materials, mined under destructive conditions. The latest breakthrough are biodegradable batteries out of fungi[15]!
And let’s not forget: in the 1940s, penicillin, derived from the Penicillium fungus, became the first mass-produced antibiotic, saving millions of lives and making a significant contribution to the Allied victory in World War II.
Asian medicine has used mushrooms for millennia, while Western surgeons recently developed an effective skin substitute from mushrooms to help heal wounds.
And once our journey on this planet comes to an end, we may depart in style. Whereas the cremation of a person takes as much energy as a car ride across the United States, a mushroom suit or coffin helps decompose our quite toxic bodies[16] in no time.
For better or worse, psychedelics helped Steve Jobs[17] to invent the iPhone. But we need to expand our thinking way beyond the outdated product focused capitalist system in its last, extremely exploitative excesses. When imagining alternatives, magic mushrooms prove to be very helpful. Mushrooms are increasingly being used to treat OCD, PTSD, and depression[18], mental health problems that have a debilitating hold on millions. They also help smokers, alcoholics[19] and opioid addicts in recovery, something quite important in the face of the present overdose epidemic, particularly in the US. Rooted in the traditional use of mushrooms by rich indigenous cultures from Siberia to the Amazon, there’s now a huge boom of people and companies investing in the research of the positive sides of psychoactive substances, found in nature or grown in labs[20].
The war on drugs is essentially over. The legalization of magic mushrooms is on the agenda of quite a few governments[21]. They’re finally waking up to the fact that this war has cost billions and billions, senselessly incarcerating millions[22]. Only resulting in a growing public health crisis of more, worse, and deadlier drugs on today’s streets. In more and more countries, the decriminalization and legalization of psychedelic substances is now seen as beneficial to health, welfare, and business[23].
Thanks to indigenous traditions, mushrooms were never criminalized in Brazil and the country has legislation that allows healers, psychiatrists, and individuals to use magic mushrooms, with few limitations.
Below is the growing list of countries where it is already legal, sometimes with restrictions, to consume magic mushrooms:
Austria, the Bahamas, Brazil, the British Virgin Islands, Italy, Jamaica, Moldova, Nepal, the Netherlands, Portugal, Samoa, Serbia, Spain, and parts of the USA[24].
The center’s aesthetic could be called “Philippe Starck on mushrooms”. Vibrantly alive, the place is neither meant to be quaint nor a plasticized Disneyland. In fact: no plastic at all. The place, sporadically redesigned by artists, will be worth a trip from afar to see, and especially to experience. Certainly, a delight for children[25] too.
The concept is to unite the following departments under one roof:
Downstairs:
Some of the mushrooms will be sold in the shop, some will be served in the center’s restaurant, others will be delivered to restaurants, stores, and individuals.
Also on offer will be the service of a safety check of wild mushrooms people have picked on their own[29].
Upstairs:
The trippily decorated, aesthetically pleasing and visually stimulating polyvalent space with its large windows looking out onto the tree-lined square, will be used for activities like:
Overall, it shall be a “safe space” to satisfy one’s curiosity about mushrooms or even “be on mushrooms”. To achieve this, it will be essential that the different departments are run and staffed by sensitive people that are an inclusive mix of ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. And that each of them receives the customers with a friendly, open heart. To ensure this, it will be important that each department commits to giving their team decent working conditions. The diverse jobs that the center will create will be a springboard for young people of all educational levels and social classes, but especially the underprivileged. We’ll establish a volunteer program, offering positions for people to come and not only learn but also share their skills and knowledge, and help increase the center’s network.
Each department will be taken on by an individual or a group ensuring that their part of the whole will be operated in a responsible and accountable way. A person or a group that on one hand is full of initiative, on the other, willing to work in a context where it’s essential that one’s doings correlate with the other departments and the sentiment of the project as a whole. Jane & Tomi (more about them in the next chapter) will take care of the framework, make sure the infrastructure of the building works, that the basic concept is understood and preserved, and help the different departments work together in a joyful proactive way. Weekly meetings between the department heads will synchronize the whole mushroom machinery, foster collaboration, and counter any inter-center competition. The long-term goal is to learn from fungi and build a decentralized supportive network between all involved, just as fungi do. How different our society would function if we took fungi as our organizational model!
As external team members we need:
An essential part of this person’s work will be to run a calendar with all the activities and events of the center. From the cinema’s program to the menu of the restaurant, from table reservations to seminar inscriptions. But also, about mushroom related events far beyond the mushroom center.
In addition, the online platform will serve as a virtual store selling the products from the various departments of the center.
This person will also motivate people, institutions, and companies to become members or patrons, approach donors locally (SES) and internationally, apply locally and internationally for funding, subsidies and sponsoring in the form of money, but also free flights and hotels for invited specialists, or free printing and advertising.
Brazil is somewhat exceptional in that it’s legal to grow, dry and sell magic mushrooms. However, extracting the psychoactive substance or selling them for human consumption is illegal, unless there is a prescription from a psychiatrist confirming that it is consumed as part of a treatment.
To stay within the current legal parameters, the magic mushrooms need to be clearly labeled as collectibles, artifacts to be taken home for study purposes only. And prominently placed signs need to announce that they are not for consumption. It might seem a bit silly, but it’s the Brazilian way to navigate the gray zone of local mushroom laws. And so far, it has worked well, in Brazil there hasn’t been a single court case related to mushrooms.
The center plans to recruit as many members as possible: From mushroom aficionados in the neighborhood, to those at the other end of the planet. From free memberships to big sponsors. It will be important to encourage members from the most diverse stratospheres to participate and interact. Be it in the center itself, be it on the platform on the internet. Mushrooms and the interest in them, know neither borders nor social barriers. While some seminars and workshops will be intended for a professional audience, others will be aimed at addressing a wide audience.
On a more exclusive level we’re building a circle of local and international “godparents”. These mentors will add prestige to the center, keep an eye on the center’s activities, and keep us informed about advances, trends, and global connections in the mushroom world.
Tomi Streiff, a Swiss filmmaker, born in Basel, the city where LSD was discovered. There he was one of the leading organizers of the cultural center “Alte Stadtgärtnerei”. After living in New York, then Buenos Aires, twelve years ago Tomi settled in Rio de Janeiro’s historic neighborhood Gamboa. Besides exploring the world as a cinematographer and through the imaginary stories of his screenplays, he also extensively explored inner worlds through psychedelics. In Brazil, in particular, through healing rituals with Ayahuasca.
Jane Hallisey, an Irish and North American screenwriter and painter raised in the Northeast of the USA. Jane and Tomi met in the fencing salle of New York University. Since their NY days they are traveling together. Eighteen years ago, while still living in Buenos Aires, their daughter Manouk Pipistrella joined the journey, making the three of them South American citizens. And two years ago they initiated the neighborhood movement “Viva Livramento” to transform a neglected inner-city street into a model for a greener Rio, lined with refreshing trees.
Increasingly alarmed by the climate crisis that especially their daughter’s generation will have to face, they searched for solutions and discovered that the world of fungi offers many valuable opportunities that need to be implemented as soon as possible. This ignited their curiosity and the desire to grow mushrooms themselves. While studying how best to go about this, they discovered that there are already plenty of competent, climate-conscious growers and producers, locally and internationally. Also, that these days there is a huge amount of people interested in the potential of Fungi. What’s still lacking is a strong network between them, and the broader public. This is why they decided to create the “Central dos Cogumelos”, a cultural center that puts mushrooms where they belong: center stage.
Tomi & Jane are merely the initiators. They are working on bringing together a capable team to construct and then run the center. The goal is to create a flexible structure that houses under one roof diverse “departments” so they can flourish autonomously. Each department has its own legal identity (like stores in a museum or an alternative shopping mall), but pursues, in constant exchange with the others, a common objective, philosophy and aesthetics.
For a lot of people, the change of presidents on the 1st of January 2023 brought hope for a lot of people. Many once again believe that Brazil can become a place where people perceive themselves as part of the wonderful nature with which they live in harmony, instead of destroying it through exploitation to the max. With the help of its indigenous peoples, who have always been at the forefront of psychedelic medicine and the protection of the land, Brazil, the guardian of the Amazon, the lungs of our planet, has the potential to lead the way. This atmosphere of hope is the ideal sprouting ground for our project.
“Central dos Cogumelos” will be housed in a historic two-story building facing Praça Harmonia, located in Gamboa, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro’s colonial port district. The old beauty stands on the corner of an intact block of preserved houses facing the park. Three buildings down, the gallery Inclusartiz[44] opened its doors. Only a hundred meters away there is a VLT stop of the tram network built for the Olympics. Flanking the south side of the plaza is the Moinho Fluminense[45], the city’s beautiful and enormous former flour mill, that opened in 1887 and operated continuously until mill operations were moved to Rio’s outskirts in 2016. Since then, there have been various projects to turn this historic complex with its towering silos into apartments, offices, a hotel, a restaurant, a hospital, and a shopping mall with cinema. But like many of Rio’s great projects it got stalled, and the buildings have stood empty for eight years. Recently however, there has been a change of owners and new efforts to realize a modified project are underway. We believe in the not-too-distant future, the Moinho will become our big new neighbor, which will bring dramatically more people to the plaza and thus to the gates of our center.
A good decade ago, when oil prices were high and Brazil’s economy booming, the city grabbed the “privilege” to host the World Cup and the Olympics. One of the big promises was to revitalize the centrally located, historic port area that had been abandoned for several decades. To restore it to its former splendor, the city started pumping millions into the area. The models were Port Vell of Barcelona, Puerto Madero of Buenos Aires, and Manhattan’s South Street Seaport. Some projects, such as the VLT tramway, the transfer of traffic into a tunnel under the new pedestrian Boulevard Olympico, the MAR Museum and Calatrava’s Museo de Amanhã on Praça Maua, were realized. But when the oil prices tumbled, the economic crisis hit, and the money ran out quickly. In consequence the revitalization never reached Praça Harmonia. And so, the neighborhood has remained a bit rough to this day, but by no means dangerous. (We moved to Gamboa twelve years ago, ran a hostel here during the World Cup and the following Carnaval, and never had a single incident. Something most people staying in Copacabana or Ipanema unfortunately can’t claim.) In 2021, the dynamic mayor who led the city through the Olympics was re-elected. He seems determined to finally see his project through, and so lately there have been renewed strong efforts to revitalize this great neighborhood.
But the bohemian port area isn’t just charming, it is also of historic importance. Just a five-minute walk from where “Central dos Cogumelos” will sprout, sits the Valongo Pier. Bearing an incredibly painful history, it was unearthed in 2011, and in 2017 became an UNESCO world heritage site. This is THE place in the New World where the largest number of forcibly enslaved Africans disembarked, never to see home again. After killing and oppressing the indigenous peoples, this was the second move to complete the cruel rule the Portuguese inflicted upon this paradise. We hope our mushroom project can help to heal some of the deep, unresolved scars that keep Brazil from blooming. For example, through psylocibin-supported group therapy that helps Afro-Brazilians process their collective ancestral slavery trauma, similar as in established programs in Jamaica and the US[46].
The area, also known as Pequena Africa, is the birthplace of samba. It’s close to the Cidade do Samba where the top samba schools build their floats, the Sambadrome where they parade, and the world-famous Maracanã football stadium. Despite all these attractions, the neglected neighborhood is only now coming out of its slumber. Local and newly arriving artists are thriving here, new bars and clubs are joining the established neighborhood haunts, and out on the square carnival blocos rehearse their samba and forró. Still a somewhat hidden gem, Gamboa is the most up and coming neighborhood Rio has to offer. No wonder “Time Out” declared Saúde/Gamboa one of the 49 coolest neighborhoods in the world[47]! And the government bank BNDES just announced that they will invest 20 million Reais into cultural and urbanistic projects within the territory of Pequena Africa, to turn it into a cultural district with an open air museum about the African diaspora.
When one realizes how conveniently located Praça Harmonia is, it seems almost unreal what a dreamy rural atmosphere has been preserved here. Seated between the cruise ship harbor and the commercial center of the city, it’s just a short walk to AquaRio (South America’s largest aquarium), RioStar (Rio’s London Eye), Pedra do Sal, Trapiche da Gamboa, and the Boulevard Olímpico. By bicycle one can reach the Center, Lapa, the national airport, the main bus terminal, and the main train station “Central do Brasil”, in less than ten minutes.
The building that will house the “Central dos Cogumelos” was built around 1900. We initiated the project by buying this crumbling old beauty. In the meantime, we saved it by stabilizing the outside walls, the second floor, and the staircase with steel structures, and by having a new roof put on. An architect drew up the renovation plans and the city approved them. The raw, empty shell is ready to be revived to house the mushroom center. But quite an investment is needed to turn it into a pretty, historically correct renovated building with a functioning modern infrastructure. And then to install the infrastructure to run two stores, a restaurant/bar/café, and the small cinema in the upstairs “ballroom”.
Of course, we will strive to ensure that after the renovation the building is energy sustainable. In Brazil, the sun is abundant and so one of the tasks of the center will be to show that you it’s easily possible to produce your entire hot water and electricity on site.
In the back of the upper floor there will be a small terrace with a cast-iron railing. The wide sidewalk in front of the building, towards the plaza, we will even out and cover with a dotted mushroom out of Pedra Portuguesa, Rio’s traditional black and white cobblestones. A flag with Brazil’s famous main train station “Central do Brasil” topped by a red dotted magic mushroom (see page 1) will, visible from afar, catch the breeze and people’s attention.
In good weather (which is most of the time in Rio) visitors can sit outside at café tables. During bigger events the center’s activities have the possibility to grow onto the square out in front.
We have no doubt that “Central dos Cogumelos” will be a success and a valuable contribution to the desperately needed paradigm shift that will help us heal our planet.
But to claim that the center will become a great financial success would be illusory and deceiving. Running a specialty restaurant and an alternative cinema in a soon-to-be revitalized neighborhood isn’t the big moneymaker. Attracting investors to support the project because they hope to make big bucks won’t work. Our intention is to convince individuals and institutions of the non-monetary, idealistic value of this project. We would like to ask them to support the global movement to put mushrooms center stage, while participating in the revitalization of a historically significant neighborhood in an emerging country. Especially in the rich, more privileged world, we hope to find people, foundations and companies willing to support this project happening in the less privileged part of the planet. Here their money has a bigger purchasing power and therefore a much greater impact than it would have back home.
We have the location, and the basic structure of the building has been renovated. The next big step to get the center on its way is to reach out and raise the needed amount via sponsorships, donations, grants, and patronages.
| Item | ca. € |
|---|---|
|
Original price to buy the building (achieved) |
190.000 |
|
Primary basic renovation (achieved) |
125.000 |
|
Remaining renovation |
200.000
|
|
Solar installation |
50.000 |
|
Interior design |
50.000 |
|
Installation of the infrastructure of the different departments: |
|
|
– Mushroom store (Cooled display cases, shelves, fridges, mushroom dryer on mezzanine) |
15.000 |
|
– Small boutique for mushroom-related objects (Shelves, display cases, counter) |
4.000 |
|
– Bar (Counter, shelves, fridges, sinks, glasses, and the same, but reduced, for events held upstairs) |
9.000 |
|
– Café (Espresso machine, plates, cups, glasses, silverware) |
6.000 |
|
– Library (Shelves, books, copy machine) |
5.000 |
|
– Restaurant (Kitchen with stove, oven, air-fryer, fridges, dishwasher, sinks, preparation tables, exhaust duct, shelves, cabinets, tables, chairs, plates, cups, glasses, silverware) |
50.000 |
|
– Mezzanine: Storage closets and shelves for all departments |
4.000 |
|
– Cinema (Screen, beamer, sound system, chairs) |
12.000 |
|
– DJ system |
3.000 |
|
– Dumbwaiter that connects downstairs, mezzanine, and upstairs |
10.000 |
|
2 x 2 years managers’ salaries to build and then run the place |
100.000 |
|
First year salary for: 1 x Web Manager, 1 x Fundraiser, 3 x 1/3 Chief Financial Officer, Accountant and Auditor, 1/3 x Attorney, 1/3 x Psychiatrist |
88.000 |
|
Contingency to cover potential deficits of running the various departments the first year |
50.000 |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
971.000 |
|
|
|
|
Already invested |
-315.000 |
|
|
|
|
TO BE RAISED |
656.000 |
It’s a considerable amount we need to get “Central dos Cogumelos” fully up and running. But actually, it’s little for something that educates on so many levels how to reverse the climate catastrophe. Especially when you consider that the US government recently authorized their highest military budget ever: US$ 886 billions for weapons to destroy our planet even more efficiently. (Meanwhile the US pledged a laughable US$ 17.5 million to provide financial support to developing countries suffering severe impacts from climate change[48]).
It’s all relative. While the alternating devastation by floods and droughts that bring huge fires is constantly increasing, wars keep endlessly raging in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere despite being very costly in human, financial and especially ecological terms. While the Swiss glaciers have shrunk in the last year by 10%, anyone invested in the stock market still makes plenty of money.
To actively tackle the urgent situation we’re all facing, we founded “Central dos Cogumelos”. To obtain the necessary financial support for this Brazilian non-profit organization/institute, but also for other mushroom-related initiatives in the respective countries, we founded the non-profit association “Pro Fungi”, in Switzerland as well as in Brazil. The US branch is still in progress.
The plan is for “Central dos Cogumelos” to be fully operational within two years, at which point we hope the center to be financially self-sufficient. Any additional funds, especially for special events, will be raised by its fundraising person.
Can you help? With funding? With advice and ideas? With connections to people, foundations, institutions, companies, etc. that might have money and/or advice? Or might you be personally interested in getting involved with the “Central dos Cogumelos” in one of the many capacities? Or do you know someone who might be interested? If you can’t help personally, can you help by putting the word out there?
Thank you very much for considering being a partner in this project!
[1]https://www.drugtimes.org/magic-mushrooms/intoxications-and-the-oldest-known-mushroom-cult-in-africa.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_Sabinahttps://books.google.com.br/books?id=Jj8EAAAAMBAJlpg=PA100ots=biwwlEN8c4pg=PA100redir_esc=y#v=onepageqf=false
[2]https://www.merlinsheldrake.com/entangled-lifehttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/magazine/merlin-sheldrake-fungi.html?searchResultPosition=1
[3]https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-largest-organism-is-fungus/
[4]https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/30353.Paul_Stametshttps://www.azquotes.com/author/17406-Paul_Stametshttps://www.brainyquote.com/authors/paul-stamets-quoteshttps://fungi.com/pages/about-ushttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7agK0nkiZpAhttps://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world?language=en
[6]https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=286052882974874https://www.mushroomcouncil.com/sustainability/story/https://www.footprintcoalition.com/atlast
[7]
https://www.mycoworks.com/fine-mycelium-an-advanced-materials-platform
https://www.mylo-unleather.com/
https://www.fastcompany.com/40562633/this-leather-is-made-from-mushrooms-not-cows
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PEsKByJ8eI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3_rqM3w_-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcrKZrNFVDA
https://www.mycoworks.com/thisisnotleather/
[8]https://www.instagram.com/p/CYU_2QLvXAU/https://www.dbs.com/newsroom/Indonesian_mushroom_based_fashion_collection_showcased_at_Paris_fashion_week_as_part_of_sustainable_evolution
[9]Stan Smith Mylo™: Feito com cogumeloshttps://www.adidas.com/us/blog/663481-stan-smith-mylotm-made-using-mushrooms
[10]
https://www.mushroomcoloratlas.com/
[11]
https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/groenland-schweiz-forscher-finden-pilze-und-bakterien-die-plastik-bei-niedriger-temperatur-fressen-a-360289bc-af52-4992-a3b2-bfb356555ea2https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-15/plastic-eating-fungi-discovery-raises-hopes-for-recycling-crisis/102219310https://oceanblueproject.org/plastic-eating-enzymehttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782#abstract
[12]
https://www.ecovative.com/pages/where-to-find-ushttps://www.ecovative.com/
[13]
https://crclr.org/article/2017-05-01-6-ways-mushrooms-can-help-save-the-planethttps://thegaiaproject.ca/en/4-ways-mushrooms-can-save-the-planet-shape-our-future/
[14]
[15]
www.instagram.com/p/C1UufupyRb9/?hl=en
[16]
[17]
https://healthland.time.com/2011/10/06/jobs-had-lsd-we-have-the-iphone/https://www.thedailybeast.com/billionaire-german-investor-christian-angermayer-says-mushrooms-are-key-to-his-success
[18]
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220606-psilocybin-how-psychedelic-drugs-might-treat-depressionhttps://healthland.time.com/2011/06/16/magic-mushrooms-can-improve-psychological-health-long-termhttps://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/mike-tyson-says-psychedelics-saved-his-life-now-he-hopes-they-can-change-world-2021-05-28/https://www.psypost.org/2021/03/case-report-consumption-of-psilocybin-containing-mushrooms-results-in-amelioration-of-ocd-symptoms-60189https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/opinion/oregon-psychedelic-therapy.htmlCOGUMELOS MÁGICOS, TRATAMENTOS IDEM – YouTubehttps://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/02/health/psilocybin-magic-mushroom-depression-wellness/index.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86fuPcla1tA
[19]
https://apnews.com/article/mushroom-psychedelic-alcoholism-study-a3b6692ae7590de9fd09a7cac271a199https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325967625_Psychedelic_therapy_for_smoking_cessation_Qualitative_analysis_of_participant_accounts
[20]
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/05/20/psychedelic-medicine-company-approved-to-study-sublingual-psilocybin-for-major-depressive-disorder/?sh=175a4702adaahttps://archive.ph/jAJld
[21]
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/opinion/sunday/drug-legalization-mdma-psilocybin.html?smid=fb-sharefbclid=IwAR2qtNdc2PUlkaTdFIdZhmFuw4OU2eKqamzIIlXgyulbwhEqTFOtHYTjeMwlogin=emailauth=login-emailhttps://tripsitter.com/legal/switzerland/https://twitter.com/DennisMcKenna4/status/1559922704421048321/photo/1https://archive.ph/gajHN/https://www.fox13news.com/news/first-legal-mushroom-dispensary-in-u-s-opens-in-ybor-city
[22]
https://drugpolicy.org/issues/drug-war-statistics
[23]
https://observer.com/2020/10/why-magic-mushrooms-are-the-next-big-booming-and-legal-drug-market/
[24]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_status_of_psilocybin_mushroomshttps://www.instagram.com/p/ChmL4zPqRsX/https://qz.com/1927366/the-us-election-is-opening-the-magic-mushroom-market/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/04/oregon-becomes-first-state-to-legalize-magic-mushrooms-as-more-states-ease-drug-laws.html
[25]
https://www.google.com/search?q=fondazione+prada+mushroom+sculptureclient=firefox-b-dsxsrf=ALiCzsbeHy6i2h8AAdHZR7ZdVod0bdj6Mg:1661442677244source=lnmstbm=ischsa=Xved=2ahUKEwiEzt2krOL5AhVUt5UCHTRQDDsQ_AUoAXoECAEQAwbiw=1680bih=870dpr=2https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/o-que-fazer-no-rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2023/02/25/simbiose-mostra-no-rio-mergulha-no-mundo-dos-fungos.ghtml
[26]
https://www.mushroomcouncil.com
https://smallhold.myshopify.com/products/mushrooms-in-the-middle
https://sobre.juntalocal.com/produtores/amoki
https://www.speisepilze.ch/pilzarten
https://www.pilzgarten.info/produkte/
https://www.eatthis.com/news-side-effect-eating-mushrooms/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP3prhjWtlU
[27]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942920https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/29/functional-funghi-can-medicinal-mushrooms-really-improve-peoples-healthhttps://holisticprimarycare.net/topics/traditions/medicinal-mushrooms-nature-s-original-smart-drugshttps://mushroom.egr.uh.edu/research/https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,0d0f121956dd501b,185479042f290e6d.htmlhttps://www.yinovacenter.com/blog/medicinal-mushrooms-a-chinese-medicine-tradition/
[28]
https://www.sirius.nl/en/magictruffleshop/https://www.cogumelosmagicosshop.com/https://kosmickombi.com.br/cogumelos-magicos-comprarhttps://www.leafly.com/learn/psychedelics/types-of-psychedelics/mushrooms-psilocybin6 FATOS SOBRE COGUMELOS MÁGICOS E PSILOCIBINA – YouTubehttps://www.naturezasana.com/
[29]
[30]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7826851/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310797100_Medicinal_mushroomshttps://fungi.com/https://www.instagram.com/mushbarn/
[31]
https://www.pilzland.ch/pilze-im-eigenen-garten/https://www.magic-mushrooms-shop.com/en/b-magic-mushroom-cubensis-grow-kit.html
[32]
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/realestate/mushroom-home-decor.html?smid=nytcore-ios-sharereferringSource=articleSharehttps://www.etsy.com/market/mushroom_fairy_lamphttps://www.baggu.com/products/bath-towel-mushrooms
[33]
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-dq=mushroom+cocktailshttps://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/04/20/magic-mushrooms-the-next-big-thing-beverages
[34]
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mushroom-coffee#how-its-made
[35]
https://www.kinoko-oukoku.com/en/https://amanoshokudo.jp/season/16852/https://www.google.com/maps/place/Donnet/@-34.5882436,-58.4506394,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipMQJph4QCKNDE4Mu3BVF4Tyivn4x_UjFZ7HJgF0!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMQJph4QCKNDE4Mu3BVF4Tyivn4x_UjFZ7HJgF0%3Dw86-h129-k-no!7i853!8i1280!4m5!3m4!1s0x95bcb5ef83766fa9:0x5a5e6ae6bcc4cd7e!8m2!3d-34.588273!4d-58.4508238
[36]
https://www.fungially.com/blogs/growing-mushrooms/how-to-develop-mushroom-garden-outside-inside
https://www.mushroom-cultivation.com/blog/how-to-start-a-mushroom-farm
https://www.speisepilze.ch/startseite
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycena_chlorophos
https://www.darrenlebaron.com/about
[37]
https://www.theancestorproject.com/https://canexjamaica.com/psychedelics/?ck_subscriber_id=1184764030
[38]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw_afz7kkushttps://www.leafly.com/learn/psychedelics/how-to-dose-mushrooms?__cf_chl_tk=BBAjrmWTrbWqoJm7aU2ssy__13rBl_DbsKOT4VvBRW8-1661798944-0-gaNycGzNCj0https://www.zamnesia.com/blog-fresh-vs-dried-magic-mushrooms-n2375https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYsQDiVwZbEt=1shttps://drugpolicy.org/issues/real-drug-educationhttps://www.youtube.com/c/Drugslab
[39]
[40]
https://observatory.synthesisretreat.com/12-mind-expanding-documentaries-about-psychedelics?fbclid=IwAR0RyHLiNiCGPF0qbBcITVgsx1Y7KxjD-c8xNDHpydFdWYXxf4mvhKm09c8https://linktr.ee/fungifilmfest
[41]
https://www.radicalmycology.com/https://www.instagram.com/radmycology/https://www.google.com.br/books/edition/Radical_Mycology/Aq1wjwEACAAJ?hl=en
[42]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvdZENrYxi4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3rDdOKmGqU
[43]
[44]
http://inclusartiz.org/en/home-en/#
[45]
[46]
www.instagram.com/p/C0UdXNOIdfUhttps://the-ancestor-project.teachable.com/p/therapy-for-bipochttps://maps.org/bulletin-the-now-and-the-known/?utm_source=pardotutm_medium=emailutm_campaign=2023-bulletin-n3utm_content=bulletin-the-now-and-the-known
[47]
https://www.timeout.com/coolest-neighbourhoods-in-the-world
[48]
Film: “Fantastic Fungi”
https://www.netflix.com/watch/81183477?trackId=14277281tctx=-97%2C-97%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C
Also on: YouTube, Google Play Movie & Apple TV
Series: “How to Change Your Mind” – Chapter 2 Psilocybin
https://www.netflix.com/watch/81164525?trackId=14277283tctx=-97%2C-97%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C%2C80229847
https://www.nzz.ch/panorama/pilze-mysterioese-und-nuetzliche-gewaechse-ld.1694262
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH7U-Nbxg0s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxj79jtM1cI
https://psychedelicspotlight.com/fantastic-fungi-facts-psychedelic-mushroom-netflix-documentary/
“Central dos Cogumelos”, the world’s first cultural center dedicated to mushrooms.
Rua do Livramento 90 – Gamboa, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20221-193, Brazil,
Tel. +55-21-3145-3003,
mobile: +55-21-99606-9009
Breisacherstr. 60,
4057 Basel, Switzerland,
Tel. +41-61-692-8539
124 E. Broadway, Top Fl.,
New York, NY 10002, USA,
Tel. +1-212-349-8747