I’m Greg Bowen, the founder of “Geofile,” a social media platform dedicated to celebrating world cultures and supporting environmental conservation efforts. In an era where the major social platforms are all controlled by profit-driven billionaires, we offer an open-source, non-profit alternative. We understand your frustration with intrusive ads, and that’s why Geofile is different. Our only advertisements come from vetted aid organizations and NGOs committed to improving our communities.
At Geofile, accessible at https://geofile.org, we provide a safe and reliable space where you will have access to donation portals, a place to find events and protests, and a networking hub for individuals dedicated to positive change. With Geofile, you can connect with like-minded startup entrepreneurs and change-makers, all while championing cultural diversity and environmental causes.
Social media for change.
Here’s what Geofile offers:
Cultural Celebration: Immerse yourself in the beauty of global cultures. Geofile is your passport to connecting with people who share your passion for cultural exploration.
Environmental Advocacy: Join hands with environmental champions. Geofile is where activists unite to make a real impact on our planet.
Non-Profit, Open-Source: We’re driven by a commitment to non-profit values and open-source principles, ensuring our platform remains free from profit-driven agendas.
Community Resources: Access donation portals, event calendars, and networking opportunities to further your causes and projects.
Advertising with Purpose: Our advertisements come from verified organizations dedicated to community improvement and environmental protection.
Startup Networking: Connect with startup entrepreneurs and individuals focused on positive change.
Long Format Content: Not only can you interact with people in your timeline, but we also offer tools to create long-format articles to share with the community.
We know you might wonder how Geofile sustains itself without corporate ads. It’s simple:
No Large Advertising Budgets: We don’t have large advertising budgets, instead relying on grassroots efforts and word of mouth.
Niched Space: We are niched and put all of our energy into our users.
No Large Salaries: As a non-profit organization, we don’t have inflated salaries, nor do we need to answer to corporate interests.
Donations: Part of our funding comes in the form of donations from vetted organizations and individual donors. These contributions enable us to continue championing cultural diversity and environmental awareness.
I invite you to explore Geo at https://geofile.org and join us in fostering a world where cultural appreciation and environmental protection flourish. Your feedback, engagement, and voice are instrumental in shaping the Geofile community.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, ask questions, or connect with us on our platform. Together, we can create a meaningful and lasting impact on the world.
Thank you for your time and support.
Warm regards,
Greg Bowen Founder of Geofile
The park in Ashland, Oregon is really quite beautiful. It is a small town that sets itself apart by featuring an extraordinary park. This is a green space that doesn’t really end, but rather wends its way into the hills, ultimately disappearing into the wilderness that is the Pacific Northwest. It has a delightful creek running its length and presents itself in full splendor every season of the year. It was designed by the same man who designed the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. He is known for designing only two parks, and our small town has one of them.
Over the course of a year, I was walking its length and started noticing something unusual. On one particular picnic table, a series of natural wreaths were carefully arranged, each one unique and artistically arranged. Were they connected to the memorial plaque? Was it an art project of some kind? My curiosity got the better of me and I redoubled my efforts, determined to find who was responsible.
On a cold spring day, my wish finally came true. To my delight, I found the woman behind these heartfelt creations. Dottie has lived her whole life here in Ashland and she shared with me a touching story about her husband and his role in the community.
The wreaths were indeed related to the memorial plaque, an expression of her love and a tribute to her late husband. Dottie explained that sometimes people added their own touches to her wreaths, but she always has the final say, and rightfully so!
I took a break soon after and went to Europe and the Oregon Coast. Returning, a year later, I found a new wreath, in the same spot, on the same picnic table. It was at this moment that I felt the significance of this story. The commitment and care we share with loved ones is as durable as it is beautiful, as extraordinary as it is kind.
The Treehouse
SANCTUARY OF THE MANOA VALLEY
High above the noise and frantic energy of Honolulu, a century-old banyan tree serves as the spiritual and structural backbone for a series of interconnected dwellings known as “. The Treehouse.” Attached to the open lanai of a Japanese style home and looking down onto the beaches of Waikiki, this is a network of people focused on the future and living in harmony with their surroundings.
A Living Jungle
SIX STORIES ABOVE THE FOREST FLOOR
From the street, what looks to be a typical suburban home gives way to a structure that defies any sense and what we are accustomed. Visitors are met with familiar furnishings that transition seamlessly into a living jungle. There are no double-paned windows or plaster walls to offer protection. This is life in the raw, at the center of an unruly and electrified natural world. High above a tropical river, hand-crafted structures are strung together with vines and intuition, thin mosquito nets offering little comfort against strong winds and a teeming ecosystem. Here you are vulnerable, one amongst thousands of creatures out to survive the night.
This adventure requires the trust of a guide and whatever battery is left on your cell phone. There are several levels, some more sturdy than others, some only accessible to those who are athletic enough to reach them. It is up to the visitor how far this goes, every step over sixty feet in the air. When the night finally relents, a chorus of birds takes center stage, leaving those who stay relieved and thankful to be a part of the natural world.
Marine Debris
LIVING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT
The treehouse stands in opposition to a selfish and myopic society with those who come here dedicated to improving the environment and our communities. The dwellings, fishnets, rope bridges, everything that you encounter has been reclaimed from the ocean. At times, it is hard to distinguish where the recycling ends and the tree begins. There are no right angles here, only twisting stairways and relics of faded decades. Staying as nature’s guest leaves a lasting impression of conservation, making do with what we have and hope for the future.
Tragic Tales and the Haunting Legacy of an Abandoned Frontier Town
Located in the heart of the American West, Golden, Oregon, holds a captivating yet potentially tragic history. Once a thriving mining settlement in the mid-1800s, Golden witnessed the rise and fall of fortune-seeking miners and the subsequent struggles faced by the Chinese immigrants who inhabited the town after its abandonment. Although piecing together the exact events of this bygone era is challenging, the enduring tales of hardship, injustice, and haunted remnants provide a window into the human experiences that unfolded within its borders.
As the Gold Rush frenzy subsided, miners from Golden sought more lucrative opportunities along the neighboring Salmon River, leaving the settlement virtually deserted. Chinese immigrants, who were no longer needed to extract wealth from diminishing claims, found themselves stranded in this forsaken frontier town. Bereft of regional support, they faced increasingly dire circumstances. Faced with severe malnourishment and desperation resulting from months of starvation, the Chinese population reportedly made a fatal decision—resorting to consuming poisonous lizards from the nearby creek.
Forgotten Injustices
American settler history often eludes concrete verification, with the many stories that are told residing somewhere between the realms of myth and folklore. The fate of Golden’s Chinese population remains shrouded in mystery, but the undeniable hardships they endured do not. Some events from our shared heritage are well recorded. In one of the most brutal injustices in the Northwest United States, a group of thirty-four Chinese gold miners fell victim to an ambush by horse thieves and schoolboys from Wallowa County. Despite investigations and subsequent trials, no one was held accountable for this crime. Over time, this massacre, along with numerous other tragedies, have been swept into history and nearly forgotten.
A Haunting Presence
Golden has long been associated with ghostly sightings and tales that have endured for generations. Visitors to this eerie ghost town are urged to spend a solitary moment in the town church, where the presence of former residents can almost be heard. Baptisms, marriages, funerals, everything important that happens, happened here, taking place under the watchful gaze of the wooden cross still standing above the pulpit. Regardless of personal beliefs in the supernatural, the weight of history hangs in the air, reminding us of the lives and stories that unfolded within these hallowed walls.
A Glimpse into the Recent Past
We often perceive the Wild West as a bygone era, relegated to the realm of ancient history. However, Golden’s story reminds us that this world is only a generation or two away—where saloon doors swung open, horse-drawn carriages traversed the streets, and candlelight illuminated daily life. Within its modest confines, Golden boasted all of the essential societal institutions, including a schoolhouse, courthouse, post office, and general store. Golden was a religious community, housing two churches for its mere 150 inhabitants. Beyond the town’s limits, a dance hall emerged in defiance of puritanical ways, providing hardworking miners relief from the rigor of frontier life. Local women, it is said, would gather there on party nights, chanting to ward off evil spirits and encourage a more righteous path.
The Human Face of History
A stroll through Golden serves as a poignant reminder that while fashions change, and technology advances, the important aspects of life remain largely the same. This community, with its short-lived existence spanning only 80 years, emerged with the promise of gold and faded with its absence. The turn of the century marked the departure of the last permanent residents, yet their memory lingers, encapsulated in the tombstones dotting the small graveyard.
A Testament to Impermanence
The American West is scattered with the remnants of abandoned towns, all serving as powerful reminders of our perpetual pursuit of a better life. These ghostly settlements stand as enduring testaments to the transient nature of human existence and the ever-present allure of prosperity. Each town carries its own distinctive history, often shrouded in the mystery of time, where tales have been rewritten or simply forgotten. While a fortunate few struck gold and achieved the unmistakable American dream, the majority faced the harsh realities of enduring long, unforgiving winters, their sacrifices ultimately yielding nothing to show but survival for their tireless efforts. The irresistible temptation of easy wealth drew multitudes to towns like Golden, Oregon, but for most, this was a difficult and unforgiving life.
