Memorable Eco-Quotes – Part I: By Native American Indians

Next month is “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month” and one of the best places to learn about the rich cultural history of our North American Indians and Alaskan Natives is thru the National Park Service (part of the U.S. Department of the Interior) which highlights a multitude of historic American Indian Properties open to the general public on their website – www.nps.gov/nr/feature/indian/. For most of us though, our knowledge of American Indian culture is deeply rooted in and limited to children’s cartoons, high school text books, and TV westerns featuring notable American Indians such as Pocahontas, Hiawatha, Sacajawea, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, Chief Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph, and Chief Tecumseh who represent just a tiny fraction of the numerous and distinctive Native American tribes that once inhabited the New World for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in October of 1492. For me, personally, I have always been fascinated by American Indian Spirituality which is eco-centered – influenced by Animal Symbolism and the “Circle of Life”, by ceremonial Sun and Rain Dances, and by the Pow-wow gathering of Nations and their tribal celebration of the “Spirit of the Harvest”. But to get a true sense of the Native American Indian belief system, their ‘eco-philosophy’, if you will, let us take a look at some of the most memorable quotes attributed to our Native American Indian brethren. I think you will be surprised by the natural ‘plain speaking’ of many of these proverbs and their relevance to today’s environmental issues.

1- “The frog does not drink up the pond in which he lives. “ – Sioux Proverb
2- “There is nothing as eloquent as a rattlesnakes tail.” – Navajo Proverb
3- “One rain does not make a crop.” – Creole Proverb
4- “When a man moves away from nature his heart becomes hard.” – Lakota Proverb
5- “Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins.” – Cheyenne Proverb
6- “We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.” – Dakota Proverb
7- “To touch the earth is to have harmony with nature.” – Oglala Sioux Proverb
8- “We are all one child spinning through Mother Sky.” – Shawnee Proverb
9- “The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our ancestors.” – Chief Plenty Coups, Crow Leader and Visionary (1848-1932)
10- “All things share the same breath – the beast, the tree, the man…the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.” – Chief Seattle (c.1780-1866)
11- “When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.” – Arapaho Proverb
12- “Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.” – Oglala Sioux Proverb
13- “What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” – Crowfoot, Blackfoot Warrior and Orator, Chief of the Siksika First Nation (c.1821-1890)
14- “I do not think the measure of a civilization 
is how tall its buildings of concrete are, 
But rather how well its people have learned to relate 
to their environment and fellow man.” – Sun Bear, Chippewa Medicine Man (1929-1992)
15- “Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught 
will we realize we cannot eat money. “ – Cree Proverb
16- “What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, Man would die from a great loneliness of the spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man.” – Chief Seattle
17- “When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear, when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them.” – Chief Seattle
18- “Honor the sacred. Honor the Earth, our Mother. Honor the Elders. Honor all with whom we share the Earth: Four-leggeds, two-leggeds, winged ones, Swimmers, crawlers, plant and rock people. Walk in balance and beauty.” – Anonymous Native American Elder
19- “Everything on the Earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.” – Mourning Dove, Pen Name of Christine Quintasket, Salish Ethnographer and Writer (1884-1936)

MY FAVORITE:
20- “May the Warm Winds of Heaven,
Blow softly upon your house.
May the Great Spirit, Bless all who enter there.
May your Mocassins Make happy tracks in many snows,
and may the Rainbow Always touch your shoulder.” –
Cherokee Prayer Blessing

Note that some things are universal no matter the culture!

Compare this Cherokee Prayer Blessing with its European counterpart – this Old Irish Blessing:

“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Garlic-Ribboned Wreaths, Egg Carton Bats, and Candy-Wrapper Costumes—Hey, It’s Cool To Be Green on Halloween!!!

Having Spooky Fun on Halloween doesn’t need to be expensive. Indeed according to the National Retail Federation, Americans this year are expected to pay $6.9 billion on costumes, candy, and decorations averaging out to about $72.31 per person. Now to cut down on all the waste that will be generated and save yourself some money, the only limitation on your budget will be your imagination – your green imagination – and there are plenty of sources out there to help you along the way when it comes to making your own Halloween decorations, costumes, and accessories out of reusable, secondhand, and eco-friendly biodegradable materials! A great reference guide to begin looking can be found on www.greenhalloween.org/. Below are some crafty examples of how you can save some money whilst saving the planet:

Green Costume Ideas:

1-Swap or Borrow Costumes – Find a Costume Swap near you. Check out www.Facebook.com/costumeswapday.
2- Reuse Old Costumes – Check out Goodwill stores near you or Goodwill’s online auction site. See www.shopgoodwill.com or www.locator.goodwill.org
3- Make Your Own Costume – There are many online sites that offer easy ideas for great costumes. Check out www.instructables.com – the Halloween Section.
4- Upcycle Your Recycling Bin – Look into your recycling bin for old cardboard boxes and make your own unique cardboard costumes – i.e. a monster truck, a cardboard box robot, a walking aquarium or a rubik’s cube. Check out www.costumeideazone.com.

Green Treat Ideas:

1- Make your own reusable trick-or-treating bag using old pillowcases or sewn up T-shirts or even an old lunchbox.
2- Give out greener goodies like organic granola bars and honey sticks. Check out Yummy Earth’s brand of organic lollipops and Bug Bites’ brand of organic milk chocolates as well.
3- Instead of candy – give out little trinkets to kids – stickers, 3-D cards, recycled whistles and spinning tops, seashells, polished rocks or crystals, beads, mini cookie cutters, mini toothpastes, seed packets, soy-based crayons, and yarn bracelets to name just a few.
4-Planning a Green Halloween Party? Check out Creepy Cuisine at Disney’s www.familyfun.go.com-Halloween Recipes or www.allrecipes.com-Halloween Treats.

Green Decoration Ideas:

1- Scary Brains made of dried cockscomb flowers. See www.marthastewart.com – Monster Bash Party Ideas.
2- A Halloween Banner made of leftover scraps of fabric – See www.theribbonretreat.com – Fabric Halloween Banner.
3- Jack-o’-Lantern Luminaries made of old metal coffee cans and soup cans. See Martha Stewart Holidays.
4- Do-It-Yourself Spider Webs made of old boat nets, cheesecloth, screen nettings or pipe cleaners crafts. See www.pepperdesignblog.com.

Are you ready now for a green blast of activities this Halloween? Don’t forget to check out your local pumpkin farm, zoo, or aquarium for special spooktacular eco-friendly events!

Ready for Some Environmental Rap? — How Well Can You Sing Your Eco-Measurement Terminology?

It’s been 40 years since Marvin Gaye wrote and produced his hit single “Mercy Mercy Me” – subtitled “The Ecology Song”.* Forty years later this beautifully crafted song is still as fresh and as relevant today as it ever was but what has dramatically changed since 1971 is the establishment of Eco-Standards – specifically new Eco-Measurement Standards – that companies, consumers, and governmental agencies alike are continually working on in order to compare the environmental impacts that different products, processes, and social initiatives have on planet Earth. The health of our environment is now being quantified and here are but a few of the more interesting eco-measurement developments that are appearing more and more in our everyday lexicon.

1-Carbon Footprint Standard- Introduced in 2008 by The Carbon Trust, the BSI British Standards, and the UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, the Carbon Footprint Standard is a new standard intended to help businesses assess the greenhouse gas emissions embedded in their goods and services throughout their entire life cycle.

2-Eco-Efficiency Ratio- Introduced in 1992 by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, it is essentially a Ratio comparison of ‘Product or Service Value / (Divided By) ‘Environmental Influence’. The numerator, ‘Product or Service Value’, is defined as “Net Sales” – the Quantity of Goods or Services Produced or Provided to Customers – and the denominator, ‘Environmental Influence’, is defined as Energy Consumption plus Materials Consumption, Water Consumption, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Ozone Depleting Substance Emissions.

3-Eco-Index- Launched in 2010 by the OIA (Outdoor Industry Association) and the European Outdoor Group, the Eco-Index is an Outdoor Industry Environmental Assessment Tool designed to be used by companies to incorporate environmental considerations and to advance sustainable practices across a product’s life cycle. It incorporates Environmental Guidelines, Performance Indicators, and Footprint Metrics to assess environmental impacts and improvements within six product life cycle stages: Materials, Packaging, Product Manufacturing and Assembly, Transport and Distribution, Use and Service, and End of Life.

4-Eco-Innovation Scoreboard (Eco-IS)- First published in 2010, the Eco-Innovation Scoreboard developed by the Eco-Innovation Observatory in Belgium is the first tool to assess and illustrate eco-innovation performance across the 27 European Union Member States. The Eco-IS shows how well individual Member States perform compared to the EU average and presents their strengths and weaknesses as well as identifies the barriers and drivers to eco-innovation. The core part of the Eco-IS is the “performance profile”, which contains indicators in five areas: eco-innovation inputs, eco-innovation activities, eco-innovation outputs, environmental outcomes, and socio-economic outcomes. The 2010 version of the Eco-IS is based on 13 sub-indicators in these five areas. The 2011 version of the Eco-IS, which is updated on an annual basis, is based on 16 sub-indicators.

5-Ecological Footprint (EF)– First introduced in the 1990’s, it is a measure of the human demand for natural resources versus the planet’s ecological capacity to regenerate – the amount of biologically productive land and sea area necessary to supply the resources for human population consumption and the absorption of accompanied waste.

6-Ecometrics- Based upon the principles of resource management and various mathematical and statistical applications, Ecometrics is a quantitative analysis of evaluating economic, social, and environmental opportunity costs of a given activity. In short Ecometrics is a way to identify sustainable trends in consumption and production of a given activity.

7-Energy Star Label-Introduced by the US government agency, the Environmental Protection Agency in the early 1990’s, this government-backed symbol has become an international standard that identifies energy efficient consumer products that generally use 20% to 30% less energy than required by federal standards.

8-Environmental Performance Index (EPI)- First introduced in 2002 and developed by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the EPI index ranks 163 countries on 25 performance indicators to see how close countries are to established environmental policy goals.

9-Global Warming Potential (GWP) – is a relative measure of how
different greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. GWP’s compare the heat-absorbing ability of each mass of gas relative to a similar mass of carbon dioxide (CO2) as well as their associated decay rate.

10-Green Stock Index- Launched just last year in 2011 by Luxembourg-based Living Planet Fund Management Company and the European broker, Cheuvreux – the Green Stock Index consists of a portfolio of 50 European listed companies that are active in finding eco-friendly solutions to the world’s most important environmental challenges as it relates to renewable energies and transportation, water and waste management, and various eco-products and services.

11-Happy Planet Index (HPI) – Introduced in July of 2006 by the New Economics Foundation, this index is a ”measure of the environmental efficiency of supporting human well-being”. It incorporates Life Satisfaction and Life Expectancy together with Environmental Costs per capita – the natural resources required to sustain a country’s lifestyle.

12-LEED Certification – Introduced by the U.S. Green Building Council in 1998, the Leadership in Energy and Conservation Design (LEED) Certification is an internationally recognized mark of excellence that provides independent, third party verification that a building, home, or community has been designed and built in accordance to a rating system of high performance indicators in the areas of design innovation, sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. In summary, LEED Certification is a quantitative measurement of a building’s performance based on the number of “points” that a building is able to achieve in each of the above six areas.
13-Net-Zero Home- A home or building which generates as much energy as it consumes.

14-Sustainable Society Index (SSI) – Introduced in 2006 by The Sustainable Foundation based in the Netherlands, The Sustainable Society Index, SSI, includes three ‘wellbeing’ dimensions: Human Well-Being, Environmental Well-Being and Economic Well-Being. Utilizing 24 key indicators, The SSI measures the actual level of sustainability of 151 countries and the distance of each country to sustainability over time.

15-Triple Bottom Line Accounting (TBL/3BL) – Introduced in 2007 by the United Nations and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, this corporate accounting includes social, economic, and environmental costs and benefits in its management reporting.

16- Water Footprint – First introduced in 2002 by Professor Arjen Hoekstra of The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands, the Water Footprint is a multidimensional indicator that indicates how much freshwater volume is consumed, evaporated, and/or polluted per unit of time at a specific location. It can be calculated for any defined individual, family group, business, community or nation. Thus the water footprint provides a basis for assessing the impacts of goods and services on freshwater systems and formulating strategies to reduce those impacts. In 2009 a ‘Global Water Footprint Standard’ was introduced by the Water Footprint Network, an international network of governments, corporations, non-governmental organizations and UN bodies – but just this year it has been updated, revised and expanded after extensive consultations with partners and researchers worldwide.

Yes, Marvin Gaye – Your lyrics still ring in our ears but now they are in our eco-standards of measurement and accountability.

Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” Lyrics
Woo ah, mercy mercy me
Woo, things ain’t what they used to be
No, no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east
Woo, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain’t what they used to be
No, no
Oil wasted on the oceans and in our seas
Ah, Fish full of mercury
Ah oh, Oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain’t what they used to be
No, no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain’t what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land?
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
My sweet Lord
My sweet Lord
My sweet Lord

Fit For A King, Even “The Sun King” Himself: Today’s Eco-Exquisite Elements of Interior Design!

When one thinks of King Louis XIV of France, one thinks of the opulent interior of the Palace of Versailles – a royal court filled with luxury and splendor. When I think of King Louis XIV, I often think of him as an overzealous client who would marvel at today’s inexpensive eco-exquisite interior design solutions and command that one of everything i.e. eco-flooring, eco-wall covering, eco-décor, and eco-furniture be fashioned into French eco-luxury goods to be shown at his place of business.

Well, one doesn’t necessarily need to be French or a King to appreciate great wine and great interior design products, rather one needs a sophisticated sensibility to know what to look for in today’s eco-conscious construction of home ornamentation. Here then are some of the most popular elements and eco-innovations of Eco-Interior Designing :

1- Bamboo Products – Yes, one can find bamboo products practically everywhere – bamboo blinds, flooring, frames, furniture, cutting boards, bowls, plates, utensils, countertops, and even bamboo towels. It is this versatility that makes bamboo such a popular design option along with the fact that bamboo products are durable, light weight, flexible, and resistant to moisture. It is also a very dense wood with a hardness that rivals oak and unlike this traditional hardwood – it only takes three to five years for bamboo to mature. Indeed, bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world – and in certain species, it can grow up to three feet a day. In addition the oxygen output of bamboo is 35% greater than trees and bamboo works well to prevent soil erosion along riverbanks, steep hillsides, and in flood plains. This all makes bamboo an excellent renewable resource.
2- Cork Products – When one thinks of cork, one usually thinks of ‘cork stoppers’ to seal sparkling wines or olive oil bottles but in fact cork flooring is an easy installation product most widely used today in both the residential and commercial markets due in part to its great insulating properties, (both in respect to temperature and sound), its hypo-allergenic properties (resistant to insects, mold, and germs), its shock absorbent properties (surprisingly soft and comfortable texture), its fire resistant properties and its low maintenance properties. In addition, cork flooring comes in a variety of dramatically beautiful finishes, patterns, and colors both in tiles and planks. Mosaic cork tiles are made from recycled wine corks and large-sized cork planks are made from post-industrial cork pieces. Mosaic cork tiles, in particular, are an ideal choice for the bathroom and can also be used as a backsplash in the shower. As for cork’s green credentials, cork is 90% air and is essentially the outer bark of the Cork Oak Tree that grows in Portugal and Spain. It is harvested every 9 years and since the bark is renewable, the process can be repeated for 2 centuries or more. And since cork flooring is also 100% biodegradable, it has a very low impact on the environment when it is recycled.
3- Recycled Leather Products – Founded in 2005, EcoDomo LLC in Rockville, Maryland, is an outstanding example of an innovatively creative eco-business that develops, manufactures, and designs a vast array of sustainable interior design products that are both luxurious and beautiful which include recycled leather tiles for floors, walls, staircases, ceilings, area rugs, and furniture. These recycled leathers are made from the leftover hides from tanneries. “The recycling process uses 99.8% of the products input in the manufacturing process in a closed-loop water filtration system.” The result is a recycled leather tile that is more resilient to wear and tear and temperature differentials than regular hide leather, easy to install, use, and maintain, and naturally good at absorbing noise. Client installations of this recycled leather product have been applied to boardrooms, commercial hotels, bank lobbies, restaurants, gyms, elevators, fireplaces, and theaters.
4- Recycled Plastic Bottle Products – Yes, another great eco-innovation is the transformation of post-consumer waste – specifically ‘polyethylene terephthalate’ fibers or “PET” found in soda bottles, ketchup bottles, water bottles, and house cleaning bottles – into polyester carpet tiles! The result is a carpet rich in colors with low moisture absorption, permanent stain and static resistance, and superior strength and abrasion resistance. One can find these carpets under the labels – Resistron or Permalon.
5- Recycled Rubber Products – Founded in 1995, Rubber Flooring Direct in Laguna Hills, California is another outstanding example of a company making eco-innovative flooring products from 100% recycled rubber including gym and weight room flooring, fitness center flooring, physical therapy flooring, doggy day care flooring, equine pavers, playground mats, golf course tiles, and ice rink arena flooring. These eco-friendly sports flooring products are made from old discarded car and truck tires. The result is an array of recycled rubber tiles, rubber rolls, and interlocking rubber tiles more durable than virgin rubber and that is extremely clean, tough but cushiony, and looks great for many years to come.
6- Jute Products – Jute is a vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads to make burlap bags, wallpaper, rugs, chair coverings, curtains, and carpets. It is primarily grown in India and Bangladesh (taking only 4 to 6 months to grow) and is a popular choice in home décor as it is strong, durable, UV resistant with good sound and heat insulation properties and anti-static properties.
7- Hemp Products – Hemp plants have been harvested for over a thousand years throughout much of the temperate areas of the world. It is one of the fastest growing plants and its fibers are not only strong and durable, they are pest-resistant making it a very eco-friendly green flooring product.
8- Sisal Products – Sisal is a stiff fiber obtained from the agave plant known for its strength, durability, sound-absorbing properties, ability to stretch and resistance to deterioration in saltwater. It’s an ideal choice for beachfront carpeting and cat-scratching posts. Sisal production is the greatest in Brazil but it is also produced in Tanzania, China, and Kenya.
9- Abaca Products – Abaca is a species of banana native to the Philippines and grown there as well as in Ecuador and Costs Rica. Its fibers were originally used for making twines and ropes but it is now used in making uncommonly beautiful carpets and furniture.
10- Coir Products – Mainly grown in India and Sri Lanka, coir is a natural fiber harvested from the husks of coconuts. Its natural beauty, its resiliency against abrasions and moisture make it an ideal choice for floor mats, doormats, and mattresses.
11- Seagrass Products – Seagrasses are marine flowering plants which often grow in large meadows that resemble their terrestrial counterparts and are used by basket weavers the world over to make handicraft storage baskets, bins, boxes, doormats, and elegant floor coverings. The result is a highly spill-resistant, durable, home décor feature that retains the fresh look of the outdoors.
12- Grasscloth Products – Grasscloth today is associated with natural wallcoverings. Grasscloth wallpaper is made by weaving dried grasses together and affixing it to a paper backing. The fibers uses to make grasscloth wallpaper include a medley of sea grass, sisal, jute, bamboo, and other textured sustainable materials. The result is a versatile green design element that can act as a dramatic focal point or a warm and interesting backdrop for furnishings.

One last thing to note here – I have this fanciful notion that if King Louis XIV of France were alive today, he would certainly make some ‘eco-interactive’ changes to his “Hall of Mirrors” at Versailles with some of these popular eco-exquisite elements of interior design. In particular, I envision him purchasing some of CORNING INC.’s “LOTUS GLASS” – an Environmentally Friendly Scratch-Resistant Glass – with Touchscreen Capabilities and a Video Display. You see, I am a chimerical descendant of King Louis IX, “The Saint King” of France and I have this unique crystal ball with heat-resistant, clairvoyant-reflecting properties that’s telling me….Oh yes, Happy Eco-Interior Designing to You!

Bioprospecting Into the Ocean Deep: Looking For Marine-Derived Medicines, Skin Creams, and Along the Way a Sunburn Protection Pill!

Therapies of the future are now taking on an interesting turn – the ocean is now the most promising frontier for tackling human diseases as a natural source for developing new pharmaceutical drugs. In addition to the fact that the ocean covers 74% of the planet’s surface – it supports the greatest diversity of life on Earth – many of them adapted to extreme environments of pitch black darkness and pressure levels that would kill a human being. And it turns out that marine invertebrates (animals without backbones) produce more antibiotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory substances than any group of organisms on land. Many of them have evolved an arsenal of unique chemical compounds that help them survive in their ocean environment. Below are a few examples of marine organisms doing just that – enhancing our understanding of basic biochemical and physiological processes.

ALGAE – is being looked at for developing anti-inflammatory and anti-neurodegenerative compounds to treat HIV, Arthritis, and Parkinson’s disease. SEAWEED (Marine Algae) have various levels of antioxidants which can be isolated and used as food supplements or as part of medical treatments for several conditions including coronary heart disease and cancer. A chemically derived compound known as Kainic acid taken from red algae off the coast of Japan and Taiwan is now being used as an anti-worming agent and being looked at to treat Epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. It is also being used as a diagnostic chemical to investigate Huntington’s disease. Sea algae is also being used to create skin creams that promise to boost moisture levels and firm and protect against premature aging i.e. red marine algae, brown algae, and green algae as seen in many beauty product collections.

CONE SNAILS – produce a venom (neurotoxins) that paralyze and kill prey. A chemically- derived medication named “Prialt” is now being used as a powerful pain-killer in AIDS and cancer patients. It is 1000 times more potent than morphine.

CORAL REEFS – One species called ‘Sea whips’ produces substances called ‘Pseudopterosins” that reduce swelling and skin irritation and accelerate wound healing. Two other species of coral that already supply cancer medicine are the Coral ‘Sarcodictyon roseum’ found at a depth of 100 meters in the Mediterranean and the shallow-water ‘Eleutherobia’ species found in western Australia. Another species of coral found near the Bahamas has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties which is now in use in a commercial skin-care product to defeat allergic responses in the skin. And Kings College London is in the process of developing a tablet to prevent sunburn derived from the coral reef’s own chemical compound which they plan to market in two years time.

HORSEHOE CRABS – Its blood is used to test intravenous drugs and implants/prosthetics for endotoxins – byproducts of bacterial contamination.

SEA SPONGES – The first marine-derived cancer drug ever developed – now known as “Cytosar-U” and used to treat leukemia and lymphoma – was acquired from a species of Caribbean sponges. Another sponge species currently being looked at produces an anti-inflammatory chemical, “Topsentin” which may be helpful in treating diseases like arthritis – a Pacific sponge now being tested may provide potential treatment for asthmatics – and another has antiviral properties which is already being used in the AZT treatment of Aids patients.

SEA URCHINS – provide models for understanding human biology – they are specifically used to demonstrate fertilization and embryo development.

TOADFISH – Blessed with the fastest twitching muscles in the vertebrate world, the toadfish can vibrate its swim bladder muscle an astounding 200 times per second – scientists are hoping to find medicines that will help to treat human muscles of all kinds i.e. heart disease and nerve regeneration.

TUNICATES/SEA SQUIRTS – One tunicate species that lives out in the West Indies coral reefs produces a chemical “Ecteinascidin” which is now being tested in humans for treatment of breast and ovarian cancers and other solid tumors.

Time will only tell whether or not other sea creatures such as sharks, jellyfish, squids, octopuses and cuttlefishes will be the pharmaceutical-sponsored remedies of the future in today’s scientifically-monitored, FDA-approved world.

An Architect’s Dream, A Community’s Hope, A Developer’s Magnet, and A Nation’s Phoenix: Recycling Medieval Castles!

A castle is like a magic wand – it evokes images of powerful knights, fairytale princesses, spell-casting wizards, and medieval riches of immeasurable grandeur.    And for those castles that stand in ruins today, many are now being reconstructed, restored, recycled, and ‘reborn’ to their former glory all across the globe – for reasons as varied as their shapes and sizes.

In Poland, two businessmen brothers along with real-estate developer, Jacek Nazarko, are now rebuilding a medieval castle in the village of Bobolice in northwestern Poland in order to house a museum and attract tourists to this haunted enclave whose tunnels still connect to nearby Mirow Castle.  Originally built as a royal castle in the middle of the 14th century by King Casimir III the Great, the Lasecki brothers hope to “recapture the enchantment of time when Poland was a great European power, before centuries of occupation, warfare, and foreign rule.” Elsewhere in the south-western region of Poland, the Ortus Foundation together with architects, OP Architekten, are in the middle of a revitalization program – the building of a cultural center within the remaining walls of Chrzelice Castle.  The whole complex is to be supplied with energy coming from renewable resources and it is hoped that the village of Chrzelice and the surrounding countryside will thrive with the assemblage of new social, intellectual, and cultural activities and media technologies within its local historical confines.

In Hungary, a group of castle-enthusiasts, who call themselves the “Friends of Szadvar”, are committed to spending their weekends restoring the 12th century Castle Szadvar, located in Hungary’s Aggtelek National Park near the Slovakian border, which also happens to be one of the poorest counties in Hungary plagued by mine and factory closings.  Additional volunteers for their clean-up efforts are now being recruited thru a Youth Camp that they sponsor during the summer.  In addition to wanting to preserve this medieval site, the ‘Friends’ also wish to promote economic development in the surrounding communities by turning the site into a major tourist attraction thereby attracting new capital infusions and clean service sector businesses into the local area.

And in the village of Algerri in northeastern Spain near the Pyrennes, volunteers are working to restore their medieval castle while in southern Spain folks are busy restoring Islamic castles re-using the stone ruins of Roman masonry of the 1st – 4th centuries (technically known as spolia) that the Moorish invaders first re-used themselves to build their Muslim-fortified structures as they moved through the Iberian peninsula.  And halfway around the world in Kumamoto, Japan, restoration efforts are now almost done on Castle Udo Yagura, a project aimed at commemorating the 400th anniversary of its completion by the famous samurai, Kato Kiyomasa, back in 1607.

But not all these castle revitalization efforts are being made with impunity. In south-central Portugal, in the tiny medieval mountaintop village of Marvao, the renovation of its spectacular 13th century castle is being criticized by both residents and visitors alike for its lack of ‘authenticity’.  The installation of modern lamps, new cobblestones, concrete walkways and benches, and a steel-and-glass encased surveillance system are all being questioned.  And in Scotland, some medieval ghost-filled castles are being transformed into spooky “Horror Hotels”. In sharp contrast, however, in the South Tyrolean area of northern Italy, the renovation of beautiful Bruneck Castle, an awe-inspiring 13th century castle surrounded by the Zillertal Alps, has been carefully transformed by EM2  Architects into the Messner Mountain Museum (the fifth in a series of mountain museums) under the careful guidance of famed Reinhold Messner, a famous climber, writer, lecturer, and cultural anthropologist. As the mission of the converted castle is to highlight the art, culture, and religion of mountain people around the world, the interior is appropriately constructed with unfinished timber – a material that does justice to the architectural integrity of the castle and can be easily removed for various exhibitions.

On the whole, the recycling of medieval castles is a painstakingly serious endeavor rooted in archaeology, material sciences, and architectural history.  Perhaps the best example of this is in Treigny, France.  Deep in the forests of Burgundy, France, a team of modern-day masons under the guidance of architect, Jacques Moulin, are now in the process of constructing a 13th century medieval castle from scratch using the same materials and techniques that were used in the Middle Ages. Nails, ropes, baskets, and roof-tiles are all made on site as well as lime kilns for making mortar and the castle’s design is historically based on a popular style used by King Philip II of France.  Known as Guedelon Castle, the project has created 55 jobs and is now a tourist destination with more than 300,000 visitors per year.

Given the fact that castles the world over have such universal appeal and a wondrous ability to captivate our imagination, is it any wonder then that the green innovations of today and the economic prosperity of tomorrow might be the greatest beneficiaries yet of these recycled medieval giants?

Colorize Your Next Travel Plans! – Discover The Latest Eco-Trends at America’s Greenest Hotel Chains!

It used to be that whatever your budget, hotel chains were a standardized home away from home – with just a few extra perks – complimentary newspapers and continental breakfast, an indoor or outdoor pool, an assortment of vending machines and television channels to relax away your free time and of course, an array of miniature soaps and shampoo bottles nestled on top of your bathroom counter.

But in just the last few years, much like the old black and white television sets of the 1950’s and early 60’s, America’s largest hotel chains have now undergone a color transformation – from black and white – to GREEN!!!!  So much so that they are even encouraging their customers to participate in their sustainability programs with whole websites dedicated to their projects for viewing and exploring.  These leaders of the hospitality industry include the InterContinental Hotels Group, Wyndham Hotel Group, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels, Choice Hotels, Carlson Hotels, Best Western, Accor Hospitality Group, Global Hyatt and La Quinta Inns and Suites!

Indeed, green practices and technologies are being incorporated in everything from power-flush toilets to low-flow showerheads, from motion-detection sensors to energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting, from green heat-reflecting roofs to photovoltaic solar-electric systems, from eco-friendly shampoos and soaps in bulk dispensers to non-toxic biodegradable housekeeping cleansers, from in-room recycling bins to recycled artwork and office furniture, from organic dining to organic bedding, and yes, from wireless digital media communications to hotel invoices, brochures, and keycard sleeves made of recycled paper with soy-based inks.

Here are some of the most innovative examples:

1-‘Eco-Friendly Uniforms’ – Yes, the Hotel Front Desk Staff at Wyndham wear two-piece suits made of 25 two-liter recycled plastic bottles woven into soft fabrics which do not require professional laundering.  In another major innovation, Wyndham Hotels now offers ‘Allergy-Friendly Rooms’ known as “CleanAir Rooms” whose air purification system and specially treated bed linen eliminates anywhere from 98 to 100% of all viruses and bacteria.

2-‘Eco-Innovative Investments’ – Marriott International is actively involved in rainforest protection and water conservation through a portfolio of innovative conservation initiatives which include a two million plus commitment to preserving 1.4 million acres of rainforest in Brazil and a half million plus commitment to protecting the mountain sources of fresh water for 2 billion people in Asia.  This latter environmental initiative helps rural communities to develop sustainable businesses such as mushroom farming and honey production whilst reducing erosion and water quality contamination downstream.

3-‘Eco-Friendly Landscaping, Building Construction, and Food and Energy Supplies’ – The Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, Washington is one of the most environmentally advanced hotels in the USA.  Not only does it feature a recyclable brick construction, a unique irrigation system to water its native local plants, and fueling stations for electric cars but a restaurant menu of locally sourced meat, fish, cheese, wine and bread.

4-   ‘Earthcare Performance and Monitoring Tracking System’ – Kimpton Hotels is in the forefront of environmental stewardship – introducing new eco-friendly products and corporate services both internally and nationally through its many partnerships and alliances with environmentally minded organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.  ‘EarthCare Educational and Training Program’ – Kimpton Hotels has established its own employee selected “EarthCare Champion Teams”’ who build and support ecologically responsible hotel standards and procedures. ‘EarthCare Building Preservation Program’ – Kimpton Hotels is well-known for restoring, revitalizing, and converting old historic landmarks for hotel usage including notable office buildings, department stores, a telephone switching station, a general post office, a fruit and vegetable canning plant, and the 10^th oldest building in the USA.

Yes, indeed, we have come a long way since the Howard Johnson’s motor lodges of the 1960’s when American hotel chains were simply an overnight stop for our road trips across the USA.   Today they are a reflection of our eco-conscious society and a colorful high quality experience not to be missed!

Super-Green Yachts, Electric Bamboo Bikes, Solar-Powered Roads, & Airport Wildlife Runway Zones? What Next? – a Trotting Horse-Propelled Treadmill-Driven Eco-Car?

It’s been over 20 years since I last saw the cartoon-animated sitcom, ‘The Jetsons”, about a futuristic American family living in a space-age ‘Skypad Apartment’ whose home rises and falls vertically on an adjustable column in the year 2062.  But being a kid back then growing up in a traditional cookie cutter suburban environment, what I wanted to copy most was this television show’s family ‘aerocar’ – a fast flying saucer-shaped car with a transparent bubble top that my own mother could use to drive me to school and YMCA swimming classes.  I wasn’t thinking of eco-friendly and sustainable transport back then – rather I was always thinking of excuses to get my parents to drive me to ‘fun’ places with the least amount of fuss.

Well today’s ‘fuss’ is all about new types of ‘environmentally sustainable transport’ now being developed for public consumption – transport energy based on electricity, natural gas, and biofuels rather than petroleum or a combination of the two as seen in ‘hybrid electric trains’ and ‘plug-in hybrid cars’.  Some of the really neat alternative energy vehicles include a newly tested electric bamboo bike that combines pedal power and electric power in a lightweight bamboo frame – a versatile grass that grows everywhere throughout the Philippines.   And at Yellowstone National Park, clean green snowmobiles are being tested that use biomass alternative fuels to cut hydrocarbon emissions by 90% and noise pollution by 50%. And at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, a green airplane has just been developed which uses 70% less fuel than conventional airplanes in addition to reducing noise and nitrogen oxide emissions. But perhaps the most interesting development on the ‘leisure landscape scene’ is that of a “super-green superyacht” designed recently by Alastair Callender, a then 23 year old student at Coventry University in England.  His eco-friendly luxury yacht design utilizes solar, wind, and hybrid marine power by incorporating 600 square meters of solar panels on the exterior of the boat and giant fully automated rigid “wings” that function like solar-sails.

Not to be outdone, Italy’s newest transport construction has just been officially opened to the public on January 1, 2011 – this the world’s first solar-powered highway!  This two mile addition to Sicily’s existing 600km highway network features 80,000 photovoltaic panels to power 100% of the highway’s needs – “including tunnel fans, lights, road signs, emergency telephones, and more.”  It is expected that 10,000 tons worth of CO2 emissions and 31,000 tons of oil will be saved in one year’s time. Meanwhile the cruise ship terminal at the port of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada (known for its famous Alaskan coastline cruises) has gone green! It is the first port in Canada and the third in the world to install an electrical ‘plug-in’ system for docked cruise ships whereby electrical shore power connections have replaced the need for diesel engines running idly.  It is estimated that during last year’s 2010 season alone, greenhouse emissions were reduced by 1500 tons.

But perhaps the most visible displays of transport infrastructure going green are at the world’s busiest airports!  Indeed seven of the twelve greenest airports in the world are right here in the USA:

1)          Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California

2)          Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in central Texas

3)          Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado

4)          Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts

5)          Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City Beach, Florida

6)          San Francisco International Airport in northern California

7)          Stevens Point Airport in Stevens Point, Wisconsin

The other globally-located greenest airports in the world include: the Beijing Capital International Airport in China, the East Midlands Airport in England, the Munich Airport in Germany, the Toronto Pearson International Airport in eastern Canada and THE SUPER-GREENEST AIRPORT OF THEM ALL – the ZURICH AIRPORT IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND!  In addition to utilizing geothermal energy for heating and cooling, rainwater for flushing airport toilets, an on-site compressed-natural-gas station that powers its airport cars, trucks, and machinery and solar cells for its daily operations, the Zurich Airport has an adjoining nature conservation zone for over 50 species of flora and fauna between two of its main runways!  So in addition to ‘planespotting’, and ‘nature gazing’, visitors to the airport can also ‘rent airport bikes’ around its 22 kilometers of bike-path-paved airfields to fill up their waiting time!

But not all green forms of transport energy and transport infrastructure are utilizing the newest technologies of today.  My favorite exception is the newly patented ‘Naturmobil’ – a vehicle run by a horse jogging on a treadmill – invented by a clever Iranian engineer. Yes, instead of using the centuries old method of having a horse pull a wagon or sleigh – the horse is inside the motor-driven vehicle working out on a treadmill which then charges the batteries that power the vehicle.  Like today’s cars, it is controlled by a human driver in the front seat with room for one passenger.  But unlike ‘George Jetsons’ aerocar, it can only cruise at about 12 miles per hour with a top speed of about 50 miles per hour and the ‘Naturmobil’ can only work on paved roads.  Now if only we can get it to fly!  Stay Tuned for Next Week’s Episode!

“Upcycling!” – The New “Up” in Today’s Upwardly Green Architecture & Furniture Design!

If it weren’t for the fact that its amazing roof is indeed made of an airplane wing, one would think it a joke that an architect has taken a “retired” airplane, (a Boeing 747), and has converted it into a hilltop dream home in Malibu, California now known as the ‘Wing House’. But that is exactly what architect, David Hertz, President and Founder of the Studio of Environmental Architecture in Santa Monica, California has done.

Then there is the ‘Monte-Silo House’, an old and abandoned grain silo in Woodland, Utah which has been converted by Gigaplex Architects in Park City, Utah into a cozy, eco-friendly bachelor pad with modern circular rooms and a deck overlooking the Provo River!

And here on the East Coast of the USA, the Philadelphian eco-minded builder and developer, OnionFlats, has ‘transformed’ a former meat packing plant into eight groovy residential units and a former trolley garage-turned-firehouse into a contemporary residential home complete with mezzanine and rental loft.

This ‘upcycling’ notion of re-using, recycling, and repurposing disused and neglected buildings into fabulous places to live in of better quality and a higher environmental value – began in earnest back in the 1980’s in the USA with the gentrification of its inner cities and city suburbs – an outgrowth of the ‘recycling movement’ of the 1960’s.   But ‘green home building’ and ‘sustainable architecture’ of today did not really take off until the 1990’s with the advent of new technologies – more energy efficient and renewable energy generation systems, waste management systems, sustainable building materials and environmentally friendly building practices.

This has had the effect of spilling over into ‘green furniture design’ and ‘green studio design’ as exemplified by East London’s “Village Underground”, a renovated community space founded by furniture designer, Auro Foxcroft, who has recycled shipping containers and upcycled discarded tube train carriages into a low-cost carbon neutral studio space to accommodate artists, writers, filmmakers, jewelry makers and musicians in central London.

A truly wonderful example of upcycled furniture design is that of the contemporary-looking oil drum furniture created by French artist Francois Royer.  In his ‘Rocking Chair’ piece, Francois has taken an old industrial oil drum of steel, painted it a vibrant orange, and cut out the mid-section thereby installing a waxen smoked bamboo seat with which to safely rock on its four adjustable rubber feet.

But my favorite examples of do-it-yourself upcycled furniture are indoor and outdoor sofas and coffee tables made out of discarded wooden warehouse pallets which can be inlaid with ceramics, tiles, and old wine boxes.  Even plastic pallets can be transformed into cozy children’s sofas by welding stainless steel plates and legs to its frame.

So next time, you happen to see a set of old school bleachers and vintage gym lockers being thrown out or a shopping cart or office basket cast aside – remember the word ‘up’ as in ‘upcycling’ – and get going on your ‘reclaimed’, ‘re-modeled’, green décor design!

“What To Do On Your Next Stay-cation? How About Eco-Musing at Your Local Art Museum and Following the Trail of Mistletoes, Chestnuts, and Sunflowers?”

Money is tight for me this summer and my home state, Texas, is suffering from one of the worst droughts on record.  So rather than spinning off to the lushness of Hawaii or traipsing the local countryside, I decided to spend my vacation at home – taking day trips to nearby art museums – what is commonly referred to nowadays as a ‘Stay-cation”!  Luckily for me, the Dallas-Fort Worth area has some of the best art museums in the country and fortunately this year it is host to some of the world’s most iconic traveling exhibitions.

So with audio tape recorder in hand, following the numbered ‘beeps’ of my art gallery guide, I made the rounds of the most prominent museums – wandering through rooms full of paintings and collections of Modern art, Asian art, Western art, African art and more till suddenly – I hit upon the idea of following my own trail – the trail of mistletoes, chestnuts, and sunflowers.   Feeling like a member of Kit Carson’s scouting party, I soon encountered sprinkles of ‘mistletoe’ popping up in Norman Rockwell prints and avenues of ‘chestnuts’ melting across the distant horizon in Alfred Sisley’s  landscape paintings until after a long trek across the dusty plains, I saw in the dim light of a nearby campfire – a circle of packs and saddles huddled around the glow of  flames – it was Vincent Van Gogh’s still life sentinel – his seminal ‘sunflower’!

Used by artists and astrologers alike in their interpretation of life’s imagery- mistletoes, chestnuts, and sunflowers are dreamy symbols of ‘affection’, ‘abundance‘, and ‘adoration’.   For me they are seasonal symbols of  ‘good times’ past: winter scenes of Christmas kisses and Christmas songs with mistletoe lyrics and “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” – and – summer scenes filled with sunflower farms, spring-fed mudholes, and sunbathing girls from the city.  But what of the scientific eco-truths behind mistletoes, chestnuts, and sunflowers?

Long misunderstood as a parasitic pest that killed trees and destroyed habitats, ‘mistletoe’ has now been rehabilitated in the scientific world as an essential eco- element of forests and woodlands.  Various birds make their nests in mistletoes and many butterfly species are attracted by its nutrients.  So it is that the greater the amount of mistletoes in an ecosystem, the greater the biodiversity of animals.

Similarly, chestnuts are an important food source for squirrels, deer, jays, pigeons, and wild boar and many insects feed on its seeds. Note: There is a huge difference between ‘horse’ chestnuts and ‘sweet’ chestnuts.  Horse chestnuts are toxic if eaten raw whereas sweet chestnuts can be used to make a whole host of cooking products:

1)  They can be dried and milled into flour which then can be used to make breads, cakes, pancakes, and pastas.

2)  They can be ground up and used as a thickener for soups, stews, and sauces or to make a delicious chestnut stuffing.

3)   They can be boiled and brewed into an exotic form of beer or a coffee-like drink and –

4)  They can be grilled, roasted, or candied as a nice snack food.  Indeed chestnuts were the ‘energy bars’ of the Greek and Roman periods having twice as much starch as potatoes.  Alexander the Great planted chestnut trees all across Europe on his various campaigns and Roman soldiers were given chestnut porridge before battle.

And long before Native Americans were harvesting corn – they were harvesting sunflowers as far back as 8000 years ago!  Today’s oilseed sunflowers are commercial hybrids and are the number two crop in the world for vegetable oil production world wide – second only to soybeans.   Their counterpart, the confectionary sunflowers, produce large black and white seeds that are roasted and sold for snacks or baked in breads or grounded up into ‘sunbutter’.  They are also the preferred food for a wide variety of birds.  But for me, the most amazing eco-fact about sunflowers is their innate ability to remove toxic waste from the soil with their extensive root systems – toxins like lead, arsenic, uranium, Cesium-137, and Strontium-90.  Indeed hundreds of acres of sunflowers are now being planted around the fallout zone of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan to help decontaminate the radioactive soil that resulted from a massive earthquake and tsunami last March.  And now a new technology has emerged that revolves around sunflowers called  ‘rhizo-filtration’ – “a form of bioremediation that involves filtering water through a mass of roots to remove toxic substances or excess nutrients”.  To date, 95% of the residual radiation in ponds surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine (whose #4 reactor exploded back in 1986) has been extracted by floating rafts of sunflowers.

But the sunflower’s ecological importance does not stop here – in Holland, the fibrous roots of sunflowers have been used to reclaim marshy land areas and turn these areas into farmland.  And their dried stems have also been used to produce fuel – hydrogen fuel and vegetable-oil based fuel which burn 75% cleaner than standard petroleum based diesel products.

As for Vincent Van Gogh, sunflowers were symbolically a vibrant source of happiness.   In spite of his mood swings and great depression, he continued to paint them.  I wonder now if Van Gogh was onto something greater – addressing the needs of future generations – perhaps our own “green pursuit of happiness”?

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