Looking for Buried Treasure and Family Ghosts With A Cup of Tea? Meet the Curious Cox Curator of Orange Valley: the Eco-Cultural Green Knight of Bermuda!

Seared into the heart of the Bermudian landscape – into the brackish bosom of its Devonshire peat marshes — lies the buried treasure of an old sea captain – a magical, awe-inspiring sea chest wrested from the depths of Davy Jones’ Locker –  half-ghostship – half-house.

Docked alongside a pier of dry-stone walls – Hidden from view by a profusion of wild palmettos and cedars and evergreen fiddlewood trees—–this well-pressed twin-masted chimney structure with two-storied shuttered riggings and two centuries-old cedar beams across its hallway-like-foredeck neither lists today from hurricane-slashing barnacles or subtropical dry rot upon its hull – but rather this bewitching “house ship” is cocooned within a protective casing of the old sea captain’s making – ‘the jeweled fruits of his labor’ after years of sailing – many a citrus-flavored, life-extending plant traded from British Guiana, parts of the Caribbean and various ports of call on the Atlantic seaboard – known locally to all as “Orange Valley”.

Fate had once brought me here eleven years ago as an American expat but now here I was resolutely returning to present its curious owner, John Cox, the great-great-great grandson of Capt. William Cox — with a Green Knighthood Award – the First of its kind in the World – for thirty plus years of selfless acts of eco-cultural chivalry.

Entering thru the Front Room – one is immediately received by both the warm smile of its casually garbed curator and the rhythmically hospitable tick-tock behind him -Capt. William Cox’s prized possession – his mahogany-made 18^th century grandfather clock brought over from London, England – one of a series of catenated ‘eco-links’ to the soul of the house.  Indeed there are ten clocks throughout the home and according to Mr. Cox “some work, some are beyond laboring, and some sit quietly, suspended in their own time.”

And to my right – not far from the drawing-room – I am greeted once again by the portrait of the mysterious Capt. William Cox himself – his eyes  still dazing upon the well-preserved and lovingly displayed dining accoutrements of holidays past – including his own pink and silver French tea set still scented by orange pomanders – whilst other paintings seem to bob and weave throughout the house – alternating between wind-blown ships of sail and pastoral settings of a Bermudian-like Eden – a chilling reminder perhaps of the great hurricanes of 1839, 1899, 1926, 1948, 1987, and most recently Hurricane Fabian of 2003.

Indeed, neither the charm of Mr. John Cox, nor his tenderly cared-for limestone-hewed home and woodland gardens that constitute ‘Orange Valley’, show any signs of weary-worn decay during these past eleven years nor have they lost their priceless ‘eco-cultural lustre’ – that harmonious union between human culture and ecological sustainability. To put it sociologically – there is a unique bond between the Cox Family’s ethical community practices of past and present with its own well-managed attendance of its natural ecosystem and the conservation of its unique biodiversity here at ‘Orange Valley’ – ever mindful of the climate, and the weather patterns, and the many generations to come.

Perhaps that is why the Family Ghosts love it here so – Three ghosts to be precise.*  The first spectral inhabitant to be noted for its whimsical hauntings is that of Mary Robinson Cox, first wife of Capt. William Cox, who died of pneumonia at the young age 41 in 1806 whilst her husband was away trading salt for sugar and molasses in the West Indies.  It is she who loves to hover around the first floor of the house – sometimes settling in the guest bedroom (formerly the original kitchen) conjuring up aromatic herbal brews and at other times, she is seen sailing thru the front hallway perhaps looking to welcome home her husband’s invisible footsteps. Next in line is Laura Cox, the spinster daughter of Capt. William Cox, who died of palsy at the premature age of 51 in 1861 and is now a lively Patroness ghost of her once beloved Rose Garden which had lain derelict for years but has been carefully restored.  And then there’s eccentric Aubrey Cox, the grandson of Capt. William Cox, who died of an anxious heart at the precipitous age of 67 in 1928 and who never ever tires of looking at the magnificent grounds below him from his tidy upstairs bedroom window in the back of the house.

I have often thought that ‘Uncle Aubrey’ is a ‘frustrated ghost’ – confined to his boxed-in quarters – having to grudgingly look from afar at his great-grand nephew’s (John Cox’s) splendiferously inviting outdoor afternoon tea party spreads from beneath a decidedly somber-crusted window sash – where splashes of colorful chinaware dancingly interplay with light and laughter happily bee-buzzing around a quizzical cone-shaped ‘buttery’ next to me – another architectural wonder unique to Bermudian culture – a not-so-long ago reminder of the days when household plumbing, electricity, and refrigeration was not a commonplace feature of Bermudian life.

And never wanting to deny his guests a moment of light delectable humor along with his perfectly presented organic almond cake and Bermudian-strengthened high tea, are — Mr. John Cox’s very own freshly prepared cucumber sandwiches with an eco-twist – brilliantly disguised orange nasturtium flowers squeezed into bits of triangular-baked bread servings that are commonly mistaken for bits of wild caught salmon by his gullible guests!  And as is required of the author of ten culturally rich historical books including “Life in Old Bermuda”, “At Home in Early Bermuda”, “Bermuda Lore”, “A Tale of Two Houses”, and “Lords of the Marshes” — one is never left bored or abandoned by the fanciful floodgate of stories of this raconteur’s repertoire.  And these stories, much like their annotated footnotes, are neither inseparable nor inconsequentially delineated from Bermuda’s unique ecosystem.  Indeed, the biodiversity of plants within these stories allows us to step into the past right into Bermuda’s golden era of sailing.  They often offer ‘green’ clues into Bermuda’s role within the context of the British Empire – and still others the status of the Cox Family itself.

And it is this Cox Family collection of plants that make Orange Valley what it is – a priceless outdoor ‘eco-museum’ – artfully complimented by Mr. John Cox’s decorative collection of fine Royal Sevres porcelain inside the home – each of which seems to have transported with it a superstitious tale of its own.  And in addition to the impressive array of fruit trees on the property – mandarins, sweet oranges, sour oranges, limes, lemons, guava, grapefruit, pears, peaches, pomegranates, mammy apples, large bananas, dwarf bananas, loquats, red figs, shaddocks and Surinam cherries – AND – one large black mulberry and one smyma fig – there is a maze of exotic trees to bedazzle the first-time visitor:

1)   There is the Royal Poinciana Tree, also known as “The Flame Tree”, or “The Flamboyant Tree”. It is a native of Madagascar and the world’s most colorful ornamental tree.

2)   Then there is the Indian Rubber Tree, a native of southeast Asia, first planted by Capt. William’s son in 1847 that marks the original carriageway to the house.

3)   Then there are the Coffee Trees native to subtropical Africa and southern Asia – No “Starbucks Coffee” needed here!

4)   And finally, there are the rare Black Ebony Trees, native to Africa, India, and Asia – known today for their variety of attributes in making fingerboards and keys for musical instruments.  Note that ‘Ebony’ is the Greek word for “Fruit of the Gods” and wands made of ebony were thought to have magical powers and drinking goblets made of ebony were considered an antidote for poison that could be used to ward off evil intent.

In closing, I am reminded of a taunt once aimed at me as a teenager by a high society friend out in west Texas upon my arrival at her new family home.  She had just moved from Los Angeles for the third time and to use the nautical vernacular, her boast  “knocked me down a peg” for she and her daddy had “never lived in a second-hand house”.   I had no answer at the time, having been, up-to-then, an insular 13^th generation American living within the same 200 mile radius of the Eastern seaboard.

But I hope you, my eco-savvy reader, will now appreciate my rapid advancement in the ways of articulate etiquette – noting both the beauty and the history – AND – the ecological magic – that makes ‘Orange Valley’ an eco-cultural wonder and not just some ordinary half-spun ‘second-hand house’.   But above all, I must personally thank Orange Valley’s remarkable steward, Mr. John Cox, today’s recipient of Cherlton’s Green Guide’s “Green Knighthood Award” for his fearless and unflinching support, maintenance, and documented dissemination of Bermuda’s eco-cultural connections and traditions in the face of today’s ‘Bluetooth’, fast-paced, modern world of sentimental-swatting cyber gnats,  ‘Tick’ video games, and Mosquito iPods.  (For more information, please refer to my new encyclopedic eco-website at www.cherltonsgreen.com)

How metaphorically eco-appropriate then is the fact that the placement of Orange Valley’s lone silk cotton tree, first planted by Capt. William Cox two centuries ago, still firmly stands as the centerpiece of ‘Orange Valley’ – the oldest of its kind on the island – a much misunderstood tree by the casual passerby of Bermudian yesteryear.  Known elsewhere in the world as the ‘kapok’ tree, the ‘sacred tree’ or ‘the tree of life’, this fabled tree was first worshiped by the Mayans and later venerated by generations of other indigenous peoples of Central America in the centers of their plazas and villages.  To those who believe, this supernatural tree wards off evil (and time itself) and its mythical branches hold up the heavens and its roots extend to the underworld – and rarely, if at all – is this tree ever cut down – even if it happens to be in an inconvenient spot and in the way of human traffic.   So it is that the secret of the buried treasure of an old sea captain lies faithfully here.

Footnote: Legend has it that my own 8^th great-grandfather, Thomas Cox, first arrived at Virginia before sailing up the coast to New Amsterdam and marrying Elizabeth Blashford on April 17, 1665 at Maspeth Kills, Newtown, Long Island. His marriage is the oldest marriage license on record in the state of New York – given by the First British Colonial Governor of New York, Sir Richard Nicolls.  Thomas Cox’s middle son in turn, was John Cox – my 7^th great-grandfather – and John Cox’s nephew in turn was Colonel John Cox, Assistant Quartermaster to General Nathaniel Greene during the American War for Independence – and his grandson, in turn, was John Cox Stevens, the Founder and First Commodore of the New York Yacht Club.  Hence, there’s more to the ‘Cox’ surname than one would think at first glance.

*Special Note: There is the distinct possibility of a fourth ghost lingering around Orange Valley – that of Capt. William Cox’s own mother-in-law! For the present-day Coxes of Bermuda all descend from Capt. William Cox’s second wife, Mary Ann Dill, whom he married on October 16, 1806. Interesting enough, Mary Ann Dill, was the daughter of another enigmatic mariner, Captain John Dill of Devonshire, a time-honored member of the ancient ‘Dill clan’ of Bermuda, and his psychic wife, Christiana (Love) Dill – whose preternatural gifts of ‘second sight’ are as legendary as the number of times she has been seen floating over the various family estates in which her present-day descendants live.

Summer Fun: Rescuing the Earth by Re-evaluating Junk or The Joy of Eco-cycling Your Way Thru the Best Flea Markets in the World!

For me, summertime means a series of flea market adventures.  Numerous books have been written on the subject and others eulogize its bounty of second-hand offerings in ‘Shabby Chic’, ‘Thrifty Chic’, ‘Vintage Look Collecting’, and ‘Flea Market Decorating’ tips along with copious notes on ‘Behind-The-Scenes Treasure Hunting Secrets’.  And along with the explosive growth of  eco-chic outdoor flea markets across the USA, Europe, and now globally around the world comes a flood of trendy articles on ‘eco-renovating’ and ‘eco-accessorizing’ your home with old flea market finds and exotic craft work. But amongst all this ‘flea-bitten’ obsessive literature, I still have yet to find one critique that colorfully addresses the paradoxical joy of culling thru unusual time-worn objects of flea market junk in order to rescue one’s own personal junk from being thrown out – another words – the joy of being both environmentally responsible and artistically creative by combining eclectic junk materials found at flea markets with your own well-worn, imperfect junk at home.  And in the process creating your own masterpiece of cultural second-hand treasure – an “eco-makeover gift”.

But what constitutes an “eco-makeover gift”, you ask?   A little homework, yes, a few magazines to energize your imaginative juices, yes, but above all – a sharp shopper’s eye for discerning under-rated and over-looked junk.  Hence, the best way to start is to make a list of small to mid-size objects that you currently own around you that you consider hopeless – either out-of-date or out-of-place or just badly damaged or perhaps missing a part or section.  The key here is that you are hesitant to throw it out – just yet.    That’s good – your instinctual knack for conserving is working fine!  Next, check with your local library or your local bookstore and the internet as well for a few “Do-It-Yourself” and “Ready Made” magazine issues and ‘simple lifestyle’ type magazine issues such as “Country Living” and “Living Crafts”.

Next, whilst looking thru the many picture pages of these magazine issues, see if any of the home objects on your ‘misfit’ junk list have potential worth that you may have not considered before and then consider the range of flea market possibilities that might do well in conjunction with your own items which would give them added value.  If you can make this connection, you have then made – theoretically-speaking that is – an “eco-makeover gift”.

These are but a few examples of my favorite handcrafted “eco-makeover gifts”:  1) a vintage lamp assembled of odd and end saucers and teacups accumulated from home and my local flea market 2) a ‘geeky’ serving platter and teenage table top covered with old computer keyboard buttons, typewriter keys, scrabble tiles and misplaced domino pieces collected from home and my local flea market 3) decorative paper table runners, garlands, and posters and photo frames made from discarded easy-to-recycle children’s books, science fiction novels, and old college text books found at home and used book markets and 4) curios of one-of-a-kind hats, necklaces, pillows, napkin rings, and coasters made from stitching recycled linens and woollen sweaters together with a stockpile of lost buttons, pins, earrings, key chains, cuff links, and broken wrist watches from a myriad of flea markets and my own home.

So instead of waiting to shop at the end of the year for that perfectly labeled, monogrammed and personalized holiday gift – start now, this summer, and save money, (and your own garbage disposal) and have fun creating your own gifts by eco-cycling your way thru the Best Flea Markets in the World – and don’t be surprised who you might meet next to the table full of hand-me-down toys – for Santa Claus has gone green and is now ‘flea-ing’ as well!

BEST FLEA MARKET DESTINATIONS BY COUNTRY

ARGENTINA

Buenos Aires – San Telmo Flea Market at Plaza Dorrego

AUSTRALIA

Sydney – The Rocks Flea Market

BELGIUM

Bruges – Bruges Flea Market

Brussels – Place du Jeu-de-Balle Flea Market

Ciney – Brocante Fair

Waterloo – Waterloo Flea Market

CANADA

Ottawa – ByWard Market

Saint Eustace (near Montreal) – St. Eustace Flea Market

Toronto – Dr. Flea’s Flea Market

Vancouver – Vancouver Flea Market

CHINA

Beijing – A) Panjiayuan Weekend Flea Market

B) Hongqiao Market

DENMARK

Copenhagen – A) Norrebro Flea Market  B) Israels Plads Flea Market  C) Gammel Strand Flea Market  D) Fredericksberg Flea Market  E) Lyngby Flea Market F) Kongens Nytorv Arts-and-Crafts Flea Market

ENGLAND

London – A) Portobello Road Market B) Camden Lock Market C) Camden Passage Market D) Petticoat Lane Market  E) New Calendonian Market or Bermondsey Market

ESTONIA

Tallinn – Balti Jaama Turg

FRANCE

Lille – La Grande Braderie de Lille Flea Market

Nice- Cours Saleya Flea Market

Paris – A) Marche aux Puces de St.-Ouen Porte de Clignancourt B) Le Jules Valles Market C) Le Marche Serpette  D) Porte de Vanves

GERMANY

Berlin – A) Die Nolle @ Nollendorfplatz B) Museum Island Flea Market  C) Mauer Park Flea Market D) Moritzplatz Flea Market E) Arkonaplatz Flea Market F) Strasse des 17.Juni Flea Market

Munich – A) Theresienwiese Flea Market B) Auer Dult Flea Market & Crafts Fair @ Mariahilfplatz

GREECE

Athen – Monastiraki Flea Market

HUNGARY

Budapest – Esceri Flea Market

INDIA

Goa – A) Anjuna Flea Market B) Mapusa Friday Market

IRELAND

Dublin – Blackberry Fair Flea Market

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv – Jaffa Flea Market

ITALY

Alba – Mercantino di Torino

Arezzo – Arezzo Flea Market

Florence – Mercato Delle Pulci Flea Marketd @ Piazza Del Ciompi

Lake Maggiore – Borgo D’Ale Flea Market

Milan – Cormano Flea Market

Rome – A) Porta Portese Flea Market B) The Underground

Turin – Carmagnola Flea Market

JAPAN

Tokyo – Ameya Yokocho or Ameyoko

MALAYSIA

Singapore – Sungei Road ‘Thieves Market’

MEXICO

Puerto Vallarta – Puerto Vallarta Flea Market

MOROCCO

Tangier – Casa Barata Flea Market

NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam – A) Albert Cuyp Market B) Waterlooplein Flea Market  C) Noordermarkt Flea Market

POLAND

Krakow – Sunday Flea Market @ Plac Targowy Unitarg; Warsaw – Kolo Flea Market

PORTUGAL

Lisbon – Feira Da Ladra

RUSSIA

Moscow – Izmailovo Souvenir Market

SPAIN

Barcelona – A) Placa de la Seu Flea Market B) Mercantic Flea Market

Cap de Creus (Catalonia) – Cadaques Market

Madrid – El Rastro Flea Market

THAILAND

Bangkok – Chatuchak Weekend Market

TURKEY

Istanbul – A) Sahaflar Carsisi B) Grand Covered Bazaar C) The Egyptian Bazaar D) The Arasta Bazaar

URUGUAY

Montevideo – ‘La Feria de Tristan Narvaja’ Flea Market

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Dubai Flea Market

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CA – Alemeda – Alemeda Flea Market

Long Beach – Long Beach Antique Flea Market

Pasadena – Rose Bowl Flea Market

San Francisco – Alemany Flea Market;

San Jose – San Jose Flea Market

FL – Daytona Beach – Daytona Flea & Farmers Market

IL – Chicago – Maxwell Street Market

Wheaton – All-Night Flea Market

IN – Shipshewana – Shipshewana’s Flea Marke

MA – Brimfield’s Outdoor Antique Show

NY- New York City – A) The Antiques Garage B) Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market C) Brooklyn’s Flea D) GreenFlea

TX – Austin – Austin Country Flea Market

Canton – First Monday Park

127 Corridor – Jamestown, TN – North Covington, KY –  Gadsden, AL – World’s Longest Outdoor Market and Yard Sale – Covers 630 Miles and 5 states

Spring Is In The Air! – As Well As Handcrafted Soap, Artisanal Tourism, & A New Breed of Eco-Cultural Entrepreneurs!

There is an unmistakable scent in the air – from Maine’s wildflowers to Floridian orange blossoms – from California’s freesia’s to British Columbia’s lilies. It is part of a quiet revolution – a ‘soap revolution’ – taking place on bathroom and pantry shelves all across North America – not just of finely made teacup candles and freshly perfumed linens – but of organically made, eco-friendly artisanal soaps – tokens of exotic places and pristine places we recently visited or wished we had.

It used to be that Italy, France, and Spain were the arbiters of soap fashion and luxury (i.e. Savon de Marseille and Castile Soap) – going back centuries to the Middle Ages and beyond. But in the last twenty years, America has come into its own – not only in handcrafting soaps as works of art – but in promoting ‘natural’ soap-making as a small- scale, naturally-sustainable economic livelihood for individual entrepreneurs and as a cultural heritage destination for tourists attracted by the natural resources and artisanal heritage of uniquely distinctive communities and regions.

In other words, much like the mid-19th century Hudson River School of landscape painters, today’s 21st century American artisanal soapmakers now take their inspiration from the natural environment around them and in turn are creating new organic soaps that expand upon the historic and cultural treasures of their locale. Rejecting commercial soap products and many of its synthetic additives and chemicals, this new breed of eco-conscious soapmakers is leading the way to a healthier lifestyle of skin care. Indeed it was Sigmund Freud who once said “Soap is the yardstick of civilization.”

One outstanding example of this can be found right in my home state of New Jersey in a collection of handcrafted soaps based on the legendary creature of the New Jersey Pinelands – an 18th century mythical beast called the ‘Jersey Devil’. Christine Mecca’s online store introduction says it all: (We at the ‘Jersey Devil Soapworks’) “have taken the spirit of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, its pitch pines, cedar streams and sugar sand roads and combined it with all natural ingredients and fragrances to produce fine, hand-made artisan soaps. We have taken our inspiration from one of the Pine Barrens most popular legends and have tried to infuse that into every bar of soap we make.”

But eco-conscious soapmaking is more than just a means to improving our own natural beauty – natural handcrafted soap is now being used to save the very ecosystems from whence the soap was made. Uniquely marketed in 100% recycled paper boxes, BirdProject Soap, created by Christine ‘Tippy’ Tippens of New Orleans is an exemplary example of how an artisanal soapmaker can make a difference in the recovery and restoration of a region’s coastline – in this case the Louisiana coastline. Spurred on by the BP Oil Spill disaster and the disastrous effects on brown pelicans and sea turtles, this eco-conscious entrepreneur is using her handcrafted soap as a means to raising money to fund both the environmental cleanup and animal rescue efforts along the Gulf Coast shoreline. Within each of her black, bird-shaped handmade glycerin soaps is a white ceramic bird made of Louisiana clay as a ‘reminder’ of the region’s precious natural and cultural resources.

Yet there is something more to this ‘reminder’ that is intrinsic to both the popularity of this ‘soap revolution’ and today’s ‘Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild’, organized originally in Ohio in 1998. Just as artisanal soapmaker, Frank Asquith, founder of Yosemite Soap Works, is bringing the spirited waterfalls and the high spring air of the giant sequoias of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California into his handmade olive oil soaps – and – Susan Houlihan, founder of Alpenglow Skin Care in Alaska, is now bringing the wild softness of Alaskan snow and berries of the Kenai Mountains into her handmade goat milk soaps – today’s North American eco-conscious soapmakers everywhere are distilling a bit of luxuriant sensory utopia right into their naturally made soap creations. They are inventing and re-inventing organically made soaps dedicated to an American Shangri-La – – an eco-American Shangri-La- – that gives people not only a greater sense of self, a brighter outlook on life, and a more youthful appearance – but a heightened awareness of environmental harmony. Yes, indeed, Sigmund Freud – today’s handcrafted eco-friendly soap is now the new yardstick of civilization!

L’Art de Vivre – To Be Sure There is Nothing Quite Like French Glamour – But Do You Know Your French Eco-Glamour?

What does Chanel #5, the world’s most famous perfume and Catherine Deneuve, one of the world’s most beautiful women, have in common? The answer is French Glamour.

And what of Limoges Porcelain, Gobelins Tapestry, Louis Vuitton Handbags, Savon de Marseille, Aubade Lingerie, and Fine Jewelry and Watches handmade by Van Cleef & Arpels all have in common? The answer is French Glamour – Yes, also synonymous with ‘LUXURY’.

And what of Monet’s Water Lily Paintings, and Claude Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’ and the Musee du Louvre itself, one of the greatest museums in all the world have in common? ‘GREAT ART’ – True! – But the answer, once again, is French Glamour.

And finally what do you think of when you hear the brand names – Givenchy, Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin and Yves St. Laurent? –Yes, ‘HAUTE COUTURE’ truly! – But once again the imagery that these great houses of fashion can evoke is much like the Palace of Versailles, the Castles of the Loire Valley, and the Vineyards of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne – a sumptuous collection of French Glamour at its very best.

My introduction to French glamour had its roots in both its language and its cooking style as it developed over the centuries – for I am the product line of a mad dash of 10th century Dukes of Normandy, a sprinkling of 12th century Counts of Poitou and Provence, a splendiferous mix of 13th century Capetian Kings and Plantagenet Kings and an unshakeable pinch of 17th century Huguenot craftsmen. But that is not why I and 80 million other tourists go back to France each year making France the world’s most visited country. Have you not heard? France is undergoing a ‘Green Revolution’ and its leading image is now that of Style AND Sustainability – in essence – FRENCH ECO-GLAMOUR!

You can see it in their development of glamorous green tourism businesses, (‘camping ecologique’) now taking France by storm – in moderately priced eco-campsites like the ones being offered by Celine Bossane’s ‘Huttopia’, which offers eco-camping in Versailles, Rambouillet and Senonche, Font-Romeu in the Pyrenees and Rillé in the Loire Valley – to luxury-priced eco-yurts in the Dordogne county of Aquitaine in southwestern France. Perhaps the most glamorous of these five-star eco-campsites is my favorite – ‘Camping Les Moulins’ – whose tents were designed by Cartier no less and are located on the lovely beaches of Ile de Noirmoutier in the picturesque Vendee region of West Central France. You can also see French Eco-Glamour in their sustainable farming techniques – my favorite being the production of ‘French Rabbit Wines’ by the Boisset family in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France – and in their eco-glamorous cutting-edge ski resorts – my favorite being Kalinda Village at Tignes les Broisses, the first and biggest eco-village in the French Alps.

You can also find French Eco-Glamour in their ‘Reversible’ brand-named eco-handbags made of recycled materials and Katell Gelebart’s transformation of food packaging into eco-chic dresses, jackets, and aprons and ‘Iroisie’s’ eco-beauty products for women, an organic skin care line of ‘cosmetiques biologiques’, founded by Anne Bontour whose source of inspiration came from her summers spent with her two grandmothers – countrywomen who lived by the sea in France’s northern Brittany – ‘Mer d’Iroisie’. How romantic-sounding is that? Not to be outdone by such eco-inspirational beginnings are the forests of France which have now doubled in size since 1950 making France the third largest forested surface area in Europe after Sweden and Finland. In particular seven miles west of Nice beyond the glitz and glamour of Cannes on the French Riviera, perched high above the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence in southeastern France, are the glamorous cedar wood lodgings of ‘Orion Treehouse B&B’ – the very definition of charm and excitement.

But not all that is French eco-sophistication and eco-glamour is new – indeed the conceptual birth of “Eco-Museums” originated in France back in 1971 – the brainchild of George Henri Riviere and Hugues de Varine – an idea which promoted special places whereby communities could actively participate in the preservation, interpretation and management of their own cultural heritage for sustainable development thru both indoor and outdoor exhibitions. As a result half of all the three hundred plus ‘Eco-Museums’ in the world today are in France.

And then there is the eco-glamorous ‘Paris Flea Market’, locally known as ‘Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen’ – the most renowned flea market in the world which covers 17 acres and welcomes 70,000 visitors per week with rows of discarded shards of civilization – bits of ‘distressed couture’ saved from bulging landfills and dumpsters. Opened in Paris in 1885, the Paris Flea Market offers shoppers with ‘upcycling’ talent – everything from hand-forged antiques to vintage clothes to decorative curiosities to playful kitsch and outright castoffs at bargain prices. Today, there are now customized ‘junk picking’ tours operating out of the USA to visit its 3000 plus stalls which gives ‘couture cycling’ new meaning – a sense of eco-glamour – which again is worth repeating – there is nothing quite like French glamor whether it be on the Avenue of the Champs-Elysees or your own repurposed French patterned pavers.

The Swedes are Coming! The Swedes are Coming! — Yes, in Cozy Tailor-Made, Eco-Friendly, Energy Saving, Prefabricated Homes!

It’s not the first time, Swedes have invigorated the American landscape with their eco-innovative architecture. Back in 1638, the Swedish colony of ‘New Sweden’ was established along the banks of the Delaware River that ran alongside the contiguous states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Although the number of first settlers was small in size, the territory in their possession limited, and their political ties to Sweden soon severed by northern wars in Europe and the capture of Fort Christina at Wilmington by the Dutch – the influence of their colonial footprints in America can still be seen in their native ‘Swedish Log Cabin’ architecture – made famous two centuries later by Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign bid in 1860 that he was born in a “log cabin” in Kentucky – a fact I can historically trace back to his New Jersey ‘Bowne’ ancestors thru their 17th century movements in south central New Jersey. For President Abraham Lincoln is in actuality, my 5th cousin.

But that was then. Today the Swedes are making their presence known with ‘prefabricated homes’ – easy-to-ship-and-assemble residential building parts manufactured off-site – that once again draw upon their creative skill for using environmentally sustainable materials in making practical eco-functioning homes with a touch of Scandinavian serenity. Classic examples include: 1) Willa Nordic’s “Eco House”, constructed of raw wood, built-in pergolas, and herbaceous plant growth; 2) Kjellgren Kaminsky Architecture’s “Villa Nyberg”, a timbered circular home, tightly insulated with a half circle second floor, central atrium, and a solar hot water heater on the roof; 3) Pinc House’s “Sport Home”, a modern version of a classic sports cabin or wooded bungalow complete with outside deck and grill area, panoramic windows and a spacious open interior; 4) Arkitekthus’s “Plus House”, a modern-day takeoff of a traditional Swedish barn constructed with native woods, glazed gables, windows, and walls, designed by the popular Swedish architects, Claesson, Koivisto, Rune, the inventors behind the stylish prefab folded roof house on Musko Island ; and 5) Rorvikshus’s gallery of pre-designed theme homes reflective of the historical provinces of Sweden itself – i.e. Gotland, Dalarna and Smaland. My personal favorite is that of the SASA Collection by Thomas Sandell, one of Sweden’s greats – a world famous architect, landscape designer, and furniture designer who interprets the celebrated “Swedish holiday cottage” in a more contemporary way by infusing his modern small prefab homes with the site’s topography thereby minimizing land footprints.

But perhaps the most interesting development is the entrée of IKEA, (a Swedish-based international retailer and adopted American icon of ready-to-assemble furniture and Scandinavian housewares) – into the housing market. Created in the mid-1990s, ‘BoKlok’ (Swedish for ‘Live Smart’), is now being launched for the first time in Germany later this summer – – updated eco-friendly modernist prefab developments that have grown globally from its initial debut in Sweden – then Norway, Finland, Denmark, and the UK. This rapid growth is due in part to technological advances like ‘SIP Panels’, (Structural Insulation Panels) that are precut and can be locked together. But there is more to all this than meets the eye – more than just making a profit – more than just conserving energy or pampering the planet.

The Swedes, I would argue, are a country of people imbued with a strong sense of moral conscience who have taken our American sense of ‘right to liberties and freedom’ to a higher level – the right that everyone should have adequate housing for their health and well-being. You can even see their sense of fairness in their handmade chocolate balls and Swedish coffee bread. Yes that’s right – according to Sweden’s leading chocolate expert, Jan Hedh, a beloved baker and confectioner, and world renown author of two beautiful cookbooks, “Artisan Bread” and “Swedish Breads and Pastries” – – “Freshly baked bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ought to be a basic human right!” And for most Swedes, prefabricated homes is indeed a ‘way of life’ – comprising 70% of the single-family housing market in Sweden – a fact greatly shaped by their short summer construction season and severe winters which in turn has induced economies of scale for mass production of highly energy-efficient housing.

And so here I am, quietly waiting and pining in the USA for my very own Swedish prefabricated home – an organic structure combined with a more eco-luxurious touch – a masterpiece of ‘ecological and poetic architecture’ – an upgrade of the ‘Swedish Log Cabin’ if you will – more along the lines of Gert Wingardh’s “Mill House”, another Swedish eco-architectural gem – only it’s a small spa retreat complete with ritual bathing and sauna features and an adjacent pool. A girl can dream, can’t she?

The Green Vibrancy of Today’s World Religions: Enriching our Eco-Conscious Efforts Center Stage

Pope Benedict XVI, Head of the Catholic Church is doing it.  Mormon elders, Buddhist Monks and Muslim Clerics are doing it and Hindu priests, Jewish rabbis, and indigenous tribes all across the globe are advocating it along with various Christian denominations here in the USA.   So exactly what is “it”?

“It” is the promotion of eco-friendly spirituality and environmental stewardship and it has been lifted up to a new level of eco-consciousness both on the world’s center stage and within the grass-roots efforts of local religious congregations.   Indeed, members of today’s world religions are celebrating faith and environmental well-being not only with their worship services and newsletters, workshops, recycling programs, and fund-raisers- but with their own eco-conscious energy efficient meeting houses and grounds such as the solar-powered LDS Chapel in Mesa, Arizona and the “Florida Avenue Baptist Church” in Washington, D.C., the First African-American church in the District of Columbia to power a church with solar energy – and the Tirumala Temple in southern India, (reportedly the richest and most visited house of worship in the world), which houses the world’s largest solar cooking technology on its roof to feed its thousands of daily visitors.  Then there is the small but progressive “Libertyville United Methodist Church” in Illinois with its own ‘Go Green Team’ and new bicycle rack meant to promote biking to church events and the “Prince of Peace Lutheran Church” in Gaithersburg, Maryland with its new church vegetable garden, communal compost bin, and rain barrel installation.  Perhaps one of the most dramatic examples of eco-friendly architecture is the Buddhist temple built by monks in northeast Thailand which consists of 1.5 million recycled beer bottles for its walls and roof.

Other changes meant to inspire its religious adherents to an ‘ecological spiritual journey’ of faith and nurture are the guidelines and green tips set forth by the “Episcopal Ecological Network” whose mission is to further the greening of its churches, camps, and conference centers across the USA and the ‘Earth Care Committee’ at the First Congregational Church in Sonoma, California and the ‘Environmental Task Force’ at the Edgewood United Church in East Lansing, Michigan whose support for a sustainable society includes the endorsement of local farmer’s markets, ‘eat local potlucks’, eco-responsible companies and labels and the fair trade purchases of coffee, cocoa, tea, nuts, cranberries, and chocolate bars.

To facilitate ‘caring for God’s earth’, Presbyterian churches across America have now established an ‘Earth Care Pledge’ along with worksheets, resources, and instructions for becoming an ‘Earth Care Congregation’ and most recently the Integrated Islamic School Shah Alam (ISSA) has launched a ‘Go Green Muslim Campaign’.  And to secure environmental justice, protect public health, and preserve biodiversity, the “Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life” (COEJL) has launched a ‘Four-Part Climate Change Campaign’ and a  ‘Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign Pledge’ mobilizing the Jewish community nationwide to “conserve energy, increase sustainability, and advocate for policies that increase energy efficiency and security”.

But some creative faith-based eco-initiatives can be found right within the worship service itself.  In Quebec, Canada, twenty-five Montreal-area churches – Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox – have agreed to replace their Californian-grown communion wine with a new locally produced Quebec wine.  And in the United States, 3556 congregations composed of Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics have gone the way of using “eco-palms” for their Palm Sunday services – palm stems that are harvested in a more environmentally friendly way.  Working together with eco-palm cooperatives in southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, this six year-old eco-palm program ensures that rainforest cuttings are not wasted by traditional methods and that villagers’ incomes are increased fairly and the habitats of birds and other species are environmentally protected.

And of course there are the eco-encyclicals and highly visible public statements of the Vatican’s chief administrator – Pope Benedict XVI – dubbed the “Green Pope”.   To date the Vatican has installed solar panels on the roof of its main auditorium, a solar cooling unit for its main cafeteria, and arranged a reforestation project in Hungary aimed at offsetting its CO2 emissions.  As for the hushed eco-whisperings of the indigenous tribes of South America, Africa, and Asia, and the Aborigines of Australia, and our own Native American Indians, they have now become mainstream – their spiritual relationship with the land that their ancestors once used and created – now continues in our time-honored religions of today.

Sailing Out of the Timeless Myths of Hamlet’s Elsinore Castle & Bluetooth’s Roskilde Fjord – Comes Denmark’s Legendary Eco-Designers of Today

It’s a funny thing about ancestral ghosts – Hamlet saw them, my grandmother believed in them, and Hans Christian Andersen made his entry into the world of literature writing about them back in 1822.  And that’s what makes Denmark so special – it is a “Land of Legends” with the oldest continuous monarchy in Europe, spectacular countryside and castles, 5000 miles of clean and sparkling white sandy beaches, and now over 4000 onshore wind turbines making it the world’s most windfarm-intensive country.

And that’s what makes Denmark so richly unique – it is constantly reinventing itself in sustainable ways that are consistent with its legendary maritime heritage, its premium on a close-knit social environment, and its respect for its physical environment – “the land of the Vikings” – many of whom went to France and founded Normandy only to rise later again as English nobility – including my very own ancestor, Prince Bernard of Denmark, Rollo the Viking’s chief counselor in the conquest of Normandy and the progenitor and founder of the “Harcourt” Family in England.

But today, Denmark is now embarking on a new kind of ‘viking raid’ – a globally ‘green invasion’ – and leading the way are the denizens of its very own capital – Copenhagen, nicknamed “Eco-penhagen” – one of the ten most eco-friendly cities in the world.  Over 50% of its hotels are “green”, its central bus system is battery-driven, and with over 300 kilometers of cycling paths, Copenhagen is on target to become the world’s leading ‘bicycle city’ of commuters by 2015.  And if that weren’t enough, topping this year’s #1 San Pellegrino list of best restaurants in the world – for the second time in a row – is “Noma” located in an ‘upcycled’ warehouse in Copenhagen whose philosophy to serve wild and natural food products directly from the soil and sea not only authentically complements the Danish sea and sky-themed atmosphere and terracotta pot filled salads and pebbly-served, starfish-powdered shrimps  – but as Chef Rene Redzepi puts it, (The Founder of the Nordic Cuisine Movement) – each dish is meant “to enrich the soul”.

That ability to link nature to innovation – from eco-cuisine to eco-transport to eco-planning is the hallmark of Danish culture – so much so that leveraging new eco-innovation models of management, economics, and technology is now part of a collaborative effort by the Copenhagen Business School to establish innovation networks worldwide whilst advancing Denmark’s competitive advantage in sustainable business development.  But perhaps nowhere better than in the multidisciplinary area of ‘eco-designing’ are Denmark’s modern-day ‘green vikings’ making the greatest impact worldwide – in the way of car designs, furniture designs, yacht designs, building designs, and urban planning designs.

When it comes to the art of designing eco-friendly luxury cars, perhaps no one can make a more sophisticated, more superbly eco-chic car than Danish-born Henrik Fisker in his new “Fisker Karma” car – a four-door, plug-in hybrid luxury sports car that has a 300-mile range using both electric and gasoline power.  And when it comes to designing environmentally responsible outdoor furniture of international calibre – there is none better than ‘Skagerak Denmark’ whose family’s passion for wood and Denmark’s carpentry traditions over the generations is “anchored in the values of the maritime world”.   As for designing sustainable architecture, the three Danish firms of Deve Architects, Henning Larsen Architects, Christensen & Co. Architects are amongst the world’s best eco-designing visionaries.   Indeed, Deve Architects of Copenhagen has now put a modern-day twist on Prince Hamlet’s Elsinore Castle by designing an urban eco-castle in the formerly industrialized city center of Augustenborg, Denmark whilst Christensen & Co Architects has built a ‘Green Lighthouse’ structure at the University of Copenhagen which is the first carbon neutral building in Denmark.   And Henning Larsen Architects of Copenhagen has designed and completed a unique housing complex of 140 apartments built into the shape of a wave nine stories high with five featured wave crests creating a beautiful connection between Vejle Fjord’s landscape and the town itself.  But perhaps the best example of this Danish eco-philosophy of linking nature to designing can be seen in the “Global Eco-Village Movement”, co-founded by Danish-born Hildur Jackson – the new worldview of linking nature to ‘human settlement designs’  – the creation of planned residential communities based on the holistic concept that human activities must be socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable.

Now looking backwards over the last thousand years of Danish eco-designing, my personal favorite is one that hits closer to home and my immediate family – that of the legendary eco-graphic design left by King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark (b. 935, d.985) – found in the form of a memorial rune stone in the town of Jelling – in memory of his parents, King Gorm the Old and Thyra Danebold.   One stone in particular has a serpent wrapped around a lion and on the other side, a picture of Jesus Christ wrapped in the tree branches of the Old Norse ‘World Tree’ – symbolic of King Bluetooth’s conquest of Denmark and Norway and his conversion of the Danes to Christianity.  Ultimately, his son, King Sweyn Forkbeard, would lead a full-scale Viking assault on England and be crowned King of England on Christmas Day in 1013.  Two of King Bluetooth’s granddaughters would hence marry into Anglo-Saxon nobility.  One of their female descendants in turn would sail to America centuries later to found New England and become the ‘First Poet of America’.  And in turn one of her descendants would become my orphaned grandmother – renamed “Dolly” as a child as she was wont to play with dolls around local cemetery gravestones.  And therein lies the key to my grandmother’s ancestral ghosts and the riddle that she was given – that “she was as old as Olde England itself” – the amazing discovery that her 33^rd great-grandfather was none other than Danish King Harald Bluetooth himself.  Perhaps this is another reason why Denmark is so special – its legends never leave us!

An Ode to Sweden: From its Viking Runes & Ragnarok Roots to Today’s Recycling-Conscious Royals & Retailers

It’s been 1025 years since my outlaw ancestor, Prince Styrbjorn the Strong of Sweden, the Viking ruler of Jomsborg on the Isle of Wolin in Poland and brother-in-law and ally of King Svein Forkbeard of Denmark (and briefly England) – was killed by his uncle, King Eric the Victorious, (my one other notable Swedish ancestor) at the Battle of Fyrisval on Nov. 1, 985 near Uppsala, Sweden.  A firm believer in “Ragnarok” – the Norse prophesy that the ‘final great battle’, the ‘end of the world’, and the ‘destruction of the gods’ would ultimately result in a cataclysmic series of natural disasters submerging all of the earth’s known landmarks into the sea — Prince Styrbjorn illustrates not only the Viking’s world view of great storytelling symbolism but the Viking’s remarkable insight into their own eco-surroundings i.e. the brilliant use of polarizing sunstone crystals to navigate the high seas on cloud-covered days long before compasses reached Europe, the release of ravens (one of the 10 most intelligent animals in the world) after setting sail and losing sight of land, and the harnessing of seaweed, seafloor mud samples, and the North Star to estimate their location.  Perhaps more telling is the fact that the heyday of the Viking period – and “Ragnarok” itself – coincided with what scientists now call the “Medieval Warming Period” – the years between 800 and 1300 A.D.

Ironically, one thousand years later, the earth is now undergoing another global warming trend.  Indeed, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) of the Arctic Council has recently revised its forecasts and has now projected that the melting of arctic glaciers, ice caps, and Greenland’s massive ice sheet will raise sea levels by 35 to 63 inches by the year 2100.  Together with the ever-increasing prices in oil production, Sweden’s policy-makers have now committed themselves to ending the use of fossil fuels by 2020.  Already 28% of Sweden’s energy is renewable and eco-friendly.  But this is not the only reason why Sweden today is considered by many to be the “greenest country in the world” nor is their stunning aspirational drive toward an eco-efficient economy some recent reactionary proclamation by Swedish government officials. Rather there is something deep within the Swedish psyche, the Swedish culture itself, and in their love of nature that has persisted over the past millennium from their earliest Viking days – an unspoken notion that Swedes are somehow the sustainable guardians of the earth’s resources, not only the green care-takers of their planet but the innovative house-keepers of their planet.

One can particularly see it in their world renowned recycling projects – from recycling everyday newspapers to plastic packaging – and in their 3500 environmental technology companies — companies like three year old ‘Minesto’ in Gothenburg and its newly designed underwater kites that capture the energy in falling and rising tides and ocean currents and in 97 year old ‘Electrolux AB’ of Stockholm Sweden, the world’s second largest home appliance manufacturer and inventor of five novelty green vacuum cleaners made of recycled plastics found in the world’s seas and oceans.

One can also see Sweden’s eco-innovativeness in both its ancient textile traditions and up and coming eco-fashionistas – companies like ‘Ekelund Weavers’ – Master Weavers since 1692 and purveyors to the Swedish Royals for over a hundred years, noted for its organically grown fibers, naturally colored cotton, and eco-manufacturing processes that comply with the requirements of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation — and in young, hip companies like ‘Swedish Hasbeens’ of Stockholm,  eco-designers of handmade shoes made of natural grain leather and rubber and “Swedish alder wood and lime-tree that has been harvested and grown according to the regulations of the ‘Preservation of the Forests’.”

Closer to home here in America, Swedish entrepreneurs are now brandishing their eco-uniqueness with elegantly made “New Nordic Cuisine” and recycled “Gilded Lace” jewelry – in restaurateurs like ‘Smorgas Chef Restaurant’ in New York City whose devotion to serving fresh and flavorful food and managing their own food resources has now culminated in a newly acquired 150 acre eco-farm in the Catskills  — and in Monika Knutsson’s collection of fine art jewelry  – whose inspiration comes from the flea markets of Paris, Berlin, and New York and the early 20^th century pieces she finds and dips into sterling silver or 24k gold.

And of course, there is the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce here in New York – whose active support and recognition of green businesses both here and in Sweden and its sponsorship of this year’s 4^th Annual Green Summit and the Pre-Conference  Gala Dinner on Nov. 1st – will allow me to hear for the first time, the eco-introduction from none other than H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden – a graceful proponent of recycling efforts and clean water and energy initiatives – the heiress-apparent to the Swedish throne – and proudly I might add – a royal eco-reminder of my long lost Swedish heritage – in the  way of my 35^th cousin – and 1026 years to the day since my 36th great-grandfather, Prince Styrbjorn Starke of Sweden met his fate at The Battle of  Fyrisval. Little did he realize the final ending of the Ragnarok prophesy  – that the earth would resurface again – be renewed and fertile and that Sweden would  take its rightful place as the world’s eco-sentinel.

12 Best Eco-Spas in the World!

By no means is this list immutable. Indeed the notion of ‘spa luxury’ is changing and a high honorable mention must be credited towards ‘Six Senses Spa’ at Zighy Bay in The Musandam Peninsula in Oman where ‘environmental sustainability and style’ is just not a catchphrase but corporate policy – where hotel fees are channeled towards wind farms in India and where buildings are aesthetically camouflaged into its desert fjord-like surroundings. But in the end, it is the eco-sophisticated treatments of these twelve best in the world that leave little doubt that they are in a class by themselves.

But first, let us define the essence of an ‘eco-spa’ in comparison to its better known eco-siblings —- the ‘day spa’, the ‘resort spa’, the ‘medical spa’, the ‘cruise line spa’ and the ‘destination spa’. What makes an ‘eco-spa’ both unique and fascinating is not only its natural setting, its environmentally friendly recycling practices and organic skin care products, its sensitivity to wild flora and fauna and the local indigenous culture as well as its aboriginal healing traditions and green food cuisine — but its eco-crafted emphasis on a “zero-waste philosophy” and “carbon neutrality” – to fashionably put it – its chic interpretation of pampering yourself and the planet with a minimal demand on the Earth’s ecological capacity to regenerate. And that is the key – not only using nature’s ‘healing force’ as part of the spa experience but giving back ‘wellness’ to nature’s wondrous eco-systems.

Based then on this criteria of what constitutes an ‘eco-spa’, the twelve best eco-spas in the world (listed in alphabetical order by country) are as follows:

1- Austria, Styria – ROGNER BAD BLUMAU SPA – www.blumau.com/
2-Australia, Daintree, Queensland – DAINTREE ECO-LODGE & SPA –
www.daintree–ecolodge.com.au/
3- Canada, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec – SPA SCANDINAVE –
www.scandinave.com/en/tremblant/
4- Costa Rica, La Fortuna De San Carlos – TABACON GRAND THERMAL SPA RESORT – www.tabacon.com/
5- India, Rajasthan – AMANBAGH PALACE SPA – www.amanresorts.com/amanbagh/
6- Ireland, Enniscorthy – MONART SPA – www.monart.ie/
7- Maldives, Vabbinfaru – BANYAN TREE SPA – www.banyantree.com/
8- Mexico, Chichen Itza, Yucatan – YAXKIN SPA AT THE HACIENDA CHICHEN RESORT –
www.haciendachichen.com/
9- Morocco, Imlil – KASBAH DU TOUBKAL SPA – www.kasbahdutoubkal.com/
10- Peru, Machu Picchu – THE UNU SPA AT INKATERRA HOTEL – www.inkaterra.com/
11- USA, Big Sur, California – THE POST RANCH INN SPA – www.postranchinn.com/
12- USA, Jackson Hole, Wyoming – CHILL SPA AT TERRA HOTEL –
www.hotelterrajacksonhole.com/

To update an old 17th century proverb, “The proof is in the eco-pudding” and what better way to rejuvenate oneself than to take a vacation at any one of these eco-spas. In addition to customized color, gem, aroma, phyto, and thalasso-therapy treatments — highlights include everything from organic gardening, beekeeping and henna body painting to volcanic mud and brass bowl polyphonic massages, to solar-infused cliffside tree houses, thatched-roof cabanas, and fuel-free mule rides, to repurposed Mayan stone pools, sacred cave sweat baths, and pristine rainforest water to a cycle of Norwegian steam baths and Finnish saunas transplanted in an Olympic-inspired village wonderland of endless ski trails.

Are you ready now for that special ‘eco-spa’ getaway?

Sustainable Investing in Tree Archives, Oyster Castles, & Floating Islands? – Meet the New Eco-Technology Portfolio!

In order to understand sustainable investing or eco-investing, it helps to understand the ‘eco-functions’ of nature at its most basic level – facts that we as humans take for granted, sometimes ignore, but more often overlook.

To begin with – let’s take a look at some of the ‘eco-functions’ of a tree – for who hasn’t crayon-colored a tree in school when they were just a kid? For me, it’s one of the earliest memories of my childhood – a brown stick-looking figure with an out-of-control leafy hairdo! But it wouldn’t be till much later that I figured out how important trees are to my health rather than to climb them.

Fact#1 – Trees are in essence bio-filters – they filter out pollutants from the air and the soil as well as store carbon dioxide in their wood, leaves, and roots.
Fact#2 – Trees are not only a tremendous source of food for birds, insects, mammals, and rodents (and our own dinner table) – but 40% of our medicines can be traced back to trees.
Fact#3 – Trees are not only drainage stoppers – controlling our soil erosion by straining and slowing down storm water runoff and recharging our aquifers – but they also act as outdoor control panels – moderating ground temperatures and providing windbreaks and glare reduction from nearby sidewalks, pavement, and buildings.

Today, there are many non-profit organizations and companies that now specialize in tree conservation projects and tree restoration programs in which one can invest in – but the one that intrigues me the most for it’s creative new age way of promoting ‘tree-technology’ aka ‘the eco-functions of a tree’ – is that of the “Archangel Ancient Tree Archive” based in Michigan – a non-profit group dedicated to collecting, archiving, and cloning genetic material from the ‘granddaddies’ of all trees – the oldest, the biggest, and the most important trees on the planet such as the California Redwoods, the Giant Sequoia, and the Ancient Irish Oaks.

Another fascinating non-profit group bringing new light to the meaning of ‘eco-technology investments’ is that of “The Nature Conservancy” now operating in the coastal waters off South Carolina – specifically promoting ‘oyster-technology’ as it pertains to oyster reef restoration. For it is an ‘eco-functional fact’ that the average oyster filters 50 gallons of water per day. Multiply that by thousands and you can see why oyster reefs are not only important for maintaining healthy habitats for fish, shrimp, and crabs (and providing an alternative source of protein for our own dinner table) but these same oyster reefs protect the shoreline from erosion. So in order to stimulate growth of the threatened oyster reef around South Carolina’s Jeremy Island, “mini-condos”, or “castle-like structures”, are being built using recycled oyster shells and cement to lure millions of oyster larvae to settle into and attach themselves rather than sink in the mud and die.

Lastly, a third kind of ‘eco-technology investment’ that has truly grabbed my imagination (and my wallet) is that of the Montana-based company, “Floating Island International”, started by outdoorsman, Bruce Kania, a proponent of biomimicry (the art of examining and mimicking nature’s ‘eco-functions’ to solve man-made problems), and the inventor of a new type of ‘plant raft’ or “floating treatment wetland”, a mesh of seeded recycled plastic bottles and carpet which allows plants to flourish, float, and filter out waterway pollutants. According to Bruce’s company website – “Over 4,000 islands have been launched and over 30 different applications have been identified for floating islands.”

In summary, what I love about this new eco-technology portfolio is the simplicity of both the initial eco-investment idea and the ‘eco-functions’ they were modeled after – and the simple fact that both kids and adults alike will always want to have a backyard tree, a community pond and a public beach to call their own and where recreation is safe and fun for all who use it.

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