Multicultural Environmentalism At Work – The Preeminent Green Royals of Morocco, Monaco, and the Middle East!

There are a handful of royals right now who are using their unique sovereign status to draw attention to a variety of eco-causes. And in this article, we shall look specifically at the “Green Royals” of Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia who are making a difference in “greening” their homelands – homelands with such allure and exotic fascination that many an old Hollywood movie has been aggrandized by using these places as the centerpiece of their story.

One of my favorites is “Casablanca”, a stirring wartime romance and adventure film set in northern Africa in 1942 featuring acting celebrities Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Today, however, the city of Casablanca is now independent of French rule in the Kingdom of Morocco and its current king is Mohammed VI. And since 1999, his sister, HRH Princess Lalla Hasna, has been presiding over many an environmental initiative including the national campaign to protect the country’s 3,500 kilometers of Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline and most notably as Chairwoman of the “Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment” – the rehabilitation and reopening of “Hermitage Park” in Casablanca last year.

And for those of you who are adventure-loving moviegoers, who can forget the final climatic scenes of the action-packed 1989 Steven Spielberg film, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” featuring the ancient cliff-carved monastery at Petra, Jordan? Lost for centuries, this rose-red colored city of stone is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. But not lost in the environmental annals of achievement is the present-day royal family of Jordan, five of whom are major players in the sustainable development of Jordan’s eco-tourism attractions and energy independency:

1) His Royal Majesty Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein is currently involved in one of the most ambitious eco-projects in world history called the “Sahara Forest Project” – an ambitious project to turn the deserts of Jordan into a verdant oasis utilizing saltwater-cooled greenhouses, a solar panel plant, algae cultivation facilities and halophyte or salt-loving plant cultivation units.

2) The king’s wife, Her Royal Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, is both the Founder and Chairwoman of the “Jordan River Foundation” which empowers Jordanians – especially women and children – with economic opportunities realized thru the promotion of native eco-handicrafts i.e. baskets, mats and native furniture made of local banana leaves and cattail reeds. She is also a strong supporter of organic farming and her country’s plan to convert up to 5% of Jordanian farms by 2014.

3) The king’s step-mother, Her Royal Majesty Queen Noor, is the Co-Founder and Patron of “The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature” (RSCN) whose mission is to bio-manage the natural resources of Jordan and protect its wildlife species and the biodiversity of the wilderness regions of the kingdom. Her environmental achievements are many – 1) the establishment of twelve nature reserves, 2) the creation of more than 500 environmental school clubs throughout Jordan’s school system, 3) the integration of biodiversity concepts into school curricula, and 4) the socio-economic development of rural communities by creating job opportunities through eco-tourism, craft production, and other nature-based businesses. She also founded the “Aqaba Committee for the Protection of the Environment” and helped establish the Gulf of Aqaba’s Marine Science Station which houses an aquarium and carries out education and research projects. Internationally, the Queen is Patron of the IUCN, (the “International Union for Conservation of Nature”), the oldest international conservation organization in the world, and a board member of the WWF, ( the “World Wildlife Fund International”), the largest, privately supported international conservation organization dedicated to protecting the world’s wildlife and wildlands. In addition, Queen Noor is the Founding President and Honorary President Emeritus of “BirdLife International”, and Trustee Emeritus of “Conservation International”. Here in the USA, she is a director on the global board of “The Hunger Project” and an Ambassador for “Future Harvest CASA”, (the “Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture”) which promotes “profitable, environmentally sound and socially acceptable food and farming systems that work to sustain communities.”

4) The king’s uncle, Prince Hassan bin Tala, is a big supporter of a massive renewable energy project called “Desertec” which calls for the building of massive solar arrays throughout the Middle East and North Africa which could supply one-sixth of the European Union’s electricity needs. His aim is to seek energy independence for Jordan and to transition its people away from a fossil-fuel civilization to a solar-energy civilization.

5) The king’s aunt, Princess Basma bint Talal, is the Founder of both the “Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan” whose mission is “to preserve native plants and ecosystems, and promote biodiversity research and environmental learning” and the “Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan” whose mission is “to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the marine environment in Jordan through conservation programs, advocacy, education, outreach and empowerment”. She is also the chair of the Jordan Royal Ecological Diving Society and the National Environment Wildlife Society.

And who can forget acting royal, Grace Kelly, in Alfred Hitchcock’s memorable romantic thriller, “To Catch a Thief”, set in 1955 along the French Riviera? Today her son, Prince Albert II Grimaldi, better known as the “Green Prince”, is the Founder of the “Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation” whose commitment to sustainable and ethical projects around the world is reflected in his foundation’s mission: to combat climate change and develop renewable energies; to combat the loss of biodiversity; to combat desertification in Africa and improve universal access to clean water. Closer to home, one of the aims of the “Green Prince” is to have all future car races in the “Monaco Grand Prix” be fueled by biofuels and not gasoline. Towards that end, Monaco now has the highest state subsidies in the world for electric vehicles and hybrids as well as the highest concentration of electric-charging stations in the world for its land mass area of .7 square miles (or the size of New York City’s Central Park): 333+ stations for four-wheeled vehicles and 145+ stations for two-wheeled vehicles. Another innovation in new environmental technology applications that has come about under the auspices of Prince Albert is the Monaco-made invention of “Seawater Heat Pumps” which today produce 17 percent of the total energy consumed in the Principality of Monaco as well as the world’s first official fleet of electric “Smart Cars”.

And lastly, who can forget the Hollywood 1962 film classic, “Lawrence of Arabia”? Although Director, David Lean, shot this epic adventure in Morocco and Spain, the spectacular sand dunes shown across the big screen might as well have been the Arabian desert of Saudi Arabia in the eyes of many a westernized viewer. Today Saudi Arabia is proudly ruled by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, who two years ago, decreed that a new renewable energy city be built called the “King Abdullah Economic City” along with the “King Abdullah University of Science and Technology” whose prestigious research facilities are focused on both solar and nuclear technologies and environmental issues.

Thus finding innovative solutions to key environmental and energy-related problems now has “royally green ambassadors” actively committed to ecologically-responsible alternatives.

Humorous Eco-Inspired Quotes – Part IV: By Some Famous American Television Celebs

I’ll let you be the judge of what’s funny but sometimes when you least expect it – a certain quip from a celebrity catches your breath with its nuanced eco-twist. Here then below is a list of my favorite eco-inspired quotes taken from a lighthearted comedic perspective:

1-“There’s so much plastic in this culture that vinyl leopard skin is becoming an endangered synthetic.” – Lily Tomlin

2-“A two pound turkey and a fifty-pound cranberry-that’s Thanksgiving dinner at Three Mile Island.” – Johnny Carson

3- “That’s the thing about Mother Nature, she really doesn’t care what economic bracket you’re in.” – Whoopi Goldberg

4-“Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” – George Carlin

5-“According to a survey in this week’s Time magazine, 85% of Americans think global warming is happening. The other 15% work for the White House.” – Jay Leno

6-“It’s hard for the modern generation to understand Thoreau, who lived beside a pond but didn’t own water skis or a snorkel.” – Loudon Wainwright III

7-“Fall is my favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change color and fall from the trees.” – David Letterman

8-“ Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” – Robin Williams

9-“You know what happens when windmills collapse into the sea? A splash.” – Bill Maher

10- “Yesterday, a group of scientists warned that because of global warming, sea levels will rise so much that parts of New Jersey will be under water. The bad news? Parts of New Jersey won’t be under water.” – Conan O’Brien

11-“Do you really think they have chemical weapons stronger than living next to New Jersey?” – Jon Stewart

12-“Now I know why I haven’t paid any attention to this global warming fad. It makes horrible television.” – Stephen Colbert

13-“Researches at Yale found a connection between brain cancer and work environment. The No. 1 most dangerous job for developing brain cancer? Plutonium hat model.” – Jimmy Fallon

14-“We don’t hate giraffes here, we just put them in their place.” –Craig Ferguson

15- “Stuffed deer heads on walls are bad enough, but it’s worse when they are wearing dark glasses and have streamers in their antlers because then you know they were enjoying themselves at a party when they were shot.” – Ellen DeGeneres

16-“It’s absolutely stupid that we live without an ozone layer. We have men, we’ve got rockets, we’ve got saran wrap – FIX IT!!!” – Lewis Black

How Well Do You Know Your Hollywood Eco-Celebs and Environmentally Themed Films?

The Hollywood Entertainment Industry Has Gone Green – both On-Screen and Off-Screen – particularly since the Ecology Movement of the 1970’s and 1980’s. And Hollywood Celebrities have never been shy about making public statements about their environmental causes. So let’s test your star-gazing memories – How Well Do You Know Your Hollywood Eco-Celebs and Environmentally Themed Films?

1-Which American actress travelled the globe as an eco-tourist in the MTV series “Trippin” and was crowned “Queen of Green” by Vogue magazine?

2-Which American actor has his own brand of eco-cleaners and a reality show series that follows him as he tackles green issues in his home and with friends?

3-Which American actor is developing an eco-resort in Belize, is heavily involved in a global wildlife campaign called “Save Tigers Now” and has written, produced, and narrated his own eco-documentary, “The 11th Hour”?

4-Which American actor is a big proponent of the BP Solar Neighbors Program and has recently launched his own online fundraising site – www.crowdrise.com?

5-Which American actress and film star “mermaid” got arrested in 2006 for chaining herself to a tree for 23 days in a bid to save the nation’s largest urban farm in South Central Los Angeles?

6-Which American actor is a longtime green legend known for his good looks, his
Independent Cinema Festival, and his 2007 television series, “The Green”?

7-Which American actor is a big proponent of sustainable architecture, a founding member of ‘Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’ and was twice named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People Magazine?

8-Which American actress is a longtime vegetarian and animal-rights activist who launched her own vegan footwear in 2008 and co-hosted the documentary, “Saving a Species: Gorillas on the Brink” with Jack Hanna, America’s premier zookeeper?

9-Which American actress and celebrated singer is an urban environmental activist who has founded an organization devoted to restoring New York City’s lost and forgotten parks and developing new ones?

10-Which American actor, known for his off-beat characters on the big screen, is a dedicated environmentalist and staunch vegan who lives in a sustainable community in Maui, Hawaii and has recently teamed up with the “Living Tree Paper Company” to promote the use of tree-free products and other postconsumer waste recycled products amongst his colleagues and friends in the entertainment and music worlds?

11-Which American actor is a longtime ocean activist best known for his television work in comedy and featured narration of The Google Earth rock star tour, “Protecting the Arctic Ocean”?

12-Which American actor is a longtime environmental activist and helicopter pilot who has a Central American ant named after him and is now involved in a mission to rescue the Colombian Jungle from environmental degradation?

13-What 1979 Hollywood Eco-Thriller starring Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, and Jack Lemmon tells the story of a reporter and cameraman who stumble upon safety coverups at a nuclear power plant?

14-What 1983 Hollywood Eco-Thriller starring Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, and Cher portrays the true story of a whistleblower named Karen Silkwood, a metal worker at a plutonium processing plant, who mysteriously dies on her way to meet a New York Times investigative reporter?

15-What 1993 Hollywood Family Film starring Jason James Richter and Keiko the Orca Whale pits a 12 year old boy against an aquarium owner when the boy learns that his beloved killer whale is about to be killed?

16-What 1997 Hollywood Eco-Action Thriller starring Steven Seagal and Kris Kristofferson pits a Environmental Protection Agent against big-time Corporate Polluters who are dumping toxic waster into abandoned mines in the Kentucky Hills Region and frightening the rural townsfolk into shutting up?

17-What 1998 Hollywood Eco-Drama starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall pits a personal injury lawyer against a major corporation as he seeks justice in a water pollution case brought by citizens of a Massachusetts town whose drinking water has been contaminated with industrial solvents?

18-What 2000 Hollywood Eco-Drama (based on a true story) starring Julia Roberts and Albert Finney pits a small-town law clerk against a large electric utility after coming across suspicious medical records from the nearby town of Hinkley, California where toxic chromium seems to be the culprit behind the diseases and deaths occurring amongst the locals?

19-What 2004 Hollywood Science-Fiction Disaster Film starring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal portrays the catastrophic effects of global warming when an American paleoclimatologist has to trek through a climate-changed ice-ravaged landscape to find his son?

20-What 2006 Hollywood Comedy Family Film starring Logan Lerman and Luke Wilson pits three kids against crooked politicians, land developers, and bumbling cops in order to save the habitat of endangered burrowing owls from destruction?

Answers: 1-Cameron Diaz 2-Ed Begley Jr. 3-Leonardo DiCaprio 4-Edward Norton 5-Daryl Hannah 6-Robert Redford 7-Brad Pitt 8-Natalie Portman 9-Bette Midler 10-Woody Harrelson 11-Ted Danson 12-Harrison Ford 13-China Syndrome 14-Silkwood 15-Free Willy 16-Fire Down Below 17-A Civil Action 18-Erin Brokovich 19-The Day After Tomorrow 20-Hoot

If you wish to learn more, register with EMA – the “Environmental Media Association” (www.ema-online.org/) based in Los Angeles, California.

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.