Few places in the world are as remote, mysterious and ethereal as Rapa Nui – better known to us as Easter Island.

Rising from the sea 3,600 km west of Chile, this volcanic island is steeped in history. European explorers arrived in 1722 AD to claim first discovery, little realizing they were a thousand years too late. It’s generally agreed that 4th Century Polynesians created the island’s archaeological remains, after enduring a staggering sea journey of over 1,500km eastwards. Today, it’s temperate, breathtakingly gorgeous and as enigmatic as its famous moai (carved stone heads).

One thing it isn’t is inaccessible (not completely, anyway). You could use a tour operator such as EcoToursChile – or, for a little more luxury, use explora’s package, that includes a stay at the Posada de Mike Rapu hotel (application underway for Gold LEED status), with package prices from $2,634 for 3 days.

For a taster, read about Edward Albee’s visit for The New York Times.

Image credit: Aurbina

You may have noticed the word “change” being bandied around in recent months. It’s one of the keywords of sustainable living. We’re all creatures designed for change, which is why we don’t cope well with sedentary, stagnant habits (or “modern life”, if you’re feeling cynical). But with the word comes a certain responsibility. 

Change is certainly in the air in Toronto, which has just slapped a ban on plastic water bottle sales by 2011. Furthermore, from June 2009 a 5 cent charge will be placed on every plastic supermarket bag – and even biodegradable, compostable bags (the kind increasingly popular for refuse sacks) will be officially nixed. In Toronto, plastic has nowhere to shine.

This is admirable work. Urban tumbleweed is a global pestilence and should be a thing of the last century – and considering the non-renewable resources expended in making plastic bottles, some of which contain the profoundly worrying chemical BPA, it’s time we consigned our favourite polyethylene habit to the history books. Here, Canada is way ahead of the pack. We’ve heard of plastic bag bans from around the world, but aside from a few progressive examples, banning plastic bottles is quite the Canadian thing.

So it’s wall-to-wall good news? Only if the Toronto City Council acts responsibly. Denying the public a common resource without investing heavily in providing alternatives (and perhaps more importantly, educating the public about them) is a recipe for political disaster. While the authorities promise to provide cardboard bags and upgrade drinking fountains, there’s no news about a viable, widely-available alternative to how millions of Americans currently carry their drinking water around. Change is certainly needed – but to what?

Perhaps it’s just early days, and we’ll hear more soon. And until we do, we have a few suggestions to offer.

Image: Rainan117

Sometimes development is necessary; increasingly, we’re seeing sustainable examples. Yet at in some unfortunate cases, it’s controversial to say the least. We’ve all seen bulldozers lay waste to once pristine wooded areas in our countries and communities. The latest “People vs. Developers” case is centered on the ancient Angel Oak of John’s Island, South Carolina. The Angel Oak is the oldest living tree east of the Rockies – it is over 1,500 years old. It is truly a sight to behold.

Granted, no one wants to cut down the Angel Oak itself, but in order to make room for the multi-story apartment buildings and 80,000 square feet of retail space, most of the forest around the Angel Oak will have to be destroyed. This forest ““ filled with other trees that are ancient ““ is a protected wetland essential for maintaining the local hydrological cycle. Ecosystems are delicate and losing another green space in this day and age is a cause for deeper examination.

Opponents of the building project are suggesting reclaiming old, rundown buildings and turning them into apartments instead, and sparing one of the last, sacred green spaces we’ve got left.

If you’re moved to get involved, sign the online petition and help save the beautiful forest surrounding Angel Oak.

Biking just got more attractive. The Biddeford campus of the University of New England has created a new program to provide free bikes (complete with lock and helmet) or Zipcar usage to Freshmen who leave their cars at home. Because of recent campus construction, many parking spaces were lost and UNE wanted a better solution than simply to lay down more asphalt.

UNE has also expanded shuttle service and offered taxi vouchers for students of the Portland campus. Response has been positive and the university is considering expanding the program. Smart thinking from the Office of Student Affairs; it’s not just good for the environment, but great exercise for students who could use some physical activity between parties ““ and classes.

Image: aleksandersen

I recently spoke with Susan Dix Lyons, visionary and founder of Clinica Verde, a holistic, community-oriented medical clinic in Nicaragua. Their mission is to serve the local poor with excellent health care and nutritional counseling in sustainably designed buildings with organic gardens. Clinica Verde is still in the fundraising process, but hopes to break ground in 2009. This project could become the prototype for sustainable, community-oriented clinics around the world.

EcoSalon: What prompted the creation of Clínica Verde?

Susan Dix Lyons: I founded Clínica Verde in April of 2007, after a few trips to Nicaragua with my husband, a physician. We visited a small public hospital and were shocked by the conditions. It was in dire need ““ poorly equipped, unsanitary and starving for resources. We coordinated a couple of shipping containers of medical supplies in an attempt to help. That felt good. It was a step. But we quickly realized that, despite our good intentions, our shipments were not going to make any lasting or fundamental change in the lives of the people served. In order to do that, we would have to make a real commitment to change. That was the seed of Clínica Verde.

ES: Tell me about your experiences in Nicaragua.

SDL: The first time I was in Nicaragua was actually 1990. I was working at my first job out of college, as a reporter for the Tico Times in San Jose, Costa Rica, and I flew to Managua to witness the election between Daniel Ortega and Violeta Chamorro. That experience left a deep impression on me. I was struck by the people and their history ““ a history that included a series of natural disasters and civil war. I felt a connection that I didn’t fully understand until years later when I returned with my husband. It occurred to me then that this path was meant to be. Today, the daughter of Violeta Chamorro is a partner in Clínica Verde and a member of our board of directors.

ES:  How does sustainable building design benefit the health of the community?

SDL: When conceiving the idea for Clínica Verde we were mindful of the fact that hospitals and clinics throughout the world are, ironically, often not healthy environments. They are not, for that matter, pleasant environments. We wanted to rethink that. We asked ourselves the question, “What should a clinic ideally be?” Well, it should start by being built responsibly and sustainably, with materials that respect and conserve our resources and create a supportive environment for our users. It should respond to the notion that good health includes not just sound clinical practice but lifestyle and behaviors ““ strong relationships, nutrition, education, a supportive community and a hopeful outlook on our lives.

Our clinic plan includes an organic garden that can be used as a tool for teaching both cultivation of healthy food and nutrition, a demonstration kitchen for classes on food preparation and handling, a community room for health talks, computers for Internet access, a children’s playground, a small café, and a prayer alcove. We wanted to create a place not just where people have to go, but where people would want to go.

ES: How close are you to reaching your financial and building goals?

SDL: We’ve raised about half of our total construction budget of $580,000. It’s a lot of money ““ but not a lot when you consider what we’re building. The cost in the U.S. would be many [times] that. Nicaragua is a great testing ground for our concept because of the low cost to build, combined with the country’s great need and our strong relationships with people in the country who understand the healthcare system first-hand. For example, the former Minister of Health is one of our board members.

We have terrific community support, both in Nicaragua and in the States. In terms of fund-raising, we’ve received a number of generous donations from individuals, a grant from the Clif Bar Family Foundation, a pledge from another family foundation, and the support of our local Episcopal church. We have quite a few in-kind donations from businesses that support the project. We have an exceptional bi-national board of directors and panel of advisors. We’re pushing hard to raise the remaining funds so that we can break ground in 2009. We won’t begin construction until we have the total funds necessary.

ES: How will you raise maintenance funds once the clinic is built?

SDL: We’re realistic about the need to cultivate long-term relationships with a community of passionate supporters and advocates. We’ll be doing fundraisers in California and spreading nationally as more supporters step forward to take ownership in the project’s growth and success. But we also have a financial model that incorporates local sustainability. Our healthcare will be offered on a “donation” basis to the poor, with no patient being turned away. Middle-class patients, however, will be offered care by appointment at private market rates. Our model calls for these patients not to exceed one-third of the total number of patients served, so that we can focus on our mission of serving the very poor. In this way, we make sure that the local community is invested in the health and success of the clinic as well, while bolstering our long-term financial stability.

ES:  Will the clinic work with local midwives, curanderas, and herbalists, and integrate local knowledge with modern medical technology?

SDL: Expanding care beyond the boundaries of the clinic will be a major focus for Clínica Verde. Patient attendants will be trained to assist physicians at the clinic and also to be clinical educators and observers in the community. These patient attendants will rotate regularly to serve in the clinic or in one of the outlying rural areas. Their role in these outlying posts will be to provide clinical care (triage, first aid, general medical care, prenatal/postnatal/infant care, and health care education) and to be observers of home life, assessing the impact of the clinic’s education. These attendants will be the necessary bridges to the community to deepen the community/clinic relationship, expand social support networks for patients and care providers, and gain insight into patients’ lives inside their homes and neighborhoods.

I just want to close by thanking VivaTerra and EcoSalon for taking a leadership role in strengthening our communities throughout the world. These are the kind of partnerships* that I think have tremendous possibility for bringing people together to support positive change. Wherever you live, whoever you are, you have the ability to make a difference in the world. I don’t think there’s anything more powerful or meaningful in life than that. Clínica Verde will be a success because of that spirit of compassion, and that willingness to get involved beyond the boundaries of our individual lives ““ to connect with a purpose outside of ourselves. I’m grateful for your interest in our project. Spread the word!

Please click here to donate to Clínica Verde.

*Note: VivaTerra is a proud corporate sponsor of EcoSalon.com.

Olive oil has won the world over with its beneficial, heart healthy monounsaturated fat and distinct flavor. But in order to meet with the huge demand for this wondrous oil, some pretty aggressive agricultural practices are destroying Mediterranean ecosystems.

Parts of Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal are being densely packed with olive trees, heavily irrigated and treated with chemical fertilizers to meet with high consumer demand. Soil erosion is becoming a big problem and desertification could be coming soon. Spain, which has suffered from years of drought, uses 80% of its water to grow olives.  Not so good for its people.

So what’s a culinary epicurean to do? Buy your olive oil closer to home. My personal favorite is Tehama Gold, organically grown in northern California and family owned and operated. Let’s support the industries that are actually built to thrive and survive.

Source: Telegraph

Image: wollombi

Unfortunately China’s tainted milk scare isn’t stopping with just the tainted milk: some Chinese-made milk chocolate products are sitting on international shelves, and they may be tainted, too.

The milk in question has been laced with melamine, an industrial chemical unlawfully mixed with the milk to “boost” protein levels. Melamine is actually quite toxic and has caused kidney stones in children.

There have been recalls both for many varieties of Cadbury’s chocolates and all White Rabbit chocolates. White Rabbit is a popular brand in China but is imported to over 50 other countries.

I see this as another reminder that we live in a very interconnected world.

Image: Darwin Bell

Personally, I prefer my grocery stores boutique style. I like a smaller store stocked with high-quality items. I don’t need 20 varieties of ketchup to choose from ““ just give me a few organic choices, thanks.

Many grocery stores are beginning to follow this trend. Safeway, Whole Foods and even Wal-Mart are opening smaller stores to satisfy customers that don’t want to wander the aisles of a gigantic warehouse looking for that one little snack. Sometimes you just want to grab something and get out the door.

Maybe this trend will slowly take us back to a more community-minded shopping experience? I always loved getting groceries at the miniscule Mana Foods when I lived on Maui. They carry a plethora of healthy foods, tropical fruits and even have a deli and a bulk section ““ but the tiny aisles ensure you’ll run into friends and exchange a few hugs before you head out the door with your canvas bags. Aloha!

Image: Jo Jakeman

When you’re searching online for a good green deal, where do you go first?

The two behemoths of the online classifieds world are Craigslist and eBay. Their continent-cracking size isn’t always a good thing – sifting out the eco-friendly from the not-so-much can turn into one of the labors of Hercules. Luckily these sites have corners that are greening up nicely, such as eBay’s World of Good – but in the main, you’re on your own.

Alternatives? Here are a couple we’ve spotted.

EcoFlip. Founded by Forrest Kolb and Joseph Paone, it’s a "classifieds community for eco-friendly people". It’s free to post, available in 42 countries, and in addition to adverts for sustainable services and products, there’s a section called "Reuse and Recycle" which presumably works the same way as the fabulous Freecycle. I’m particularly impressed with how you navigate around: first up, you choose your state, then your nearest city, and only then can you access all the listings. Start locally and work outwards – the way it should be.

Planet Thrive’s focus is wellness, and the Ask the Expert and Wellness tabs on the front page lead to an impressive range of personal healthcare resources. The site is the work of writer, photographer and holistic health counselor Julie Genser, and she’s aimed for a very personal community feel right down to shared photo albums. You’ll also find environmentally-focused classifieds galore – from eco-friendly housing to green employment opportunities.

Give them a try, and drop us a comment to tell us what you think!

Image: Darwin Bell

I’d like to bring up a challenging topic for discussion with you all. What responsibility do churches have to encourage their parishioners to be responsible stewards of the Earth? If all animals and ecosystems are part of God’s magnificent creation, isn’t it imperative that Christians (to name just one faith as the predominant example) step forward to take care of the environment?

The Church of England is setting forth some ecologically-sound guidelines in a newly published book “Don’t Stop at the Lights.” This book proposes that parishioners not only replace their light bulbs, but that churches themselves turn off outdoor floodlights illuminating England’s grand churches in order to cut carbon emissions. The book suggests that parishioners can get together and sponsor illumination for special events.

“Don’t Stop at the Lights” contains other information and resources for environmental stewardship, like setting up swap-shops to avoid throwing away unwanted Christmas decorations, and using Lent as a time to go within and consider what more each person can do for the environment.

I admire the effort put forth by the Church of England, but considering that this is the destruction of God’s creation we’re talking about, wouldn’t a more spiritually radical stance be more appropriate? I have to say it…what would Jesus do?

Image: Kelly McCarthy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2619178/Churches-told-to-dim-their-lights-for-the-sake-of-the-environment.html