As long as I can remember I’ve always had a love of problem solving…
New problem: What to do with my life now that high school is over. Like most in the late 70’s, I was determined to do something extraordinarily favorable for the world with my life.
How ?
New York born and raised, but fascinated with science, nature, ecology, and how humanity fits in.
Got it…..
Follow my passion… Study environmental and social sciences.
“The economy, at least the tangible portion is intrinsically tied to the environment. Everything physical that has been commercially offered, whether harvested, mined, constructed, manufactured, resold and eventually disposed of or recycled, one way or the other is involved with the earth’s resources.” (for more read “Economics and the Environment”)
We we need a viable healthy planet in order to guarantee the products brought to market will always be desirable and available for businesses to thrive.
Back in the 70’s things were improving. The established Environmental Protection Administration was a step in the right direction.
Initiated during the Nixon administration, many companies developed technologies that made significant progress. The Catalytic converter, when installed as part of the exhaust system in cars, made an impressive difference in air pollution. It was especially noticeable in densely populated places.
Environmental improvement produces wealth.
The resulting cleaner air in the early 80’s, caused real estate values to soar. Tourism, commerce, and entertainment industries went through the roof as well.
After decades of decline, up to the early 70’s, the inner cities suddenly became the hip place to be. Urban life in America was reborn at exactly at the same time auto emissions were curbed.
Addressing environmental concerns proved itself beneficial in many ways. Things were improving, but slowly. The only obstacle to more progress was economic and political in nature. The technology existed to solve virtually all environmental issues, society just lacked the motivation to change more expeditiously.
Human nature, being what it is, tends to be, at times, short sided. The economic boom of the 80’s was enough to distract from seeing the potential of continuing environmental advancement at an accelerated pace. The only exception was the NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrom.
Fast forward. More determined than ever to change the world for the better, with a new understanding of the real reasons that any lack of incentive to implement environmental improvement plans is more of a socioeconomic issue than a lack of answers, I embarked in a new direction.
Decided to join the world of business. I believed I could do more good by understanding the corporate mindset as a businessman. I joined my father in the family business.
My dad was in the world’s oldest industry
No, not this one.
Something older…..
The ladies had to stay warm while walking the streets.
My dad was a 3rd generation United States manufacturer of luxury outerwear… Wholesale furs in the Garment District of New York City.
Because the inventory was made from totally natural fibers, the fear of damage from insects, especially moths was always of concern. Five times a year or so it was necessary to apply moth balls or camphor to both the factory and storage facility. Moth balls are either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. The dangers are quite real and not at all pleasant.
There is no shortage of foggers and other bug sprays on the market, all that have a plethora of toxic ingredients.
When I discovered the spray fogger, I actually embraced it as an improvement. No longer would the toxic aroma of mothballs linger for months.
Just one good concentrated blast every two months and those pests were hardly seen.
Year after year I searched for natural alternatives and was always disappointed. The lavender oil diffuser was my favorite in terms of appealing fragrance but after a short period the little critters or their creepy larvae was detectable.
I tried many combinations of essential oils and sprays, many of which had mostly water, sodium lauryl sulfate which is detergent, peppermint, lemongrass, or citronella, garlic, etc.
Cedar oils are extracted from the wood of cedar trees and then distilled.
From trial and error, I discovered that the most effective product was cedar wood oil. It both kills and repels insects in a multitude of ways. Please refer to our blog “Why is cedar wool oil more effective than any other eco-friendly bug sprays.” Many products had some cedar oil mixed with other oils or more inert ingredients, but failed to do the job. After closer inspection I found the percentage of cedar oil in the less effective products to contain less than 1 percent.
Cedar wood has been used for centuries, and is the gold standard in building closets, as a way to prevent moth insect infestation. Cedar also prevents the spread of mold and mildew. Cedar removes moisture from the air, so in humid climates, it will act as a natural dehumidifier and keep your clothes from developing mildew. The best quality cedar oil is the somewhat more expensive. To some manufacturers it may seem advantageous to try to compete by making their products appear inexpensive by using less cedar oil.….
Then I remembered my father’s motto regarding the coats he designed and produced. “I’ve never had trouble selling coats because they were too good.”
We ignored the cry from stores for the wholesale prices to be cheaper, and cheaper. We made our coat from finer materials and the styles much more sumptuous.
In reality the better coat was the bargain because it kept the consumers warmer, continued to look stylish and lasted longer.
Still I never lost my love of philosophy and solving problems…
In 1987 I wrote a novel environmental essay * which was recognized by many world leaders. It was also endorsed by the Secretary General of the United Nations.
*Footnotes 1) The essay was written by the author. The nine year old girl is fictional. 2) While the essay / theory is somewhat deep, if it is read slowly, it will be understandable.
I can’t describe how blessed I feel to have the opportunity, to begin this next chapter of my career. We all have various gifts.
” Your purpose in life is to use your gifts and talents to help other people. Your journey in life teaches you how to do that.” Tom Krause
“Be determined to make a better world for your own sake, and for the sake of others” Paul Einbinder
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