Environmental Breakthroughs
World Watch Institute,
Earth Charter,
Native-led Eco Hikes,
Aspen’s Eco Sports Camp

World Watch Institute

World Watch Institute, a think tank of world eco researchers, who publish a “State of World Report,” has been looking for a way to reach the hearts and minds of the people to help ensure that all our children
can enjoy our playgrounds in Nature. Rocky Mountain Institute's Christopher Juniper said, "In terms of finding elegant, natural ecological solutions, NVF's concept is cutting edge." Through hosting these kinds of events that highlight their sustainable wisdom, Native Americans are reminding us all of our own ancestral roots - the Druids, Celtics, Catars (pre-French), Eutruscans (pre-Italy), the Laplanders. All peoples were once tribal, until the Roman Empire and Inquisition eliminated millions out of our European gene pool who communicated with the Nature spirits, like Native Americans and other Indigenous Peoples still do today, despite us, thank God. Added to that imbalance, after the Olympics died when a Roman Emperor cheated, we Anglos dropped the ball on sports for 1,200 years, apart from military games and knightly jousting. Earth Charter Chaffee is on the Communications Committee of Earth Charter USA, led by Steven Rockefeller, Mikhail Gorbachev (who founded the international Green Cross), and Maurice Strong, who headed the 1992 U.N.’s Brazil Eco Conference. 40 countries are finalizing Earth Charter for the U.N., that agrees with many Earth scientists, “that incorporating the sustainable environmental values of the Indigenous Peoples is critical for our survival.”( www.earthcharterusa.org )

Native-led Eco Hikes

Through NVF Ski Celebrations, locals and visitors, who are already kindred with the outdoors, start seeing Nature through Native eyes. Movers and shakers, who live and play at ski resorts, the Who’s Who in
Washington and state governments, then make more enlightened policy decisions. Skiing partnerships between the cultures have resulted in ecological breakthroughs with local governments. After creating a unity
bridge through skiing in Telluride, NVF worked with the Town Council at the request of its citizens. Our Native American team, supported by the press, almost over night helped to solve 25 year old ecological problems with the beaver and toxic waste in the wetlands. The ski program also led to the first Native-led Eco Hike for 4th graders, thanks to Cherokee Tom Harve, who is reviving the ancient art bow and arrow making and shooting, that the kids loved, along with Ute history, singing, dancing and drumming.

Eco-Sports Camps

In summer NVF will host an “Aspen Eco Sports Camp,” taught by Native Americans and Olympians in a teepee village at Sustainable Setting to reinforce the Native Traditions that our government boarding schools
("and now television" say the Elders) nearly destroyed. Aspen youth will learn to see Nature through Native eyes, share sports and hikes to learn survival skills, as well as arts and crafts. Native youth, through state of the art training from both cultures will get training and jobs for lead Eco tours for the schools and public at Aspen three mountains on skis and showshoes and summer hikes, a possible prototype for America. (The camp will include a leader of Zeri.org, (Zero emissions and waste), a synthesis of the best of both cultures, taught to the kids in story form, adopted by Sweden and countries around the world.)

Back To Index