From Jungle to Concrete Jungle
The wisdom of Fabian Lliguin: Ecoagents founder
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By: Norm Clausen
Ecoagents founder Fabian Lliguin
has been involved with
the Amazon Rainforest since
first visiting his relatives as a
child. His family lived on the
outskirts of the rainforest, by
a town ironically named Shell
in honor of the oil giant. Immediately,
he fell in love with
the many wonders of Mother
Nature—crystal clear streams
flowing from the Andes into rock pools,
natural volcanic hot springs surrounded by
orchids, exotic fruit trees, and tropical birds.
But when he returned to paradise in his late
20s, he found the pool filled with concrete
and surrounded by nothing but dry land.
“This area was along the path of progress,”
says Lliguin, “so the oil company had
cleared the area. It was a sad day, as well as
an epiphany for me. At this time I made a
commitment to do something to preserve
the Rainforest and its people and for the
benefit of future generations.”
As a result of this awakening, Lliguin started
Ecoagents—a nonprofit organization that
strives to defend the Amazon Rainforest by
educating the native people of his homeland,
while preserving rainforest resources
by cutting back paper and petroleum consumption
in his current home—New York
City.
“Every individual has the power to improve
the world, seek the truth, and take action,”
says Lliguin, And you too can take action
through the Ecoagents’ Eco To Go program.
Just look for Eco To Go stickers at all your favorite
restaurants to find places that don’t
overuse resources when making meals to
go. And if your favorite restaurants aren’t
participating, tell them to start. I mean, how
many more plastic forks and knives do you
need to take back to your apartment?
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