Every passion has a beginning... Part 2

Part 2..................

This blog is nothing new, but what it is meant to do is to ask questions about a better mouse trap. Being energy efficient is not just for hippies and tree luggers, it is just plain common sense. Yes, it does help save our planet and isn't that a good thing.

I have thought back on what were the triggers that made me want to build a better mouse trap. Maybe it was the days camping in the African bush. Here you lived on the water you brought with or captured from the rain. Light was from candles or the car battery that powered the florescent light over the dining table. We would go camping out in the bush or at the lake where there was nothing but bush. You got creative and you made the best of what you could take with you.

We moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa when I was about 10yrs old. In those days it was like moving from a 3rd world country to a 1st world country. It was big, new and exciting, but I missed my connection to nature. Then I discovered the ocean and have been connected to it ever since. I surf, fish, paddle board and dive. For those that know us we live on a 53 motor yacht.www.weliveonthesea.com

We are connected to nature everyday. Its all around us in one form or another. Its up to us to stop and take a deep breath and take it all in.

Surfing is my passion and it taught me respect for the ocean. The love for the ocean turned this into a desire to save our oceans and along with it our planet . So much so that I started off my University education studying Marine Biology. When I figured that this was not a well paying degree, I ended up in a completely different direction by joining the construction industry. I ended up with a degree in construction. I spent many years in the construction industry in South Africa. Little did I realize that one day this passion for the ocean, the environment and homes we live in would all merge and become one passion.

Shona and I moved to the Florida from South Africa in 1997. We set out in search of the American dream, Wide eyed and ready to hit the ground running we embraced out new country with 2 young girls in tow. We have been blessed in the USA and we have been grateful ever since for the life we have here and share together with our 2 wonderful girls and 2.5 grandchildren. AKA Realty Buy Design, our family business.

Moving to Florida was awesome, but the 1st summer was brutal. Going outside was a killer and the fact we were comfortable in the middle of summer was because we had central AC. Then came the bill, wow this comfort came at cost. This comfort was expensive!!!.

Being in the home remodeling business, I started looking at our homes and they way we lived in the US. I then started to think how we managed in the African bush and things started to turn over in my mind. The questions started to flow and I decided to see what was out there. I had to satisfy my inquiring mind.

With this common thread, I started to ask questions about how we live and how it affects our lives. Living and how we live should be way more connected and integrated than they are. After all are the not the same thing?