Heroes of El Hierro, Part I. A Regenerative Economy in Action.
This is the story of a European Regenerative Economy. It can be done!
The sound of the ocean is loud. Waves crash against the rocks, they roar their lion-like roars and a quote pops in my mind:
“I cannot stop the waves, but I can choose which one to surf” — free after Jon Kabat-Zinn
That’s it. That’s what they do here on the Spanish island El Hierro. They made a choice and they live it. The result after more than 20 years is a regional, regenerative economy that works for the almost 11,000 people that call this island home.
Read and be inspired to be part of a regenerative economy yourself…
La Isla Chiquita
To set the scene, let’s state some facts. El Hierro is the smallest Canary island, part of Spain. It’s nicknamed La Isla Chiquita, the small island. It measures 278 km2 and has 10,500 inhabitants and harbors around 500 volcanoes, some still active.
The landscape is rough and I find it immensely beautiful. To go there you have to travel to one of the bigger islands first, Gran Canaria or Tenerife. There you can take a plane or boat to Valverde. The island is widely…
