Family lives sustainably on Guam

Else Demeulenaere sits with a book as her son Ekko and daughter Luna play with neighborhood friend.Photo by Audrey Meno.
Luna Isa helps her mother Else hang laundry outside. Air drying is a sustainable alternative to using electric powered dryers. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else Demeulenaere hanging rags to dry outside. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Close up of Else Demeulenaere as she hangs laundry on her clothesline with a big smile. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Wooden clothespins can be recycled back into the environment after years of use. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else Demeulenaere takes us outside to add compostable waste into her compost bin. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Home grown lemon and lime to be to be composted. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Luna Isa picking some limes. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else Demeulenaere nearby checking for any ripe produce to harvest. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Mother and daughter organize fire wood for earthern oven. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else helping little ones to pick ripe fruit. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else and daughter Luna cut some fresh herbs from their backyard. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else pushes daughter on swing set. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else and daughter Luna Isa swing under the sunlight. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Ekko playing in the branches with the sun rays. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Look how high Ekko can climb. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else Demeulenaere. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Tom Schils picked young manha for a refreshing drink straight off the tree. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Tom Schils and son Bas Schils after working hard in the yard cleaning up debris from typhoon Mangkhut. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Solar panels on the roof of Else's home help reduce power bill. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Else and her family use reusable containers and utensils to reduce waste. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Family photo. Left to right, back: Tom Schils, Else Demeulenaere, Bas Schils, front: Ekko Schils and Luna Isa Schils. Photo by Audrey Meno.
Portrait shot of Else Demeulenaere. Photo by Audrey Meno.

In 2005 Belgium native, Else Demeulenaere relocated from Switzerland to the southern village of Ipan with her husband Tom Schils and two month old son Bas.

Years following, their family grew with the additions of second son Ekko and daughter Luna Isa. For the first seven years on island, Else devoted her time to care for her children and ensure they cultivated a strong connection with nature. Everyday they would walk to the beach from their home.

During this time Demeulenaere also started a community garden in her backyard and would teach on sustainability. Today Demeulenaere is currently the associate director for the Center of Island Sustainability at the University of Guam.

She is a botanist and dedicates her time to preserve native plant with an ecosystem based approach. Her work goes hand in hand with her husband Tom Schils Director of the Marine Laboratory.

This power couple’s dynamic relationship has instilled a great appreciation for Guam’s environments upon their children.

What is done to the land affects our oceans and as islanders with limited resources, living sustainably is vital to protect the health of our island environments. Else leads a sustainable lifestyle not only through her work but also in her home life and serves as an inspiration to us all.