We are an independent publishing house and eco-enterprise that connects kids (and adults) with nature and environmentalism. Created by a brother-sister team, our goal is to achieve the level of success of American Girl and Harry Potter.
Book Collection
Our first book collection tells stories about defining events and themes in the history of environmentalism as told through the experiences of courageous young fictional characters. We think of our characters as historical guides, providing kids with a framework to better understand and appreciate nature and environmentalism --- but in a fun and non-preachy manner.
Community & Marketplace
Our stories and characters introduce kids (and adults) to The EcoSeekers Community --- a place to learn, share ideas, and interact with other EcoSeekers who have TAKEN THE PLEDGE. Through The EcoSeekers marketplace, kids and adults are introduced to eco-friendly products and other ways to be responsible consumers. The marketplace will be launched soon; check back for updates.
Environmental Commitment
We are committed to finding practical, eco-responsible solutions to fulfill our mission. All books are printed on 50% post-consumer, chlorine and acid free recycled paper, using vegetable-based ink, and the company’s website and email are powered exclusively by solar electricity. To learn more, click here.
Founders
If you would like to know more about the founders ---“Dave and Dee” --- please read on. If you are tired of reading by now but still want to get a general sense of who the founders are and their love for adventures, then take a look at this photo of them in Alaska!
“Soon, we hope, there will be a community of kids across the whole world, telling their own stories, and working together to protect each other and our shared environment. Working together, we can accomplish far more than alone. Come join us…”
Read on for more about the founders and our team. And, check out our Q&A for more background information on why we created The EcoSeekers.
David H. Neil (“Dave”) is the co-founder and CEO of The Eco Seekers™. Inspired by the birth of his first son, Dave persuaded his sister to join him in creating an eco-enterprise for kids to help make the world a better place.
Dave is also the U.S. Representative of a European company that constructs highly energy-efficient “green” townhouses and condominiums.
Dave previously served as the Director of Special Projects in the CEO’s office of ShoreBank, North America’s first and largest community development and environmental bank. He also has significant experience in the nonprofit sector, including work at a philanthropic foundation in New York City, The Nathan Cummings Foundation. In 1995, Dave created and led for six years a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to the elimination of prejudice and discrimination in local communities through youth-to-youth mentoring and awareness initiatives. At its peak, the organization had six chapters at colleges and high schools across the United States and one in India.
Dave received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and B.A. from Vassar College with honors in Sociology, where he also served as the student assistant to the President. He has received various public service awards including the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship Student Advocate Award and the Celebrate Literacy Award from the International Reading Association. He was a member of the USA Today All-USA College Academic Team and a Truman Scholar finalist.
Dave was born in Chicago, Illinois, and currently resides in Nyack, New York, with his wife Laura and two sons, Elijah and Miles.
Deanna S. Neil (“Dee”) is the co-founder of The Eco Seekers™ and author of “The Land of Curiosities”, which is her first book.
Although she was an active environmentalist as a kid, she fell out of touch with the movement and its goals as she got older. One day, her organics-obsessed brother Dave asked her to write a book for kids about the environment. She became nostalgic -- she remembered picking up trash from her neighbor’s yards and putting rocks in her toilet to conserve water as a kid. She felt reconnected to the environmental movement and longed to inspire children to dream of a healthier planet. With their own dreams and aspirations aligned, the brother-sister team of Eco-Seekers was born.
Dee currently also freelances for Weekend America and Public Radio International. She previously worked for the political talk radio network Air America as Segment Producer for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on Ring of Fire, Associate Producer for the Mike Malloy Show, Production Assistant for Steve Earle on The Revolution Starts Now and for Chuck D's show On the Real, She also worked as a web-content writer and produced and hosted weekly webcasts interviewing Al Franken, Mike Papantono, Laura Flanders and other Air America Radio celebrities.
Dee is a professional singer, actor, storyteller, and biblical translator. She recently appeared as the lead in her first independent film “Cardinal Directions” and she’s worked in theater with Robert Falls of the Goodman Theater, actor Terrence Mann, and Israeli playwright Joshua Sobol. She has toured across the country with the ritual theater company Storahtelling, writing and creating dozens of original scripts, leading educator workshops and providing dramatic interpretation of the Old Testament.
Dee has studied voice since she was 16. She studied opera in Italy, and has performed all over New York City with rock bands, opera ensembles and experimental jazz groups. Her original solo show and nightclub act,Enter Night, played at Don’t Tell Mama’s in New York and on The Battersea Barge in London. Her voice has been recorded on a handful of original albums including “Starshine,” a children’s musical about prejudice, and “Rotations”, original music set to the Christian liturgical year. She was the recipient of a vocal scholarship for study in Milan and the first-prize winner of the Wesleyan University Concert Competition.
Dee received her B.A. from Wesleyan University with honors in American Studies and a focus in literature. She speaks fluent Italian, French and Hebrew.
Dee was born in Chicago, Illinois, and currently lives in Brooklyn.
Our Team
Our brother-sister led team includes many wonderful and hardworking people. We cannot possibly list them all here.
A few folks deserve special recognition:
Paula Winicur - book graphic design and art director
Keith Glantz - website and logo design
David Erickson - book internal illustration
Tugeau 2 TEAM (Nicole & Jeremy)
Elijah Pics - our hardest working employee
Press Kit
1. Press Release
2. Q&A
3. Author Dee selected as 'Hero for the Planet' by Time Magazine for Kids
4. Endorsements: http://www.theecoseekers.com/endorsements.aspx