Ode's founders featured in Grist's Top 20 Green Couples list

In honor of Valentine's Day, Grist.org featured 20 prominent couples who are "pairing up for the planet." Ode's very own founders, Jurriaan Kamp and Hélène de Puy made the list among others such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Bono and Ali Hewson as well as Michael Pollan and Judith Belzer.

Jurriaan and Helene met 27 years ago at a friends house. It was love at first sight, or at least so it was for Jurriaan. Only after a bold and unsolicited kiss did Helene first notice him! They soon found out they both had a passion for personal growth and social issues.

Jurriaan was then still studying international law at the University of Leiden. Helene, half Dutch, half Arubian was a student of anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. Their first adventure took them to India where the couple worked as a freelance journalist and photographer. For four years they traveled extensively throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan. This period taught them to see the world through the eyes of 'the other'. It also taught them how news tends to be highly subjective and how reporters are often encouraged to choose for the more sensational stories and to focus on the most negative aspects. After having covered a great many disasters in Asia they began to dream of another, more positive angle to report from.

Ode Magazine was born a few years (1995) after their return to the Netherlands, dealing with solutions to current issues and seeking to inspire its readers. Ode Magazine has an international scope and invites the reader to think outside the box. The couple moved to San Francisco four years ago to found the successful U.S. edition. Today their passion for a better world is stronger than ever. It is fulfilling for them to see how Ode's stories about green and social projects and innovative solutions help build this new world. Though their work requires them to travel quite a bit, their favorite pastime is hiking the nearby trails, preferably in the company of all four of their kids.

Check out who else made the list: www.grist.org/feature/2009/02/09/?source=living