Etta Kantor is an environmentalist, peace activist, Reiki master, Interfaith minister, founder of the Planetarian movement and author of Earth Mama public service announcements.
In the capacity of president and CEO of the Kantor Family Foundation, Etta supported at least fifty programs that benefited women, children and the environment. The foundation created an organization called the Center for Being which was dedicated to women and children from shelters and provided a variety of free services.
In 2003 her concern for the environment and sustainability prompted her to drive her car on waste vegetable oil, which she got, free, from Chinese restaurants. She filtered it at home. The media attention distributed the story around the world via newspapers, magazines, radio and television. This led her to visiting schools talking about the car and sustainability and coining the word “planetarian” as a humanitarian caring for the planet. Currently she owns a Leaf, which is a 100% electric car.
In 2007 she built a sustainable house, which has earned a LEED Platinum rating from the Connecticut Green Building Council and an Emerald rating from the National Association of Home Builders. The house runs on solar energy, is made of reclaimed and recycled materials, has permaculture landscaping, a compost toilet and grey water system and been the recipient of a number of awards. It is considered a model of sustainability and is visited by schools and groups via house tours.
Etta’s latest project is the Earth Mama public service announcements distributed on YouTube. They cover environmental as well as planetary and humanitarian issues.
Etta received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rollins College in 1968.