“How do we relate to the earth?” asks Dennis Weaver, actor and founder of the Institute of Ecolonomics. “We relate as a society through business. If business doesn’t care, no significant changes will be made.”

Weaver founded the Institute of Ecolonomics in 1993 to create environmental changes by working with business and industry.

Recently, Weaver spoke to a diverse crowd of local leaders in business and environmental causes at the Malibu home of Bonnie Reiss, a member of the advisory board of the institute and co-founder of ECO (Environmental Communications Office).

Weaver spoke passionately of society’s addiction to fossil fuel and brought up alternatives such as hydrogen, which he described as plentiful, clean and economically attractive. He also emphasized the importance of being conscious of one’s inner environment. “If we don’t fix what is within us, the outer world will get broken again. If we’re carrying around greed and fear, that’s the kind of world we create.”

“When I was younger, I was into ecology, and I thought industrialists and the business community were the enemy,” said Neale Donald Walsch, author of “Conversations With God” and a member of the board of directors of the institute. “Now, I appreciate economics. We have to find a way to bring the two energies together.” While acknowledging the Industrial Revolution is the force behind many of the ecological problems we’re facing, Weaver believes business can now lead us to and implement solutions. “The price of the Industrial Revolution was heavy,” said Weaver. “It was a big party, and now we are getting the bill. We have to change our thinking.” Rather than focus on business as the cause of our environmental problems, ecolonomics focuses on the potential of business to create a solution.

Weaver coined the term ecolonomics to represent the importance of integrating ecology and economic goals. He uses the metaphor of a stool with three legs, one leg represents business, the second leg is education and the third is government. All three have to work together to create a sustainable future. “People see ecology and economics as opposing. We’re raising consciousness about ways to blend the goals of ecology and the goals of a healthy economy,” said Walsch. The goals of the institute include creating academic curricula for universities and colleges. Chattanooga State College offers a certificate in ecolonomics combining coursework in environmental and economic sustainability. Dr. Jim Catanzaro, president of Chattanooga State College, offered some examples of solutions created by the city of Chattanooga. He mentioned the city’s use of electric buses and cited former chemical plants downtown being transformed into living labs for urban organic gardening.

The institute also consults with business to help foster ecolonomic products and practices. Weaver described an ecolonomic product as economically profitable, good for the environment, and as good as or better than the competition.

Walsch and Weaver are traveling throughout the country to spread the message to concerned citizens whom they encourage to participate and make a difference. “Make a choice to do something creative and productive,” said Walsch, “Together we can change the world.”

A storm drain known to city staff as “the mystery drain” will get its act cleaned up with high-tech filters and ozonation, thanks to a donation by Bioxide Corp. The Utah-based firm will contribute $220,000 in sterilization equipment to test its effectiveness on the area’s most notoriously polluted body of water.

The City Council last month approved the project, agreeing to add $62,000 in city funds to a $51,000 Los Angeles County Proposition A grant and a $5,000 donation from Southern California Edison.

The prospect of cleaning up runoff from the most problematic of three drains that empty into the lagoon makes City Engineer Rick Morgan a happy man.

“I’ve been working on this for two years, trying to make this happen,” he said. “Bioxide donated the equipment because Malibu Lagoon is one of the best sites for a demonstration project. It has already been shown to have a high coliform count.”

Edison kicked in $5,000 to support the use of electrical power to clean up the environment. The city will also assume all the maintenance costs, estimated at $6,500 a year.

In a process similar to that used to sterilize milk and juice containers, runoff from the 24-inch drain will be filtered through ultraviolet light and ozone to kill bacteria and viruses. In addition to the filters, a separator collects grease and oil that is washed into the drain from streets and parking lots. The canister-shaped filters will be housed in an underground vault near the outlet at the east end of the Malibu Colony.

One of three storm drains that empty into the lagoon, it was known to the city only as “the mystery drain” since its discovery several years ago because it did not appear on county maps. “The mystery is all gone, but the name was so catchy,” Morgan said. “We can’t deny its presence. We’re calling it the Malibu Road Drain now.”

Although environmental activists have pushed for ozonation to clean up the lagoon and adjoining surf zone, some have raised objections to the location of this project.

The Surfrider Foundation/ Malibu Chapter pointed out in a letter that while the organization supports non-point-source runoff treatment, it questions the proposed location of the facility and the present outlet of the drain.

Surfrider’s concern is that the drain was originally constructed without full and complete permits on what was “a historic tidal wetland” and does not meet EPA standards now.

Grant Neie of Los Angeles County Public Health Programs, who chairs Surfrider’s technical committee, stated in his letter the organization would like the drain removed and redirected to its original location, which he believed was a straight line from the old Colony Drug Store to the ocean, or farther west, so that it does not empty into the lagoon.

“We would like the treatment facility located near the source of the runoff on land owned by the developer or the city,” Neie states.

Morgan met with Neie last week and explained that what Neie saw on a plat map was an error and not the original location of the drain.

“We agree with their desire to eliminate that storm drain from the lagoon,” Morgan said Tuesday. The staff has proposed an alternate ocean outlet as part of its Draft Storm Drain Master Plan, which has not yet been approved by the City Council, he said. “To divert the runoff is a long-term goal.”

The project can be installed on the drain where it is now and later moved with little expense. “The system could be relocated,” he said. “It’s only going to take a couple of weeks to install.”

Morgan said the city moved last week to consider possibly fitting the other two drains with the filters.

Possible sources of lagoon pollution have been blamed on everything from nearby septic systems to the Tapia Water Reclamation facility upstream, and even livestock and ducks have been targeted as contributors to the notoriously high coliform counts that sicken swimmers and surfers when the sand berm is breached by winter rains allowing lagoon water to flow onto Surfrider Beach.

“You’re one lucky duck, you could have been mushball,” is what 8-year-old Christina Dimitriadis’ mom tells her.

In an eerie replay of a similar incident a year ago, Dimitriadis was struck by a car as she crossed the street in front of Juan Cabrillo Elementary School. Unlike last year’s 4-year-old accident victim, Dimitriadis ended up with a scraped knee rather than a hip fracture.

In another difference from last year, and as a result of last year’s incident, the city has made traffic and parking improvements to ease congestion and safety worries.

As Suzanne Bailey, Dimitriadis’ mother, explains it, Dimitriadis stepped in front of the family van and into the street without looking. She was in a blind spot in a line of parked cars. She was knocked down by a car driven by family friend Bob Snider, who was dropping off his twin girls.

Snider was horrified, Bailey said. “He was in worse shape than I was.”

Paramedics who were there in minutes and a pediatric nurse who was at the school said Dimitriadis wasn’t hurt except for a scraped knee, Bailey said. A private doctor confirmed that.

According to school principal Pat Cairns, Dimitriadis was distracted, not disobedient. She didn’t see the oncoming car even though the crossing guard — the physical education coach, “a big guy” — told her to wait.

Regarding improvements since last year, Cairns said a traffic study was done, and the city has paid for two crosswalks and a crossing guard before and after school. The city has also allowed two-hour parking in what formerly were no-parking zones, Cairns said.

The school’s modernization plan calls for taking away some portion of the playground to make a drop-off zone and additional parking, Cairns noted.

Both Bailey and Dimitriadis, while initially scared, took the incident in stride. “I’m a grateful mom,” Bailey said. “It’s just the kind of thing that will happen with that many kids and cars. We all learned a lesson without too much pain.”

Hanna’s Mexican Cantina is adios, Vickie’s Legs have taken flight and Fin’s has gone fishing for good. There are sweeping changes taking place in Malibu’s small business community. Many old favorites have faded away with new shops and restaurants taking their places. One of the most anticipated arrivals is Banana Republic. Work crews are putting the finishing touches on the store, and soon its shelves will be stocked with high-fashion, moderately-priced khakis, cotton sweaters and bomber jackets. The national chain moves into the old space once occupied by Crown Books.

A new Gap store will be moving into the longtime location of SuperCare Drugs. A smaller SuperCare pharmacy has re-opened around the corner in the space last used by the Los Angeles Times. “I think these stores will enhance each other,” says Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mary Lou Blackwood. “With more choices, Malibu residents will have the opportunity to stay in town more.”

Across the street at the Malibu Country Mart, big changes are also underway. An upscale Japanese eatery called Nobu will be moving into the former Fin’s fish restaurant, Leatherwaves has moved atop Topp’s art gallery and a new lingerie store called Under G’s has opened across from Taverna Tony.

In Malibu Colony Plaza, Faces and Legs by Vickie has closed after its owner decided to scale back. Several former employees have moved over to Bernie Safire’s Salon in the Country Mart.

After a very short stay, Psycho Chicken has fled the coop. But the corner restaurant near P.C. Greens didn’t stay empty for long. Malibu food impresario Richard Chesterfield re-opened it as Sir Richard’s House of Curry. Up at Topanga, it’s satay instead of tortillas, Hanna’s Mexican Cantina is now Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine. Georgio’s Italian trattoria, favored by President Clinton on his visits to Malibu, has shut its doors after five years and the one-time Windsail with its breathtaking ocean views also remains an empty shell, on its way to becoming a condominium complex.

Although there are changes a plenty, Blackwood does not feel it is anything to worry about. “Some people are getting a little excited and putting out negative vibes that businesses aren’t making it, but that’s not true,” she says. “We’re just filling up spaces which have been there for quite some time.” She points to the many local businesses that have enjoyed a successful relationship with Malibu for years. “Look at the staying power of Malibu Lifestyles, Room at the Beach and the Malibu Colony Company. There really is a healthy market out there right now.”

To be sure, many Malibu locals will welcome the opportunity to do their Gap and Banana Republic shopping at home and forsake the long drive into town, but according to Blackwood, big retail chain stores present another set of challenges to the community. Chains like Blockbuster, Starbucks and Radio Shack are less likely to join the Chamber of Commerce and less likely to become involved in the community. “When they’re that big, they don’t really feel like they need us.” Still, Blackwood and other chamber members say they’ll do their best to welcome the new establishments and encourage them to think local. In the meantime, don’t be surprised if the center of town starts taking on a whole new look.