Who is LoaTree:

LoaTree is a big tribe at its core. We’ve all come together with the desire to make a better world, to promote sustainability, to inspire others to do the same and live an eco-inspired lifestyle. We learn from, help and elevate eachother. Each of our artists, businesses and non-profits play integral roles in the LoaTree Family.

LoaTree Staff:

David Fortson, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Arriving at UC Santa Barbara, David immediately dove head first into environmental activism. To begin he helped lead an impactful campaign to stop ExxonMobil’s Clearview oil drilling project and helped create and run a highly successful campus-wide recycling program. Elected to the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District Board of Directors in 1996, David and his fellow board members doubled the park size, increased natural habitat and strengthened organic standards, while reaching out to the county and University to begin a master planning process for the Isla Vista.

Upon graduation, David worked for, or served on, the board of a handful of community environmental policy organizations, a perfect lead in to working for State Assemblymember Hannah Beth Jackson. These experiences led David to help found and serve as Executive Director of the Santa Barbara County Action Network (SB CAN) where he lobbied across the county for stronger environmental and social justice legislation.

After 10 years as a full time activist and realizing the limitations of government and non-profits, David moved into business working for a, then start-up, company called Sonos. While at Sonos, he invented and nationally launched a dog product, “The Brush Buddy.”

In 2008, David and a few friends seeded the idea of a ‘lifestyle company’ and in 2009 David took the helm of “LoaTree,” a company that combined his experiences as an eco-activist and businessman: LoaTree. Believing business is one of the most powerful and dynamic agents for making a better planet, LoaTree focuses on inspiring change with successful and sustainable business models and lifestyles.

A lover of art, music and being surrounded by all-star humans, he founded LoaTree as a means of living the dream, living intentionally and living inspired.

When not burning the midnight oil, David chases his daughters, plays music, surfs and hangs with his lovely lady.

Eric Cardenas, Chief Operating Officer

Eric Cárdenas graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1998 with degrees in Political Science and Environmental Studies. As a student, Eric immersed himself in environmental issues and local campaigns. Along with Dave Fortson and a few other friends, Eric chaired the largest on-campus environmental group, the Environmental Affairs Board, through which he helped mobilize the student community against oil development projects, housing developments on sensitive habitat, sea walls that would have proven disastrous to local beaches, and the clear cutting of native oak woodlands.

Upon graduating from UCSB, Eric went on to work at the Environmental Defense Center, a non-profit environmental law firm dedicated to preserving the integrity of the central coast’s most sensitive resources, open spaces and communities. While at EDC, Eric ran the Central Coast Environmental Health Project, a program aimed at protecting human and environmental health from the risks associated with pesticide use through education, policy development and advocacy. Here, Eric worked closely with farmworkers, local governments, farmers, teachers and others to develop win-win solutions that were protective of communities as a whole. It was while running CCEHP that Eric became deeply immersed in issues around sustainable agriculture, farming and food systems. Collaboration became a critical strategy for Eric and his colleagues, and proved a valuable tool, and lesson.

After working at EDC for nine years, Eric went on to work for the Orfalea Foundations, serving as the s’Cool Food Initiative’s Agriculture and Infrastructure Manager responsible for developing farm-to-cafeteria programs for local school districts. He also helped oversee and manage grants and grantees to local schools. It was here where Eric’s relationships with the agricultural community began to pay off. Because of these efforts, the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau awarded Eric with the 2010 Farm to Institution award.

Among other accomplishments, Eric spearheaded the creation of the Santa Barbara County Ag Futures Alliance (AFA) to promote the long-term viability of agriculture in Santa Barbara County; assisted in the development of the region’s first Buy Fresh, Buy Local Food Guide for Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties; worked to draft and pass statewide legislation addressing pesticide use near schools (A.B. 947- Jackson); and was instrumental in developing a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management policy for the City of Santa Barbara.

Eric spent six years with the Fund for Santa Barbara’s Grant Making Committee, working directly with local grantees. He is a former Planning Fellow for the Roots of Change, served on the state of California’s Ag Vision Process under California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary AG Kawamura, and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Johnson-Ohana Charitable Foundation.

Eric enjoys the beach and surfing, playing music and frisbee, eating good food with good friends, and helping inspire positive and community-based action.