Boineers discuss environmental issues
Ideas to improve the environment and implement sustainability practices can help communities, the Bioneer’s Conference keynote speaker said Saturday.
L. Hunter Lovins, keynote speaker and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, said the nation’s communities are in trouble with failing ecosystems across the planet.
In the past, people have turned to the U.S. government to solve problems occurring in the environment, Lovins said, but the government has not fulfilled promises made.
“We need to rethink who we look to to solve our problems,” she said.
The Bioneers Conference held live plenary speakers via satellite from the California-based conference during the three-day event.
The lectures included Jay Harman who presented innovative way to incorporated designs from nature to make technology more efficient and environmentally friendly, Ladonna Redmond who spoke on the importance of organic food and Amy Goodman, who said there needs to be an increase in independent media and discussed the issues of the upcoming election and various aspects of the war.
The conference included five more plenary speakers throughout the conference and various workshops and community business exhibits.
The current economic model needs to be changed to incorporate restoration and efficiency techniques to help sustain the environment, Lovins said.
Natural capitalism is a model that contains both, she said, and “this approach is profitable and buy’s time.”
Leona Hawks, professor and Extension specialist, said the university had to draft a proposal to have USU as one of the satillite sites.
“It really is an honor for USU to be one of the sites,” Hawks said.
The Bioneers Conference has 15 other sites conneted to the California-based conference via satellite.
Currently the United States annually wastes $300 billion of energy, Lovins said.
With this amount of money concentrated in energy waste, this market creates an “enormous business opportunity,” she said.
For example, companies such as Dow and Du Pont have implemented sustainability practices to increase efficiency, Lovins said, and are saving millions of dollars.
Various innovative techniques can increase efficiency in corporations, she said. Green buildings – architecture that incorporates energy efficiency – are available, she said, but few companies utilize the technology.
“We know how to make the buildings three to four times more efficient,” Lovins said.
Technology has found the benefits of a hydrogen-based economy, Lovins said.
The government of Iceland is reconstructing their country to incorporate a hydrogen-based economy, she said.
The Hypercar, a sport utility vehicle, receives the equivalent of 90 miles to the gallon from hydrogen power, she said.
“How come the Japanese are making these cares and Ford and GM are not,” Lovins said.
Communities need to make the commitment and drive innovations to implement efficient techniques, she said.
“Yale University emits more greenhouse gas than 32 countries,” Lovins said.
Innovations can be found in examples of nature’s reactions and creations, Lovins said.
People need to use nature as a mentor for an efficient model, she said, “not forcing nature to do our bidding.”
“Nature creates conditions conducive to life,” Lovins said, and currently 4.8 million people live in the developing world because Americans use resources inefficiently.
To raise the rest of the world’s standard of living to be the equivalent to that of the United States, under the current consumption of resources, Lovins said, would take the resources of three more planet Earths.
Management of human capital, green design and sustainability are the only way developing countries can develop, Lovins said.
Most of what people live for and care about can’t have a price tag attached to it, Lovins said.
“Every time you spend a dollar, you’re voting,” Lovins said, “are you sustaining the business that helps you, your family, your health?”
Consumers have immense power on corporations, Lovins said, and purchasing products in companies that stand for the environment and similar values is the means for consumers to let a business thrive.
Businesses have already recognized the importance of efficiency, Lovins said, and 75 percent of the Fortune 1000 companies are advancing sustainable practices.
“The Cache Valley is yours to protect and enhance,” Lovins said in closing, “I can bring you ideas, but only you can choose to implement them.
“We’ve left the playing field to others by saying my vote doesn’t matter – my voice doesn’t matter.”
Jana Simonsen, from Salt Lake City, said she came to the conference after hearing KRCL radio broadcast.
“She was fabulous, I liked that she had solid facts, that work with current day businesses that are making a difference.
“It was really upbeat too, which was nice, on how we can change society and make it more sustainable,” Simonsen said.
Greg Parry, a senior majoring in electrical engineering, said the conference is beneficial for the university.
“I think this is the best thing that has happened to the university since I’ve been here,” Parry said.
Alternative fuel vehicles were set on display from residents in Cache Valley to demonstrate the types of technology available to help the environment.
Hawks said this is was an opportunity that most students don’t have a chance to participate in.
“What a great opportunity in broadening their education and adding more depth to their existing education,” she said.
“I think they’re doing a great job, I’ve been really impressed with the speakers,” Simonsen said about the conference.
A lot of the issues they’ve talked about are really important to me, and I’m glad other people are thinking about them and working on them to try and change our community.”
Parry said he thinks the conference will continue to be held at USU because of the hard work that has been put in it and the success the conference had.
“The way the university set up scholarships for the conference, all of the departments, to let the students go to the conference for free is really amazing,” Parry said.
As a member of the Ecological Coalition of Students, Parry said he obtained a grant to subsidize lunch for students.
The food was organic and from local farmers, Parry said, to prove the importance of eating healthy and supporting local businesses.
“Our initiative is to show that it will work, as far as the university to purchase organic and local to serve students,” Parry said.
“Buying organic helps keep the smaller farmer alive there’s a big movement to really eat healthy and avoid toxins that are put into food,” he said.
The group set up a tent on the Quad and played music durning the lunch sessions.
Jay Price, a planning committee member of the USU site for the Bioneers Conference, said he supports the organic food trade.
The theme of the conference was “Healthy communities, healthy environments and healthy families,” Price said, which is the reason the ECOS organization provided an all organic lunch for students who attended the conference.
“It is more than just a fad that’s going to come and go, I think we’re going to see more and more of [consumers buying organic products], especially as we start to understand diversity and as we start to understand the social aspects of communities and environments,” Price said.
-kcashton@cc.usu.edu