On the inaugural Earth Day 43 years ago, 12,000 events were held around the country. Two-thirds of Congress spoke at an Earth Day ceremony, and several environmental acts were born. Today, politicians are directing dollars away from conservation efforts, environmentalists are seen as "preachy," and the environment and economic development are frequently in conflict.
So said The Nature Conservancy's chief scientist, Peter Kareiva, Ph.D. '81, during his Jill and Ken Iscol Distinguished Environmental Lecture, April 22, 2013.
Kareiva stressed that supporting large-scale restoration projects, collaborating with corporations and enlisting the energies of the younger generation could change the fate of our planet. Conservationists must "put people back in nature" by pointing out that what's good for the environment is good for humans, and that economic growth and environmental health are linked, he added.
The annual Iscol lecture, presented by the David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, brings prominent leaders to campus to discuss crucial environmental issues.
- Tags
-