Renowned scientist talks sustainability at Baldwin-Wallace College
Alison Dietz | The Chronicle-Telegram
BEREA — Baldwin-Wallace welcomed renowned scientist E.O. Wilson to campus Wednesday as the kickoff speaker for its “Enduring Questions” lecture series on environmental sustainability.
Wilson, a pioneer of sustainability, participated in two afternoon question-and-answer sessions on campus as well and was scheduled to give an evening lecture at the Kulas Musical Arts Building.
“He is a champion for the environment and preserving the way we live,” said George Richard, Baldwin-Wallace’s director of college relations. “He’s noted for changing the way scientists talk about the environment.”
At the first question-and-answer session, Wilson spoke briefly about his current project, the Encyclopedia of Life.
The purpose of the encyclopedia is to catalog all of the 1.8 million species that have been discovered, as well as any yet to be found. Around 500,000 species have been cataloged already.
Wilson also explained his idea of “Wilson’s Law,” his take on the interrelatedness of the physical environment (climate, resources, the ozone layer) and the living one (animals and other creatures).
“If you save the living environment, you will automatically save the physical environment in addition. However, if you save the physical environment only, you will lose both,” Wilson said.
The last point he shared with the students in attendance was the importance of religion in saving the environment.
“Seventy-five percent of the people in America consider themselves religious,” Wilson said. “We need to make environmentalism a religious movement to save creation.”
Wilson said that his work with evangelical churches and Mormon leaders helped create a set of environmentally progressive, religious people.
Many of the students in attendance were familiar with Wilson’s message.
Wilson’s work and books have been incorporated in the college’s required Liberal Arts and Science course, also called “Enduring Questions,” as well as the freshman College 101 course.
“The purpose is to integrate the great thinkers,” said Barbara Rolleston, chairwoman of the lecture series planning committee.
The series’ theme of sustainability is important to Baldwin-Wallace this year because of its newly approved sustainability major.
Three other speakers will cover the scientific and philosophical implications of sustainability throughout the year.
“We want to have students recognize that it’s not uni-dimensional, but very multidimensional,” Rolleston said.
Contact Alison Dietz at 329-7128 or adietz@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by Alison Dietz | The Chronicle-Telegram September 18th, 2008 in Local and State. Popularity: 1% |
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