Carba, Wha?? The Intern Speaks

This post was written by Daisy A.Rocha, Nature of Things Intern at the Utah Museum of Natural History.

So, I’m the intern. For those of you who have never been one, it’s kinda like being a coffee girl on a movie set…only having no idea what movie is being shot…or what coffee is. In other words, it is a perpetual state of confusion.
Yet, it is a quick-as-you-can-learn on your feet, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, that’s for sure. Every day I accomplish things that if you would asked me a week ago were possible, I would have laughed and shook my head. Like what? Well like when my boss asked me to prepare an interview for Dr. Brian McPherson, an “international leader” on Carbon Sequestration, on the topic of what else, Carbon Sequestration. An interview about what? Carbon Se-ques-tra-tion. Oh that.
Now I’m a pretty smart girl, I like to nose a Britannica just as much as the next egghead. But how was I to quickly create questions for an expert about something I had never heard of and could barely pronounce? Hmmm…what is a lowly intern to do? Hit the books of course, 2010 style…Google it baby!

Here’s what I gleaned in a tiny little nutshell: Carbon Sequestration, specifically Carbon Capture and Storage, is a technology. This technology captures nasty, yucky, man-made CO2 from X source (think coal plants) and redirects it. The idea is to get it away from our fragile atmosphere and pump it into an alternate location. Some forms of Carbon Sequestration suggest injecting the excessive CO2 into flora, soil and/or the ocean. Which is bit unsettling to me but then I think, “How is pumping it into the atmosphere any better?!”
There are also other forms of Carbon Capture out there, like Dr. McPherson’s specialty, ones that propose pumping it thousands of feet underground into tightly sealed receptacles for long-term storage. From what I gather, this is not meant to be a permanent solution to climate change, not a “silver bullet”, but rather a temporary mitigation, more to provide an immediate band-aid like relief to the gaping wound of global warming.

As I read on, I discovered that Carbon Sequestration is not just something scientists in white coats are sitting around a table theorizing about, but it is actually happening, this very moment, here, in Utah.
Dr. McPherson has received a $67 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to spearhead a multi-state project testing the feasibility of the geologic sequestration of CO2. McPherson is the Principal Investigator of the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration and the partnership is one of only seven nationwide DOE funded inquires. In fact, in a Salt Lake Tribune opinion editorial, McPherson described how his project is the largest single-injection storage project in the U.S. Set in a site near Price, Utah the research injects one million tons of liquid CO2 per year and uses sophisticated monitoring to determine the safety of the technology.
All this to mitigate human impact on climate change, to provide some kind of sustainable development for the future. Yet McPherson himself says that it is not entirely a technological issue, but a political and market-driven one too. How we deploy various technologies will depend on consumer behavior and citizen choice. Really? I have a say?
As a young adult, with yet unborn children before me and days of running barefoot in the grass and climbing trees behind me, I realized that I do have some power in that decision. The future of many so many technologies and solutions lies within my purchasing and voting choices…I’m suddenly more sincerely motivated to learn about Carbon Sequestration at Dr. McPherson’s lecture…that and all the other alternatives I can’t pronounce. The earth that my children and grandchildren will know is being chosen today, by us, one new idea at a time.

Helen Thayer at Nature of Things 2010

This week, UMNH kicks-off the Nature of Things 2010 lecture series.

This year's theme is "Report from the Frontlines" and presents six speakers in five events, each with a unique perspective on their efforts toward building a more sustainable future. The speakers are all controversial in one way or another , and will not all necessarily agree with one another! The Museum is honored, through support from our sponsors and partners, to facilitate complex discussion and community dialogue around some of the most critical issues facing our society.

The series kicks-off tonight with global trekker, Helen Thayer. We asked Helen a few questions as she prepared for her trip to Salt Lake City.

JF: How much time have you spent in Utah and what are your impressions of our land?
HT: As a spokesperson for the CORDURA® brand, I have traveled to Utah several times to speak to community organizations and attend the Outdoor Retailer show. Though I have never had the opportunity to trek Utah, I find it to be a beautiful state and look forward to spending more time here.

JF: Ah, you need to spend some time in Utah wilderness! How did you end up as a ‘global trekker’?
HT: I began climbing mountains when I was nine years old and my global trekking evolved as a natural way to satisfy my desire to learn more about remote people and places.

JF: Your lecture kicks-off of the Nature of Things lecture series, which, this year, has the theme of “Report from the Frontlines". How do your adventures contribute to the series?
HT: My job is to make people aware of the remote corners of the world, the indigenous cultures that inhabit them and how it all fits into the big picture environmental awareness and the need for greater intercultural respect. It is only when we can respect each other and the world around us that we can all come together to make a better world for all the citizens across the globe.

JF: Polar Dream is the story of your first trek. Have you returned to the North Pole? Have you noticed any changes?
HT: I returned four years after my solo walk to the magnetic North Pole, this time with my husband to celebrate our 30th year of marriage. During my second trek I discovered changes in the ice thickness. Since then we have explored the Arctic regions extensively, and every year we have noticed changes not only to the ice and permafrost but also to the flora in general.

JF: What will people expect at this lecture?
HT: Attendees can expect to hear stories from my many journeys and expeditions across the world. I also hope to inspire individuals to set goals, plan for success and always use persistence in reaching those goals.

JF: You will be presenting at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education, a newly-formed charter school that focuses on science education, with an emphasis on outdoor experiences. What does science education represent to you?
HT: Speaking to a targeted group of students is a wonderful opportunity to reach an audience who can understand the importance of taking care of the environment, each other and most importantly giving back to the world around them.

JF: What prompted you to develop Adventure Classroom?
HT: My desire to share my expeditions with others led me to take the four corners of the world to K-12 kids though my Adventure Classroom program. Discovering nature in its untouched form, as well as ways to protect our environment, helped me make the realization that through my worldwide expeditions I could create educational programs to inspire students to find ways to help preserve a world they will inherit. Further, the program is aimed at encouraging kids to be confident and believe in themselves.

JF: You are known as an inspirational speaker, sharing adventures in which "going back is not an option". How do your audiences relate to your adventures?
HT: My experiences show that age is no barrier to our dreams and goals. It’s never too late to make this world or ourselves a better place.

JF: Can you tell us about some recent adventures?
HT: We have just returned from Africa after living for an extended period of time with the Maasai tribe. There we learned their ancient lifestyle by living amongst the people. In February we will return to Africa to live with the Bushmen - a culture even more ancient than the Maasai and threatened by extinction.
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You can read more about Helen Thayer's Nature of Things lecture at www.umnh.utah.edu/nature

You can read more about Helen and see some of her photographs at www.helenthayer.com