Giving Clean Energy a Chance

Fred Krupp's keynote lecture on March 2 provided a balance of practical solutions, willingness to compromise, and hope that is not entirely common in the world of lectures regarding environmental crises. I often find that lectures like this focus on the dire straits in which we have hurled the environment, and then maybe the cool technology that might haul us out, but not so much about implementation. Thankfully, Fred Krupp was full of ideas.

Mainly, Krupp stressed the unequaled power of the marketplace in determining the success of any product. If given the opportunity, he is confident that consumers will drive the demand for clean energy. However, it will take some work to level out the playing field and give clean energy technology a fair chance. There will have to be compromises. Another aspect of Krupp's lecture that I appreciated was the acknowledgment that I order to make improvements, we have to listen to each other and come up a solution that will serve both sides. In the end, cooperation will yield the greatest results while still generating incredible wealth and environmental benefits.

However, Krupp didn't cover a few things that I find important in dialogue about energy and other environmental issues. In both Krupp's and Jeff Muhs' lectures, I noticed that there was little mention of holding individuals accountable for their energy demands. There was some talk about leaving lights on unnecessarily, but there wasn't a lot about reducing the amount of energy we use in the first place, not to mention other lifestyle changes necessary to live in a truly sustainable manner. But that's another blog post. I just don't think technology will solve all of our problems; a lot of the responsibility lies in our own hands as well.

As The Nature of Things gets ready to welcome Jonathan Hoekstra, some of the deeper issues associated with energy use and production will hopefully be addressed. In his discussion about the potential sprawl of energy infrastructure, I hope to hear something about how much energy is reasonable to produce in the first place. We can wait for solutions to appear, but we can also take action ourselves and adjust our own behaviors. It's going to take a huge amount of change from different sources. Keep up with the Nature of Things series to hear about many of them, and generate your own ideas about how to reinvent energy!

From Kindergarten to Carbon Clouds: Time to Reinvent Energy

Some people call me a hippie. It might be the fact that I’m an Environmental Studies major, or that I never leave the apartment without my reusable coffee mug, or that I haven’t trimmed my hair since 2009. Or that I get internships like this one, where I write blog posts about things like alternative energy and being a hippie.

But I think the heart of my identity is just the fact that I've figured out that as I get older, the world isn't getting quite as awesome as I thought it would. In 1996, my kindergarten teacher told us how to reduce, reuse and recycle, and to turn out the lights when we left a room. I did as I was told and trusted that the adults would take care of the rest.

But as I grew older, I craved the 'great outdoors' and fresh air that I'd read about, I helped preserve with every milk carton my little hands recycled, and yet I was greeted with expanses of red pine, and smog reminiscent of something that would seep out of a Stephen King novel. I felt let down, and asked a question: "What on Earth have we been doing for fifteen years?" My research on that one has produced little beyond evidence of increased dependency on carbon-based fuel, so, instead, I pose another question: "What can we do now?"

Which brings me to the aforementioned job description. As the intern for The Nature of Things 2011 lecture series, the theme of which is Reinventing Energy, I am going beyond personal usage of stainless steel mugs and dealing with UTA to getting all of you involved. Because it can't just be me that's noticed that things can change. For years now, we've been hearing about emerging renewable energy technologies, seeing windmill prototypes, and puzzling over diagrams of how photovoltaic cells work. The solutions are out there, and to use a hippie term, that's pretty rad! Now we need to quickly make the transition from talk to reality. Fifteen years is enough for me.

This year’s speakers have some answers. The series will open up with Jeff Muhs, director of USU’s Energy Dynamics Lab, who will discuss how to transform our energy system without delay. Fred Krupp, our keynote speaker, will talk about the unfair market challenges faced by clean energy, and how to fix that. Jonathan Hoekstra acknowledges the challenges of establishing clean energy infrastructure, and will teach us how to deal with it. And finally, a community panel of energy leaders will bring a local perspective to it all.

The way our energy is produced affects every single one of us. We breathe carbon emissions. We fall in love with landscapes that succumb to drills. And now we know that things can change. Join me over the next several weeks as the Utah Museum of Natural History presents some people who are making “reinventing energy” a reality. Bring your questions, tell your friends, and talk about it, because learning is the first step. Come to the lectures as a way to commit to creating a future that will not disappoint kindergarteners sitting in classrooms right now. You don’t need to be a hippie, just someone who's sick of waiting.

You can view the complete schedule for The Nature of Things 2011 on the Museum’s website and Facebook page. I invite you to follow this blog to join the conversation.

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