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| The "Dialogue for Change" panel is听presented by the College of Sustainability. |
When North American reporters seek a credible voice on environmental sustainability, they very often turn to David Orr. Considered one听of the world鈥檚 leading visionaries for sustainability education, Prof. Orr, from Oberlin College in Ohio, will be at AV俱乐部 this week to join a panel discussion that will examine how we can become a sustainable society.
In a time of unprecedented sustainability challenges, the panel 鈥� titled 鈥淒ialogue for Change鈥� 鈥� delivers an unexpected convergence of radical thinkers. Prof. Orr will be joined by Raffi Cavoukian, known to many as a children鈥檚 entertainer but also internationally-recognized for founding Child Honouring, a group dedicated to ensuring a sustainable future for children; Dal grad Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, bringing a political perspective to the discussion; and Nova Scotian entrepreneur, Jeff Moore, founder of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-operative, providing a social justice outlook on sustainability.
It鈥檚 a multi-layered approach to exploring the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges, and one that reflects the philosophy underlying AV俱乐部鈥檚 new College of Sustainability, the panel鈥檚 sponsor.
鈥淭his panel brings together outstanding thinkers from the worlds of academia, entertainment, politics and business,鈥� says Steven Mannell, the college director. 鈥淭hese are people who confront and challenge contemporary thinking. It鈥檚 exactly the kind of approach we鈥檙e creating here at the college and in the new Environment, Sustainability and Society undergraduate program. It鈥檚 a new way of thinking and looking at our most serious issues. This is going to be a very exciting panel.鈥�
CBC Radio鈥檚 Jian Ghomeshi, host of Q, will lead the panel members through the provocative and forward-thinking discussions. Thursday鈥檚 event, beginning at 7 p.m. in the McCain Building, is open to the public with limited seating.
For more info, or to invite others to attend the panel,
AV俱乐部 the panelists:
David Orr: Professor and Chair, Environmental Studies, Oberlin College
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| David Orr |
The foremost academic authority on environment and sustainability, David Orr is the Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College and a James Marsh Professor at the University of Vermont. He lectures internationally, has authored five books and co-edited three others. He's the recipient of four honorary degrees, multiple awards, and a trustee for several organizations. His career as a scholar, teacher, writer, speaker, and entrepreneur spans fields as diverse as environment and politics, environmental education, campus greening, green building, ecological design, and climate change. In 1987 he organized studies of energy, water, and materials use on several college campuses that helped launch the green campus movement. In 1996 he helped design The Adam Joseph Lewis Center, the first substantially green building on a U.S. college campus. The Center was named 鈥淥ne of Thirty Milestone Buildings in the 20th Century鈥� by the U.S. Department of Energy and the most interesting of a new generation of college and university buildings by the New York Times.
Dr. Orr identifies a fundamental flaw in society: denial of what鈥檚 happening around us. He says we need 鈥渢o lend ourselves fully to the effort to overcome the disconnection between humankind and the natural world; to advance beyond our cultural autism.鈥� He believes we are not adequately addressing changes in weather or issues like famine 鈥� threats that will only worsen if we fail to act. 鈥淐limate change cannot be separated from politics, economics, and issues of security. Climate change is already taking a far higher toll on human life than terrorism,鈥� he explains.
Raffi Cavoukian: Entertainer and founder of Child Honouring
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| Raffi Cavoukian |
In his three-decade career, Raffi Cavoukian has refused all commercial endorsement offers, and his own triple-bottom-line company has never directly advertised or marketed to children. The 鈥淏aby Beluga鈥� singer is a passionate advocate for a child鈥檚 right to live free of commercial exploitation. He is founder of Child Honouring, a children-first approach to healing communities, restoring ecosystems and establishing a society addresses the needs of its youngest members. Along with two honorary degrees, Raffi is a recipient of the Order of Canada and the UN鈥檚 Earth Achievement Award.
Elizabeth May: Leader, Green Party of Canada
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| Elizabeth May |
The leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May is an environmentalist, writer, activist and lawyer. She has served on numerous boards of environmental groups and advisory bodies to universities and governments in Canada, and was involved in negotiating the Montreal Protocol as Senior Policy Advisor to the Federal Environment Minister. The author of six books, including Global Warming for Dummies, she holds two honorary doctorates, is recipient of the prestigious Couchiching Award for excellence in public policy, and has been an Officer of the Order of Canada since 2005. Since becoming leader of the Green Party, Ms. May鈥檚 parity has won unprecedented support among Canadians and helped bring the environment to the forefront of Canadian politics.听听
Jeff Moore: Co-founder, Just Us! Coffee Roasters Cooperative
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| Jeff Moore |
Jeff Moore could be called the Indiana Jones of Fair Trade. During his inspirational journey through the mountains of Chiapas, a country in the midst of a civil war, he was faced with military and rebel blockades and treacherous terrain. His trek through the mountainous country brought him to local coffee farmers, where he would get his first supply of fair trade coffee. A social justice and community development advocate, Mr. Moore is co-founder of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Cooperative, Canada鈥檚 first certified fair trade coffee roaster and now the largest fair trade worker-owned co-op in Canada.听 Operating on a belief in "people and the planet before profits," Just Us! buys coffee from over 12 cooperatives in countries around the world, and has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in Atlantic Canada.听 Mr. Moore is a well-respected figure in the fair trade world and spends much of his time telling the story of Fair Trade, Just Us! and the challenges faced by producers the world over.听