Green awareness growing
Erin McCarthy
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: News
The sixth annual Western Illinois University Environmental Summit was held in the University Union Grand Ballroom Wednesday and served to educate the campus and Macomb community on sustainable initiatives taking place at the university.
The theme for this year's summit was "Healthy Planet, Healthy People," and it featured posters, displays and roundtable discussions, as well as a keynote presentation by Dr. Sandra Steingraber titled, "Contaminated Without Consent: How Pollutants in Air, Food and Water Violate Human Rights and What We Can Do About It."
Steingraber, a renowned ecologist and author, is a cancer survivor who has done extensive research on the chemicals used in the agriculture industry that are linked to the type of cancer she had. She discussed how the economy and ecology are crumbling simultaneously due to their common natures.
"They are both delicate and global systems," Steingraber said. "People know very little about either of them until something goes horribly wrong."
She also informed the audience of why Illinois farms, which were once diverse and sustainable, have evolved into government-subsidized corn and soybean fields, and also how many farmers are beginning to return to organic practices and reaping the benefits.
"The Land Connection links organic farmers with farmland," Steingraber said. "They're rebuilding Illinois' food security and providing land for use."
Joel Gruver, assistant professor of agriculture, attended the presentation and utilized it as an educational opportunity for his Soil and Water Conservation students.
"I'm very curious to see how my students react to the message they heard about land use," Gruver said. "I think it was challenging, in many ways, to their paradigm concerning conventional agriculture. I really wanted to be here with my students when they heard that message."
In addition to attending Steingraber's presentation, Gruver had a display describing the organic farming program and his new sustainable agriculture course.
The theme for this year's summit was "Healthy Planet, Healthy People," and it featured posters, displays and roundtable discussions, as well as a keynote presentation by Dr. Sandra Steingraber titled, "Contaminated Without Consent: How Pollutants in Air, Food and Water Violate Human Rights and What We Can Do About It."
Steingraber, a renowned ecologist and author, is a cancer survivor who has done extensive research on the chemicals used in the agriculture industry that are linked to the type of cancer she had. She discussed how the economy and ecology are crumbling simultaneously due to their common natures.
"They are both delicate and global systems," Steingraber said. "People know very little about either of them until something goes horribly wrong."
She also informed the audience of why Illinois farms, which were once diverse and sustainable, have evolved into government-subsidized corn and soybean fields, and also how many farmers are beginning to return to organic practices and reaping the benefits.
"The Land Connection links organic farmers with farmland," Steingraber said. "They're rebuilding Illinois' food security and providing land for use."
Joel Gruver, assistant professor of agriculture, attended the presentation and utilized it as an educational opportunity for his Soil and Water Conservation students.
"I'm very curious to see how my students react to the message they heard about land use," Gruver said. "I think it was challenging, in many ways, to their paradigm concerning conventional agriculture. I really wanted to be here with my students when they heard that message."
In addition to attending Steingraber's presentation, Gruver had a display describing the organic farming program and his new sustainable agriculture course.
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