Symposium Media

Sept. 7, 2007

Contact: Tania Thompson, University Communications, (208) 885-6567, taniat@uidaho.edu

NOTE TO MEDIA: Please confirm media outlet coverage with University Communications, 208-310-9736. Interviews with individual presenters are not available. Broadcast media: press box feeds are available for house audio. Film/video cameras will have a location that provides line-of-sight to the stage.

Walking the Talk of Sustainability: Idaho Governor, Business and Science Leaders Examine Carbon, Climate and Environment

MOSCOW, Idaho - Surrounded by the golden and harvested fields of north-central Idaho, a dynamic and diverse group of scientists, politicians, researchers, academics and environmental advocates will gather to focus on green. At the University of Idaho, recognized for its leading sustainability initiatives, the group will discuss how government, business, non-profit, higher education and other sectors can work together to find solutions to climate problems stemming from greenhouse gas emissions and other causes of climate change.

The University of Idaho's inaugural President's Sustainability Symposium - titled "Carbon, Climate and Our Environment: Partnerships for Success" - delves into public, private, nonprofit, education and research sector views of how to achieve a sustainable future starting with research and technologies available now. The event on Monday, Oct. 1, from 8 a.m.-5:15 p.m., is free and open to the public in the university's Student Union Ballroom. The sessions on Tuesday, Oct. 2, are focused for the university community.

"Reducing carbon in the atmosphere will not be easy or inexpensive, but it is necessary," said Timothy P. White, president, University of Idaho. "Everyone needs to better understand the forces that are at play so that, as a global society, we can craft efficient and feasible solutions to this problem. It will take a cooperative effort among all sectors to identify an economical, responsible and effective response to the factors contributing to climate change."

Featured presenters include:

  • C.L. "Butch" Otter, governor of Idaho, "The State of Idaho and Solutions to Green House Gas Emissions";
  • Michael C. McCracken, chief scientist for climate change programs, Climate Institute, "The Science of Carbon, Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change";
  • Richard Sandor, chairman and chief executive officer, Chicago Climate Exchange, "Private Sector Perspective and Market Strategies."

Panelists include:

  • Peter McGrail, laboratory fellow, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, "Carbon Sequestration: Practices, Monitoring and Verification";
  • J.W. Rogers Jr., associate laboratory director, Idaho National Laboratory, and Steven Aumeier, director, Energy Systems and Technologies Division, Idaho National Laboratory, "Alternative Energies Portfolio: Realities and Catalysts for Development";
  • Ralph Cavanagh, director, Energy Program, Natural Resources Defense Council, and John R. 'Ric' Gale, vice president of regulatory affairs, Idaho Power, "The Role of Promoting Energy Efficiency and Reduced Carbon Emissions";
  • Anthony Cortese, president, Second Nature, and co-director, American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment;

"Sustainability is woven into the fabric of our present and future, in political, economic and social issues around the globe," said White. "The solution and forward movement must come through leadership and partnerships that bring together diverse and sometimes competing interests. The campus of a premier research university like the University of Idaho is an ideal location for all parties to come together today to discuss, to learn and to identify solutions for tomorrow."

The University of Idaho has embraced sustainable practices since the 1970s. Recently, it joined a handful of other colleges and universities as members in the Chicago Climate Exchange with a pledge to reduce and manage its carbon footprint and signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment with a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to business and operations practices, the university is integrating sustainability into its research, outreach and coursework as it prepares students today to be leaders tomorrow.

Parking is available on campus for a small fee. The Student Union Building is located at 709 Deakin Ave. in Moscow.

About the University of Idaho
Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the state's flagship higher-education institution and its principal graduate education and research university, bringing insight and innovation to the state, the nation and the world. University researchers attract nearly $100 million in research grants and contracts each year; the University of Idaho is the only institution in the state to earn the prestigious Carnegie Foundation ranking for high research activity. The university's student population includes first-generation college students and ethnically diverse scholars. Offering more than 150 degree options in 10 colleges, the university combines the strengths of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.