Environmental Ethics Symposium

 The Twenty-­‐Sixth Annual David R. Keller Environmental Ethics Symposium Ethical Dimensions on the Human Environment Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Ethical Dimensions of the Human Environment 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. Environmental Ethics Keynote Address Diane Ackerman, Poet, essayist, and naturalist Author of The Human Age: The World Shaped By Us Introduction: Kate McPherson, Director, Honors Program Welcome: Brian D. Birch, Director, Center for the Study of Ethics 12:00 – 12:50 p.m. Luncheon (Invited Guests Introduction of David R. Keller Sustainability Prize and Award Recipient Library Timpanogos Room (4th Floor) 1:00 – 1:50 p.m. TBA College of Health & Science 2:00 – 2:50 p.m. Panel Dan Cather, Provo Fire & Rescue, Wildland Coordinator Riley Pilgrim, Unified Fire Authority, Salt Lake County Wildland Fire Management College of Aviation & Public Services 3:00 – 3:50 p.m. “ Fault Zone Regulations, Seismic Hazard, and Social Vulnerability in Los Angeles, California: Hazard or Urban Amenity” Nathan Toke, Assistant Professor of Earth Science, Utah Valley University 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Honors Colloquium with Diane Ackerman Honors Lounge (LC 203) *All events in Library Lakeview Room (4th Floor) unless otherwise noted Thursday, March 19, 2015 Clean Air, Clean Energy (organized by James Westwater, Chair, Utah Valley Earth Forum) (co-­‐sponsored with College of Science & Health and Utah Valley Earth Forum) 10:00 – 11:15 a.m. Air Quality, Carbon Fuels, the Environment, and Our Economy Leo Chan, Professor, Finance & Economics, UVU Matt Pacenza, Executive Director, HEAL Utah Richard Collins, Professor, Masters of Business Admin, Westminster College Alan Westover, Vice President, Zions Bank Ted Wilson, Executive Director, Utah Clean Air Introduction: Jim Westwater, Chair, Utah Valley Earth Forum Moderator: Jeff Torlina, Associate Professor, History & Political Science, UVU 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. The Morality of Air Pollution Featured Speaker Brian Moench, MD, President, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment Air Quailty Impact on Our Health & Society 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. The Switch to Clean Energy and Clean Technology Brian Moench, President, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment Michael Minch, Director, Peace and Justice Studies, UVU Alain Balmanno, Executive Board Member, NAACP, Salt Lake City Branch Andrea Jensen, Utah County Health Dept., Environmental Educator Ted Wilson, Executive Director, Utah Clean Air Introduction: Jim Westwater, Chair, Utah Valley Earth Forum Moderator: Jeff Torlina, Associate Professor, History & Political Science, UVU Matt Pacenza, Executive Director, HEAL Utah Kent Udell, Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah Board Member, Utah Citizens Advocating Renewable Energy Introduction: Jeff Torlina, Associate Professor, History & Political Science, UVU Moderator: Jim Westwater, Chair, Utah Valley Earth Forum 2:30 – 3:45 p.m. Solving Our Air Quality Problem Mayor John Curtis, Provo City Mayor Richard Brunst, Orem City Bryce Bird, Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality Robert J. Grow, President/C.E.O., Envision Utah Environmental Protection Agency, Utah Introduction: Jim Westwater, Chair, Utah Valley Earth Forum Moderator: Jeff Torlina, Associate Professor, History & Political Science, UVU *All events in Library Lakeview Room (4th Floor) unless otherwise noted Participants Diane Ackerman is the author of two dozen highly acclaimed works of nonfiction and poetry, including The Human Age, The Zookeeper’s Wife, and A Natural History of the Senses, books beloved by millions of readers all over the world. In prose so rich and evocative that one can feel the earth turning beneath one’s feet as one reads, Ackerman’s thrilling observations urge us to live in the moment, to wake up to nature’s everyday miracles. James Westwater is the Chair and founder of the Utah Valley Earth Forum, Utah Valley’s independent, citizen environmental organization. For over 40 years, Westwater has performed his multimedia “photochoreography” with symphony and chamber orchestras across North America and abroad for over 40 years. Twice a National Endowment for the Arts Resident Artist, Westwater has performed before the National Academy of Science and the World Congress of Local Government. He earned a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University with studies in art history, philosophy, educational development, cinema and multimedia. Jeff Torlina is Associate Professor of Sociology in the Behavioral Science Department at Utah Valley University. His Ph.D. is from the State University of New York at Albany in 2003. His work challenges the institutional forces that maintain inequality, particularly those of culture and ideology. His teaching courses include political economy, social movements, work and occupations, gender, race, education, theory, agriculture and food systems. Torlina is a member of the Association for Humanist Sociology, the Peace and Justice Studies Association, the Working Class Studies Association, and the Pacific Sociological Association. Alan Westenskow has worked at Zions Bank Public Finance since 1999. He is a registered Municipal Securities Representative and holds a series 52 securities license. He assists cities, school districts, counties, states and other local governments throughout Utah and Idaho in financing energy, water, sewer, transportation, education, economic development and other public infrastructure projects. Westenskow serves on the board of Utah Clean Energy, is a member of the Utah Economic Council and is the past president of the Wasatch Front Economic Forum. Brian Moench is the UPHE former faculty member of the University of Utah Honors Program and former chairman of the Department of Anesthesia, Holy Cross Hospital. His work focuses on teaching public health and the environment as well as private practice anesthesia at Holy Cross Hospital and LDS Hospital. Michael Minch is director of Peace and Justice Studies at UVU. He is also the director of Summit: The Sustainable Mountain Development and Conflict Transformation Global Knowledge and Action Network. He is a political philosopher who works in democratic theory and political ecology. Minch is a member of the Board of Directors of the Peace and Justice Studies Association and the Development Forum of Education for Global Peace. He is co-­‐editor of the book series, Peace Studies: Edges and Innovations. He works in the Balkans, and in Brazil with students from Guinea Bissau; and directs study programs in Haiti, Northern Ireland, and Russia. Kent Stewart Udell is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Sustainability Research Center at the University of Utah. He is currently teaching classes in Engineering Ethics and Sustainable Energy Engineering at the University of Utah. Udell received the EPA Outstanding Remediation Technology Award in 1999 and is on the EPA National Advisory Committee on Environmental Technology. His current research interests include Seasonal Underground Thermal Energy Storage, Geothermal Power Production, and Sustainable Energy Systems. John R. Curtis is mayor of Provo, Utah. During his first four years the City of Provo ranked #1 in the nation for business and careers by Forbes as well as #1 for well-­‐being by Gallop. Mayor Curtis’ administration has brought Google Fiber to Provo, regularly scheduled air service at the airport, expanded parks and trails, and completed Provo's state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art recreation center. Curtis is known for his accessibility and staying close to the residents of Provo. He enjoys social media and his blog, provomayor.org is referred to as a gotta-­‐read-­‐it-­‐to-­‐believe-­‐it place to find news on all things Provo. Robert Grow holds degrees in engineering and law from the University of Utah and the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. Grow’s diverse career includes practicing law, leading and supporting regional visioning processes, being president of a large manufacturing company, and chairing a national trade association. Grow has assisted facilitating regional stakeholders in creating multi-­‐generational visions for major metropolitan areas of the United States and has worked with more than 80 metropolitan regions. For his role in helping shape the strategy for the Salt Lake region's future transportation system, Robert received the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) Distinguished Service Award in October 2003.