A lecture with Hunter Lovins was held at CSUN Tuesday to spread the word to college students about environment sustainability.
Lovins, president of Natural Capitalism Solutions, gave a presentation that expressed the concern of the environment, and how we need to improve the quality of life in ways that enhance and protect the earth’s life support systems.’
Natural Capitalism Solution’s mission is to educate senior decision makers in business, government and society about the principles of sustainability.’
‘We need a miracle,’ Lovins said.’ We can buy time by radically reducing resources more effectively.’ Biomimicry is an approach enables a wide array of materials to be produced with low energy flows, in processes that run on sunlight, with the constant reuse of materials and the elimination of toxicity.’ ‘We are eating down the capital of the earth,’ Lovins said.’
Lovins provided examples of companies that changed something simple and saved thousands of dollars.’ A company that used 6,300 computers and monitors, were put in sleep mode or stand by when they were not in use.’ These computers were shut down when they were not in use, and saved the company $700,000 a year.’
Another company that remained nameless shut off lights that weren’t needed, and saved $650,000 a year.’ These companies saved money and helped save resources.
Walmart has invested $50 million in sustainability.’ For Super Walmart’s they have put doors on the refrigerated food aisles.’ These food cabinets have light detectors so the lights are dim until someone comes up to the grocery case.’ They also implemented different light bulbs that do not omit as much heat.
UPS is working with companies to use hybrid trucks.’ This will increase fuel efficiency by 60 to 70 percent.’ ‘ ‘
Ninety percent of our time is spent in buildings, said Lovins.’ Some schools have gone to ‘day lighting,” which is uses natural light rather than artificial light during the day.’ This has lead to higher test scores for students.’
‘If we don’t get a hold of it now 60-90 percent of species will be gone,’ Lovins said.’ Students are the leaders of today.’ ‘I believe in the capacity of the human species to rise to the challenge,’ Lovins said.’
To go along with ‘going green,’ there was an organization informaing students on December 18, ‘A Day Without a Bag.’ This day will promote the use of reusable totes rather than plastic bags for a day.’ Plastic bags are made from fossil fuels, which are nonrenewable resources that we cannot afford to waste.’ They create pollution and can kill marine life in the oceans.’ ‘We will be giving away 20,000 reusable tote bags all over the county to make sure we practice what we preach,’ Eveline Bravo, Beach Programs manager said.’ ‘This will promote education and awareness of usable tote bags.”
Lovins said that people don’t change until they hit rock bottom.’ ‘We’re hitting rock bottom,’ Lovins said.’ ‘We have all the technologies to solve the problems facing us.’
