Global Perspectives holds annual Central Florida Summit on Global Change

Students and faculty united to celebrate the 5^th annual Central Florida Summit on Global Change, held Thursday evening in the Cape Florida Ballroom.

The event, sponsored by UCF Global Perspectives Office, UCF Office of Undergraduate Studies, Lawrence J. Chastang and UCF Interdisciplinary Studies, is a component of the "UCF General Education Program Unifying Theme: The Environment and Global Climate Change", which focuses on ethics, policies and actions that promote conservation, renewable energy and environmental awareness around the UCF community.

The event consisted of a panel of credible speakers who promoted the importance of ecological awareness and a sustainable environment through education, international relations and personal pro-activity.

Kicking off the event was William Powers, an environmental conservationist known for his 2003 Harvard Kennedy School of Government prize for environmental innovation efforts, which helped eliminate mass deforestation in Bolivia.

"There is a lot of sacrifice to be made for the environment. There is a downward trend in all species," Powers explained.

He discussed his first-hand experience from his third book, Twelve by Twelve: A One Room Cabin Off the Grid & Beyond the American Dream, which focuses on his personal struggle to acclimate to a non-traditional, energy efficient lifestyle while living in small 12-by-12 foot cabin in North Carolina.

Powers posed a simple question: "What is your 12-by-12? By that I mean, how can you live simplistically yet joyfully?"

This question offered the audience the chance to voice opinions pertaining to personal conservation. Attendees shared ideas such as riding a bike to class, using refillable water bottles and unplugging appliances

Among students and faculty were UCF environmental departments like UCF Arboretum, Landscape & Natural Resources, and student organizations like I.D.E.A.S, which created "Black, Gold & Green," a new initiative that emphasizes green-living in the Student Union.

"The most important strategy UCF is taking to making our campus more environmentally friendly is by implementing renewable energy technologies. UCF has a great opportunity to educate the masses about more innovative ways to satisfy our energy needs, reduce our overall costs and make UCF a leading force in green energy technologies," explained Samantha Ruiz, president of I.D.E.A.S.

Joining the panel of speakers was Alaina Bernard from the UCF Landscape & Natural Resources Department. She explained strategies on campus that create an esthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable community that help preserve biodiversity in Florida's habitats. The department seeks to promote green architecture by planting green roofs on buildings for insulation and planting 600-1500 trees and shrubs around campus annually.

Margaret Lo from UCF's Sustainability & Energy Management Department spoke about conservation through renewable energy for buildings and transportation on campus by installing solar panels that convert the sun's energy into electricity.

"We hope to decrease the $1 million per month spent on campus electricity," explained Lo.

So far, their efforts have saved UCF a whopping $3 million through environmental management and construction that reduce green house gas emissions while preventing tuition payments from increasing.

The UCF community is making great strides in creating an environmentally friendly campus, but a key role in creating environmental sustainability is through the individual.

"The #1 thing students can take from the Climate Change Summit, is that every one of us has a choice to reduce our impact on the environment. This movement is a multifaceted issue that includes people of all race, color, and gender," said Chris Castro, UCF Sustainability & Energy Management Department. 

For more information about The Climate Summit visit: http://climatesummit.ucf.edu/

For information on William Powers' book visit: www.williampowersbooks.com