This talk begins at 7:00pm, doors open at 6:00pm.
Date: Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Talk: Optimism in an Era of Climate Change
Speaker: Paul Richard, Environmental Protection Technology Department
Abstract: Climate change is real, and terrifying. We have entered a time when droughts are longer and hotter, storms are stronger, floods are deeper and more frequent.
But we need not be paralyzed by fear. We already have the technology necessary to address the problem and alleviate its worse consequences. It's simply a matter of using it, and the first step is awareness. I plan to describe what these technologies are, both the ones that mitigate the impacts (better flood management, for instance) as well as those that address the source of the problem (green energy instead of fossil fuel). I will use examples from around the world, but will use as a home base Hamburg, the German port city that shares many things with Vancouver. Relying on science and a well-balanced mix of market forces and government planning, Hamburg has managed to create very innovative solutions to flood prevention and control, water supply, energy storage and energy savings measures, and community planning. From developments made to withstand flooding at no cost or inconvenience, to apartment buildings that use algae or even human waste as a source of energy, Europe in general and Hamburg in particular has come up with solutions that apply to Vancouver. When I visited, I felt like I had entered the future, one that works – and I'd like to share what I discovered as a way to shake that sense of doom that seems to prevent us from moving ahead.
The KPU-Science World Speaker Series is a partnership developed between KPU and Science World that supports the expansion of science in our communities. Join us for our third season of talks that work to engage, entertain and educate guests with fascinating insights into the world of science.