Many, many years ago, I attended an event that hosted a conference and award dinner for a Doctor of Sociology who conducted work associated between society and our concerns with our environment and energy needs. The specifics of any environmental issue was not discussed, the focus remained on the connections and challenges society faced toward each issue facing our environment and energy sources.
During the conference, conversation veered to referencing waste management and I contributed the following statement: “Our technology has advanced us so much that we have become very efficient in producing waste.”
I didn’t realize that my statement enticed the good Doctor to seek me out toward the end of the ceremonies. Everyone who contributed to the conversation earlier had to do a brief introduction about ourselves, so the Doctor knew who I was and my field of study.
He located me standing by my table, drink in one hand and the evening’s itinerary table card in my other hand.
The first question he hit me with was loaded and he was testing me. Would I lose my orientation in the depth of a question that had a conglomerate of issues behind the query? That was his test and my mind scrambled. I thank God for helping me with an answer that summarized every issue behind the question. The private conversation went this way:
During the conference, conversation veered to referencing waste management and I contributed the following statement: “Our technology has advanced us so much that we have become very efficient in producing waste.”
I didn’t realize that my statement enticed the good Doctor to seek me out toward the end of the ceremonies. Everyone who contributed to the conversation earlier had to do a brief introduction about ourselves, so the Doctor knew who I was and my field of study.
He located me standing by my table, drink in one hand and the evening’s itinerary table card in my other hand.
The first question he hit me with was loaded and he was testing me. Would I lose my orientation in the depth of a question that had a conglomerate of issues behind the query? That was his test and my mind scrambled. I thank God for helping me with an answer that summarized every issue behind the question. The private conversation went this way:
“So what does America have to do to be energy independent?”
I smiled, paused and then said, “Use our available current technology correctly.” I placed emphasis on the word, ‘correctly’.
His eyebrow raised and then with a smile he asked the test question on the opposite end of the spectrum. “What do you think of Biofuels?”
Without hesitating I answered, “I have a serious issue with using food for fuel as long as one child goes hungry in this world… because, there is always another way.”
Before I knew, twenty minutes went by as a crowd of people encircled us to listen in on our conversation. We at least touched upon the full gamut of our environmental, energy and sociological issues. We both agreed that the British philosopher William Godwin and the French mathematician, Marquis de Condorcet were correct with their theories and Thomas Robert Malthus, which was being touted by the media and the famous, has been proven wrong many times.
We ended our conversation with me congratulating him on his award and we wished each other the very best with our future work. That was a very good evening over-all.
Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
I smiled, paused and then said, “Use our available current technology correctly.” I placed emphasis on the word, ‘correctly’.
His eyebrow raised and then with a smile he asked the test question on the opposite end of the spectrum. “What do you think of Biofuels?”
Without hesitating I answered, “I have a serious issue with using food for fuel as long as one child goes hungry in this world… because, there is always another way.”
Before I knew, twenty minutes went by as a crowd of people encircled us to listen in on our conversation. We at least touched upon the full gamut of our environmental, energy and sociological issues. We both agreed that the British philosopher William Godwin and the French mathematician, Marquis de Condorcet were correct with their theories and Thomas Robert Malthus, which was being touted by the media and the famous, has been proven wrong many times.
We ended our conversation with me congratulating him on his award and we wished each other the very best with our future work. That was a very good evening over-all.
Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
Contribute your comments!
