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Governor Deval Patrick, true to form, offered an ounce of hope with his prescription for change in addressing global warming at a standing-room-only town meeting in Durgin Hall.
About 1,000 people gathered on a warm Saturday in mid-December to attend the U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan-sponsored event, “Climate Change: Local Solutions to a Global Crisis.”
Meehan opened the town meeting with clips from the film “An Inconvenient Truth” and a videotaped personal message from former Vice President Al Gore, which welcomed Patrick to campus. Gore also said, “I congratulate Marty Meehan for his leadership, and I congratulate you for being a part of this important town meeting.”
Meehan responded by saying to the audience, “Unfortunately, there are many climate change skeptics in Washington.”
After describing some of the energy issues faced by Massachusetts residents Patrick said, “Some see this and panic. I see this as an economic opportunity. We can be green and wealthy too.” Patrick introduced the incoming Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles, who was named to the post the day before the forum.
Patrick also called on UMass Lowell to assist in the state’s effort to “create an environment where green technologies thrive.” He challenged the campus to “retrofit” the governor’s official vehicle, which he said is designed for security reasons. “Make it work; make it smart!” he said.
When one panelist said most people would describe the crowd gathered as “nuts” for giving up holiday preparations nine days before Christmas, the audience chuckled. But the topic was no laughing matter. UMass Lowell panelist Amy Cannon, assistant professor with the Center for Green Chemistry, pointed out that chemistry students never study toxics, and described how the UML Center is setting out to change that.
Another panelist, Ken Geiser, co-director of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production said of UMass Lowell, “We have the capacity; we have the vision; and we have the guts to be a world model for a sustainable society.” He pointed out that “global warming requires bold national leadership, yes, but we also need to have new technologies.”
Dr. David Wegman, dean of the School of Health and Environment, a sponsor of the town meeting, moderated the panel, which also included Lee Ketelson of Clean Water Action, a public interest group, and Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Paul Epstein of the Center for Health and the Global Environment.
Durgin Hall was filled with pop-up displays of UMass Lowell research and tables highlighting the work of area clean energy companies and public interest groups.
The event is online in its entirety.
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