Health & Fitness
Yolanda Kakabadse Speaks
One of the continuing frictions is the conflict between resource development and conservation of same; Yolanda Kakabadse speaks:"It's everyone's job to look for (sustainability) answers".
On Nov. 7 the Webster University Global Leaders in Residence program welcomed Yolanda Kakabadse.
According to the program notes, Ms Kakabadse is "widely recognized as a global champion of sustainable development and biodiversity preservation". Currently, Ms Kakabadse is president of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International.
The session that Ms Kakabadse facilitated was "Ideas for One Planet Sustainability". It addressed the grand challenges of the environmental movement with Webster University student team responses using WWF principles.
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"Team I: Sustainable Water" had Tim Giadis, HOK, as mentor. They proposed making St Louis the "Water Capital of America" by making water an NGO public utility, enacting a comprehensive watershed policy, re-designing the sewer system infrastructure, and founding a university downtown centered on green technology. The students did not suggest how to pay for this and ignored the question of how to change individual behavior since water shortages will be a global issue.
"Team II: Sustainable Earth" had Ralph Bicknese, architect from Hellmuth + Bicknese, as mentor. Ms Marquida Brown did some excellent research on the issue, but fell short in solutions. Her main idea was to have a Green Business Incubator with the usual components of business development, marketing, consumer and community education, government, research, and manufacturing, but each department would have a "green" emphasis. Ms Brown's links to groups already doing land sustainability were excellent.
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"Team III: Transforming the Food Supply" had Ms Katy Mike Smaistria, U.M.S.L., as mentor. The team consisted of three Urban Ecology Scholars from Harris-Stowe University. Most of their ideas centered around urban gardening. However, their speakers were the most polished of the three teams.
On 11/08/2012 at 6:00p.m., Ms Kakabadse gives an address open to the public titled: "Agree to Disagree: Managing Conflict for a Sustainable World". Her talk will reveal her unique experiences related to environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability. It will take place in the Edward Jones Commons of the East Academic Building, 545 Garden Ave, Webster University, 63119. After the talk there will be time for questions and answers from Ms Kakabadse.