Environmental Activists, Scholars to Speak During 'Earth Week'

Students of Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies and Religious Studies Todd LeVasseur’s environmental studies capstone have arranged for environmental activists and scholars to speak at the College of Charleston for ‘Earth Week’ 2014.

Environmental activist and musician Dana Lyons will perform April 22, 2014, at 7 p.m. in the Theodore S. Stern Student Center Garden (71 George St.), and sustainability scholar and environmental scholar Bron Taylor will speak April 24, 2014, at 7 p.m. in the School of Education, Health and Human Performance Alumni Center (86 Wentworth St.).

Lyons is known for writing and performing the song Our State is a Dump Site, which was the subject of a proposal in the Washington legislature to become the official state song. He will perform and share his experiences at his April 22 event.

RELATED: Discover Dana Lyons and Bron Taylor

Bron Taylor. Photo courtesy of brontaylor.com.

Taylor will speak about the interaction between religion and nature, a concept he covers extensively in his popular book, Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future. Student event organizer Greg Frankena said, “Taylor’s research focuses on the spiritual, emotional, ethical and political dimensions of environmentalism. His presentation will be about the role of religion and value systems in addressing issues of global environmental importance.”

Students of LeVasseur’s environment studies capstone course raised money and organized events for Lyons and Taylor.

The students were able to allocate money for fees, travel and accommodations for speakers through the ECOllective Student Project Committee (ESPC). This committee is allocated a portion of the ECOllective Fund and accepts proposals from students for projects and events that work to make the campus more sustainable. Additional support was provided by many organizations both on and off campus.

Sponsoring schools, departments, offices and organizations for these events include the ECOllective, the Student Government Association, the Alliance for Planet Earth, Green CofC, the Coastal Conservation League, the First Year Experience Program, the Department of Biology, the Sierra Club, the Department of Political Science, the Department of Philosophy and the School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs.