Constantine Alexander's Journal

New comprehensive field guide to New England wild flowers

Wildflowers of New England by Ted Elliman and New England Wild Flower Society.

 

Just in time for spring, New England has its own guide to identifying wildflowers. Wildflowers of New England: Timber Press Field Guide (Timber Press Field Guides) is the first comprehensive wildflower guide focused entirely on New England. Authored by Ted Elliman with New England Wild Flower Society, the six-color guide is the most current, up-to-date and easy-to-use information for the identification of New England's wildflowers. The book is an invaluable resource for hikers, naturalists, gardeners, scientists, teachers, students and anyone wishing to learn more about the region's diverse wildflowers, or just wanting to know the answer to "What's that plant?"

This portable, convenient guide describes more than 1,000 species of wildflowers and small shrubs encountered in the region. Wildflowers of New England makes plant identification easy. You just look up the flower by its color and then search by the number of petals and patterns of the leaves. Over 1,000 color photos ensure that you've got the right plant, and a handy ruler on the cover allows easy measurement in the field.

The guide provides state-by-state range information, notes which species are rare in each state, distinguishes native and introduced species, and indicates invasive species. The handbook also describes each plant's habitat, an important clue to identification.

Much has changed in plant classification in the past several decades as knowledge about plant relationships has advanced. The book updates the scientific names, ranges, and conservation status of hundreds of native plants. To de-mystify plant categorization, the book introduces the families of all the plants that occur in the book.

The book's preface teaches fundamental concepts about plants and New England's ecosystems. It includes an explanation of plant morphology, and the end papers show easily-understood diagnostic illustrations of flower and leaf morphology.

Plants adapt to the underlying landscape's features. The author describes the New England landscape: the geologic forces that shaped it, prominent features of topography, and climate. He details the types of forests, wetlands, and coastal plant communities that occur in New England, with landscape photos illustrating the different community types.

Contact: Carol McGarry
New England Wild Flower Society

 

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Ecosystems of California (Book Review)

UCSB researchers contributed chapters to 'Ecosystems of California,' an integrated assessment of each major ecosystem in the state.

With forests and farmland, mountains and desert and almost 900 miles of scenic coastline, California's vast terrain is both dramatic and varied.

The newly published "Ecosystems of California" (UC Press, 2016) provides a comprehensive synthesis of this biologically diverse state examining its myriad landscapes through multiple lenses: past and present, flora and fauna, aquatic and terrestrial, natural and managed.

A dozen researchers from UC Santa Barbara contributed to the 1,000-page volume, providing chapters that evaluate natural processes for a specific ecosystem, describe drivers of change and discuss how that ecosystem may be altered in the future. The chapters explicitly incorporate both human impacts and conservation and restoration efforts, and show how ecosystems support human life.

"This is a landmark volume in a lot of ways," said environmental historian Peter Alagona, an associate professor of environmental studies and history at UCSB, who contributed a chapter on population and land use.

"Our chapter emphasizes that while California has the largest population of any state in the country, it also has the most urban population as of the 2010 census," Alagona added. "Even though we have this enormous population, California still has vast wild lands and open space areas. As matter of fact, we have the most area of protected wilderness in the nation other than Alaska. This creates challenges and opportunities."

The book explores the drivers of California's ecological patterns and the history of the state's various ecosystems and outlines the challenges of climate change and invasive species, as well as opportunities for regulation and stewardship that could affect the state's ecosystems.

"Our chapter on sandy beaches is probably the first time that all this material for California has been pulled together in one place," said Jenifer Dugan, an associate research biologist in UCSB's Marine Science Institute (MSI) who collaborated with MSI colleague David Hubbard. "We put together the ecology as well as some of the environmental driving factors and human activities that affect these vulnerable coastal ecosystems. One valuable recurring theme throughout the book is the identification of threats and the conservation opportunities being used to address them."

"Not only does the book pull together many different facets of the conservation angle, it also incorporates historical perspectives," said Carol Blanchette, the associate research biologist at MSI who co-authored the chapter on rocky intertidal ecosystems. "California is really where rocky intertidal ecology was born, and we discuss the early work of Ed Ricketts done along the Monterey shoreline and made famous by John Steinbeck in 'Cannery Row.'"

Edited by Hal Mooney of Stanford University and Erika Zavaleta of UC Santa Cruz, "Ecosystems of California" has been 10 years in the making. According to Zavaleta, the original plan was for a 20-chapter volume. "In the end, the book doubled in scope with 149 contributors in total, and I think it's a better product for it," she said.

"We have three target audiences -- first and foremost, students and people who want to learn about California ecology, conservation and history," Zavaleta continued. "But it's also for the scientific community since it provides a comprehensive synthesis of what we know -- and don't know -- about these ecosystems. And last but not least, it's a resource and reference for managers and conservation practitioners as well as nonprofits and agencies that manage, set priorities and plan for conservation of systems."

Additional UCSB authors include Tanya Atwater, a professor emeritus in the Department of Earth Science; Scott Cooper and John Melack, professors in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology; Frank Davis, director of UCSB's National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and a professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management; research biologists John Engle, Milton Love and Dan Reed of the Marine Science Institute; and Claudia Tyler of the Institute for Computational Earth System Science. Several graduate students also contributed.

Contact: Julie Cohen
University of California - Santa Barbara

 

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Addressing climate change should start with policies to increase energy efficiency

Yu Wang says a lack of information and other market barriers keep many homeowners from investing in energy efficient measures. Credit: Christopher Gannon, Iowa State University.

Replacing an old incandescent lightbulb with new LED lighting might seem insignificant in reducing energy consumption. It is a simple step, but an effective one that shouldn't be overlooked, said Yu Wang, an assistant professor of political science, who studies global energy policy and energy efficiency, at Iowa State University.

"Many people consider energy efficiency to be the low-hanging fruit," Wang said. "If you're facing the target of trying to mitigate climate change, energy efficiency should be the first choice because it's cheap and easy in comparison with other options."

Most importantly, energy efficiency programs and policies reduce overall energy use, without requiring consumers to conserve or cut back their current level of service, Wang said. According to her estimates, implementing a combination of energy efficiency measures, at home and at work, could yield potential electricity savings of 10.2 percent by 2035.

Wang and colleague Marilyn Brown, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, analyzed federal, state and local energy policies for their book, Green Savings: How Policies and Markets Drive Energy Efficiency: How Policies and Markets Drive Energy Efficiency (Energy Resources, Technology, and Policy). Their research shows how effective policies lead to greater energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions.

"Most of the current programs and policies for energy efficiency can provide significant energy savings at a cost that is lower than the retail rate that we pay for electricity," Wang said. "That means if you invest in energy efficiency, you will be able to get your money back and at the same time save energy."

Why aren't consumers embracing efficiency?

Based on Wang's projections, it is unusual that more consumers are not implementing energy efficiency measures in their homes. Unfortunately, many will never realize these savings because of a lack of or misinformation about different options and other market barriers, Wang said. The misconception that homeowners must invest a lot upfront before they realize any cost savings is just one example.

But there are programs helping consumers navigate and understand the energy-efficiency market. The Home Energy Squad -- sponsored by two Minnesota utility companies -- is an effective information-based program, Wang and Brown highlighted along with other outstanding efficiency programs in their book. Wang says the Home Energy Squad conducts a comprehensive energy audit and provides homeowners with a detailed list of energy-efficient upgrades and recommendations. Homeowners know upfront what it will cost and how much they can save.

"Energy efficiency programs don't only look at your old appliances such as an old refrigerator or microwave. They also look at the cooling and heating equipment or old windows that need to be replaced," Wang said. "Sometimes they will also help you to install all the possible measures and offer financial supports."

Several utility companies offer similar programs, but there is little incentive to do so because of the for-profit business model, she said. Reducing energy consumption reduces profits for utility companies which charge consumers based on electricity usage. Wang says state and local governments need to remove this disincentive by decoupling utility revenue from sales.

 

Effective, enforceable policy needed

It will take a global effort to mitigate the effects of climate change. Wang says the federal government needs to lead the way by setting a national target for energy efficiency, and the U.S. has a lot of room for improvement when compared to other countries. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked the U.S. 13th (out of 16) on its 2014 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Germany topped the list. The U.S. came in behind China, India and South Korea.

This international comparison is important, because climate change is not specific to one country or region, Wang said. The lack of a national energy efficiency policy or target is one area in which the U.S. failed when compared to other countries. She says multiscale complementary government policies will maximize savings.

"That could mean having a unified, consistent national target and giving states the flexibility to choose specific programs they want to run or specific technologies they want to subsidize or support," Wang said.

She added that it will take a combination of financial incentives, regulations and information-based policies to make a visible difference. There are several leaders -- including Massachusetts and California - which local and state governments can learn from and adopt similar policies. Enforcement is also critical. Wang says some states have stringent building codes, but do not follow through on compliance.

Wang stresses that all avenues, including conservation efforts and renewable energy sources, are necessary to address climate change. However, the energy efficiency market is a more affordable option than many renewable sources and does not require consumers to change their habits and routines.

"We should not just forget about the demand-side resources, and energy efficiency is one of them that can save us a significant amount of energy and at the same time save us money," Wang said. "Energy efficiency is such an important, low-cost solution to climate change."

Contact: Yu Wang
Iowa State University

New book argues that social sciences are critical to climate change

Climate change is a 'people problem'.

 

Pope Francis recently made an impassioned plea for a "cultural revolution" to combat climate change, calling for collective action and "a conversation which includes everyone."

Thus far, the climate conversation has often neglected the contributions of one key group: social scientists. According to the new book Climate Change and Society: Sociological Perspectives, engaging the social - and not just natural - sciences is essential for effecting large-scale change.

"Though more work always remains, the physical sciences have accomplished their core task when it comes to climate change," said Bill McKibben, a professor at Middlebury College and author of The End of Nature." "We know what we need to know about the causes and consequences of our actions. What we don't know is how to stop ourselves, which is why this book--and the social sciences--are so important from here on out."

Edited by environmental sociologists Robert J. Brulle, PhD, a professor in Drexel University's College of Arts and Sciences, and Riley E. Dunlap, a professor at Oklahoma State University, the book breaks new ground by presenting climate change as a thoroughly social phenomenon, embedded in behaviors, institutions and cultural practices.

"Climate change is a social problem," said Brulle. "If you want to deal with climate change, you have to deal with human behavior. We need to expand the conversation to include sociologists who can help address these human dimensions of climate change and answer questions like, how can we change our culture of consumption, how will we respond to extreme weather events caused by climate change and how do we bridge the political divide on this issue?"

This collection of essays summarizes existing approaches to understanding the social, economic, political and cultural dimensions of climate change. From the factors that drive carbon emissions to those that influence societal responses to climate change, the volume provides a comprehensive overview of the social dimensions of climate change.

The book is scheduled for release from Oxford University Press in September.

According to the authors, an improved understanding of the complex relationship between climate change and society is essential for modifying ecologically harmful human behaviors and institutional practices, creating just and effective environmental policies and developing a more sustainable future. "Climate Change and Society" provides a useful tool in efforts to integrate social science research, natural science research and policymaking regarding climate change and sustainability.

"Our goal is to create intellectual space for more critical perspectives on climate change, as current efforts have yielded little progress in dealing with this urgent problem," said Dunlap.

Produced by the American Sociological Association's Task Force on Sociology and Global Climate Change, this book presents a challenging shift from the standard climate change discourse and offers a valuable resource for students, scholars and professionals involved in climate change research and policy. All proceeds from the book will go to the American Sociological Association.

"With one hundred percent of the profits from this book going to the ASA, this project represents a voluntary effort by people who believe this issue merits this level of attention," said Brulle.

In addition to the editors, among the prominent contributors are Thomas Dietz, PhD, a professor of sociology and environmental science and policy and assistant vice president for environmental research at Michigan State University; Charles Perrow, PhD, professor emeritus of sociology at Yale University; J. Timmons Roberts, professor of sociology and environmental studies at Brown University; and Kathleen Tierney, PhD, director of the Natural Hazards Center, as well as a professor in the Department of Sociology and the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Brulle is a professor of sociology and environmental science at Drexel University, and Past Chair of the American Sociological Association's Section on Environment & Technology. He is author of Agency, Democracy and Nature: The U.S.Environmental Movement from a Crucial Theory Perspective and co-editor of Power, Justice, and the Environment: A Critical Appraisal of the Environmental Justice Movement (Urban and Industrial Environments)." He was a 2012-2013 fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.

Dunlap is Dresser Professor and Regents Professor of Sociology at Oklahoma State University, past president of the International Sociological Association's Research Committee on Environment & Society and former chair of the American Sociological Association's Section on Environment & Technology. He is senior editor of the The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology (Elgar Original Reference) and Sociological Theory and the Environment: Classical Foundations, Contemporary Insights (Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution, and Civil Unrest), and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Contact: Alex McKechnie
Drexel University

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Over 50 years of marine litter research now available to all in new book

University of Exeter researcher, professor Tamara Galloway, has contributed to one of the most expansive summaries of our knowledge of man-made litter in the world's oceans to date.

 

University of Exeter researcher, Professor Tamara Galloway, has contributed to one of the most expansive summaries of our knowledge of man-made litter in the world's oceans to date. The new book, Marine Anthropogenic Litter is published by Springer and is set to be available through open access, allowing its content to reach the wider audience that is so necessary to raise awareness of this important challenge.

Marine litter is an environmental issue that has captured the public's attention, with images of vast circling 'islands' of rubbish seemingly miles from human activity providing a tangible example of the reach that our impact upon the environment has. The book is compiled by international experts in the field. It summarises research from the past 50 years, and is due for publication on the 14th of June 2015.

Professor Galloway, from Biosciences, writes about the tiny fragments of micro- and nano-plastics in the environment and the implications for human health. This is a topic which is the focus of much research in biosciences, with teams on nanoparticles and micro-plastics.

Publishing with open access benefits researchers by increasing the visibility, use and impact of the research.

Professor Galloway said: "Making this book open access is a great way to make it available to people in every country, irrespective of their ability to pay. We hope this will increase the impact of our research on marine litter and bring it to as wide an audience as possible".

In 16 chapters, authors from all over the world have created a universal view on the diverse field of marine litter pollution, the biological impacts, dedicated research activities, and the various national and international legislative efforts to combat this environmental problem. They recommend future research directions necessary for a comprehensive understanding of this environmental issue and the development of efficient management strategies. The book addresses scientists, and it provides a solid knowledge base for policy makers, NGOs, and the broader public.

 

Yale Journal examines advances in complex adaptive systems and industrial ecology

Special issue examines how integrating complexity science can improve sustainability studies.

Kroon Hall, Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Achieving sustainability requires a sophisticated understanding of continuously evolving resource, production, and consumption systems that make up society's relationship to nature. In a special new issue, Yale's Journal of Industrial Ecology illustrates how the field is increasingly turning to complexity science for tools and insights in its pursuit of reduced environmental impacts.

In the special issue, "Advances in Complex Adaptive Systems and Industrial Ecology," a group of international researchers show how integration of complex adaptive system into the study of sustainability challenges is revealing new knowledge about our interconnected world, where interaction, innovation, and development unfold across time and space in often unanticipated, if not unimaginable, ways.

Complexity science is the multidisciplinary study of complex systems with many interacting components that produce behaviors that are difficult to explain simply in terms of interactions between the individual components.

In the issue, contributors apply complexity science to topics as diverse as urban systems, public water withdrawal in the U.S., and energy efficiency and rebound effects from the use of LEDs and compact fluorescent bulbs. Authors also present new modeling architectures and data, review the use of complexity modeling tools in the field, and advance the understanding of resilience in sustainability.

"Complexity science holds real potential for grappling with the challenges of sustainability." said Peter Crane, Dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "The use of agent-based modeling, network analysis, interconnected models in industrial ecology is very exciting. This special issue presents the cutting edge work in the field."

Highlights include:

• An analysis of how thermodynamics can improve our understanding of the growth of cities.
• A presentation of multi-model ecologies -- an interacting group of models and data sets that coevolve with one another -- as a productive approach to integrated modeling.
• An analysis of interdependency, vulnerability, and resilience of material exchange and infrastructure system in an eco-industrial park in Jiangsu, China.
• The integration of considerations of resilience into life cycle assessment.
• An analysis of the potential for increased use of lighting from adoption of LEDs and compact fluorescent lamps using agent-based modeling.

"Industrial ecology has explored the connection to complexity science for nearly two decades," said Reid Lifset, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Industrial Ecology. "This special issue provides a window into that development and to the insights that have been gained."

The special issue also announces the winners of the first Graedel Prize, honoring the best papers by a junior and senior author published in the journal. The prize is named for Yale Professor Thomas E. Graedel in recognition of his vital contributions and pioneering work in the development of the field of industrial ecology.

Contact: Kevin Dennehy
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

The Journal of Industrial Ecology is a peer-reviewed international bimonthly owned by Yale University, published by Wiley-Blackwell and headquartered at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. This special issue of the Journal of Industrial Ecology was guest edited by Prof. Gerard Dijkema of Groningen University, Prof. Ming Xu of the University of Michigan, and Prof. Sybil Derrible of the University of Illinois, Chicago.

 

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Renowned coastal engineers share on design of coastal structures and sea defenses

 

What are the most updated technical advances in the field of design and construction of of coastal structures and sea defenses?

Professor Young C Kim has published his latest book, Design Of Coastal Structures And Sea Defenses (Series on Coastal and Ocean Engineering Practice), with World Scientific and worked along with several renowned practicing coastal engineers to compile the latest developments in the field.

Coastal structures are an important component in any coastal protection scheme. They directly control wave and storm surge action or to stabilize a beach which provides protection to the coast. This edited volume focuses on the latest technology applied in planning, design and construction, effective engineering methodology, unique projects and problems, design and construction challenges, and other lessons learned.

Many books have been written about the theoretical treatment of coastal and ocean structures. Much less has been written about the practical practice aspect of ocean structures and sea defenses. This comprehensive book fills the gap. It is an essential source of reference for professionals and researchers in the areas of coastal, ocean, civil, and geotechnical engineering.

The contents in the book include:

• Simulators as Hydraulic Test Facilities at Dikes and Other Coastal Structures (Jentsje W van der Meer);
• Design, Construction and Performance of the Main Breakwater of the New Outer Port at Punto Langosteira, La Coruña, Spain (Hans F Burcharth, Enrique Maciñeira Alonso, and Fernando Noya Arquero);
• Performance Design for Maritime Structures (Shigeo Takahashi, Ken-ichiro Shimosako, and Minoru Hanzawa);
• An Empirical Approach to Beach Nourishment Formulation (Timothy W Kana, Haiqing Liu Kaczkowski, and Steven B Traynum);
• Tidal Power Exploitation in Korea (Byung Ho Choi, Kyeong Ok Kim and Jae Cheon Choi);
• A Floating Mobile Quay for Super Container Ships in a Hub Port (Jang-Won Chae and Woo-Sun Park);
• Surrogate Modeling for Hurricane Wave and Inundation Prediction (Jane McKee Smith, Alexandros A Taflanidis and Andrew B Kennedy);
• Statistical Methods for Risk Assessment of Harbor and Coastal Structures (Sebastián Solari and Miguel A Losada);

 

Ocean Worlds

The story of the seas on Earth and other planets

 

Oceans make up most of the surface of our blue planet. They may form just a sliver on the outside of the Earth, but they are very important, not only in hosting life, including the fish and other animals on which many humans depend, but in terms of their role in the Earth system, in regulating climate, and cycling nutrients. As climate change, pollution, and over-exploitation by humans puts this precious resource at risk, it is more important than ever that we understand and appreciate the history of oceans. There is much we still do not know about the story of the Earth's oceans, and we are only just beginning to find indications of oceans on other planets.

In this book, geologists Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams consider the deep history of oceans, how and when they may have formed on the young earth - topics of intense current research - how they became salty, and how they evolved through Earth history. We learn how oceans have formed and disappeared over millions of years, how the sea nurtured life, and what may become of our oceans in the future. We encounter some of the scientists and adventurers whose efforts led to our present understanding of oceans. And we look at clues to possible seas that may once have covered parts of Mars and Venus, that may still exist, below the surface, on moons such as Europa and Callisto, and the possibility of watery planets in other star systems.

Ocean Worlds: The story of seas on Earth and other planets
By Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams

• Examines the nature and deep history of oceans.
• Looks at how and when oceans may have formed on Earth and how they evolved.
• Explores the importance of oceans in hosting life on which both humans and animals depend.
• Considers how climate change, pollution, and over-exploitation are putting resources at risk.
• Looks at what we know of oceans on other planets.
• Considers what may become of our oceans in the future.

Author Biographies

Jan Zalasiewicz, Senior Lecturer in Geology at the University of Leicester, has served on the Committees of the Quaternary Research Association and Joint Association of Geoscientists for International Development, and on the Councils of the Palaeontographical Society and the Geological Society of London.

Mark Williams, Professor in Geology at the University of Leicester, has served on the council of the Palaeontographical Society both as an editor and vice-president.

Contact: Molly Grote
212-743-8337
Oxford University Press USA

Happy Mandela Day!

Following the success of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in London’s Hyde Park in June 2008, it was decided that there could be nothing more fitting than to celebrate Mr Mandela’s birthday each year with a day dedicated to his life’s work and that of his charitable organisations, and to ensure his legacy continues forever.

The Mandela Day campaign message is simple: Mr Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their time, whether it’s supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community. Mandela Day is a call to action for individuals – for people everywhere – to take responsibility for changing the world into a better place, one small step at a time, just as Mr Mandela did.

 

Unacceptable Levels

Unacceptable Levels examines the results of the chemical revolution of the 1940s through the eyes of affable filmmaker Ed Brown, a father seeking to understand the world in which he and his wife are raising their children. To create this debut documentary, one man and his camera traveled extensively to find and interview top minds in the fields of science, advocacy, and law.  Weaving their testimonies into a compelling narrative, Brown presents us with the story of how the chemical revolution brought us to where we are, and of where, if we’re not vigilant, it may take us.

Over 80,000 chemicals flow through our system of commerce, and many are going straight into our bodies. Even our unborn children are affected. Due to this constant exposure, we have approximately 200 synthetic industrial chemicals interacting with our cells every single day. Until recently, modern science really didn’t understand what that could mean for all of us in the long run, but that is changing.

Globally, disease rates are on the rise. Theories about the causes abound, yet the issues are complex and often muddied by the maneuvering of political and corporate interests. To explore different facets of common chemical exposure, Unacceptable Levels, was made in consultation with experts in multiple fields and is guided by a father on a personal journey as he attempts to bring these issues to light for everyone. Its primary goal? To determine whether we can prevent disease before it strikes us.

Unacceptable Levels opens the door to conversations about the chemical burden our bodies carry so that we can make informed decisions now and in the future.  The film poses challenges to our companies, our government, and our society to do something about a nearly-unseen threat with the inspired knowledge that small changes can generate a massive impact.

Some Unacceptable Facts from the film:

• Approximately 200 synthetic industrial chemicals interact with our cells every single day.
• Autism now affects one in 50 children.
• Cancer is the leading cause of death (after accidents) in children younger than 15 years in the United States.
•  In the last twenty years, the rates of asthma, allergies and ADHD are on the rise:
• 400% increase in allergies
•  300% increase in asthma
• 400% increase in ADHD
• $2.6 Trillion of the GDP is spent on treating disease every year.

"Unacceptable Levels is a hugely important film… Sadly, most Americans are misinformed or not informed at all about how many toxic chemicals we are being exposed to 24 hours a day. These toxins are making us sick and quite simply our lives are being threatened. We need to stand up and speak out. We must demand a healthy environment for ourselves and for our children. Unacceptable Levels poignantly reveals how chemicals have invaded our lives."

Mariel Hemingway
Actress, Author, Healthy Living Advocate

Ed is touring the United States this summer, with a bicoastal premiere June 12 at the ArcLight Hollywood in California and at the Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut. He’ll be joined in Hollywood by Mariel Hemingway, Gary Hirschberg, Christopher Gavigan and other passionate environmentalists to inspire others to take action.