July 9
Solving the Energy Crisis - at a Profit - in an Age of Climate Change
Time Magazine's "Hero of the Planet" in 2000, Hunter Lovins, through her non-profit Natural Capitalism Solutions, works with businesses, communities and governments, helping them implement sustainable energy choices that enhance both quality of life and the bottom line. Forces like climate change, globalization, the loss of major ecosystems and rising prices for oil, water and other resources indicate that business as usual simply will not continue. Hunter examines case histories and solutions for doing business in ways that protect people and the planet as the basis of profitability.
July 16
Money and Politics: Real Reform
The nation faces daunting political challenges, while the 536 leaders responsible for meeting these challenges operate in a broken system. Mr. Rauh founded Americans for Campaign Reform, and examines how the influence of money affects who runs for office, who gets elected, and the legislation they ultimately enact. He'll explain why ACR supports voluntary public funding of federal elections; how the system would work, and how it respects our Constitution. ACR's Co-Chairs are former Senators Bill Bradley, Bob Kerrey, Warren Rudman, and Alan Simpson.
July 23
Health Care Solutions: Quality, Cost and Access
America's health care system is challenged by uneven quality, rising costs and declining access. Current proposals focus on expanding insurance coverage, but would do little to address many underlying problems. Dr. Fisher will describe insights and consequences into practice and spending that foster accountability for costs and quality and slow the growth of spending. Dr. O'Connor covers two large scale studies, working with front-line clinical teams to demonstrably improve care. These strategies could well provide a model for health care reform.
July 30
Water: Managing our Most Precious yet Precarious Resource
This session discusses humankind's impact on water resources (groundwater, rivers, lakes and oceans) and the impact of diminishing clean water supplies on human life. Our expert panelists will outline the global dimensions of two overlapping water crises: supply and contamination. It will also examine the notion of who "owns" water and its proper pricing, along with possible solutions involving demand (water policy) management and technology. Restoring the integrity of natural water systems + working together with nature + can result in cleaner, more plentiful water.
August 6
A New Deal for Globalization
U.S. economic policy is becoming ever more protectionist, a direct reflection of the American public itself, in an attitude shift, the result of stagnant or falling incomes. Public support for engagement with the world economy is strongly linked to labor-market performance, and for most U.S. workers, that performance has been poor for many years. Less than four percent of workers were in educational groups that enjoyed increases in mean real money earnings from 2000 through 2006. How to arrest this protectionist drift? Implement a new deal for globalization.
August 13
Green is Green: How Cleaner Technology is Growing Business' Bottom Line
Environmental regulation, rapidly increasing fuel costs, and consensus among the general public are creating new growth opportunities for large companies to differentiate their products and grow global markets. General Electric Co. (GE) and its CEO Jeffrey Immelt are world leaders in developing these multi-billion dollar market opportunities and their many new technological prospects + in ways that provide huge profit opportunities, significantly increased, high-tech jobs and economic growth, improved U.S. competitiveness, AND significant environmental improvements.
August 20
A Stable and Progressive Middle East.More than a Dream?
Haviland Smith, retired CIA station chief, opines that it is just a dream if we continue present policies and activities in the region. Almost all Muslims are moderate, neither radical nor fundamentalist; do not wish us ill and are perfectly capable of living side by side, not only with a peaceful Israel, but with the United States and the West in general. Mr. Smith focuses on the consequences of our current Middle East policy; changes that might be made, and what such changes might accomplish.
August 27
The Climatic Disruption: Avoiding a Catastrophe
Climatic disruption is proceeding much more rapidly than anticipated, and its consequences are both manifold and severe. Warming feeds further warming. The only possible "adaptation" now is an actual cure: rapid stabilization of the atmosphere's composition, followed by an immediate reduction in the heat trapping gases therein. It's essential to achieve, in tandem, both a large reduction in the use of fossil fuels and effective global management and re-establishment of forests. If accomplished, it could result in a new world we might proudly leave to our progeny.
Registration for Positive SOLUTIONS
Dartmouth College, Hopkins Center, Spaulding Auditorium
Eight consecutive Wednesdays, July 9, 2008, ending August 27, 2008
9 am to noon
ILEAD members may subscribe by mailing a check for $80 to ILEAD, 10 Hilton Field Rd, Hanover NH 03755. Others may join ILEAD and subscribe for $160. Individual tickets will be sold at the door for $20. Please call 603 653 0154 for more information or email ilead@dartmouth.edu.
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League of Women Voters of Upper Valley, New Hampshire. All rights reserved.
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