Andrew Revkin, ‘9 Billion People + 1 Earth =?’ Oct. 24 on UIUC Campus

The Prairie Research Institute, home to the State scientific surveys (including the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center), is pleased to announce the latest installment in its lecture series for Fall 2012. Andrew Revkin, Senior Fellow at Pace University and Dot Earth blogger for The New York Times will speak at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, at 4 PM (Central) on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. The presentation is free and open to the public; a reception will follow. See http://www.prairie.illinois.edu/lecture/index.shtml for details, including a map to the location, and an event flier that you may download.

Revkin’s presentation is entitled “9 Billion People + 1 Earth = ?” After two centuries of explosive growth, the planet’s human population is widely seen as cresting within the next couple of generations. A mid-range best guess for the peak remains roughly 9 billion people. There are even signs that resource-sapping activities will hit a peak as well. Will we overheat or innovate, conserve or despoil, crash or round the curve with a few scrapes? Andrew Revkin will present an optimistic, but realistic, exploration of ways to share and shape ideas that can foster progress on a finite planet.

The Prairie Research Institute Lecture Series is supported by donors to the Naturally Illinois Expo and Lecture Series Fund. Questions may be directed to 217-333-5111.