The Monroe Street Journal

Issue date: 9/15/08 Section: News

2008-2009 Energy Club Board with Shell Executives. L to R: Siobhan Doherty, Angela Flood, Jeff LeBrun, Mike Koinis Manager Planning, Capital Budgets and Approvals, Shell Oil & Michigan Alum (Engineering 1980), Russ Ford V.P. Exploration and Production Shell Oil & Michigan Alum (Engineering 1980), Front Row L to R Ryan Anderson, Ali Moazed, Joe Malcoun and Brent Morgan"

The theme for the millennium seems to be 'Green,' whether it is buying a hybrid car or burning a soy candle instead of the old apparently-no-good-for-the-air wax kind. However, on Friday September 12th at Rackham Auditorium, the Ross Energy Club gave a dual meaning to 'going green.' The club's first Carbon Symposium event focused on why businesses should care about the reduction of carbon emissions, and giving an entirely different lucrative perspective on green.

The event began Thursday afternoon with a kick-off speaker, Russ Ford, Vice President of EP Americas, Shell Exploration & Production Company. The introductory lecture was aimed to prepare the symposium guests with background information as to why renewable energy is not the only solution to our resource gluttony. Ford described how the production of renewable resources is not the only action needed to solve our energy crisis: it is also dependent upon the collaboration of leaders from all sectors-political, economic, and environmental-from around the world to find resolution. Without this, environmental stress will continue to grow, energy demand will inflate, and it won't mean seeing the last of high oil and gas prices, which will continue to rise either way. Ford's lecture paved the way for the symposium speakers to emphasize how turbulent a phase the world energy system is about to fly into and just how the global market will (or should) cope.

Friday's agenda presented some of the most outstanding and intelligent minds in the environmental, economic, business, and social sciences realms. With graduate students and professors from MIT, Notre Dame, the University of Wisconsin, and Yale, the symposium was readily prepared for any question that may be thrown out there with the backing of a dynamic partnership with fellow universities in the Collegiate Energy Association.

One of the most anticipated presentations was given in the morning by one of our very own University of Michigan alumna, Howard Learner (class of 1973), now the Senior Energy and Environmental Adviser for Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama. Learner emphasized how the reduction of carbon emissions and finding ways to utilize resources outside of our fossil fuels could help national security, the economy, and could potentially bring new jobs to economies in need of employment, a huge focal point for the State of Michigan.

And the problem does not even begin to stop with Michigan or even the United States for that matter. Learner emphasized the worldly importance of finding a common ground with energy policy issues. "Sometime in 2009, our next president is going to have to go meet with leaders of developing and developed nations who don't like us very much and convince them to solve a common problem," Learner described.

Additionally, one of the main objectives of the symposium was to not only speak about the benefits of alternative energy for businesses but also for companies to recruit those looking to get involved in the new wave of energy. Businesses such as Clear Carbon Consulting, DTE, Shell, Wal-Mart and several others attended the symposium ready to present themselves and open the floor to Ross students ready for hire.

Together, all of the presentations emphasized the need for a change in the energy that runs our world. It is evident that our reliance on fossil fuels has run its course and it's time to make the switch. However, it cannot be done without the cooperation from all sides. The political, economic, and environmental sectors are all imbued with conflicts of interest and dealing with political maneuvering, but they must find a common ground for change to occur. So, whether you're seeking to save the green of the trees or the green of the cash, you may want to put in action the words of the wise presented on Friday at Rackham. So, don't think that just blowing out your wax candle will be enough to solve our energy crisis; get out there and make the world 'green,' however you chose to associate the word.

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