Purdue News
Purdue NewsRay Anderson, chairman and chief executive officer of Interface Inc., a company that specializes in interior furnishings, textiles and floor coverings, will talk on "A Spear in the Chest and Subsequent Events."
The talk is open to the public and is part of the Purdue University-Monsanto Co. Lecture Series in Environmental Sciences and Engineering. The lecture series was made possible through support from the Monsanto Co. of St. Louis.
During his talk, Anderson will address what he calls the crisis of our times: the man-made degradation of the earth's ecosystem. He will explore aspects of the crisis and his belief that a second "industrial revolution" is needed to remedy the situation.
Anderson will use his own company as an example to show how many conventional manufacturing practices can be changed to eliminate waste and harmful emissions.
He emphasizes environmental responsibility in manufacturing and challenges his employees "to take our company even beyond being sustainable to becoming restorative, that is, to put back more than we ourselves take, and do good to the earth rather than harm."
Anderson established his company in 1973 after graduating from Georgia Institute of Technology as an industrial engineer. His company has gained a reputation as a corporation carrying the banner for the environment by investing in processes and technologies to harness solar energy and provide raw material needs by harvesting and recycling carpet and other petrochemical products.
Last year, Anderson was named co-chairman of the President's Council on Sustainable Development, and he received the inaugural Millennium Award from Global Green, presented by Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union.
Anderson's lecture is the concluding event in Purdue's 1997 Environmental Symposium, which will showcase research aimed at improving the environment. The symposium, a kick-off event for the new Purdue University Environmental Sciences and Engineering Institute (ESEI), is free and open to the public. It will run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 16.
"People can stop by and meet professors and graduate students who are doing environmental research," said Ron Turco, professor of agronomy who is director of ESEI. "Corporations interested in collaborating with ESEI on environmental projects are welcome to look us over, too."
ESEI aims to pull together Purdue resources and expertise to provide cutting-edge, cost-effective solutions to environmental problems. The 65 faculty members of ESEI include soil scientists, microbiologists, geologists, plant and animal ecologists, chemists, and researchers in all fields of engineering.
Turco will open the symposium at 1 p.m. in Krannert Auditorium (Room 140), Krannert Building. He will be followed by Bernie Engel, Purdue professor of agricultural and biological engineering, who will talk about using geographic information systems and advanced computer technologies for environmental planning.
Between 3:30 and 6 p.m. in Stewart Center, Room 212, ESEI researchers will present
posters describing 72 current environmental projects.
CONTACT: Lesley Oliver, conference coordinator, (765) 494-8098; e-mail, loliver@purdue.edu;
Web, http://www.agry.purdue.edu/agronomy/water/groups/rtesei1.htm
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
