energy consumption now!" |
For Earth Day 2001 the Institut Dr. Flad was able to welcome Mr Dennis Leaf, representative of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, on tour through various German towns promoting the idea of Earth Day.
The USA's view on environmental issues has been vividly discussed recently for the Bush adminstration refused to sign the Kyoto treaty - and Mr Leaf showed that he was very well aware of the key role of the USA in the global challenge of environmental preservation. Problems like the greenhouse effect needed a combined effort of all nations round the world, the United states could not allow some outsider to set up rules for what may become a major challenge for the American economy.
Environmental Protection Agency |
During the discussion with students of both year groups 50 and 51 the question arose why alternative forms of energy do not yet play an important role in the USA's energy schedule. In answer to that Mr Leaf stated that technology is not yet able to provide energy for every day appliances but that again a different perspective may proove successful: newly designed cars, for example, much lighter but still safe to drive, allow a combination of both a petrol driven and an electric motor.
Mr Leaf ended his enthusiastic presentation with an appeal to the younger generation: Do what you can with what you have where you are - but do it - and do it now!