The Institute at the Golden Gate presents its 2010-2011 Conversations with Eco-Innovators lecture series. As part of its mission to help facilitate solutions to today’s most pressing planetary issues and concerns, the Institute hosts a series of Conversations with Eco-Innovators highlighting several important sustainability initiatives and advancements that are having an impact here in the Bay Area and around the world.
Where: Cavallo Point-the Lodge at the Golden Gate and other locations (see below)
When: Various dates, 6:30-7:30 PM
Tickets: General admission $15, register online through the links below. Free for Parks Conservancy members and Cavallo Point guests: please e-mail events@instituteatgoldengate.org for details to reserve your free member ticket.
View 2010-2011 Conversations with Eco-Innovators lecture series details >
Past Lectures
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Co-hosted with the Stanford University Graduate School of Business
William Barnett, Thomas M. Siebel Professor of Business Leadership, Strategy, and Organizations, Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Center for Global Business and the Economy (CGBE)
Today, environmental sustainability has become an objective both in public policies and business strategies. Consequently, best practices in environmental sustainability need to be understood by business executives, environmental activists, public administrators, and regulators alike. An internationally recognized expert on aligning business strategies with environmental sustainability, Professor Barnett will present the latest global research on how ecological balance is being advanced by businesses, government, non-government organizations, and political action organizations around the world. Watch video of this lecture online.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
ACHIEVING A PROSPEROUS OCEAN
Presented in collaboration with Conservation International
Greg Stone, Senior Vice President Marine Conservation and Chief Scientist for Oceans, Conservation International, with Sebastian Troëng, Vice President, Marine Conservation, Conservation International
The ocean is the womb of life, the ancestral home of all Earth’s species, and the ecological engine that powers our survival. By providing food security, regulating the Earth’s climate, and performing a score of other fundamental ecological services, the ocean has supported human welfare and the rise of civilization. 
But the ocean’s health is declining rapidly, which in turn threatens human well-being. Drs. Greg Stone and Sebastian Troëng will present Conservation International’s plan to apply five global solutions to restore and maintain a prosperous ocean and spur a revolution in marine governance and management.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
ECOTOURISM FROM THE GROUND UP
Megan Epler Wood, EplerWood International
The travel industry is a potent force in economic development, an economic driver behind managing the development of the urban creative economies, and a pivotal source of exchange (foreign or local) for developing countries, particularly those seeking alternatives to extractive industries that have devastated biodiverse landscapes. Ms. Epler Wood discusses how to harvest sustainably-managed tourism as a fundamental resource to build creative economies, preserve invaluable environmental and cultural assets, and diversify options for rural and urban peoples moving into a sustainable 21st century. This lecture will spell out how the discipline of ecotourism and sustainable tourism can be implemented for the most reliable results in the next century. Watch video of this lecture online.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Presented as part of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory’s 25th Anniversary
EAGLE QUEST: TO SEE ALL THE WORLD’S EAGLES
William Clark, Author, Peterson Field Guide to Hawks
Widely known as the author of the Peterson Guide to North American Hawks and other raptor guides, Bill Clark has an unusual personal goal – to see all of the world’s birds of prey – and to date he has viewed most of the planet’s eagles. He will pose the question, “Just what is an eagle?” and then recount his favorite eagle adventures via photos and personal stories of witnessing eagles in the wild. Clark will carry guests on an eagle world tour to India, Israel, Japan, Africa, South America, the Philippines, Australia, Madagascar, and most recently, to Indonesia. Far from a mere eagle travelogue, Clark’s talks are steeped in a deep and first-hand knowledge of bird biology, and an even deeper passion for watching wild raptors. Guests can expect to come away with a new appreciation for, and a cutting-edge understanding of, eagle taxonomy and behavior.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
FOOD & FARMING ON THE URBAN EDGE: CAN FARMLAND MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE?
Dr. Whendee Silver, University of California, Berkeley; Jeff Creque, Marin Carbon Project;
John Wick, Marin Carbon Project; and Bob Berner, Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)
Can farm and rangeland soils sequester greenhouse gasses and help stop global warming? The Marin Carbon Project is investigating whether certain management practices can make a difference. Soil cultivation and tillage techniques that reduce or eliminate soil disturbance and specialized grazing strategies are among the solutions being studied. Lead scientist, Dr. Whendee Silver of University of California Berkeley, will report on results to date. MALT Executive Director Bob Berner will explain the value to local farmers, and participants will also hear from Project Director John Wick and local rangeland expert Jeff Creque. (photo: flickr/mischiru)
A CLIMATE FOR LIFE
Presented in collaboration with Conservation International
Michael Totten, Chief Advisor for Climate, Energy & Green Technologies
How many bits and wits (collective intelligence) does it take to turn global climate threats into sustainable prosperity and well-being? – A perspective on Copenhagen and beyond
Michael Totten is principle co-author of, A Climate for Life, an interdisciplinary perspective on preventing catastrophic climate change and human-triggered species extinction, and ending poverty while greening robust economic growth. Totten received the Lewis Mumford Prize for Environment in 2000 for pioneering the creation of interactive multimedia CDs and Internet tools for spurring ecologically sustainable green development.
THE WEALTH OF NATURE: INTEGRATING NATURE'S REAL VALUE IN TRADITIONAL ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
Presented in collaboration with Conservation International
Cristina Mittermeier, Executive Director, International League of Conservation Photographers
“How many of the comforts we enjoy and the products we use come courtesy of Nature’s seemingly infinite warehouse of services? Bees pollinate the cereals we eat for breakfast, forests and wetlands purify the water that we drink, and the trees in our yards trap pollutants from the air we breathe. All of these benefits, as well as our fuels and natural medicines and countless others, come to us, free of charge, from our planet’s healthy ecosystems. How do we come to value the many services Nature provides that are necessary for our survival? And, perhaps most importantly, how do we maintain the full array of ecological services necessary for future generations to thrive?” So begins a new publication, The Wealth of Nature, produced by The International League of Conservation Photographers with partners Conservation International (CI), IUCN, The WILD Foundation and CEMEX. ILCP’s founder and Executive Director, Cristina Mittermeier, joins us to discuss ideas on how to integrate the real value of important services – fertile soil, fresh water, breathable air, and a moderate climate – into traditional economic systems to benefit all of Nature, including humans. Watch video of this lecture online. (photo: CI/Cristina Mittermeier)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
SCIENCE TO ACTION: LINKING DEEP SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO THE REAL WORLD
Presented in collaboration with Conservation International
Celia A. Harvey, PhD, Vice President, Global Change and Ecosystem Services, Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International
Conservation International’s Center for Applied Biodiversity Science is the 5th most cited research institution in the world but the only one that is linked to field operations in more than 40 countries across the globe. Dr. Celia Harvey will share how CI scientists are providing spatial planning, real-time monitoring, and other scientific research that are critical to guiding our conservation strategies on the ground. With decades of data on hand and being collected all the time, CI can respond quickly to data demands and has been able to show the application of science in real world situations, making CI an influential voice in the ongoing international climate discussions. Watch video of this lecture online.
LIVING WITH WHALES
Bryant Austin and Kate Miller, Marine Mammal Conservation Through the Arts
Bryant Austin creates high-resolution, life-size photographs of endangered whale species. His current whaling nation exhibitions represent the largest and most detailed archival photographs of whales ever produced. Devoting up to three months at a time with specific whale populations, Austin seeks out inquisitive and accepting individual whales. He free dives with the whales and photographs them at a distance of not more than six feet. Austin’s success is dependent upon the relationship he builds with his willing subject.
Almost every nation is contributing to the demise of these creatures, whether directly or indirectly. Director Kate Miller, in conjunction with Marine Mammal Conservation Through The Arts (MMCTA) recently completed In the Eye of the Whale, an award winning documentary detailing Austin’s most recent fieldwork. The MMCTA continues to fund the touring of international whaling nation exhibitions of Austin's life-size photographs, and most importantly raises funds for Austin’s critical and time sensitive future fieldwork. Watch video of this lecture online.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND CONSERVATION: FROM RIGHTS TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Presented in collaboration with Conservation International
Kristen Walker Painemilla, Executive Director, and Susan Stone, Senior Advisor, Indigenous & Traditional Peoples Program, Conservation International
Many indigenous communities depend directly on natural ecosystems for their livelihoods. The economy, identity, and cultural and spiritual values, as well as the social organization of indigenous peoples, are closely linked to natural ecosystems. Indigenous peoples and their land holdings are therefore a vital strategic partners in conservation, yet they are often situated in landscapes experiencing rapid social and economic change resulting from factors such as the immigration of farmers and ranchers, logging, and mineral exploitation. Indigenous communities have responded to these threats and raised their voices to demand greater protection for their traditional rights to the renewable resources. Ms. Walker will discuss the successful and ongoing campaigns of indigenous people to create legally-defined territories where they can manage the land, based on their traditional knowledge.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
CANCELLED
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
NATURAL RESOURCES: HOW SOME CORPORATIONS AND COUNTRIES ARE GETTING IT RIGHT
Presented in collaboration with Conservation International
Glenn Prickett, Senior Vice President, Center for Environmental Leadership in Business, Conservation International
Whether he is in the forest of Brazil or in the halls of the United Nations, CI’s Glenn Prickett has forged connections between major international corporations and community-based conservation efforts across the globe to support sustainable resource management. Prickett has just completed an assignment with the UN Foundation, where he worked with representatives from around the world to prepare for the negotiations in Copenhagen. He will talk about visionary nations that are leading the way by considering all land use issues as they address climate change: balancing the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing tropical deforestation and degrading agricultural practices, while at the same time addressing the real need to double food production to feed growing populations. (photo: CI/Glenn Prickett)
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