CFI MI :: How Space Development May Help Solve Our Energy and Environmental Problems on Earth February 28, 2011

Grand Valley State University - Loosemore Auditorium, 401 West Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504

Presented by Les Johnson, Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office, NASA

The physics department at GVSU and the GVSU chapter of the Society of Physics Student are excited to announce that NASA physicist Les Johnson will be giving a public talk on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 pm. His talk will be in the Loosemore Auditorium (GVSU's Pew campus) in Grand Rapids and is entitled "How Space Development May Help Solve our Energy and Environmental Problems on Earth."

Utopia or dystopia? Humanity is at an environmental crossroads and whether our legacy is one of prosperous abundance or mere subsistence will depend upon the choices we make in this generation. With an ever-increasing share of the human population making the transition to the “developed” world, we place increasing stress on the Earth’s environment, natural resources, and her ability to produce enough food.

The modern environmental movement is tackling these problems head-on by promoting energy efficiency, recycling, and renewable resources. While that is important, we have the potential to tap nearly INFINITE resources—we merely have to move a few hundred kilometers straight up into space to access a literal universe of energy, raw materials and real estate. A future which embraces space exploration, space resource utilization, and eventually space settlement will not only preserve humanity, but potentially all the life forms and habitats that make the Earth our home.
About the Speaker

Les Johnson is a NASA physicist, manager, author, husband and father. By day, he serves as the Deputy Manager for the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In his spare time he writes popular science books and articles, reads science fiction, and fulfills the role of husband and father to his two children.

Cost: Free

Contact: Brett Bolen, [email protected], 616-698-2342

Official Website: http://www.cfimichigan.org/events/event/w-le-022811/