Is
the word "entropy" familiar to you? Or, how about
former President Abe Lincoln's thoughts...on transportation.
Have you put thought into the concept of "frugality"
as it relates to early Americans vs. Americans of today - ?
Or, have you considered a sense of community - of being tied to
and holding oneself somewhat responsible for the well-being of
the people of the USA, and how the lack of that sense
of connection may link to today's rampant depression?
On
the banks of the Neponset River Estuary on the evening of June
24, author and
educator Tom Wessels touched on all of these concepts and
more, leading
more than 100 people in an
exploration of "economic success," its future and
its impact on the ecosystems of the planet -- a first-hand
venture into Wessels' book The Myth of Progress: Toward a
Sustainable Future.
NepRWA
Executive Director Ian Cooke also discussed the conservation activities of the Neponset River Watershed
Association, and acknowledged the decades-worth of hard work of Cathy Garnett,
Neponset Planner for the Massachusetts Department of
Conservation and Recreation, and Julia O'Brien, DCR Director
of Planning, toward improving the health of the Neponset River
and developing riverside amenities for the public.
Attendees
participated in a rowdy Water Conservation Quiz. Congratulations to all who correctly answered questions,
winning an array of prizes such as passes to museums, clubs,
and river-based recreation activities donated by businesses
throughout Metro Boston to the 2007 and 2008 Annual
Meetings. Congratulations also to Liz MacNeil who won the
raffle for the PERCEPTION
Prodigy 10 Kayak from Eastern Mountain Sports-Canton, in
addition to a Gift Certificate for a life vest and a coupon
toward the purchase of a paddle, from EMS-Canton. Thank you
to everyone for participating.
View
pictures from the Annual Meeting!
LEARN
MORE
Tom
Wessels is a professor of ecology and the founding director of
the masters degree program in conservation biology at Antioch
University New England. He conducts workshops on the natural
history of the landscape. He is also the former chair of the
Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, which fosters
environmental leadership, and he serves as an ecological
consultant to the Rain Forest Alliance's SmartWood Green
Certification Program. Tom Wessels has written the highly
acclaimed and debated book The Myth of Progress: Toward a
Sustainable Future, and the much beloved and referenced Reading
the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England,
among other titles. Reviews of The Myth: University
Press of New England; Amazon.com;
Electronic
Journal of Sustainable Development.
EVENT
SPONSORS
The
Neponset River Watershed Association would like to thank these
individuals and businesses for their generous contributions on
behalf of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Neponset River
Watershed Association:
