Bill McKibben to speak at ALA

Message from Al Kagan to the SRRTAC-L list:

We are excited to announce that Bill McKibben will be a featured speaker at ALA Annual 2017!

Bill McKibben is an author, environmentalist, and activist. His books have been published worldwide in over 20 languages. In 2014, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, which is sometimes called the “alternative Nobel.” The same year he was recognized by biologists who named a new species of woodland gnat (Megophthalmidia mckibbeni) in his honor. McKibben is co-founder and Senior Advisor at 350.org, an international, grassroots climate movement that works in 188 countries around the globe to organize rallies and spearhead resistance to the Keystone Pipeline. This organization is also credited with beginning the fossil fuel divestment movement.

McKibben suggests that we conceptualize climate change as a threat on the order of World War III and respond accordingly. With this mindset we can make societal shifts similar to those experienced in the 1940’s wartime era and move to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage.

There is urgency to his message as climate change is happening more quickly than scientists anticipated. McKibben argues that the status quo and doubt are luxuries we cannot afford. The nonviolent war that McKibben proposes will save lives and has the potential to produce millions of jobs.

Sponsored by: ALA’s Social Responsibilities Round Table and Sustainability Round Table as well as the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association and the American Indian Library Association

Date, time, and location of McKibben’s featured address at ALA annual in Chicago are forthcoming.