|
April 22, 2007
Special to the Wallace State Web site. Reprinted with permission from
The Cullman Times.
Earth Day 2007
By Evan Belanger
The Cullman Times
evanb@cullmantimes.com
Compared to other states in the nation, Alabama sports one of the
highest counts of aquatic species, but it also holds a record for one of
the highest extinction rates.
Or so says Bill Deutsch, a researcher who travels the state preaching
the importance of maintaining clean water in Alabama.
Deutsch made a stop in Hanceville Thursday, serving as the key-note
speaker for pre-Earth Day festivities at Wallace State Community
College.
According to the researcher, Alabama is already rich in water resources,
most of which are still fairly clean. He said 8 percent of the nation's
water will flow through Alabama at some point before reaching the ocean.
In all, Alabama has about 77,000 miles of rivers and streams.
"Compared to other states, we are certainly on the good side of the
middle," Deutsch said. "The concern is that if we don't protect it, we
could lose it very fast."
Dr. Bill Deutsch, Auburn University School of Agriculture professor
of aquaculture and aquatic environments.
A researcher at Auburn University, Deutsch works with the Alabama
Cooperative Extension Service, giving talks about how to maintain clean
water. He is also director of Alabama Water Watch, a volunteer-based
group dedicated to monitoring Alabama's inland and coastal waterways.
During his visit in Hanceville, Deutsch also discussed opposing ideas on
the existence of global warming, saying he believes it definitely is
occurring.
For those who doubt its existence, he advised them to err on the side of
caution.
"If you have a suspicion that something is going to happen, but it's
going to take 50 years to prove it, why wait and see?" he said. "By that
time, it's too late to do anything about it."
Other events held Thursday at Wallace included a rock, paper scissors
tournament - an environmentally friendly sport, according to judge and
coordinator Jennifer Hill.
Parker defeats a dejected John McIntosh, of Birmingham, in round one of the
tournament. The event was one of many the college is hosting for Earth Day.
Leah Holmes, of Eva, right, stands victorious after defeating Good Hope's Tim
Parker for the first Wallace State College Rock, Paper, Scissors championship
Thursday afternoon in the student center. After several ties, Holmes made an
Aggressive “rock” move to claim victory over Parker’s “scissors.”
RPS photos by The Cullman Times/Amanda Shavers-Davis
Hill said she got the idea for the tournament from a similar event held
at Harvard. Thursday's participants used rules provided by the World
RPS Society.
"You can't do it just any old way," Hill said.
This year's pre-Earth Day festivities at Wallace were organized by Bill
Moss, director of student development and Hill. Moss said he organized
his first Earth Day in 1970 as a senior at Guntersville High School.
Earth Day is recognized across the country every April 22. It is
intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's
environment.
Graham Wright and Zach Lambrechts at the Earth Day luau.
Reginald Cross and Charles Daniel
For more information on Alabama Water Watch go to
www.alabamawaterwatch.com or call (888)844-4785.
Kristen Holmes
Director, Communications and Marketing
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000
Hanceville, AL 35077
256/352-8118
E-mail: Kristen.Holmes@WallaceState.edu
|
