Road Scholars Speakers Bureau

Andrew Angyal, Ph.D.

Professor of English and Environmental Studies at Elon University                                 

Gibsonville, NC

H: (336) 449-5029

angyal@elon.edu

Travel regions: 5, 7; will consider others

About Andrew Angyal:

For more than thirty years, Dr. Andrew Angyal has been a Professor of English, and, more recently, of Environmental Studies at Elon University. There he has taught courses on American Environmental Writers, Green Design, Sustainability, Spirituality and Nature, and Food and the Environment. In addition, he owns a small organic farm in northeast Guilford County in which he has installed solar water heating and a 3 Kw solar photovoltaic system. He has led seminars and given talks on sustainable food and energy production to groups such as Heifer International Ranch in Perryville, AR, and the Adult Center for Enrichment.

Green Design and the Quest for Sustainability

How can green architectural designs, local food production, efficient transportation, and conservation and renewable energy practices help our society achieve long    -term sustainability and energy independence? Many modern American building and transportation designs grew out of the period of cheap fossil fuel energy during the 20th century. However, with the emergence of global warming and climate change, Peak Oil, increases in fossil fuel prices, future water scarcity, and projections of rapid population increases in North Carolina, we will have to find ways to design a more efficient and sustainable material culture in architectural design, transportation, farming, conservation and protection of natural resources, and recycling. This talk will examine the impact of global warming and climate change and Peak Oil. It will discuss some of the principles and practices of sustainable design, including the use of solar energy, more efficient material design and the use of recyclable materials. We will examine how local food production, improved public transportation, and more sensible land use planning practices can all contribute to the creation of a more sustainable society.