Global warming or climate change denial, who’s right? It’s hard to argue about the planet getting hotter and most people believe it’s because of human activity. Then there are those who say it’s all fake news. Guess who profits from the status quo? Author and environmental activist Paul Hawken has put together a book with 80 things that would change the game – “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.” They are practical, some are surprising, some simple and most would even make economic sense for the majority of us. If common sense prevailed, even the resisters would be better off if they could see beyond short term profit. Mr. Hawken began his Arts & Lectures talk at Campbell hall by admitting that it is the most comprehensive plan because it is the only one. He showed how other plans are impractical and explained what a number of the his more entertaining but really thought provoking proposals are, and how they would work. This should not be relegated to the realm of fiction.
Author and activist Paul Hawken – UCSB Arts & Lectures 4/22/17 UCSB Campbell Hall
Most novelists rely on a lot of reality to tell their stories, whether if be from their own lives, true events or a combination of both, because it makes their fiction more believable and relatable. Luis Alberto Urrea is no exception and his visit with Santa Barbara High students as part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures Lynda and Bruce Thematic Learning Initiative was a perfect demonstration of how it works. He spent most of his brief talk telling the eager listeners about his hard knocks upbringing and how it informs what he writes. Facts and fictions making art.
