MOTHER EARTH, FATHER SKY Benefit Lecture Series Begins Tonight!
SANTA FE, NM — The 7th annual lecture series, presented by Southwest Seminars, will offer unique perspectives on the environment of the American West every week at 6 pm at the Hotel Santa Fe. Mother Earth, Father Sky is offered as a benefit event for the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) and will have something for everyone: from a geologist’s look at the ancient landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, to an ethnobotonist’s answer to the age old question “What’s for dinner?”—300 years ago in Colonial New Mexico.
Go to Events Page for full line up
Tonight’s kickoff event will feature Dr. Kirt Kempter, a volcanologist and geologist who has worked with the Santa Fe Community College and U.S. Geological Survey. He will present, Georgia’s Geology: Shaping the Abiquiu Landscape Through Time, where he will explain how the Abiquiu, NM slickrock landscape, the inspiration to many works of artist Georgia O’Keefe, emerged over millions of years.
“For seven years, Southwest Seminars has generously partnered with us to bring something really special to Santa Fe,” comments Shelbie Knox, Development Officer for the NMELC. “Most of our lecturers are scientists who provide perspectives on our unique Southwestern environment that most of us don’t get to hear very often. And they’re wonderful at making their topics entertaining and accessible for everyone – even those of us who didn’t ace science in school.”
“The lectures give people the opportunity to not only learn more about the environment here in the West – the landscape, its people, its history – but they will also get to learn more about the incredible work the New Mexico Environmental Law Center is doing to protect that environment,” states Alan Osborn, co-founder of Southwest Seminars.
The lecture series will last nine weeks and each lecture will be held at the Hotel Santa Fe on Monday evenings (with the exception of tonight’s lecture) at 6 p.m. beginning on October 26th, 2009 and running through December 14th, 2009. Admission for each lecture is $10 and is paid at the door, or $70 for the whole series of nine lectures. 10% of proceeds benefit the New Mexico Environmental Law Center.
WHAT: Mother Earth, Father Sky: Perspectives on the Environment of the American West Lecture Series
WHERE: Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501
WHEN: Launch on Wednesday, October 21st at 6pm, then continuing every Monday evening at 6pm, beginning October 26th until December 14th
ADMISSION: $10 at the door or $70 for the entire series.
For more information or complete lineup, please visit the NMELC’s Events Page on their website.
The mission of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center is to protect New Mexico’s natural environment and communities through legal and policy advocacy, and public education. The New Mexico Environmental Law Center’s attorneys have handled over 100 critical cases in low-income and minority communities fighting pollution and environmental degradation. The Law Center charges few, if any, fees to its clients, most of who are from Hispanic and Native American communities. The NMELC celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008. Membership and gifts help New Mexico communities protect their natural environment and their health from toxic pollution, the degrading effects of growth and liabilities created by irresponsible mining.
INTERVIEWS AND IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Contacts:
Shelbie Knox,
Development Officer
New Mexico Environmental Law Center
505-989-9022, ext 29
Juana Colón
Communications and Public Education Associate
New Mexico Environmental Law Center
505-989-9022, ext 21