Oil addiction vs. alternative energy to be discussed with Jan. 21 presentation, Jan. 23 Green Film at Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON -- Two events concerning oil addiction and alternative energy will take place at Michigan Tech this week.

TODAY, Tuesday, Jan. 21: Presentation on Affordable Alternative Energy

John Hofmeister will give a presentation on affordable energy alternatives in a nation of people addicted to oil from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. TODAY, Tuesday, Jan. 21, in EERC 508 on the Michigan Tech campus. Hofmeister is the founder and CEO of Citizens for Affordable Energy, former president of Shell Oil Company and the author of the book Why We Hate The Oil Companies: Straight Talk from an Energy Insider.

The presentation will be via a live video feed from Northern Michigan University and will offer the opportunity to ask questions of the speaker. The event is co-hosted by the School of Business and Economics, Chemical Engineering and the Sustainable Futures Institute.

Thursday, Jan. 23: Green Film Series: Fuel

The Green Film Series will present the documentary film Fuel from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, in Atrium and G002, Hesterberg Hall, Michigan Tech Forestry Building. The 112-minute film will be followed by discussion and refreshments -- coffee and dessert. The event is FREE, with a suggested donation of $3.

In this documentary, director Josh Tickell takes viewers along on his 11-year journey around the world to find solutions to America's addiction to oil. A shrinking economy, a failing auto industry, rampant unemployment, an out-of-control national debt, and an insatiable demand for energy weigh heavily on all of us. Fuel shows us the way out of the mess we're in by explaining how to replace every drop of oil we now use, while creating green jobs and keeping our money here at home. The film never dwells on the negative, but instead shows us the easy solutions already within our reach.

This event is co-sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Keweenaw Land Trust, and Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, with funding from the Keweenaw Community Foundation.

For more information call Joan Chadde at 906-487-3341.