UP will host 'Confluences: Water and Justice' from March 26 to 28
By Elizabeth Tertadian
Water. Over 71 percent of the world is covered in it. Yet, it is more precious than gold and more sought after than oil.
On March 26 to 28, UP will host a conference called Confluences: Water and Justice to bring attention to the growing water crisis the world faces and answer questions such as "Where do we get our water?" and "How do others get their water?"
So, what is the Water Conference?
The Water Conference is three days of discussing and investigating a range of issues as they relate to water, including environmental justice, protection, science, business, theology, business, history, law and the Native American perspective.
The conference begins with a cruise on the Willamette River aboard the Portland Spirit.
Thirty-five speakers from across the nation will discuss various aspects of water over the course of the conference.
The keynote speaker is Maude Barlow, a water activist and senior adviser on water to the president of the UN General Assembly. She speaks at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.
Other speakers on the schedule include US Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger and Liz Miller, a college professor based in Montreal and director of "The Waterfront," a documentary about one community that fought against water privatization.
UP professor of environmental science Robert Butler will touch on the Earth science perspective on water in the Northwest, addressing the resource and hazard angles associated with water.
"My plan is to remind people that we humans have a complex relationship with water," Butler said. "We need just the right kind of water in just the right places in just the right quantities."
The library has compiled a water resources guide of water-related literature, movies and articles available to students and staff that connect to their classes and major.
All conference events are free to students and anyone affiliated with sponsors of the event.
However, while admission is free, registration is mandatory.
Students interested in attending one or more of the events can log onto up.edu and register by clicking the water conference link.
Upon registration, tickets pop-up to be printed or are e-mailed to students who are going on the Portland Spirit cruise.
Event schedules and descriptions are posted online on the water conference page, which is located at pilots.up.edu/web/confluences.
Students can access the information by visiting the library's Web site and clicking on the "water resources" link on the right-hand side of the page.
