Greening UP For Earth day with Missouri Botanical Garden’s Dr.  Peter  H. Raven

“Building a Sustainable World: Our Responsibility, Our Future” 

St. Louis, MO. – With Earth Day approaching on April 20th and talk of Green seemingly everywhere, what does it mean to the average person?  Enjoy an evening with guest speaker Dr. Peter H. Raven and Green Up the Wednesday before Earth Day at the Social Justice Speaker Series with the Justice Advocates.  Dr. Raven will be giving an informal, meet the expert talk, entitled “Building a Sustainable World: Our Responsibility, Our Future.”  Dr. Raven is St. Louis’s own “Hero for the Planet,” and presides as President of the Missouri Botanical Garden.  This informative and inspiring event will take place April 16, 2008 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of Manchester United Methodist Church, 129 Woods Mill Road, Manchester, MO 63011.

Peter H. Raven, a world leader in conservation and biodiversity, has devoted more than 36 years to building the Missouri Botanical Garden.  Described by TIME magazine as a “Hero for the Planet,” Dr. Raven champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and a sustainable environment.  Under Dr. Raven’s leadership, the Missouri Botanical Garden has become a leader in botanical research in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with strong programs in North America as well. He is the recipient of the National Medal of Science, the highest award given in this country for scientific accomplishment. He has served as president of the Missouri Botanical Garden and George Engelmann Professor of Botany at Washington University since 1971. 

Dr. Raven is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, a group of 80 scientists from around the world that advises the Pope on matters of science and technology, and is on the steering committee of a Creation Care coalition of Evangelical Christian leaders and scientists that recently completed a trip to Alaska to view the effects of global warming. As a result of his work in science and conservation, Dr. Raven is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards hailing from around the globe.

Dr. Raven’s talk will conclude the 2007 – 2008 season of the region’s first Social Justice Speaker Series themed Global Impact. The Justice Advocates will announce plans for the 2008 – 2009 series and other events after the question and answer session with Dr. Raven. The series is free and open to the public. Free-will donations will be accepted to off-set the series costs and to further the speakers’ related justice work.

For more Green information visit, St. Louis’s Earth Day: www.stlouisearthday.org; St. Louis Green businesses, events, and jobs: www.stlouisgreen.com; and Missouri Botanical Garden’s sustainable living Earthways Center: www.earthwayscenter.org.

The Justice Advocates at Manchester United Methodist Church is an open membership, volunteer team working to build awareness and educate the community on social justice issues through the Social Justice Speaker Series, educational programs and soon social justice awards as well as other justice related activities. For additional information about the Social Justice Speaker Series, to help plan the 2008-2009 series, to join the team, or to volunteer for a specific project see the website at www.manchesterumc.org or contact the Justice Advocates at Manchester United Methodist Church 636-394-7506.