Water work earns Giordano a trip to Sweden to receive prestigious prize Water is a precious resource, but for “Most people Mark Giordano ’88, it’s also a ticket to think water issues meeting a king. are about drinking A managing director for the Srilanka- water, but it’s agri- based International Water Management culture that is at Institute, Giordano will travel to Sweden the heart of our in August to accept the 2012 Stockholm major physical Water Prize from His Majesty CarlxVI water challenges,” Gustaf, King of Sweden. he said. IWMI is a nongovernmental organiza- The former eco- tion that strives to improve the manage- Mark Giordano nomics major said ment of land and water resources for food, Whitman gave him livelihoods and the environment. It has 12 the ability to think about the big picture. offices in Africa and Asia. “I’m a scientist who has to publish and “I’m thrilled IWMI won the award. stay on top of scientific issues. But I’m also The award is a recognition of 25 years of managing a group of scientists, which work by many people,” he said. means figuring out how to facilitate them The prize, supported by the Royal to use their great minds … As I go for- Swedish Academy of Sciences, is consid- ward in my career, the ability to think ered the world’s most prestigious award broadly is most important.” for achievements in water-related activi- Is water the new oil, a scarce resource Some women have to walk six kilometers ties. It includes a $150,000 cash prize. over which wars will be waged? every day to get water. According to the IWMI, “We’re thinking of using it as a basis for “The evidence shows that sharing scarce basins, where in economically water -re iswater to accesslive people billion 1.6 establishing an endowed scholarship to water is more likely to bring countries to- stricted by lack of human capacity, inadequate support students from developing coun- gether than lead them to war,” he said. inefficient management. In many places, or infrastructureirrigation poor investment, tries to study water problems.” “There are a few water hotspots – the Nile women’s rights as water users are not often Giordano has worked for IWMI for 10 and the Jordan – but there are more than be theto those of men, even though A strong may theyresource. the of users main equal years. He leads the social science pro- 250 other rivers that cross international emphasis on gender issues underscores gram, whose 25 scientists work to improve boundaries and the record with those riv- IWMI’s work. agricultural water management and re- ers is overwhelmingly cooperative.” duce poverty in developing countries. — Edward Weinman Our wind power will blow you away Even our trash receptacles are special Every howl of the Walla Walla wind creates electricity. of the The next time you’re walking the campus grounds, take a minute wind turbines that dot the hills of eastern Washington, 70 are to admire the little recycling receptacles joined to the trash cans. located on land that Whitman leases to Florida Power and Light. Those beauties are custom-made, and Whitman College staff Whitman is first in the nation in terms of wind power produced designed them. In 2000, Landscape supervisorBob Biles ’74, on college land, according to the Association for the who was then the recycling coordinator, took a fleet of empty Advancement of sustainability in Higher Education. mayonnaise buckets from Bon Appétit and wired them to Whitman’s trash cans in an effort to separate beverage contain- ers from trash. The idea caught on, and the buckets filled up. But Just call them eco-Greeks physical plant, enlisted the help of randy Halley, a Whitmanthe system did lack for looks, however. Dan Park, director of the Whitman students lead the charge when it comes to being green. mechanic who does metal fabrication, to come up with a design The Green Leaders program promotes green habits among for a receptacle that looked more polished and professional. Whitman students living both on and off campus. students Halley took his finished prototype to Hard rock Machine Works, designated as Green Leaders instill these habits in their peers which made enough copies of the unique receptacles to go through education and programming. Fraternities are currently around campus. The city of Walla Walla quickly caught on to the seeking funding to conduct energy audits of their houses so they good idea, and those same receptacles now line sidewalks of the can weatherize their abodes and save electricity. sororities plan award-winning downtown. to establish official environmental chapter positions responsible for serving as environmental advocates during event planning. Continued on page 28 July 2012 27
Whitman Magazine July 2012
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