WHAT: “Displaced for Development? Indigenous Peoples Rights and Extractive Industries Development in the Peruvian Andes and Amazonia,” Manuel Glave, GRADE, Peru
WHEN: Monday, April 30 @ 2 p.m.
WHERE: 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign
From the event announcement: “The recent boom of extractive industries in the Peruvian Andes and Amazonia has contributed to the rapid economic growth and poverty alleviation that has made Peru one of the more social and economic dynamic country in Latin America. However, several critical issues have emerged in the process. Territorial and human rights of indigenous peoples are commonly overlooked, lack of land use planning tools has induced overlapped property rights, the role of local and sub national (regional) governments is not clearly defined, and the prior informed consent paradigm has not been appropriately understood and implemented. The presentation will be based upon case studies of large scale mining in the Peruvian Andes and oil and gas exploration and extraction in the Peruvian Amazon.”
WHAT: “Potential of Non-Edible Oils for Energy & Non-Energy applications,” Dr. Savita Kaul – CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum,
WHEN: Friday, May 4 @ 12 noon
WHERE: Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, One E. Hazelwood Dr., Champaign
From the event announcement: “In spite of diminishing reserves and increasing costs of petroleum, the energy future will continue to be dominated by fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas. However, for a sustained growth scenario, renewable energies have started penetrating the market with a share ranging from 10-15%. The use of food crops as feed stocks for producing ethanol and other fuels have led to an undesirable competition for these commodities, which in turn places tremendous pressure on the world’s crop lands. Therefore, the development of arid-adapted crops for fuels would ease or eliminate the competition, thereby allowing an agricultural economic base to be maintained in arid and semi-arid regions without the destructive effects of intensive irrigated agriculture. The potential of arid/semi-arid land plants such as Jojoba, Jatropha curcas, Karanja, Salvadora, etc. for obtaining liquid fuels, semi-synthetic lubricants, additives and value addition of byproducts for energy and non-energy applications will be discussed. The presentation will also highlight a data base of synthetic oils & their formulations for various applications. This seminar will be broadcast live on the ISTC website www.istc.illinois.edu and also archived there for later viewing.”
WHAT: “David Wojnarowicz: Queer in Normal,” Barry Blinderman, director, University Galleries, Illinois State University
WHEN: Friday, May 4 @ 12 noon
WHERE: Champaign Country Club, 1211 S. Prospect Ave., Champaign
You live near a major university and a community college. There are smart people that come here every week to talk to the general public about interesting topics. Perhaps you were not aware of this fact, or were overwhelmed by the sheer number of opportunities for possible enlightenment. If that’s the case, Smile Politely understands and is here to help. Here are several events going on in town this week. Check out one or more of them if you have time. Get your learn on, as they say, and join the cognoscenti. It’s free, you know. Plus, sometimes there’s free food, too!
If you have a community event, speaker, or film event that you’d like to see featured on Listen Up!, send the event information to joelgillespie [at] smilepolitely [dot] com by Friday the week prior to the event. Listen Up! runs on Mondays when classes are in session.