Bill Powers urges UNC students to adopt green living practices

Conservationist Bill Powers urged a crowd of about 40 to do all that they can to be sustainable in a speech Wednesday.

Powers, a New York Times contributor and author of the book “Twelve By Twelve: A One-Room Cabin Off the Grid & Beyond the American Dream,” discussed his 40 days of living in a 12 feet by 12 feet house by No Name Creek in Chatham County.

“His book provides a glimpse of what it means to live a truly sustainable life,” said junior Taylor Timmerman, co-chairwoman of UNC’s Sierra Student Coalition.

In the house, Powers said he faced many changes, including using candles instead of electricity, using sun-heated showers and having to provide his own food.

“I found it amazing how quickly you can adapt and live with these changes,” Powers said.

Powers also discussed his travels abroad to places such as Liberia and Bolivia.

In Liberia, he tackled problems such as a civil war and poverty that spawned from ecological degradation caused by the diamond and timber industries.

In Bolivia, Powers said he witnessed massive deforestation of rainforests from clear-cutting.

To help combat deforestation in the area, he worked with a relief group on a carbon ranching project. Carbon ranching is buying out sections of the rainforest from international logging companies and letting them grow back.

Powers’ speech was sponsored by the Sierra Student Coalition, FLO Food, Alianza and UNC’s Newman Catholic Student Center.

“A lot of people, when they think of environmental changes, think it’s really daunting, but he stresses that small changes can make a difference, and it’s about finding your niche that makes it possible,” Timmerman said.

Some members of the audience were concerned with the costs of becoming more sustainable, especially given the nation’s economic state.

“It would be wonderful if Americans could consume less,” said junior Claire McCune, a member of FLO Food, although she acknowledged the difficulty of that.

“In the current economic crisis… how feasible really is this?”

Powers’ main message urged everyone to discover their own “12 by 12,” recognizing that they may just want to take a moderate approach to combating climate change.

“Look for that sense of optimism, and see what you can do,” he said. “I think that what it really comes down to is that we can all do what we can.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.