Well over 450 people attended the The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Great Environment Briefing at Reading Town Hall on Wednesday 9 April – with another 100+ watching via live webcast.The expert panel included Tim Chatterton from AQMRC along with Dist. Professor Roland Clift of Surrey University, Professor Peter Matthews (talking on Water Quality), Professor John Twiddell (on Energy) and Jeff Cooper (on Waste). The event was chaired by Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, CBE., FRS
Following 15 minute presentations from the panel members, the briefing then held a wide ranging question and answer session (with question from the floor and via the internet from the webcast). Issues covered included diversion of agricultural resources to meat and biofuel production, encouragement of renewable energy, how to change people’s behaviour, purchasing art versus other carbon offsetting schemes, localisation of economic and cultural activities, problems with Fractional Reserve Banking systems, how deaths from air pollution are calculated and population control strategies. So a wide range of issues was covered – of interest both to engineers and non-engineers.
