Environmental Issues Series

WVU Parkersburg Ecological Psychology students to present information about the issues of population and water.

Contact: Denise McClung, professor of psychology, (304)424-8230.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Population and Water" will be the topic of discussion Thursday (July 13) as part of an environmental issues’ series being held in July at West Virginia University at Parkersburg.

Open to the public, the free session will be held at 7 p.m. in the Caperton Center auditorium at WVU Parkersburg.

Featured will be expert consultants Dr. Wayne Dunn, dentist and environmental activist, and Dr. Patty Morrison, fish and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of the Interior, and a WVU Parkersburg student panel including Luke Easter, Eric Otto, Paula Hagerty, Brooke Cottrell and Scott Joy.

A question and answer session will follow the presentations.

The series is part of a newly developed course in Ecological Psychology under the direction of Dr. Phil and Denise McClung, professors of psychology at WVU Parkersburg. The class is researching key environmental topics currently affecting the local area and the world.

"Permitting a population beyond the carrying capacity of our states, country, and world is a most effective way of stopping harmony and prosperity for future citizens and life on earth," Dr. Dunn noted. "The term ‘Beauty of the Earth’ is not consistent with a planet or nation overrun by people."

Dr. Dunn is a practicing dentist, the President of The Dunn Foundation – WV, and has been an environmental activist for a number of years.

Just as there are issues regarding population, there are also concerns regarding the quality and quantity of water, Dr. Morrison said.

"Polluted waters are already impacting the availability of edible fresh water fish across our country," she said. "Our oceans are being over fished and waste is being dumped in them thus eliminating many species and functions of the ecosystems we depend on."

She has a bachelor of science degree in Biology from MIT and an environmental law degree from WVU College of Law.

The next two Thursdays in July will include the topics of Pandemics on July 20 and Resource Management on July 27.

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For additional information, contact:
Connie Dziagwa
WVU Parkersburg
Executive Director
Institutional Advancement
Office: 304-424-8203
Fax: 304-424-8315