Alison Gannett, champion extreme skier and acclaimed conservationist, coming to Wright State

Alison Gannett is set to speak at Wright State's Presidential Lecture Series and the first Adventure Speakers Series, which is sponsored by Five Rivers MetroParks and Wright State's Outdoor Resource Center.

Snow is her life.

She began racing on it at age 11. She later won extreme-skiing world championships on it. And it helped her make history when she became part of the first group to ski the northwest face of Hanuman Tibba, a 19,500-foot Himalayan peak.

Today, Alison Gannett is on a crusade to save the snow. She fears that rising global temperatures are shrinking snowpacks, threatening the very future of skiing.

On Feb. 8, Gannett brings her Global Cooling Adventure Show to Wright State University. The presentation, which features spectacular skiing videos coupled with frightening global-warming statistics, has been shown around the nation and the globe. It is free and open to the public.

“As she’s traveled around the world, she’s made a lot of observations about climate change and the effect we’re having on our environment and has met with world leaders,” said Tom Helbig, special events and development coordinator for Five Rivers MetroParks. “So she’s using her outdoor-adventure experience to share that story.”

Gannett’s talk is both part of Wright State’s Presidential Lecture Series and the first Adventure Speakers Series, which is sponsored by Five Rivers MetroParks and Wright State’s Outdoor Resource Center. The speakers series replaces the annual Outdoor Adventure Summit, which will resume next year and be held every other year, rotating with the speakers series.

On Feb. 9 at Wright State, the day following her Global Cooling Adventure Show, Gannett will present Be Green, Save Green in which she will discuss how to systematically apply conservation and sustainability principles to government, communities, businesses, schools and events. The principles are designed to reduce waste, energy usage and carbon emissions.

The presentation is sponsored by Wright State’s Office of Sustainability.

“Alison Gannett has a serious concern for the environment, and her energy and enthusiasm are infectious,” said Hunt Brown, Wright State’s director of sustainability. “Her message on the need to live sustainably will resonate with students and business leaders alike. We hope they will attend and participate in the discussion that follows.”

Gannett, who lives on a farm near Paonia, Colo., should know something about sustainability.

She founded a global-cooling consulting company and an office for resource efficiency; built an energy efficient straw-bale home; is a trainer with former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Project; designed a solar-powered SUV; and most recently founded The Save Our Snow Foundation, which educates schoolchildren about their carbon footprints and the danger of global warming. (www.alisongannett.com)

“She’d been someone on our radar for a few years for the Adventure Summit,” said Amy Anslinger, assistant director for Outdoor Recreation at Wright State. “And this year it just seemed to be a good year to pull her in.”

Anslinger hopes Gannett’s talks, which are free and open to the public, will raise student awareness about Wright State’s sustainability efforts and get students involved in conservation efforts.

Helbig hopes Gannett inspires members of the community to get out and explore the region’s natural resources.

“To have somebody who can tell a story of her adventures and also focus on conserving our natural world is a great tie-in for our agency and really blending the message of recreating in the outdoors, but always maintaining the focus on preserving our natural world,” he said.

Five River MetroParks boasts a 15,000-acre system of parks, trails, streams, bike paths and stretch-your-legs green space. Most recently, the trail system at Taylorsville MetroPark has been upgraded and made more erosion resistant; the play areas for children at Englewood MetroPark have been made more natural in an effort to get away from the plastic playground equipment that populates the landscape everywhere; and a bicycle hub has opened in downtown Dayton to encourage people to ride their bikes to work.

“We view them as quality-of-life amenities that will retain Wright State graduates and others here in the region,” said Brent Anslinger, outdoor recreation manager for Five Rivers MetroParks.

Wright State plays a major role in fostering a love for the outdoors.

The university’s Outdoor Resource Center, which is for students, staff, faculty and alumni, teaches kayaking, rock climbing, backpacking and other outdoors skills. It has sponsored outdoors trips to the Grand Canyon, Florida, West Virginia and other states. The center also offers equipment rental and operates a challenge course next to Wright State’s Nutter Center for team-building and professional development.

Gannet Schedule

Alison Gannett, world champion extreme skier, founder of The Save Our Snow Foundation, and award-winning global cooling advocate, will present her Global Cooling Adventure Show at Wright State University on Feb. 8. Gannett will speak in the Student Union, Apollo Room at 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

On Feb. 9, Gannett will present Be Green, Save Green in which she will discuss how to systematically apply conservation and sustainability principles to government, communities, businesses, schools and events. The principles are designed to reduce waste, energy and carbon emissions, while cutting overhead costs with the best return on investment.

The presentation will be made from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Berry Room of Wright State University’s Nutter Center. The discussion will be moderated by Timothy S. Downs, deputy director of the Office of Economic Development, City of Dayton. The event is free and open to the public. A continental breakfast will be provided, but to hold your place please RSVP amy.anslinger@wright.edu, (937) 775-5821, or at the Outdoor Resource Center located at 037 Student Union, Wright State University. Space is limited.