On Sunday, March 9th, 2025, over 30 guests gathered at the Neal Taylor Nature Center for an extraordinary lecture by Chancellor Lorne Everett, an internationally recognized scientist with over 35 years of experience as a Chairman within the World Federation of Scientists. Dr. Everett shared unique insights into pressing global issues such as nuclear war, world pollution, plastics, the water crisis, and asteroid impacts—topics discussed in meetings of top scientists from around the world. This rare opportunity provided a firsthand look at the scientific discussions that shape global policy, including behind-the-scenes images from meetings of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican. Following the thought-provoking presentation, attendees enjoyed a meet-and-greet with light refreshments.
The lecture focused on years of scientific research on environmental issues. A key takeaway was the alarming impact of pollution, particularly on water supplies, with high levels of pharmaceuticals and microplastics. Dr. Everett shared several important statistics, like how pollution kills more people than anything else, even war. He also shared that 9 million people die per year from pollution, and it accounts for 1 in 6 premature deaths from toxic exposure to pollutants. In India, about 800 children under the age of 5 die daily from unclean water. He highlighted that bottled water is often more contaminated than tap water due to a lack of regulations. He also touched on the challenge of filtering out pollutants and emphasized the need for better waste management, including the use of AI to break down plastics.
Another critical topic was nuclear weapons and waste management. The speaker pointed out that the sheer number of nuclear warheads worldwide poses an existential threat, and without leaders who prioritize disarmament, environmental concerns may become secondary.
The audience left feeling deeply concerned about the state of the world but also aware of the critical role of leadership in addressing these challenges. The lecture was an important reminder that we all play a role by staying informed about environmental issues, supporting policies that promote sustainability, reducing our own waste and carbon footprint, and advocating for responsible corporate and governmental action. Engaging in community initiatives, conserving water, reducing plastic use, and supporting scientific research and innovation are all tangible ways we can contribute to addressing these planetary emergencies.
About Dr. Lorne G. Everett
Dr. Lorne G. Everett is the President and CEO of L. Everett & Associates. He is also a retired Professional Researcher in the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) (Level VII) and a Past Director of the Vadose Zone Monitoring Laboratory at UCSB. The University of California describes full professor Level VII as “reserved for scholars of great distinction”. He has a Ph.D. in Hydrology from the University of Arizona in Tucson and is a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. In 1996, he received a Doctor of Science Degree (Honoris Causa) from Lakehead University in Canada for Distinguished Achievement in Hydrology. Dr. Everett was the 6th Chancellor of Lakehead University in Canada from 2000-2009.
He is an internationally recognized expert who has conducted extensive research on subsurface characterization and remediation. He is Chairman of the ASTM Task Committee on Groundwater and Vadose Zone Monitoring (D18.21.02). He also chaired the Remediation Session of the First USSR/USA Conference on Environmental Hydrogeology (Leningrad, 1990). Dr. Everett has received numerous awards, published over 150 technical papers, holds several patents, developed 11 national ASTM Vadose Zone Monitoring standards and authored several books including: Vadose Zone Monitoring for Hazardous Waste Sites, and Subsurface Migration of Hazardous Waste.
His book entitled Handbook of Vadose Zone Characterization and Monitoring is a “best seller”. His book entitled Groundwater Monitoring was endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as establishing “the state-of-the-art used by industry today” and is recommended by the World Health Organization for all developing countries. Awards Dr. Everett has received include: the Ivan A. Johnston Award for Outstanding Contributions to hydrogeology (1997), the Kapitsa Gold Medal-the highest award given by the Russian Academy for original contributions to science (1999), the Medal of Excellence from the U.S. Navy and the Award of Merit-the highest award given by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International (2000), the C. V. Theis Award-the highest award given by the American Institute of Hydrology for major contributions to groundwater hydrology (2002) and the Canadian Golden Jubilee Medal for “Significant Contributions to Canada” (2003).
Dr. Everett is editor of the Ann Arbor Press book series entitled Professional Groundwater and Hazardous Waste Science Series. He is co-editor of the Journal for Environmental Restoration Professionals entitled Remediation Management and co editor of the World Groundwater Map published by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Dr. Everett has made presentations before Congress on different occasions and participates on Blue Ribbon Peer Review panels for most Department of Energy (DOE) installations. He is a member of the UC/LLNL Petroleum Hydrocarbon Panel, the DOE/EPA Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Expert Committee, the Interagency Dense Non-aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) Consortium Science Advisory Board and a Scientific Advisor to the U.S. Navy’s National Hydrocarbon Test Site Program. Dr Everett is a member of the DOE Executive Panel for both the Vadose Zone S & T Roadmap and the Long-Term Stewardship Roadmap. Dr. Everett is an expert witness with an established track record in over 60 court cases involving over $2 billion dollars.
