Patrick Moore,  a Canadian ecologist and an activist in the environmental arena from the age of 24, spoke Friday morning to two Core Science classes about his role in the environmental movement, his previous work with Greenpeace and his role today as a consultant and spokesperson for the nuclear industry. His visit to Vermont and Champlain College was coordinated by the Vermont Energy Partnership.

According to Wikipedia, the controversail speaker is sometimes portrayed as an environmentalist, and sometimes allies himself against the environmental movement.

While he sharply differs with many policies of major environmental groups on issues including forestry, biotechnology, aquaculture, climate science and nuclear energy, he supports them on acid rain, toxic waste, whaling, driftnet fishing, nuclear testing, and whales in captivity.

In 1971, in Vancouver, he was an early member of Greenpeace, participating in the organization's  first direct action and worked with Greenpeace until 1986.  He is sometimes referred to as co-founder though this is disputed by the current Greenpeace organization and those it acknowledges as founders. 

He is now Chair and Chief Scientist of Greenspirit Strategies in Vancouver, a consulting firm that is often in opposition to Greenpeace, providing opinions and committee participation to government and industry on a wide range of environmental and sustainability issues. He is a frequent public speakerm at meetings of industry associations, universities, and policy groups.

For more information about Vermont Energy Partnership: http://www.vtep.org/VTaboutus.htm

For more information on Patrick Moore:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Moore_%28environmentalist%29