Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008 - (Page 38)

the last word FINDING BALANCE AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD When my boss at Akzo Nobel offered me a chance to go to Antarctica on a companysponsored expedition in March, I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not that I had ever dreamed of going to Antarctica. Beyond geography lessons in my school years, I did not know—and did not care—much about the frozen tundra so far south. In my initial spurt of excitement, I even misspelled “Antarctica” as I tried to search Google for information about the continent. Now, with the expedition behind me, I am coming to terms with the rare privilege I had and am slowly recognizing the wider impact the experience is having on me. Mission Antarctica for me was an adventure that stoked all of my body’s senses. Like a well-written novel or a favorite movie, I can replay it scene by scene, over and over again, without approaching boredom. And every time I do, it reveals something new. My trip was far from a vacation cruise. I rode some of the world’s roughest seas. I climbed treacherous slopes at the bottom of the globe. I camped in the cold wilderness of Antarctica. I saw wildlife thrive in the sanctuary of Antarctic waters and soil. I could physically experience the effects of rising temperatures on our planet. I enjoyed sceneries that words, pictures, and videos cannot do justice. I felt cold wind pierce through layers of clothing, and felt my own sweat freeze against my body. I munched on some of the world’s freshest snow (or at least I hope it was fresh). I drank the purest water right at its origin. I played ultimate Frisbee on the windiest continent. I slept under the stars after listening to tales from the ﬁrst man to cross both Arctic poles. I experienced the raw beauty and the raw fury of Mother Nature at once. I was enchanted by this distant, unspoiled land. The expedition was the most unrushed time of my life since my early teenage years. The uninterrupted time—away from cell phones, emails, deadlines, and all worries—gave me ample time to think things through. I came away with a lot of lessons. Some merely reconﬁrmed what I already knew, but many gave me new perspectives on myself and the world. Some of these lessons required me to make new commitments—some personal and some far more universal. One of the greatest lessons was a conﬁrmation that global warming and climate change are a reality. At Charlotte Bay, I watched a giant iceberg disintegrate in a thunderous noise that knocked the wax out of my ears and the cataracts out of my eyes. I saw scattered whale bones and human bones, all abandoned together—an unforgettable warning about the dreary end that awaits any human enterprise that plunders nature with no regard for tomorrow. Those abandoned remnants of human activity at Whaler’s Cove made me promise myself that I will never be part of any short-sighted, gluttonous mission, plans, or business models. Alan Alex lives in Chicago, Ill. where he works as a regional controller for the multi-national manufacturing company Akzo Nobel. He joined the company known for its coatings and chemicals in 1998, after receiving his degree in chemical engineering at Lehigh University. Then, I saw the lights at Robert Swan’s E-Base in Bellingshausen Station powered by wind and solar energy, and I wondered out loud, why on earth can’t we use the same technology in more hospitable settings? By sharing this adventure with 11 top-caliber people from the various business groups in my diverse company, I also learned how teams can unite in the midst of adversity. We came together as 12 individuals, shared 12 days in a unique adventure to the edge of the world, and we have returned to 12 different worlds, more aware of ourselves, our company, our world, and our responsibilities. In the middle of all these thoughts, I developed my own simple deﬁnition of sustainability: balance. We must balance what we consume today with nature’s capacity to self-heal and self recharge. We must balance the proﬁts of today versus the proﬁts of tomorrow. We must balance the needs of employees, shareholders, communities, and Mother Nature. Balance! ©2008 Lehigh University. Produced by University Relations (#7020:0508) PHOTOS COURTESY OF AKZO NOBEL

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008

Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008 Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Research Arts & Culture Sports Alumni News Cover Story: In Galileo's Wake Technically Funny The Healing Game Looking for America The Last Word

Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008

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