A leading US conservationist says Bermuda is well placed to show the world how to protect nature and use renewable sources to fulfill its energy needs.Solar power and harnessing the energy of waves are ways that the Island can move forward in an environmentally sustainable way, according to Larry Schweiger, president of the Virginia-based National Wildlife Federation.He is coming to Bermuda and will be a special guest speaker at a gala event hosted by the Bermuda Environmental Alliance on Friday, October 19.The wonders of Bermuda, particularly the conservation work at Nonsuch Island, have impressed Mr Schweiger during previous visits.He is looking forward to seeing Bermuda again, and in an interview with The Royal Gazette underlined how important it is for Island nations to be aware of the impact climate change and rising sea levels will likely have in future years.“In 2007 I went to Greenland and stood on the two-mile thick ice and watched it melting. That year it set a new ice-melt record,” he said.“Last year 100 billion tonnes of water ice melted in Greenland. Eighty-nine percent of the island was showing ice melt. The year I was there it was only 40 percent.“What happens in Greenland will not stay there.”He points to evidence that the ice melt is causing the world’s oceans to rise — with obvious consequences for low-lying land and islands — and scientists warn that increased moisture in the atmosphere as a result of the extra water created by melting ice will fuel more powerful storms and hurricanes.Mr Schweiger introduced former US vice president Al Gore, now a leading advocate for the environment, to a climate reality group forum in California earlier this year.While there he met Bermuda Environmental Alliance executive director Sangita Iyer, who was one of the delegates.He was impressed by the work of the BEA, and also by Ms Iyer’s recent thesis looking at why the media tends not to tackle the subject of climate change.As an example, he pointed to a report last week by reinsurance company Munich Re into the effect of climate change and rising temperatures in the US, which did not garner much attention with news organisations.Mr Schweiger holds Bermuda in high regard and believes it can make a positive contribution to environmental awareness, another reason why he is pleased to have been invited to the BEA’s third fund-raising gala, which takes place in the Fairmont Southampton on Friday.The gala, which has a Latin theme, is to ‘support non traditional and interactive environmental education.’Of Bermuda, Mr Schweiger said: “There are a lot of great people out there who have done a lot of good work.“You have an incredible place there in Bermuda and a big effort has been made to save what you have.“It would be great to see Bermuda go on a ‘carbon-free diet’.”He said the Island could do so by switching to renewable resources such as solar and tidal energy instead of importing oil.Both the National Wildlife Federation and the BEA have placed a lot of focus on involving young people in environmental awareness, and this is an area where Mr Schweiger feels the two organisations could work together.“The Federation has committed to getting ten million kids into the outdoors.“Children are spending too much time indoors on computers, texting, and on games, and very little time outdoors. This is causing many children to become obese and they are disconnected with nature.”He believes that if children spent more time outdoors enjoying nature they will feel more in touch with the environment and want to protect it.Ms Iyer, of the BEA said: “The aim of the gala is to highlight the significance of BEA’s interactive and non-traditional environmental education in schools, as this approach which has been implemented in some of the schools seems to be resonating with students.“Our mission is to engage our children and youth so their energies are channelled into something productive and meaningful.“All proceeds from the evening will go towards producing educational aids, which will be distributed in schools across the island, as we’ve done with our ‘Bermuda — Nature’s Jewel’ [DVD] series, which received the Bermuda National Trust Award for environmental awareness in 2012.”Of Mr Schweiger’s appearance she added: “Larry is genuinely concerned about the impact of climate change on future generations and is extremely passionate about helping children and young people connect with nature. But he’s also an outstanding communicator.”Governor George Fergusson has been invited as guest of honour to the BEA’s ‘Latin Night for Planet Earth’ in the Midocean Ampitheatre at the Fairmont Southampton. The event starts at 6.30pm.For more information on the gala, visit www.bermuda-bea.org