Fall 2026 OLLI Digital Catalog

1 MAN, 3 GLOBAL DISASTERS (R262)

R – Physical Sciences and Math

We explore how Thomas Midgley Jr. contributed to lead pollution, ozone depletion and climate change, as a result of his role in developing leaded gasoline and CFCs in the last century. We also look at other players in the saga of the growth of the auto and refrigeration industries, including how serendipity sometimes played a role. The story begins in the early 1900s with the development of the auto industry and the impact of tetraethyllead (TEL) on engines and the environment. We will also look at the need for safe refrigeration, and the impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the environment.

This offering meets for a total of 5 session(s).

INSTRUCTOR: Gerald Hapka

HAPKA, GERALD — University of Wisconsin; J.D., University of Wisconsin. Retired from DuPont and Pew Center for Global Climate Change. Now pursuing interests in computers, photography and beyond.

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