 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Terrance N. Glunt, P.E.
Broward Chapter President, 2002/2003
How many of you realized that last Saturday, April 26, 2003 was Earth Day? I didn’t. I found out when we
went to the Museum of Discovery and Science downtown for the monthly FES outing. A number of environmental
groups and government agencies had booths and tables set up around the museum advocating
various volunteer activities that people could participate in to help the environment. Most revolved
around education and clean-up type events in areas such as the Everglades, maritime forests, beach environments,
reefs and natural fresh water rivers, estuaries and lakes. A few exhibits even touted the activities
of engineers in helping to clean up the environment.
But it made me wonder about the engineer’s overall involvement in Florida’s environment, and therefore
our future. It is obvious that our profession is greatly involved in the overall effort to help clean and restore
the environment from damage involving agents such as contamination and over-development. And
engineers are also responsible for developing new technologies used in the manufacturing and design of
products made to help clean effluents and other chemical by-products before they are released into the
environment. We are even helping shape the laws and regulations governing allowable levels of pollution
into our air, soil and especially our water. But is that enough?
We are also responsible for the design of every road, bridge, canal, housing development, high rise, commercial
plaza and manufacturing facility in the United States. That is the core of every civil, structural, geo-technical,
transportation, electrical, industrial, chemical and petroleum engineer’s work. We are paid to
design for owners and solve their problems. As long as we abide by the regulations that govern our designs,
we are safe from the ramifications for violating rules of practice established by the governing boards
of professional regulation and from potential litigation (at least for the most part).But when do we go beyond the rules and simply do what is right? When do we stand up and tell the client
that it is too much. Too many houses! Too many roads! Too many stores! Too many parking garages! Too
much of a strain on our natural resources! This is a hard question to ask of ourselves as we proceed well
into the 21st Century. I don’t know very many engineers, including myself, that would voluntarily turn
down a new project when it is these very projects that provide the basis for our existence. In fact, most of
my compatriots would consider my words somewhat blasphemous if I were to even insinuate that theyshould turn down projects that were high impact to the environment. And believe me, that is not what I am advocating.
What I would advocate, though, is to get involved in legislation at both the local and the state levels. I would like to see responsible
development and much needed transportation and infrastructure improvements. Let’s get more involved in
County and Regional Planning Councils and Transportation Boards. Legislators are just people like you and me. They are
more approachable than you think. And in most cases, they think like us. They understand the importance of engineers.
But sometimes, they just need to be reminded. Make it a point to call your state representative soon just to let them know
that engineers are important and therefore the issues regarding development, transportation and the environment are too.
And then, call a friend and ask them to call as well.
Thank you.
Terrance N. Glunt, P.E., President
Broward Chapter
Florida Engineering Society
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