Teacher wrote the book on environment

James Dauray recently did a blind taste test of two different milks with his environmental science class. His students incorrectly guessed that one sample was whole milk and the other was skim milk.

But that was OK. Dauray, author of the newly released “Idiot’s Guide to the Environment,” wasn’t looking for correct answers. Instead, he wanted the blind taste test to lead to a discussion on how America’s food is raised. One milk came from a grass-fed cow on an organic farm; the other didn’t, which led to the discussion is either one better for the environment.

That’s Dauray’s goal as an environmental science teacher at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, and at the College of Lake County in Grayslake – to create a dialog that relates science to ethics.

Dauray, who lives with his wife and young son in Round Lake, begins with the science, then continues with the ethics. That’s also how he approached his book, just published by Alpha, a member of Penguin Group Inc.

“First, you teach the basic natural ecology, and hold off on any human influence or interaction,” he said. Then he introduces the human population, how fast it is growing and how it affects the earth. The book concludes with ethics, the difficult questions on meeting the needs of humans while protecting the earth.

“You can’t appreciate the impact we’ve had on the earth unless you understand the earth without humans,” Dauray said.

“If I start out with global warming instead of the [students or readers] understanding how coral reefs work – they are less likely to be concerned about our impact on coral reefs,” he said.

And yes, for the record, Dauray said global climate change is real and being exacerbated by humans.

“We can’t argue with science,” he said. ‘Only our responses can be argued.”

Former student Brittany Breaux, who contributed the illustrations to his book, said Dauray helped her more clearly see the human connection to the environment.

“I think I went into that class pretty passionate about the environment, but he has changed my views to encompass interest toward not only nature conservation, but human sustainability,” Breaux said. “It’s not just a matter of being a tree hugger.”

Dauray grew up in rural America, studied to be a veterinarian, and then decided he wanted to teach. His dedication to the profession can be found on his website, Aurumscience.com, where he offers all his science lessons to download for free.

The publisher of the Idiot’s Guides series contacted him and asked whether he would submit a sample chapter. Dauray asked Breaux to contribute the drawings. He began in August 2012 and completed the book by January 2013.

Dauray said he would like the book to be a supplemental guide to environmental science texts for students as well as an introduction to the public on the subject, which he says is one of the most complex in science.

His wife, Jeanne Marie Dauray, said she encouraged her husband to write the book because “there’s an opportunity to reach a wider audience. That’s a good thing.”

“I’m an advocate of getting information out there,” added Jeanne Marie, an issues team coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America.

The couple do what they can to practice sustainable living.

“We do the basics – organic, sustainable farming. We try to stay away from farm-raised fish. We have a small garden with no chemicals,” Jeanne Marie Dauray said.

They also buy eggs laid by cage-free hens who aren’t fed antibiotics, and grass-fed milk for their son, Patrick.

“I feel responsible to practice what I teach,” James Dauray said. Otherwise, he said, he “can’t stand up there and go through the issues” in front of his students.

He understands that buying these items can be a financial burden. He said they pay an extra $2 to $3 a gallon for organic milk.

According to his students, it tastes better as well. That’s what they determined in the blind taste test. One tasted richer, creamier, fuller, and they thought it was whole milk, he said. The other tasted bland, like skim milk. Both were 2 percent, he said, and the better-tasting one was the organic milk.

Even though James Dauray has certain beliefs regarding the environment, he said he tries not to sway his students.

“I very seldom will give them a straightforward opinion. I try to say as unbiased as I can about the issues,” he said.

He said researching the book has helped him to do so even more. For example, he mentions in the book the issue of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in California and the dam that naturalist John Muir did not want to be built there in the 1920s.

Humans needed water and the dam provided that and yet the valley’s natural beauty and ecosystem was compromised by the massive structure. He talks to his students about drilling for oil in the Arctic. Is it right?

“There’s really not a right answer,” he said, regarding the issue. “Every [environmental] debate is like that – it’s complex and messy.”