BIONEERS—"Environmental Pioneers, bringing people together throughout the Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin regions to educate and share environmental strategies and resources, present…" Bioneers @ MCC - a one day program to share the highlights of the national Bioneers conference, feature panel discussions on energy issues, green business and saving water and provide opportunities for participants to talk to over forty green businesses and organizations. 

 

Saturday, November 7, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Highway 14 in Crystal Lake

Keynote speakers:
John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirit, authors of Ecopreneuring: Putting Purpose and
Planet before Profit. 

Registration:
Adults—$35 in advance; $40 at the door; ID: NCCS50 001
Students—$20 in advance; $24 at the door, ID: NCCS50 003
(Note: Lunch is included) To register with a credit card, call (815) 455-8588. 

Morning & Afternoon Breakout Sessions will feature:

·      Geothermal, Wind & Solar Used Locally in New Construction & Existing Homes

 Featuring Low Maintenance Home Ownership  

·      Energy & Climate Change: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?

Panel discussion of government policy regarding the impact of climate change

·      Energy Efficiencies & Using Alternative Fuels:         

MCC Alternative Fuels Training Program – Phil Grandinetti

New LED Lighting Available Now

Tax Incentives for Energy Efficiencies

·      Always in the News: Water in McHenry County!

Importance of Conserving Land & Preserving Water – Lisa Haderlein, Land Conservancy of McHenry County

    Status of McHenry County Water Supply -  Cassandra McKinney, McHenry County Water Resource Dept.

     Rain Gardens Recycling Water  - Nancy Gonsiorek, The Wildflower Preservation & Propagation Committee

·      The Green Economy - Putting Purpose and Planet before Profit

John Ivanko & Lisa Kivirist, authors of Ecopreneuring

     Food & Sustainable Living  Zak Dolezal, Manager, Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen

           Edible School Garden Mary Noonan, Alden-Hebron Elementary School

National Bioneers Conference DVDs featuring environmental leaders on cutting edge topics

Lunch will feature local organic food prepared by Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen

For more information, visit www.MCbioneers.com or call Pat Dieckhoff, Waste Reduction Assistant at 815-479-7817.

Sponsored by: Lou Marchi Total Recycling Institute at MCC

Supported by: Local businesses growing a green economy, the McHenry County Environmental Alliance (of which the Defenders are a member), and other environmental groups and organizations.
Gold Sponsors: Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen, Chicago's Progressive Talk Radio and the Northwest Herald. 

What's the national Bioneers all about?   

The world is changing faster than any one individual can keep track. Information comes at us so fast that it literally takes years to process. Consider that when NASA started sending space probes in the 1960's and 70's (before really fast computers ) they acquired a nine-year back log of data to analyze let alone process and extract usable information. Thinking in terms of whole systems became one way to cope with all the information.

Twenty years ago a group came together, lead by a plant biologist, Kenny Asubel, and become known as the Bioneers. They realized that in systems design, Nature had a 4 billion year head start on humans in making systems function. If a system is to develop sustainability it needs to process all parts and leave no waste. Look to Nature as the model, while respecting the integrity of the whole system.

The Bioneers have held a three day conference for the last 20 years on the third weekend in October in San Francisco based on these principals. It has grown to include sites nationwide that share the information of many people from writers, scientists, economists, activists who advocate for social justice and Indigenous peoples proposing new pathways that will allow humans to democratically discuss and augment a sustainable future. 

Go to the Bioneers website.