The Northland Bioneers Conference is one of 18 satellite conferences happening simultaneously across North America. Leading environmental thinkers and social innovators will be broadcast live via satellite during the 3-day Northland Bioneers Conference Oct. 20-22 at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Ave.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. each day of the event. For registration information, call (612) 659-6000. Details on the Northland Bioneers Conference are available at www.northlandbioneers.org. To learn more about the national Bioneers Conference, please visit www.bioneers.org.
Founded in 1990, Bioneers is a non-profit organization that promotes practical environmental solutions and innovative social change strategies for restoring the Earth and communities. Each October in San Rafael, Calif., the Bioneers come together as a group of leading social and scientific innovators to share stories, present model solutions and network with each other. This event has reached its maximum capacity with nearly 3,400 people attending from all over the world. Launched in 2002, Beaming Bioneers provides access to the restorative solutions and stories of the Bioneers, while providing a platform for local networking and organizing. Satellite partners receive a simultaneous broadcast of the Conference plenary talks and complement it with locally produced workshops, tours and activities tailored to the needs of specific bioregions.
Program topics include the global climate crisis, protection of the commons, biomimicry, waste reduction, renewable energy, natural medicines, independent media, food and farming, indigenous knowledge systems, etc.
The Northland Bioneers Conference is designed to gather and inspire people in the Midwest to utilize natural systems in developing and restoring our communities. Bioneers are scientists and artists, gardeners and economists, activists and public servants, architects and ecologists, farmers and journalists, priests and shamans, policymakers and citizens. They are everyday people committed to solving environmental and social problems through a reciprocal partnership with nature.
National presenters include 15 of the leading thinkers on environmental and social innovation, such as Paul Hawken, Lois Gibbs and Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.
Local presenters include:
– Horst M. Rechelbacher: "Alivelihood: The Art of Sustainable Success." He is an active environmentalist, innovative business leader, author and artist. He is the founder of the Aveda Corporation, and he started Intelligent Nutrients, a biodynamic and organic-based functional foods and nutraceuticals. He is the author of three books – Rejuvenation, Aveda Rituals and his latest release, Alivelihood. Horst lectures internationally on topics ranging from socially responsible businesses to petrochemical-based societies verses plant-based societies to the mutual dependence of all things.
– Dr. David Wallinga: "Our Children’s Bio-based Future: Innovating Beyond Petro, Plastic and Processed Foods." He is a physician and director of the Antibiotic Resistance Project at the Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy [www.iatp.org]. He’s a national expert in the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, as well as in the regulation of pesticides and other environmental chemicals and their health impacts on children. He is author of Putting Children First: Making Pesticide Levels in Food Safer for Infants & Children.
– Ronnie Cummins: "Positive Signs That Point to a Second American Revolution; One That Will Unite World Citizens Toward Planetary Health." He is the current national director of the Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association, an online and grassroots non-profit public interest organization campaigning for health, justice and sustainability [www.organicconsumers.org]. Cummins has been active as a writer, activist, and organizer since 1967 and has extensive experience in human rights, anti-war, anti-nuclear, labor, consumer and sustainable agriculture campaigns. He is the author of Genetically Engineered Food: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers.
– J. Drake Hamilton: "Global Warming Solutions: 21st Century Energy Solutions to Grow Our Economy, Make People Healthier and Fight Global Warming." She is science policy director for the private, non-profit Fresh Energy [www.fresh-energy.org], which advocates for energy solutions that lead to healthy economies, healthy people, a healthy environment and greater energy independence. Hamilton’s specialty is communicating global warming solutions.
– Constance Grauds, R.Ph.: "Ecological Medicine: Healing The People and The Planet." She is president of the Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists [www.anmp.org], on the adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality and Healing, and instructor at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. She is also author of The Energy Prescription, and Jungle Medicine…from Medicine to Magic. She is director of the Center for Spirited Medicine [www.spiritedmedicine.com] and executive director of the Spirited Medicine Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to bringing together medicine, spirit, and ecology for the health and welfare of the Earth and its inhabitants.
