Twin Cities Second Northland Bioneers Conference November 2-4

Providing Practical Solutions to Today’s Most Pressing Environmental and Social Issues

Immediate Release

Contact:

Christian-Philippe Quilici
Haberman and Associates, Inc.
(612) 372-6458/christian@modernstorytellers.com

ST. PAUL, MN - August 21, 2007 – The second Northland Bioneers Conference returns to Minnesota, November 2-4. It will serve as a convening place for the growing number of Midwestern people and organizations keen to protect and sustain the ecosystem by illuminating the connections between the environment, social health, economics, science and spirituality. National and local leaders will showcase practical solutions to today’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.

This year’s conference will take place at the UAW Ford Training Center on the Mississippi River at Ford Parkway thanks to a cooperative effort with the United Auto Workers Labor and Sustainability Group. The emcee for festivities will be Gemma Bulos, musician and founder of internationally acclaimed, A Single Drop. Susan Hubbard, CEO of Eureka Recycling, a non-profit successfully dispelling the concept of waste, will offer a keynote address. Performing musical artist Michael Monroe will provide entertainment.

The Northland Bioneers Conference (www.nbconference.org) is one of 22 regional conferences across North America. Each serves as a companion event to the 18th annual Bioneers Conference (www.bioneers.org) out of San Rafael, California. The national conference will take place two weeks prior to the Minnesota event. Bioneers is the preeminent continental gathering of people attending to the conservation of biological and cultural diversity, ecological design, sustainable food and farming, independent media, community leadership, and the environmental and social renaissance.

The conference is a unique, affordable community event that brings together every day people from all walks of life committed to managing environmental and social dilemmas through a reciprocal partnership with nature. Featured will be screenings of the national Bioneers plenary sessions enriched with locally produced programs on regional issues, community dialogue, networking, entertainment and a green living marketplace.

“The Northland Bioneers Conference is for people who want to benefit many generations ahead by making thoughtful decisions today. Some participants are leading advocates for environmental and social well-being while others are just beginning to understand that how they live influences all other life. We anticipate that more than 600 attendees from the five-state region, will be inspired, informed and will return home with expanded resources to make decisions that benefit themselves, others and the Earth.” said Vonda Vaden, conference director.

Bioneer (root: “biological pioneer”): individual and/or group working in diverse disciplines who has crafted creative solutions to environmental and socio-cultural problems rooted in whole systems thinking and in a view of all life as interdependent.

–Kenny Ausubel, Bioneers founder as well as Central advisor and featured speaker to Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The 11th Hour

A full list of local workshop speakers and presenters will be released in September. Some National Bioneers speakers, shown via DVD include:

  • Winona LaDuke, Minnesota-based author and activist,
  • Jay Harman, CEO of Pax Scientific,
  • Van Jones, founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights,
  • Judy Wicks, local living economies expert,
  • Paul T. Anastas, director of Yale's Center for Green Chemistry
  • Carol Bebelle, New Orleans based writer, producer, arts and social activist

Conference sponsors include: The City of St. Paul, Eureka Recycling, Heartland Circle, Milkweed Editions, Haberman and Associates, Inc., The Human Rights and Peace Store, and Sunday’s Energy.

A weekend pass is $94 before September 30. For program info or to register, visit www.nbconference.org. Scholarships and volunteer opportunities are available.

For Media Info and Interviews contact:

Christian-Philippe Quilici – (612) 338-3900, christian@modernstorytellers.com

Conference Director: Vonda Vaden – (612) 247-0781 or Contact via e-mail

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