Anyone going to the Bioneers conference Oct 14-16. if so let me know. i'm saving up now and if i have enough and I'm not out of town, i'm going.
http://www.blackwoodland.com/bioneers/info.htm
http://www.bioneers.org/programs/satellite/2005.php
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Bioneers" (root: "biological pioneers") is a term coined by filmmaker, author and eco-activist Kenny Ausubel to describe very diverse individuals and groups working in a broad array of fields who (initially often unbeknownst to each other) generate creative solutions to our environmental and socio-cultural crises rooted in a few shared values, including: holistic (or "whole systems") thinking; a recognition of all life's interdependence; and mutual aid. In many cases the technological or social solutions to problems these "practical visionaries" propose are founded on a deep respect for and sophisticated emulation of nature's own self-organizing systems (rather than linear, reductionistic attempts to dominate and subjugate the natural world).
Ausubel founded an annual conference of the same name, which currently takes place in San Rafael, California, the third weekend in October, to highlight the work of these figures and to help support, nurture and propagate their ideas and models. It has, over the course of the last 15 years become, arguably, the nation's leading (and certainly its most diverse, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary) independent eco-conclave, bringing together some of the most accomplished doers and thinkers from a wide range of fields: environmental and socio-political activism; "green" biology, chemistry, design, architecture and urban planning; organic and "beyond organic" farming and gardening; indigenous perspectives; biodiversity and wildland preservation; alternative energy; engaged spirituality, literature and the arts; holistic and "ecological" medicine; ethno-botany; socially-responsible entrepreneurship , business and philanthropy; the environmental justice, women's and youth movements; independent media ; etc.
Finally "Bioneers" is also the name of the Northern New Mexico-based non-profit organization that was originally created to produce the annual event, but whose activities have expanded far beyond that to include a much wider (and steadily growing) array of projects, including: hands-on trainings in various aspects of organic agriculture, the building of a membership base, books, radio series, audio-tapes and DVDs, newsletters, reports, live satellite feeds of the conference to many locales, spin-off events around the country and internationally; film festivals; special youth organizing initiatives; etc, etc.
