MCC reschedules speaker kickoff

McHenry County College has rescheduled its Spring 2011 Speaker Series kickoff for 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, featuring keynote speaker Chris Steiner, Forbes writer and author of “$20 per Gallon.”

This year's speaker's series theme, “Is the Drive for Green Destroying the American Dream?” will explore the definition of green, as well as introduce multiple perspectives on how to “green” your homes and businesses.

The kickoff was originally scheduled for Feb. 1, but was canceled due to the snowstorm. The panel that was scheduled for that date has been combined with the March 15 event.

Steiner, a New York Times best-selling author, is a civil engineer and staff writer at Forbes magazine. His book, “$20 Per Gallon,” was released last July by Grand Central Publishers.

Steiner thought of the concept for his book when he wondered, simply, how will our lives change in a future of higher gas prices?

Steiner, who regularly writes on energy, technology and innovation, researched the question. His examination roamed from Manhattan tunnels to desert plane graveyards to organic farm fields and manifested in his book, which breaks down our future and its coming changes in terms of dollars per gallon.

Before his first reporting job at the Chicago Tribune, Steiner worked as a civil-environmental engineer in San Francisco and Park City, Utah. He holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University. He lives in Evanston, with his wife, Sarah, and his son, Jackson.

The event is free. For details on the Speaker Series, visit www.mchenry.edu/green or contact Christina Haggerty at (815) 455-8727 or e-mail chaggerty@mchenry.edu.