MCC to host Bioneers Speaker Series
Submitted by McHenry County College
How do we build a more sustainable world? Find out by attending the free Great Lakes Bioneers Speaker Series at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 4-18, in the Luecht Conference Center at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.
The three-part series continues Feb. 11 and 18 and follows the premise: “Inspiring a shift to live on earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations.”
Experts in local and global issues facing our planet today will present information about renewable energy and the future of power, green economy careers, expanding local food production, and nature’s resilience in climate change.
The first lecture on Feb. 4 will feature the topics: “Green Means Go! Jobs, Renewable Energy, and the Future of Power,” presented by Sarah White, Ph.D, senior associate at the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, a national policy center at the University of Wisconsin, dedicated to high-road economic development.
Her work focuses on the intersection of labor, education and energy policy at the state and federal levels. She is a national expert on jobs and training in the emerging green economy. She has published on education for sustainability and social change, including most recently “Greener Reality: Resilience, Equity, and Skill Formation in a Cleaner U.S. Economy.”
Also, Billy Parrish of Solar Mosaic, a company that connects investors to high quality solar projects, will appear via DVD.
“Expanding Local Food Production Through Aquaponics and Hydroponics” will be featured at 7 p.m. Feb. 11, with Andy McGee, Chicago Botanic Garden’s aquaponics specialist; Kirk Cashman, owner of Cashmore’s Produce and Ponics; and David Nabong, MCC adjunct hydroponics instructor and garden and horticultural specialist at Brew & Grow Alternative Garden Supply in Crystal Lake.
At 7 p.m. Feb. 18, the topic will be “Adapt to Changing Conditions: Embodying Nature’s Resilience Principles in the Face of Climate Change” featuring Amy Coffman Phillips, B-Collaborative, designer and facilitator, and Janine Benyus, founder and president of Biomimicry Network, will appear via DVD.
The speaker series is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.mchenry.edu/bioneers or call the MCC Sustainability Center at (815) 479-7765.