Bioneers conference focuses on sustainability

This Friday through Sunday, members of the IU and Bloomington communities will participate in a national conference on sustainable living. The Bioneers conference is taking place in San Rafael, Calif., and will be broadcast live across the nation. \nIn addition to sharing knowledge via satellite, the Bioneers conference has a local emphasis. Bloomington City Council President Andy Ruff and council member Dave Rollo will give a speech titled "Sustainable Bloomington: Adapting Our City for a Green Future" at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Ballantine Hall room 013. \n"As resource depletion and environmental degradation threaten our society's well-being, local communities should prepare to meet the needs of today without jeopardizing our future," Rollo said. \nFrom 10 a.m. to noon Saturday local Bioneers -- including farmers, students, architects and entrepreneurs -- will be offering various workshops. Community members interested in getting involved in Bloomington's sustainability movement are encouraged to attend. The workshops will be both informative and interactive as participants work together to create real solutions for the future of Bloomington.\n"It is easy to become overwhelmed with the social and environmental problems that we live with day in and day out," said senior Kate Mobley, who is majoring in urban studies and sustainable development. "What I love about Bioneers is that it networks people across the nation and the world who are working for the same principles of ecological and social justice."\nWorkshop leaders will discuss issues such as transportation, communication and urban planning. Mobley will be one of five leaders for Saturday's discussion about urban agriculture.\n"As the price of oil continues to rise, I feel that we need to be aware of just how dependant so many aspects of our daily lives are on availability of cheap and abundant fossil fuel," Mobley said. "I want to know that the Bloomington community will be able to feed itself."\nThe Bioneers will be broadcast live via satellite from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday in Ballantine Hall room 013. Attendees will receive free gifts from national sponsors while supplies last. The full schedule can be accessed online at www.indiana.edu/~relstud/news/.\nThis weekend's conference in California is about bringing people and ideas together. Using satellite technology, Bioneers creates a multilayered network of innovators from a wide variety of disciplines and various parts of the world. The weekend-long program of speakers will be simulcast in 17 various locations across North America. From scientists to moviemakers from Russia to the Bronx, the conference actively builds a community of people dedicated to a healthy, just and sustainable future for all, according to the Bioneers Web site. \nFor more information about this year's conference, contact David Haberman at dhaberma@indiana.edu.