Bioneers

by Lawson Schaller

Bioneers are looking out over a vast new frontier, a frontier of challenges, and a frontier of opportunities.   From world class scientists to ordinary citizens, Bioneers are mustering up the gumption to make meaningful change for our World.  Bioneers is the name of a group founded 20 years ago by Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons.  Bioneers are courageous and industrious souls striking out to improve the world.  Some may feel ‘improve' is a little on the light side.  A heavier opinion may weigh in as…we need to make a huge change from the path we are on in order to save the world.  These needed changes are not only environmental in scope but also social.

The Bioneers website  states "Bioneers is inspiring a shift to live on Earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations."   And, "Bioneers has two keystone goals to help make this shift successfully.

-Connect people with solutions by popularizing breakthrough ideas and practices.
-Grow social capital by catalyzing, connecting and strengthening strategic networks, including bioregional and community-based alliances."

For the last twenty years Bioneers has been reporting and doing outreach and education on solutions.  Bioneers has won awards for their work on films, books, and their radio series.  You may have heard their series, Bioneers:  Revolution From the Heart of Nature on our local public radio station.  You may have heard Stacey Hunt and Mike Jencks interviewed by Guy Rathbun recently on KCBX.  If not, listen to the podcast. 

Stacey and Mike are with Ecologistics, a local non-profit that is organizing and hosting the inaugural Central Coast Bioneers Conference October 15-17.  These are the same dates as the International Bioneers Conference being held in San Rafael.  The Ecologistics web site has the digital brochure for this event to be held at Cal Poly. 

Our local/regional conference (including the Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey region) will include aspects of the international conference being held in San Rafael.   One can keep their carbon foot print small by attending the local conference.   At the Central Coast Bioneers Conference you will have the opportunity to participate in experiential art, music, food, different exhibitors, and local, regional, and international speakers.  Jane Goodall will be speaking from San Rafael and beamed into the Central Coast Bioneers Conference!  A must see.   Another speaker beaming in will be Dr. James Hansen, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

Like the international conference, the local conference will have an amazing range of opportunities to learn about and participate in sustainable food supplies, human impact on marine life, the ecology of leadership, home scale permaculture, and transforming the economy with rural farms.  There will be award winning documentaries featured such as "Flow." an interesting perspective on the world's water problems.  Also included are "Fresh" and "Carbon Nation," as well as featured shorts by local film makers.  Youth events will be happening, as well as some free events.  This will also be a Zero Waste event which is quite impressive.  It should prove to be a powerful combination of food, music, interaction and education.

There is overlap and commonality between Bioneers and Transition Towns, which was touched upon in a prior month's column.  Strikes me that there is a movement afoot—villages, towns and cities are coming together to build lasting resilient community—a way of life that we can keep in balance and maintain for future generations.  After all our children, grandchildren, and many many generations to come will inherit what we leave (or don't leave).   The time has come for a shift, a change, a movement toward a lasting way of life.  You are invited to participate; it is, after all, a part of your community.   I highly recommend you go to the Central Coast Bioneers inaugural conference and make that change.

A big thanks goes out to Ecologistics and the volunteers for organizing and hosting the event, and also to the sponsors for their support.   If you are interested in volunteering or sponsoring, please contact Ecologistics via their website.

Great Horned Owl image on banner by Cleve Nash