The 23rd Annual National Bioneers Conference Announces Ecological, Sustainability, and Environmental Activism Programming

Online, August 14, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The National Bioneers Conference serves as a premium platform for leading voices in the worlds of sustainability and environmentalism. During the annual three-day event, visionaries will propose, debate and initiate solutions to global bio-cultural and socio-ecological issues. Now in its 23rd year, this annual conference provides professionals in business, academia, non-profits, and government the opportunity to hear innovative plenaries, engage in provocative panels and workshops, and network with a movement of people resolved to progressive action in restoring people and planet. The conference runs from October 19th through October 21st, 2012 at the Marin Center, San Rafael, CA.

National Bioneers Conference presenters and speakers include Annie Leonard, author of 'The Story of Stuff' and Director of 'The Story of Stuff Project'. Leonard's viral hit short film, which takes viewers on a provocative and eye-opening tour of the often hidden costs of our consumer driven culture, has generated over 13 million online views around the world. It is one of the most successful environmental-themed viral films of all time. Famed environmental activist, journalist, and 350.org founder, Bill McKibben, whose recent Rolling Stone magazine article entitled 'Global Warming's Terrifying New Math' has become a viral phenomena, will deliver his Keynote presentation, 'The Climate Fight Gets Hotter' on Saturday morning. Friday morning speakers include Gretchen Daily, Ph.D., the internationally renowned pioneer in developing new approaches to harmonizing conservation and development. Dr. Daily will deliver a Keynote presentation entitled 'Harmonizing People and Nature A New Business Model' in the main theatre on the Marin Center (San Rafael, CA) grounds.

With thirteen Keynotes and a plethora of sessions to choose from, conference programming offers a wealth of presenters and covers a breadth of global issues. For the convenience of attendees, Bioneers organizers have dissected the offering into a series of convenient content tracks. Bioneers Founder and CEO, Kenny Ausubel explains, "Most people are passionately interested in one or two topics or issues. These become points of entry because the beauty of the conference is that then you find out how they're connected to everything else."

2012 National Bioneers Conference Session Tracks:

Eco-nomics: Green Business & Entrepreneurship
Ecological Design: Nature's Operating Instructions
Ecological Medicine: Healing the Earth, Healing Ourselves
Education: Ecological Literacy and Educational Systems
Food & Farming: Organic Food & Ecological Agriculture
Indigenous Forum: Native Wisdom & Resilience
Justice: Human Rights, Equity, and the Rights of Nature
Media: The Media Commons
Nature, Culture, The Arts & Spirit: Honoring the Mystery
Restoring Ecosystems: Biological Diversity, Conservation, and Restoration
Youth Leadership: Generation Green
Women's Leadership: Women's Leadership Initiates & Perspectives

In addition to innovative and compelling content programming, the 2012 National Bioneers Conference includes truly unique and inspiring exhibits, such as The Whidbey GeoDome. The GeoDome is a portable immersive visualization environment (an inflatable dome, 25 feet in circumference and 13 feet high) that can provide breath-taking visualizations of a guided tour of the universe, the evolution of life on earth, the unfolding story of humanity, and ecosystemic insights into one's own bioregion. This year's conference also hosts The Lexicon of Sustainability, which is based on a simple premise: People can't be expected to live more sustainable lives if they don't even know the most basic terms and principles that define sustainability. In all, nearly 200 leaders in food and farming from across the country have contributed their valued experiences to this rapidly growing Lexicon of Sustainability. These insights have been translated into large format 'information art' photo collages, a series of short films, and pop-up shows across the U.S. Some of the lighter fair includes the fierce and fun TRashion Show, produced by Truckee High School's Envirolution Club. High fashion collides artistically with recycling when young designers use their creative talents, humor and refuse from a throwaway society to fashion a message of environmental responsibility.

Online attendance registration for this productive and educational event is available at http://bioneers.org/conference. One, two, and three day pass registration allows access to day and evening sessions and events. This includes the plenaries and keynote addresses, panel sessions and breakout workshops, book signings, music and dance performances, art and interactive exhibits, councils and community meetings, film screenings, and more. There will also be opportunities to attend special events, such as the delicious and popular Food & Farming Banquet and participate in the green and fair-trade Silent Auction, which helps support Bioneers Programs, as well as the annual National Bioneers Conference.