The Bioneers Conference – “From Breakdown to Breakthrough…”

October 17, 2011 in Uncategorized

As I stated before, this last weekend’s Bioneers conference was large and complex to cover, but we did our best. We made use of three on the scene reporters who were issued press passes to cover the event: Bettina Gray – the co founder of the North American Interfaith Network, Michelle Mueller – a PHD student at the Graduate Theological Union, and myself – one of your PNC Bay Area’s editors. Over the next week or so each of us will be providing additional reports and perspectives. Betinna and Michelle

To set the stage let me quote Bioneers about who they are and what they do:

“As a 501(C)3 nonprofit, we provide solutions-based education and social connectivity through the Bioneers national and local conferences and our programs, including: The Bioneers: Revolution From the Heart of Nature radio series; anthology book series; television programs and online community. We act as a key source for the media. Our materials are used by colleges, schools and organizations. We conduct core programs on Women’s Leadership, Dreaming New Mexico (state-based restoration), Youth and Food Systems.

A New Word : Founder Kenny Ausubel coined the word bioneers in 1990 to describe an emerging culture of social and scientific innovators who are mimicking nature’s operating instructions to serve human ends while enriching the web of life. We take a “solve-the-whole-problem” approach: Taking care of nature means taking care of people – and taking care of people means taking care of nature. It’s part of our mission.”

Kenny Ausubel pointed out that the organization almost went under in the 1990′s just after they moved from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Bay Area in California. They were $10,000 in debt after their first conference here, and looking at possibly closing down. They were saved by a one million dollar anonymous donation that revitalized the organization and they never looked back. Now Bioneers is a vital and powerful environmental organization, a book publishing company, a radio production company, a video production company, and much more. With the help of partners and sponsors they are able to Beam all the conference plenary sessions live to many locations throughout the United States. We were told that this represented over 40,000 additional viewers and participants in local events. They are able to produce DVD’s of these sessions very quickly and then sell the previous days procedings in the on-site Bioneers store. Would that our larger Pagan conferences such as Pantheacon could aspire to this level of organization and outreach.

The conference was divided up into four major subject areas that reflected some of the ongoing Bioneers campaigns -

Each area of intrest had its own large on-site tent or gathering site and extensive programming for those areas. These themes were also represented well in the pleniary presentations. In further posts we will attempt to zero in on these subject areas as they relate to core Pagan and environmental values.

Here is a list of some of the important speakers and presenters: