MCC Presents Green Living Expo and 2011 Bioneers Conference Wrap-up

The MCC Presents Green Living Expo and 2011 Bioneers Conference was a huge success again this year!

Over 60 green businesses and organizations exhibited their products and services in the Green Living Expo (GLE)! The green products included everything from LED lighting to eco-fleece clothing made from recycled plastic bottles. The GLE had a record attendance with over 400 people visiting the exhibits and attending the Green Living Demos.

Exhibitor's comments: "I work for a nonprofit organization. We go to a lot of similar events throughout the state and this is one of the best. This was my second year coming to the event. It is always very well attended making it worth the time and effort." "Liked meeting other vendors; good info on green living"

The 2011 Bioneers Conference keynote speaker, Bill Wilson, co-founder of Midwest Permaculture, was well received by the conference's ninety-five (95) attendees. He explored how we can consciously provide all of the goods and services we need while also developing ways to leave the planet in better condition than when we arrived on it. If each successive generation left the planet in better condition, we would be living in a more ideal world today. Permaculture is committed to finding ways to live abundantly well while also caring for the total environment. Permaculture practices can play an important role as McHenry County develops its Green Infrastructure Plan.

Selected videos from the 2011 Bioneers Conference gave the attendee's the latest environmental information on bimimicry, the future of energy and the local food movement. The full set of DVDs from the 2011 Bioneers Conference will be available in the MCC Library. For more information, go to www.bioneers.org.

The six break-out sessions provided participants with regional speakers and discussions on the following topics: green infrastructure, how institutions can ramp up local food, climate change educational resources, resolving local water issues, alternative energy options and the Illinois smart grid, plus understanding earth ethics.

Attendee's favorite parts: "Keynote speaker and Reinventing Fire. I appreciate the eco-friendly things provided." "Seeing how all the different environmental things all relate to each other" "Meeting like-minded individuals, learning about what they are doing in the community, ideas!"