Land & Environment

Water, Air at top of Bioneers' Agendas

By Katie Ashton
Published: Wednesday, October 12, 2005, in The Utah Statesman  
 
Community members and students will come together this weekend to discuss the roles alternative transportation, food security and clean air and water play in everyday life at the second annual Bioneers conference.
 
This conference, which is based in California and has more than 10 satellite sites across the nation, brings national speakers to Utah State University that many students would never be able to hear if it weren't for this conference, Leona Hawks, co-chair of the USU Bioneers committee, said.
 
These speakers are "forward thinkers and visionaries of the future," she said, and this conference creates opportunities for students to participate in discussions with them throughout the weekend.
 
"It's great info for students," Hawks said. "It really broadens their view on the world."
 
Last year's conference resulted in many students implementing ideas from the conference into community service projects and sub committees were formed to help solve local problems, such as air quality, she said.
 
"I think it is an unique opportunity for students to hear from people from all over the country," Meghan Wereley, a senior majoring in environmental studies, said. Having attended last year's conference and planning to attend this years, Wereley said this weekend will provide students with the opportunity to hear speakers from across the nation, broadcast via satellite to the university.
 
"I think it is really important for students to get that perspective," she said.
 
The keynote speakers for this year's conference are Dr. John Ikerd, professor emeritus from the University of Missouri, and Chip Ward, a political activist and author. Ikerd will speak at 6:50 p.m. Friday on food security. Recognized for his expertise in sustainable agriculture, Ikerd has addressed this issue throughout the country and world.
 
The second keynote speaker will give his lecture at 9:05 a.m. Saturday. Ward, who is the co-founder of Families Against Incinerator Risk and HEAL Utah, will speak on making habitats whole. Ward is the author of "Hope's Horizon: Three Visions for Healing the American Land."
 
The conference will also provide workshops for those who attend, ranging from highlighting a "veggie car," which has converted vegetable oil into a fuel source, to discussions on green development, Hawks said.
 
Registration will continue until the day the conference begins. It is $20 for USU students, but if students are in the College of Agriculture, Education or Business, they can apply for scholarships to the conference by contacting the dean's office in each respective college. However, College of Business students should contact Kay Anderson in the CEO center of the Business Building, Hawks said.
 
For more information about the conference, visit the Web site.
 

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