Conference on Michigan's Future - November 13 weekend near Traverse City, MI
Conference on Michigan's Future on the November 13 weekend near Traverse City.
This year, the conference features Robert Costanza, Soji Adelaja, Albert Bates, Thomas Greco, Richard Douthwaite, Patrick Moore, Harvey Wasserman, Richard Gilbert, Joe Welch, Dan Scripps, and 30 additional outstanding speakers.
What will be the future of Michigan? How can we prepare for it? What are the challenges we face economically, environmentally, and with energy? How can we best meet these challenges, while increasing resilience, and prepare for an uncertain future?
Highlights include:
* an in-depth evening looking at the future of nuclear energy in Michigan featuring Patrick Moore with the case for nuclear and Harvey Wasserman sharing why nuclear is wrong for Michigan.
* four economists (Robert Costanza, Soji Adelaja, Thomas Greco, Richard Douthwaite, looking at the financial meltdown, how things are likely to unfold in the near future including impacts on investments, and how the long term economy could or should be structured to ensure a sustainable economy with structures such as global currencies, community currencies, and cap & share CO2 systems
* a look at electricity production from coal including what coal supply limits may restrict coal availability (peak coal), giving an idea of how quickly we will need to move away from coal
* four experts address renewable energy incentives (feed-in tariffs) including exactly what are the roadblocks and promises of implementing a feed-in tariff program, similar to the German model, in Michigan, to encourage home owners, business owners, etc. to install solar PV or wind turbines
* a look at the future of the auto industry in Michigan, and an examination by Richard Gilbert on how we can move people and freight with only renewable resources, and why this will be essential due to the shrinking global supply of oil (peak oil)
* an in depth look at ways that individuals and communities have been working to increase their level of sustainability and to improve their resilience to an uncertain future, featuring Albert Bates of the Farm ecovillage, Megan Quinn Bachman of Community Solution, and Michael Brownlee of Transition US
* an examination of how to improve food security at both the local and individual level, including farm markets, organic techniques, and permaculture
* scenario planning, looking at various possibilities for the future, and doing medium and long term planning to maximize benefit in all scenarios with Bryn Davidson of Canada with the Dynamic Cities Project
* an analysis of the status of climate change in Michigan with an up-to-date presentation by Peter Sinclair, examination of animal agriculture on climate change, and efforts being made by corporations to address greenhouse gas pollution
* a overview of the potential for large-scale wind in Michigan including experts regarding on-shore and off-shore wind
* State of Michigan legislators including Wayne Kuipers, Jeff Mayes, and Dan Scripps examining legislation for a sustainable, resilient, and green future
* a 2-hour "envisioning" seminar, focused on creating a vision for a sustainable future of Michigan with Dr. Robert Costanza
Finally, a post-conference focusing on how individuals can work with their communities to improve resilience and sustainability with presenters Albert Bates, Thomas Greco, Megan Quinn Bachman, Michael Brownless, Dawn Moncreif, Thaddeus Owen and Aaron Wissner.
If you have not yet had a chance to register for the conference, please do so before Friday, and save $50 off the late registration prices.
We also build lots of networking time into the conference so you can meet others who share your interests.
