Bioneers promote stewardship

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Brethren 7th grader Brandon Dozier tries to use a mallet and chisel during the Great Lakes Bioneers Conference. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

October 17, 2010

Conference offers seminars, more

BY ART BUKOWSKI abukowski@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Sun Oct 17, 2010, 07:54 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — Stephanie McPherson believes the the Great Lakes Bioneers conference couldn't be in a more fitting location.

The annual conference — with its slogan of "Inspiring Action for People and Planet" — boasts a wide array of seminars, workshops, concerts, films and more, most with a goal of encouraging social and environmental stewardship.

"I think it's wonderful, especially since we have so much to protect with all of our water and parks and super resources here in the region," said McPherson, 33, a Traverse City resident.

The conference, held in the region for nearly 10 years, continues today at Northwestern Michigan College. Most events are inside Scholars Hall. For more information, go to ww.glbconference.info.

Michigan State University professor Ted Loudon, Holland resident Bob McDonald and Traverse City resident Bill Jones planned Saturday to give a presentation on sand filters for clean water in developing countries. Their group, Aqua Clara, works primarily to ensure that people who make less than $2 a day have access to cheap, clean water.

Though they were set to speak about efforts on the other side of the globe, they hoped their presentation would resonate with and inspire locals to take action.

"Turns out, people attend a class like this and then come with us to Honduras, or Mexico, or Tanzania," McDonald said.

NMC students Steve Tate and Jordan Bainbridge planned to attend the clean water workshop. The two had to pick a presentation for class, and clean water caught their eye.

"I think it will be interesting and something we'll remember, definitely," Bainbridge, 19, said. "It will be worth our time."

Dale Murray, 63, is a Battle Creek resident who regularly travels up for the conference. He comes to sell hand-made drums he's made for years, but it's not the business that brings him back. He likes seeing familiar faces, and he's always impressed with the area's desire to support the environment.

"I don't make a lot of money here, but I see people I know," he said. "People are a lot more aware and concerned with the kind of things that Bioneers does, coming up with natural solutions and earth-friendly solutions to problems."

Local vendors also participated. Peter Makin, owner of Brilliant Books in Suttons Bay, brought a large collection of eco-themed books, along with works written by several speakers featured at the conference. It was his first appearance at a Bioneers conference.

"We already have a good selection of books like this in our store, so it just seemed like a natural thing to do," Makin said.

Makin did a brisk business when the conference opened Friday, perhaps in part because of the conference's underlying message.

"Bioneers tend to be a nice green crowd, and they understand the importance of buying local," he said, adding that buying a book from an online bookseller, which has to pack and ship the item, is about "the least green thing you can do."