RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
(Updated on a regular basis. Please check back soon!)
The Green Side of Hope
“The Green Side of Hope” contradicts some of the popular stereotypes regarding today’s—and tomorrow's—environmental challenges. Forget the doom and gloom! The reality is that we are re-inventing life as we know it. Already, these challenges have ignited a resurgence of global entrepreneurial spirit resulting in a wave of amazing innovations. We will introduce you to a series of new products and services that will change your life, and a series of ideas that will change your world over the course of the next 20 years. Welcome to the Green Renaissance! As the Renaissance of 600 years ago reconnected people to classical learning and knowledge, the Green Renaissance is re-connecting people to their planet and to each other. Hear why this is one of the most exciting times to be alive and part of this global experience.
Who should attend: Anyone interested in how new ideas, products, and services are fueling the Green Renaissance, as well as anyone wanting to hear about the positive side of how people are rising to meet our current environmental challenges.
What you’ll learn: Participants will learn about ideas, products, and services—from across the world—that are transforming every part of life as we know it. Learn how these innovations can improve your health, your life, and your world.
How this knowledge can be applied: People can apply the information provided to every facet of life—health, wealth, community, family, work, and faith. Regardless of your locale, occupation, politics, or faith, we will show you how the Green Renaissance can make a positive impact on your life, now.Kristen Koeppen, RegRelief International, St. Paul, Minnesota
Mariann Zanardo, managing director/key strategist, RegRelief International; author, Balancing Big Blue: The Green Side of Hope and the Green Renaissance, St. Paul, Minnesotakey words: environment, sustainability, society, energy, ecology
issue areas: Resources and Environment; Social and Cultural Trends
SPECIAL EVENT
Capacity to Govern Evolution: Will Video Games and the Internet Help or Hinder Environmental Sustainability?What will be the likely effect of today’s information technology (IT) on the brains and consciousness of young people? Will the new information environment of the Internet, coupled with the influence of sophisticated, multi-sensory, and interactive video games, help humans address the challenges of the twenty-first century, such as environmental stewardship? Or, will infoglut and video game escapism hinder consciousness-raising and capacity building? Even if many young people do become deeply “green” in their worldviews and politics, will they have sufficient political power to make a difference?
Who should attend: Anyone interested in global issues, sustainability, IT, and human consciousness.
What you’ll learn: Participants will learn how new information technology may reshape human consciousness, the complexity of global environmental problems, and how capacity to govern evolution can best be built.
How this knowledge can be applied: This knowledge may be applied to build better educational programs.William Crossman, CompSpeak 2050 Institute for the Study of Talking Computers and Oral Cultures; author, VIVO (Voice-In/Voice-Out): The Coming Age of Talking Computers, Oakland, California
Michael Marien, founder and editor, Future Survey, LaFayette, New Yorkkey words: Internet, environment, information, human consciousness
issue areas: Resources and Environment; Social and Cultural Trends; Technology and Science
An Examination of the Future of Wind Energy
This session focuses on wind power, a viable, dependable, and long-term energy source that has proven to be a key factor in mitigating our reliance on fossil fuel generation resources. We will discuss supporting topics related to the tangible positive environmental effects, such as personal choices we can make as consumers to invest in environmental stewardship, development, and construction processes; present and future national/global trends in wind power; institutional investment in green energy; economic impacts that wind projects offer our communities; political trends in support of this bountiful resource; wind energy facts and myths; and social and political challenges.
Who should attend: Policy makers, environmental groups, students, and academia.
What you’ll learn: Attendees will learn that wind power is a natural resource that must be relied upon as an energy component for future sustainable living.
How this knowledge can be applied: This knowledge can be applied in both professional and personal ways. We can influence how our professional organizations can make forward-thinking energy decisions and we can practice renewable energy environmental stewardship every time we pay our energy bill.Brent Bergland, director of business development, M.A. Mortenson Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota
key words: wind, energy, environment, resources
issue area: Resources and Environment
The Earth’s Water and New Models for Global Development
Will our planet have enough water in 2025? If oil was the critical liquid of the 20th century, water will be the focus of attention in the 21st century. It can be argued that while civilizations can learn to live without oil, no human group has ever survived for long without access to a sustainable supply of fresh water. The tragedy is that most water shortages do not have to happen. In some locations, more than 85% of available water is lost due to leaks and wastage. Managing water well is the first step in alleviating poverty.
The Network Model of National Development, an approach that promises to help nations around the globe to sustainably meet both their energy and water needs, encourages local people to build numerous microdams and reservoirs in their own backyards, rather than relying on massive government-built dams that usually displace residents and transfer waste to distant locations.Who should attend: Anyone who has an interest in gaining an understanding of how widespread water shortages will impact human civilizations.
What you’ll learn: Participants will gain a broad overview of the future issues relating to water.
How this knowledge can be applied: It will be shown how ordinary people can build small, “backyard” dams and reservoirs, making them almost independent of government-controlled supplies of water.Paul D. Tinari, director, Pacific Institute for Advanced Study, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
key words: water, technology, resources
issue area: Resources and Environment
The Future of Fuels for Transportation
Today we rely on petroleum to fuel transportation. Between now and 2050, a dramatic shift is expected to take place as petroleum fuels are replaced by new fuels and vehicle systems. The change has already begun as manufacturers introduce a new generation of hybrid electric vehicles. This session provides insights into some of the likely future fuel and vehicle systems including hybrids, biofuels, fuel cells, and coal-based fuel. The transition beyond petroleum will involve many costly and complex issues including changes to the production and distribution infrastructure, point-of-sale stores, air pollution including carbon dioxide, water and soil pollution, and costs per mile traveled. At the same time, vehicle makers will wrestle with issues such as range, cost per mile, acceleration, weight capacity, purchase price, lifetime and recycling. Will we change in one giant leap or gradually shift with each new vehicle purchase over decades?
Who should attend: Anyone interested in what comes next at the filling station and the car lot.
What you’ll learn: Attendees will learn about the major issues regarding fuel for transportation including the areas of progress.
How this knowledge can be applied: Participants will leave with some new ideas about their next vehicle purchase.Massoud Amin, director, Center for the Development of Technological Leadership, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
David Keenan, president, Small Technology Consulting, Eagan, Minnesota
Rolf Nordstrom, director, Upper Midwest Hydrogen Initiative, Great Plains Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesotakey words: alternate fuels, transportation
issue area: Resources and Environment
Rural Design: A New Discipline
How Minnesota deals with major changes in farming, small towns, and the quality of rural life now will have a direct impact on the preservation and future development of rural Minnesota. The long-term economic health of the state as a major global center is dependent on planners taking a holistic and inclusive approach to rural issues. The Center for Rural Design is an intercollegiate entity of the University of Minnesota College of Design and College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences. It offers an integrated problem-solving approach that cuts across disciplines and interests to promote communication and learning in rural communities through research-based projects. It also seeks to encourage policy-makers to dialogue on possible design responses to complex rural land and community issues. The presentation will illustrate current projects where the Center is assisting rural communities to create a community-based land-use vision for their futures and for the state. It may be a model that can be used around the world.
Who should attend: Anyone interested or concerned with the future of rural environments and rural economic development around the world.
What you’ll learn: Rural design is a problem-solving process and a methodology that can be used to integrate rural land issues and, as an interdisciplinary effort, it can bring synergism to the creative process.
How this knowledge can be applied: Rural design is a way of thinking and acting holistically and can be used by every rural business, organization, or individual to be creative in solving rural land-use problems.Dewey Thorbeck, adjunct professor of architecture; director, Center for Rural Design, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota; founder, Thorbeck Architects Ltd., Minneapolis, Minnesota
key words: rural, design, economic, development
issue areas: Resources and Environment; Social and Cultural Trends; Learning and Education
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