Bioneers (www.bioneers.org), a nonprofit educational organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet, will kick off its 21st annual conference in the Bay Area on October 15-17. Known as an incubator for breakthrough ideas, Bioneers spotlights compelling solutions to the planet's most challenging issues. Nearly 3,000 attendees will experience stimulating workshops, film screenings, special events and plenaries that focus on food and farming, environment and education, science, and green jobs. In addition, this year's conference gathers female visionaries from around the world to underscore the critical role women are playing in fostering environmental stewardship, politics, social justice, and sustainable agriculture.

This is a monumental year in women's history, and the growing number of leadership roles women are assuming will continue to shape our social landscape. Now more than ever, people are looking to women to collaborate, foster change, build community, and create networks that will pave the way for future generations of leaders. Women speakers include:

• Gloria Feldt, former president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and best-selling author of her newest book, No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power, who will discuss the relationship between women and controversy, and share her personal journey of rising from timid teen to a nationally prominent women's leader.
• Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, who will talk about the role people everywhere must play over the next 50 years to ensure a better future for generations to come.
• Nina Simons, co-CEO and co-founder of Bioneers and author of the newly released Moonrise: The Power of Women Leading from the Heart, will discuss how women are redefining leadership and helping create greater balance in society.

Other leading edge speakers at this year's conference will highlight ways to engage nature for good, the economics of people and planet, the link between space and climate change. Plenaries include:

• Gary Hirshberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farm, the world's largest organic yogurt company
• Andy Lipkis, founder of TreePeople
• Dr. James Hansen, the world's best known climatologist.

"One big difference at Bioneers is the access to our speakers who come to network and hang out with everyone," said Kenny Ausubel, founder and co-CEO of Bioneers.

"Also the quality of the 60 plus panels and workshops each afternoon, populated by a true firmament of stars, is one of the most powerful opportunities for connecting around real issues and solutions."

Bioneers also offers two conference intensives for attendees who want to dive deeper into an issue. This year, workshops focus on a transformational approach to becoming a change agent for global environmental issues, and a special partnership with The Buckminster Fuller Institute on developing an approach to heal the planet within a decade, using Fuller's groundbreaking problem-solving approaches of comprehensive anticipatory design science.

From how mushrooms can save the world, to how Google Earth is protecting the rainforests, the practical solutions that come from the Bioneers conference address many of our most threatening environmental problems.

Bioneers, which is based in New Mexico, has held their annual conference each year in the Bay Area to tap into the region's collective hunger for newer and healthier ways of living. Bioneers content is beamed to over 20 locations nationwide and provides a hub for people who are hungry for change and are working to make a real difference in their communities.

About Bioneers
Bioneers (www.bioneers.org) is a nonprofit educational organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet. Since 1990, Bioneers has acted as a hub of social and scientific innovators with practical and visionary solutions for the world's most pressing environmental and social challenges. A celebration of the genius of nature and human creativity, Bioneers connects people with solutions and each other. Its acclaimed annual national and local conferences are complemented by extensive media outreach including an award-winning radio series, book series, and role in media projects such as Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The 11th Hour.

Bioneers

Bioneers

Bioneers is inspiring a shift to live on Earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations. Founded in 1990, Bioneers promotes practical environmental solutions and innovative social strategies for restoring Earth's imperiled ecosystems and healing our human communities.

We move our mission into action through the following programs: the acclaimed annual Bioneers Conference, in its 22nd year in 2011; Beaming Bioneers, a companion program of community-based satellite conferences across the US; the Bioneers Youth Program; the award-winning national and international radio series, Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature; film festival and third party documentaries; our website; the Bioneers anthology book series; and 6 year round programs; 1. Public Education and Media Outreach, 2. Education for Action, 3. Localization, 4. Bioneers Global , 5. Moonrise – Women's Leadership and Restoring the Feminine, 6. Becoming Native to Place – Indigeneity. In addition, Bioneers acts as a key source for journalists.

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