by Elise Goitia '18

What are some ways to make a difference when it comes to the most pressing social and environmental challenges in the world today?

The 2015 Prairie Fire Bioneers Conference—which starts Friday, November 6—will provide a few ideas.

Since 2011, the conference has served to connect Knox College student "bioneers," or innovators working toward a better understanding of the environment and solutions for urgent issues, with the annual National Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California.

Featuring keynote speakers nationally recognized for their solutions to the world's urgent environmental and social issues, students can come watch presentations rebroadcast on a large theatre screen on the Knox campus, as well as participate in the conference's other activities.

The November 6-8 event at Knox will offer local food, a variety of activities, and interactive workshops. The workshops will be led by local speakers on topics such as sustainability, community activism, and traditional and modern agriculture.

Saturday's keynote event, "The Fierce Urgency of Now: Why Green Politics is Essential," will be presented by former Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney. One of the founding members of the Illinois Green Party, Whitney was also involved in nationwide battles against tobacco advertising on behalf of the public health community.

Some of the other activities that will occur during the conference include:

• "Saving the World through Activism and Democracy," an interactive workshop presented by John Curtis, a local farmer, activist and university lecturer.
• "Workplace Sustainability on a Shoestring," an interactive workshop presented by Froggi Van Riper, director of campus sustainability initiatives at Knox College.
• "Talking Sustainable Seafood with Iron Spike and Sitka Salmon Shares," a special lunch discussion at Iron Spike, a local restaurant.

Sponsored by the Knox College Department of Environmental Studies, the Prairie Fire Bioneers conference is free of charge and will take place in the Ford Center for Fine Arts. View the full schedule at www.knox.edu/bioneers.