By Chris Stephens

The Bluegrass Bioneers, a non-profit organization based in Louisville is hosting a three-day conference discussing “global inspiration meets local innovation.” They are responsible for the southeast region portion of the conference that works to produce high sustainability in nature.

“The Bluegrass Bioneers is a satellite event of the national Bioneers conference that has been occurring for a few years out in San Rafael, CA,” said U of L Sustainability Coordinator Justin Mog. “The idea behind Bioneers in general is to get people together to discuss sustainable solutions inspired by nature. We can learn how to manage our own affairs from the way nature does.”

The Bioneers will open the conference on Friday Oct. 24 in the Humanities Building 100. On Saturday, the Bioneers will migrate to the Jefferson Community & Technical College Health Sciences Building, and to cap off the conference the Bioneers will pay a visit to Bellarmine University’s Frazier Hall.

U of L and JCTC were co-hosts of the conference last year.

“The organizers of Bioneers are a community group, and U of L has played a role in hosting the conference. In the early years it was all held on campus, and in recent years has started branching out,” said Mog. “There are people doing great work all over town, and there are people and continuing through Sunday afternoon the sixth annual Bluegrass Bioneers Conference will speak about topics that center interested at all three schools. It gives a chance for each school to showcase what they are doing.”

The conference will discuss numerous themes linked directly to human sustainability issues.

“What we’re trying to be are more compassionate people, compassionate for other species on the planet, compassionate for the planet itself, and compassionate for other people.  You have to build on the social, and community side of it, the compassion side of it,” said Mog.

There are a plethora of national speakers on campus over the three day conference to discuss the aforementioned themes as well as additional topics.

“The idea is to tie in what we have to present locally with the things that they will be talking about with some of the similar themes reflected at the national level,” said Mog.

The Bluegrass Bioneers Conference is a free event, but dinner at the U of L, and JCTC sites will cost you $27 and $15 respectively. Meal tickets must be purchased online at www.uofl.sodexomyway.com or www.brownpapertickets.com.

Photo Courtesy U of L