Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Learn About Earth-Friendly Lifestyle and An Energy Efficient Household

Want to learn how to make your household more energy efficient or take your earth-friendly lifestyle to the next level? The free Green Living Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6 at McHenry County College’s Multipurpose room in Building may provide the answers you need. The location is 8900 US Highway 14, just north of its intersection with Illinois Route 176.

Approximately 50 exhibitors representing local businesses will be available to help residents use less energy, eat healthier and find environmentally-friendly products. Exhibits will feature geothermal, solar and wind energy companies, local food suppliers and associations, environmental organizations and building supply companies who specialize in energy efficiency and/or renewal. A chiropractor and a pet kennel are also included.
Another highlight will include “What is a Green Kitchen,” a presentation at 12:45 p.m. by Thomas Kaltenecker, CHE, MCFE, executive chef and instructor of culinary management at MCC, who will present valuable information with a dash of humor.

 “This is a chance for you to help your family live healthier, save money and be good to the planet,” said Pat Dieckhoff, waste reduction assistant for the Lou Marchi Total Recycling Institute at MCC. “We bring together companies who offer products and services to green your life in all areas, including eating local health food to reducing energy use at home and at work.”

The expo runs concurrently with the Bioneers at MCC Conference, which takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the MCC Conference Center. Admission to the conference is $30 for adults and $20 for students. The fee includes lunch featuring local organic food prepared by MCC Culinary Management Program students in cooperation with Chef Zak Dolezal from Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen in Crystal Lake.

New highlights of the conference will be speakers from the October 2010 National Bioneers Conference via DVD:  10:15-11:15 a.m., Gary Hirshberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farm, world’s largest organic yogurt company; 2:30-3:15 p.m., Andy Lipkis, founder of TreePeople, nation’s leader of community-based urban environment initiatives and organizer of the highly successful watershed management process in Los Angeles; and 4-4:45 p.m., John Warner, Ph.D, co-founder of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry and author of more than 100 patents. 

Keynote speaker for the conference will be Jim Braun, coordinator of the Illinois Local Food, Farms and Jobs Council, who will discuss “Food—How It’s All Connected.” Conference breakout sessions on a variety of topics are also featured, including Healthy Food and Schools and Becoming a Four Season Locavore and Greening of the Faith Community.

The Green Living Expo is free and open to the public. For more information or to register for MCC’s local Bioneers conference, visit www.mcbioneers.com or call Kristine Emrich at (815) 479-7570 or Pat Dieckhoff at (815) 479-7817. Or send an email to mccconferencecenter@mchenry.edu.

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