Hydrofracking Activists Join Green Party Gathering

A series of workshops, presentations and strategic planning sessions on the political steps needed to replace fossil fuels and nuclear power with reduced energy usage and alternative energy sources is attracting hydrofracking activists to Green Fest. The program features four forums and 30 workshops on a wide range of ecological, peace and justice topics (see workshop list below).

Confirmed speakers include Richard Grossman, David Cobb, Virginia Rasmussen, Howie Hawkins, Cecile Lawrence, Tony Gronowicz, Farheen Hakeem, Ursula Rozum, John Rensenbrinck, Bill Belitskus, Jay Sweeney, Mary Jo Long, Mike Bernhard, Ken Gale, David Doonan, Jack Ossont, Kate Bartholomew, Barry Miller and Dianne Roe. Elizabeth May, the first Green elected to the Canadian parliament, David Korten, author of Agenda for a Local Economy and Tina Clarke from the transition towns movement will address the gathering by Skype.

Building Local Economies, Fri., Aug. 5, 6:45 pm — 8:45 pm

Presenters: David Korten on "Agenda for a Local Economy," Tina Clarke and David Doonan on the Transistion Town Movement, Opening music: Woven Green Band, Moderator: Tim Bancroft, Location: Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center

Local Sovereignty over Fossil Fuel Extraction, Sat., Aug. 6, 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm

Presenters: Richard Grossman, Virginia Rasmussen, Mary Jo Long, Jack Ossont, Gary Abraham, Opening music: Carl Lundgren, Moderator: Kate Bartholomew, Location: Solar Stage on Campus Quad

Campaigning for Local Economies and Clean Energ, Sat., Aug. 6, 6:45 pm — 8:45 pm

Presenters: Elizabeth May, Kent Mesplay, Colia Clark, Bill Belitskus, Jay Sweeney, Green Candidates and Office Holders, Opening music: Crow Weaver, Moderator: David Cobb, Location: Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center

The Future of Sustainable Politics, Sun., Aug. 7, 11:15 am — 12:45 pm

Presenters: John Resenbrinck, Greg Gerritt, Howie Hawkins, Cecile Lawrence, Opening poetry: Michael Czarnecki, Moderator: Jason Nabewaniec, Location: Solar Stage on Campus Quad

For more information about the presenters, click here. Outstanding musicians will perform throughout the weekend on our solar stage and for the evening programs:  including Crow Weaver, Carl Lundgren, Leonard Lehrman and Helene Williams, the Woven Green band from northern Virginia, and the Lucky Pluckers.The Bloodthirsty Vegans from Buffalo will return with their great dance music for the Saturday evening fundraiser.

Ecology Workshops

• Environmental Impacts of Pottery Production, Elaine Hardman
• Hazelnut and Chestnut Trees for Permaculture and Reforestation in the Northeast, Tom Potts
• The Health of Bees and the Implications of Their Decline, Bob Brachmann
• Poetry in Place Workshop, Mike Czarnecki
• Real Food Workshop, Tim Koegel

Energy Workshops

• Build Your Own Wind Turbine, Barry Miller
• Building a Mass Movement to Criminalize Corporate Hydrofracking: Workshops 1, 2 and 3, Richard Grossman
• Building a National Anti-Fracking Campaign, David Doonan
• Finger Lakes Energy Challenge -- Working to Reduce Our Fossil Fuel Consumption, Gay Nicholson
• Free Energy Solutions, Barry Miller
• Harms of Gas Drilling Caused by Poor Energy Policies, Bill Belitskus
• Inconvenient Truths about Wind Energy, Gary Abraham
• Low-Cost Solar DIY, Dave Fagan and Mary Joy Cady-Fagan
• Rekindling the Anti-Nuclear Movement after Fukushima, Ken Gale, Carl Lundgren
  
• Renewable Energy Solutions, Ken Gale
  
• Solar Water Heating Basics, Barry Miller
  
• Talk, Write, Connect, Change, Cecile Lawrence
  

Media Workshops

• How to be an Effective Media Activist through Video, Wilton Vought
• Media Workshops 1 and 2, Scott McLarty
• Planning and Facilitating Public Rituals for Turbulent Times, Jil St. Ledger-Roty

Political Workshops

• Abolish Corporate "Personhood,", David Cobb and Virginia Rasmussen
• The Bias of Temperament in American Politics, William Kreml
• Courting the Anarchist Vote: Finding the Common Denominator of Autonomy, Darin Robbins
• Ecological Socialism vs. Capitalist Exterminism, Howie Hawkins
• Leveraging Privilege to Transform Oppression & Build Power, George Friday and David Cobb
• Malapportionment vs. The National Popular Vote: Initiatives to Reform the Electoral College, Asa Gordon
• The Principle of Green Political Independence, or Why Progressive Democrats Reinforce Corporate Rule, Howie Hawkins
  Resisting Neoliberalism and Organizing for Eco-Justice in the Americas, Ursula Rozum
• Third Parties as Real Change, Anthony Gronowicz
• Welcoming Muslims to the Green Movement: Fighting Islamophobia, Farheen Hakeem
• What would a Green Non-Violent Foreign Policy Look Like?, John Rensenbrinck