04/14/2008

'A Lighter Footprint': Sustainability Conference May 16-17

Writer:

Martha Filipic
filipic.3@cfaes.osu.edu
(614) 292-9833

Source:

Jeff Sharp, Human and Community Resource Development
sharp.123@osu.edu
(614) 292-9410

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Local foods. Alternative transportation. Living with a smaller environmental footprint. All are topics to be covered at an upcoming conference, "Sustainability Now! Strategies for Personal and Community Action" on Ohio State University's agricultural campus.

The conference, to be held on Friday evening and Saturday, May 16-17, has two major focus areas: how people can live in a more sustainable way in their day-to-day living, and how communities can build infrastructure and promote more sustainable living among residents, said Jeff Sharp, associate professor of rural sociology and one of the conference's organizers.

"We used the exclamation point in the title of the conference on purpose," Sharp said. The need for people and communities to adopt practices that use fewer resources has become much more urgent in recent years, he said: "We simply don't have the luxury of deferring on this any more."

"Sustainability Now!" is the seventh annual conference jointly sponsored by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences' Social Responsibility Initiative and the community organization Simply Living. This year, the Columbus Green Forum is also a sponsor. Details are available at http://sri.osu.edu/sustainabilitynow/. The registration deadline is May 10.

The conference begins Friday evening with a keynote address by Jim Merkel, author of Radical Simplicity.

"Merkel was trained as an engineer, and the book is a great guidebook outlining in detail how we can live more simply and lightly on the Earth," Sharp said. "It gives people benchmarks and ways to measure their levels of consumption. And, he's dynamic and personable. Some people think living simply is an austere idea, but he embraces it with joy."

On Saturday, the event begins with a plenary session at 9 a.m. Breakout sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. will focus on topics such as local foods and alternative food systems; sustainable communities and neighborhoods; alternative transportation systems and bicycle maintenance. The program ends at 4:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

"There's been a surge of interest in these topics," Sharp said. "With that in mind, we're gearing some of the sessions to people who are new to the idea of living more lightly on the Earth, while others will be geared to people who have been involved for awhile." The conference also is designed to bring together community residents and Ohio State students who have similar interests, he said.

In addition, a Central Ohio Youth Summit planned during the conference is designed to bring high school students together to discuss youths' role in environmental sustainability. An application form, due by May 1, is available on the Web site. The Youth Summit is free but is limited to 25 students.

Space is limited. Registration, due by May 10, is $40 for adults; $35 for members of Simply Living; or $12 for students. Children are free but must be registered. Late registration (if space remains available after May 10) is $45. Registration to attend only the Friday evening keynote address is $15.

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