KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

We are pleased to announce the Keynote Speakers for the 2009 Greening the Heartland conference.

David Suzuki, PhD — New Data Enterprises Ltd.

Time: Monday, June 1, 12:30–1:30 p.m. General Session Title: Economics, Energy and Ecology: Putting Them Back Together Topic: Building a Sustainable Economy Description: Human beings are now a geological force, altering the chemical, physical and biological features of the planet on a global scale. The Economics pursues unachievable endless growth and ignores “nature’s services” as an externality. Fossil and nuclear fuels create environmental problems when they are burned and because they are non-renewable, are unsustainable and cannot be a part of a sustainable energy future. Economics, energy and ecology are intimately interconnected.

Tom Cahill — Principal Technologist, CH2M Hill

Time: Tuesday, June 2, 2:20–3:10 p.m. General Session Title: Sustainable Site Design with Low Impact Development — The Michigan LID Manual Topic: Provide us with options Description: The Low Impact Development Manual has now been developed and released by SEMCOG in an effort to change the way we build and rebuild our communities to greatly reduces the overall impact of development on the environment. This document focuses on the water resource impacts of development, but has implications for related energy impacts as well as the overall quality of life in our urban communities.

Keith Cooley — Chief Executive Officer, NextEnergy

Time: Tuesday, June 2, 11:15–11:40 a.m. General Session Title: Social Equity & Green Jobs – Retooling for a Renewable Future Topic: Tech Renewables Description: Michigan’s brightest potential lies in the repurposing of our massive legacy of manufacturing prowess into the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced energy technology. Not just for the popular and photogenic wind turbines, solar cells, and electric cars, but the less well-known electricity control and conditioning technology, vehicle-to-grid technology, carbon capture and sequestration, geothermal, and the grid technology that underpins it all. With the burgeoning market for energy efficiency, weatherization of homes and commercial structures, and the Governor’s proposed Michigan Energy Corps, the opportunities lie before us to provide green jobs in Michigan.

David Konkle — Director Municipal Energy Services,   ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability

Time: Tuesday, June 2, 11:45 a.m.–12:10 p.m. General Session Title: Strategies for Addressing Energy Issues and Climate Change at the Local Level Topic: Municipal perspective — opportunities for municipalities to be sustainable Description: David Konkle, Energy Office Director for ICLEI-US, will guide participants through the process of creating and implementing a local energy plan and greenhouse gas reduction strategy based on his first-hand experience as Energy Coordinator for the City of Ann Arbor, where he lead its award-winning efforts over the last 20 years.

Doug Farr — President, Farr Associates

Time: Tuesday, June 2, 3:10–4 p.m. General Session Title: Sustainable Urbanism: Beyond Green Buildings Topic: Provide us with options Description: Doug Farr will discuss USGBC’s LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System and his book, Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature. His guidebook visualizes Sustainable Urbanism — the growing sustainable design convergence that integrates walkable and transit-served urbanism with high-performance infrastructure and buildings — as the normal pattern of development in the United States by 2030.

Susan Mortel — Director, Bureau of Transportation Planning,   Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)

Time: Monday, June 1, 1:30–2:30 p.m. General Session Description: MDOT is going green — from core activities to employee performance. The Michigan Department of Transportation is transforming itself from an agency that viewed the environment as extraneous to integrating it into its mission. The transformation has moved through a process involving several steps, including some of the following: understanding what green means; understanding the economic incentives for investing in green practices; and incorporating the concept of green from planning and design to construction and maintenance. MDOT has also implemented a green approach to employee performance measurement and daily work activities. This presentation will walk the audience through the process of going green.

Steve Hewitt — City Administrator, Greensburg Greentown Daniel Wallach — Executive Director, Greensburg Greentown

Time: Tuesday, June 2, 12:10–12:30 p.m. Luncheon session Topic: Update on Greensburg Description: This presentation will look at the dramatic story and example of Greensburg, Kansas, a town reconstructed with LEED Platinum certification. A combination of government resolution, collaboration, and state-of-the-art design has made Greensburg an example for sustainable design and green living. Attend this presentation to glimpse the possibilities of interdisciplinary collaboration, cutting-edge design, and sustainable construction.

Jacob Corvidae — Green Manager, WARM Training Center

Time: Monday, June 1, 7:00 p.m.–7:15 p.m. Dinner Session Location: Marriott Title: Detroit: A Laboratory for the 21st Century Description: “Detroit has become an icon of the failed American city,” writes TIME Magazine, and we all know the bad news. But have you heard why a growing movement is looking to Detroit to save the world? Detroit is actually a new frontier, where America is exploring how to create a 21st century city in a post-industrial economy. Come hear about the successes, the unique challenges, and the lessons that can be carried over to cities everywhere.

Conan Smith — Executive Director, Michigan Suburbs Alliance

Time: Monday, June 1, 7:15 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Dinner Session Location: Marriott Description: Local governments in Southeast Michigan are banding together to advance energy efficiency and green energy projects. Even absent federal stimulus funding, they are finding that regional cooperation offers substantive benefits for achieving their environmental, economic and social goals.

Rick Bowers — Green Initiatives, Attorney for the President Kenneth V. Cockrel, Jr. — Detroit City Council

Time: Monday, June 1, 7:30 p.m. Dinner Session Location: Marriott Description: Rick Bowers will highlight the Green/Sustainable movement in Detroit from the city government's perspective: how it started, what has happened and where the City is going.

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