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Green cities, green lifestyles and ways to get involved among the topics of discussion

How to live an eco-friendly life, reduce consumption, increase profits and preserve the environment locally and nationally will be among the many discussion topics at the 8th annual Oklahoma Sustainability Conference March 20-21.

City and state leaders, professors, business owners, agricultural producers and other individuals interested in learning about or sharing their experiences in sustainable and environmental issues will be among the participants at the two-day conference, which will be held at the Nigh University Center at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

The Oklahoma Sustainability Conference will provide resources and information on a variety of topics such as environmentally-friendly building processes and business practices, water resources, farming, purchasing local products and transportation. The conference will feature national and statewide authorities including J.D. Strong, Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment, Robert Wegener, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy, and Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma Attorney General.

"Today's global challenges have caused our society to become increasingly aware of the need to utilize resources more sustainably," said Strong. "In the midst of these disconcerting times, the Oklahoma Sustainability Conference offers Oklahomans an excellent opportunity to stake their place in the more empowering green economy to come."

Friday conference speakers will include city leaders from Greensburg, Kan. who will discuss their "green" rebuilding efforts after a May 2007 tornado leveled nearly the entire city. After the storm, the city decided to build all city buildings to LEED certification, meeting a variety of standards for sustainable construction. Greensburg will have the nation's first LEED Platinum city hall, which will be built from reclaimed brick and recycled wood and will include solar panels, geothermal technology and a roof with vegetation growing on top. LED streetlights and the goal of powering the city on 100 percent renewable energy are also part of the city's green plan.

A reception dinner will be held Friday evening followed by an acoustic concert by Portland, Ore. musician and environmental activist Garrett Brennan.

On Saturday, William Greider, former Rolling Stone and Washington Post editor, will be the keynote speaker. Greider, a national best-selling author who is currently a national affairs correspondent for The Nation, a weekly paper dedicated to politics and culture, will be discussing his latest book, Come Home America: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) of our country. Greider will discuss relevant and timely topics such as how economic and political forces have brought us to the financial crisis of the day and how a return to our nation's core values will bring a better, more fulfilling society.

Speakers and topics will include:

- Sustainable daily living featuring Trathen Heckman, founder and executive director of California-based Daily Acts, an organization that promotes and educates on earth-friendly lifestyles.
- Transportation including sessions on electric vehicles, transit-oriented development and freight and passenger railroad transportation.
- Energy sessions will explore the latest developments in alternative energy and coal burning power plants.
- Water rights and the importance of water quality for recreational use. Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmonson will discuss protecting water resources.
- Business and Nonprofit will explore marketing green business real estate, green building codes, alternative business structures, business pollution prevention and marketing nonprofits.
- Agriculture sessions take a look at urban farming, the Community Food Project and agriculture market concentration.
- Education topics focus on sustainability and the student body, sustainable university curriculum, the sustainable campus and the Oklahoma Farm to School Program featuring representatives from Tulsa University, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City University and the University of Oklahoma.
- Farmers markets and food cooperatives will be one of several panel discussion topics. Bob Waldrop, founder of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative and local advocate for social and environmental responsibility, will lead the panel.

The Oklahoma Sustainability Conference will be March 20-21 at the Nigh University Center at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond with registration beginning at 8:15 a.m. each day. Admission is $75 for both days or $42.50 for single day registration. The Oklahoma Sustainability Network Conference is presented by the Oklahoma Sustainability Network and hosted by Sustainable Edmond. For more information, visit www.oksustainability.org.