Great Lakes Bioneers

“What’s a Bioneer ?”

Great Lakes Bioneers took to the streets, entering a Street Art contest hosted by the InsideOut Gallery this past weekend. Joining a line up of taggers who primarily used cans of spray paint for their designs, we filled our canvas with layers of old Bioneer propoganda and other interesting images and headlines. Using ancient paper mache technology, we plastered it all up with wheat paste - actually organic whole wheat paste. Delicious!

While there is no doubt that our piece was not “hip and cool”, we did have fun using art as a medium for engaging youth about Bioneers. Turns out, it’s pretty easy to get a person to ask, “What’s a Bioneer?”

Great Lakes Bioneers Volunteers Reception
We really appreciated everything you do, even if it is taking a necessary nap!
Come join us on Thursday, 22 May 2008 From : 5:30pm To : 7:30pm
Stop by to sign up for a BIONEERS sub-committee and/or volunteer for tasks before or during the conference. Refreshments will be provided by Homegrown Organic Eatery and Right Brain Brewery.

Fee?? No way. This is a free event to say thank you for all that you’ve done to make the Great Lakes BIONEERS an year round inspiration.

For more Information, email : info@bioneers.org

TAKE A FAIR TRADE BREAK on WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY
SATURDAY, MAY 10TH all day at Unity, Higher Grounds, and Oryana
TC’S LARGEST FAIR TRADE COFFEE BREAK is at 3PM at Unity

For the official international Web site, go to: World Fair Trade Day
Come join in these local events to celebrate the movement to make trade fair. Learn about the benefits of fair trade (FT), and taste the difference that respect, love and dignity can make in chocolate, coffee, olive oil, fruit preserves, bananas and other fair trade products.

Unity FT Marketplace will be tasting free FT coffee, chocolate, etc all day, as well as holding a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to the store full of FT fashion, toys, books, and beautiful/useful home decor. join us here at 3PM for the official TC’s largest fair trade coffee break Lets get the whole town together to join in this awesome celebration 113 E State St. (in the alley behind the City Opera House) 929-4228 http://unityfairtrade.com/

Higher Grounds and Oryana all day will be tasting free fair trade coffee, local FT fruit preserves and other FT goodies. Come check out their SALES on FT products in honor of WFTD

Oryana: 260 E.10th St. (at Lake st) 947-0191 http://www.oryana.coop/

Higher Grounds: 806 Red Dr., Suite 150 (the old state hospital) 922-9009 http://www.highergroundstrading.com/

What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is an alternative way of doing business, one that builds equitable, long-term partnerships between consumers in North America and producers in developing regions. Fair Trade businesses commit to:

• Paying a fair wage in the local context.
• Offering employees opportunities for advancement.
• Providing equal opportunities for all people, particularly the most disadvantaged.
• Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices.
• Being open to public accountability.
• Building long-term trade relationships.
• Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context.
• Providing financial and technical assistance to producers whenever possible.
This criteria was established by the Fair Trade Federation.

This was kind of hidden at the end of the last entry…We just wanted to bring your attention to it in case you missed it. After all, we tend not to notice what we aren’t looking for.

Is Your Community Bike Friendly? Take this test; it’s short.

Second Annual Skill Swap–registration now open!
Presented by our friends at ISLAND and the Wagbo Peace Center is now taking registrations for the event on May 10, 2008 from 9 to 3 at Wagbo Peace Center in East Jordan. On display with hands on experience are 15 skills that build self-reliance, taught by your friends and neighbors, along with a fresh local and wild foods lunch and a post-workshop contra dance! Skills include bread baking, seed starting, irrigation for water saving, handmade paper making, timber stand improvement and more!

Early registration is $25 per person, kids 14 and under free! Add lunch for just $5.

All the information you need and online registration is at www.artmeetsearth.org/skillswap.htmlSkills Workshops:

Session I (9:30 to 10:55)
Baking Bread: Yeasted & Sourdough
Seed Starting & Transplanting
Irrigation for Water Saving
Handmade Paper Making
Timber Stand Improvement

Session II (11:05 to 12:30)
Chicken Processing
Seed Saving
Earth Floor Construction
Handmade Soap
Cook for a Crowd (& make lunch!)

Session III (1:30 to 2:55)
Friction Fire Starting
Cultured Foods
All About Herbs
Pruning Fruit Trees
Earthwise Cleaning Products