Plain Green Conference and Marketplace to be held April 28-29 in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS — The Plain Green Conference and Marketplace brings two days of advancing sustainability to the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in downtown Sioux Falls April 28-29, 2010. Plain Green is the premiere conference on green design, business and ideas on the Northern Plains.

STAR POWER KEYNOTES

This year Plain Green welcomes true world-changing keynote speakers to Sioux Falls. It’s the most amazing lineup of green designers to ever hit South Dakota.

Mitchell Joachim is re-designing cities all over the world from scratch. He'll show you what future "carborexic" cities will look like, and why "sustainability" is a sissy.

Cameron Sinclair is making sustainable design a matter of life over death. He'll show you why green architecture changes lives all over the planet.

Steve Clark is rebuilding Minnesota's transportation system for walkers and bikers. He'll pedal his bicycle from St. Paul to show you tools that will change the planet and set us free.

Brian Dunbar is creating buildings that teach sustainability. He'll show us if cool buildings can save a hotter world.

WORKSHOPS AND BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Joining the keynotes will be experts and teachers hosting in-depth workshops, informative panels and five tracks of breakout sessions.

- Joyce Coppinger will lead you in building Sioux Falls' first strawbale structure in the Community Service Project,

- Randall Arendt will make you a Conservation Design guru in the Protecting Open Space Networks Workshop,

- Brian Dunbar will sharpen your skills in the LEED Core Concepts and Strategies,

- Anita Kealy will teach you how to make clothes from cassette tapes in Wear-Ever Fashion Design,

- Brian Thompson will take you on J. Lohr Winery's journey toward sustainability,

- Industry leaders and officials will tell you the Future of Renewable Energy,

- Doug Zentz will enlighten you on the newly releasedASHRAE Green Standard

- Jihong Cole-Dai will show you what old ice from Antarctica can tell us about our changing climate.

GREEN DRIVES AND 33 EXHIBITORS

Plain Green Marketplace is the region’s premiere exhibit of sustainable design, construction, engineering and business. Two days of 33 exhibitors under one historic roof at the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls. This year we’ll also feature eco-friendly vehicles in the “Green Drives” exhibit in the Wells Fargo Cinedome plaza on Main Avenue. See the entire list of exhibitors at http://plaingreen.org/exhibitors.

LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY SHOWCASE

Now, we’re adding a full hour showcasing some amazing stuff of our own–sustainability projects right here in our own neighborhood. Thursday afternoon will now feature the Local Sustainability Showcase, where you’ll hear from a group of volunteers who are building a strawbale shed to help rejuvinate a Sioux Falls neighborhood, a college environmental club that is launching the region’s first large-scale cafeteria composting project, and the latest on how a local health system is building a ground-breaking cancer hospital that’s a model for sustainable healthcare anywhere.

ECO FASHION SHOW

During a luncheon on Thursday featuring local foods, Institute of Design and Technology of SD will strut their eco stuff for a fashion show of clothing made from recycled and reused materials like old cassette tapes and candy wrappers. These designs, made right here in Sioux Falls, have been worn at the Miss USA pageant and on the red carpet at the Oscars. You'll see them close up and be able to ask questions about how they were made.

COMMUNITY PROJECT: BUILDING A STRAWBALE SHED FOR PETTIGREW HEIGHTS

Plain Green will open with an exciting event, a community service project, integrating hands-on learning, sustainable building concepts, and community stewardship. Volunteers will build Sioux Falls’ first strawbale building to help the Pettigrew Heights neighborhood. Learn more and follow along at http://brightgreenreserach.org.

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONALS

Dozens of units are available for Plain Green attendees in many professional disciplines. Fulfilling your professional continuing ed requirements is easy at Plain Green.

· American Institute of Architects CEUs (AIA)

· American Planners Association CEUs (APA/SDPA)

· Green Building Certification Institute CEs (GBCI/LEED)

· National Society of Professional Engineers LUs (PE)

· Interior Designer Continuing Education Council CEUs (IDCEC)

AMAZING SPONSORS

Plain Green is only possible because of unbelievable support from local companies. See http://plaingreen.org/sponsors to find out who is supporting Plain Green 10.

Now in it’s third year, Plain Green takes place April 28-29 at the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls, SD. With star-power keynote speakers, in-depth workshops, interactive breakout sessions, local sustainability showcase, greend rives exhibit the best green exhibitors, all under one historic roof.

Visit http://plaingreen.org for loads of more information and to register.

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