The 2014 Revisioning Sustainability Conference has come to a close!
This year’s third annual food sustainability conference, Revisioning Sustainability brought together leaders, innovators, and change-makers from across the country and Canada from June 22 to 25, 2014 to re-envision food systems sustainability on campuses. The conference’s 175 attendees hailed from 60 institutions across 22 states, representing the most diverse gathering of sustainability and dining administrators, staff, faculty, and students in the conference’s history. The conference featured a total of 40 presentations, workshops, tours and trainings related to the food system. The sessions covered topics from permaculture design and planting techniques to community organizing and food justice to marketing and farm-to-school procurement strategies.
Highlights from the 4-day event included an open-to-the-public keynote address by renowned permaculturist and educator Pandora Thomas of Earthseed Consulting, 6 tours to local sustainability sites- including Hampshire Dining Commons and nearby permaculture gardens, workshops at an Amherst permaculture house where attendees transformed the garden while learning hands-on planting techniques, and a dinner at a nearby ecovillage in Shutesbury, featuring a local, organic dinner beside the community garden.
The conference received outstanding feedback, with 98% of attendees rating it at 4 or 5 out of 5. Some feedback included:
"Not only was the information diverse, relevant and forward thinking, but the ability to attract large groups of the many stakeholders in the system gave it the poly-cultural relevance that felt like real progress. I had my mind blown several times and met amazing people."
“[This conference has] deeply and intensely affected our program and especially the 5 students who were a part of it.”
"This is the conference I've been waiting for."
This year’s third annual food sustainability conference, Revisioning Sustainability brought together leaders, innovators, and change-makers from across the country and Canada from June 22 to 25, 2014 to re-envision food systems sustainability on campuses. The conference’s 175 attendees hailed from 60 institutions across 22 states, representing the most diverse gathering of sustainability and dining administrators, staff, faculty, and students in the conference’s history. The conference featured a total of 40 presentations, workshops, tours and trainings related to the food system. The sessions covered topics from permaculture design and planting techniques to community organizing and food justice to marketing and farm-to-school procurement strategies.
Highlights from the 4-day event included an open-to-the-public keynote address by renowned permaculturist and educator Pandora Thomas of Earthseed Consulting, 6 tours to local sustainability sites- including Hampshire Dining Commons and nearby permaculture gardens, workshops at an Amherst permaculture house where attendees transformed the garden while learning hands-on planting techniques, and a dinner at a nearby ecovillage in Shutesbury, featuring a local, organic dinner beside the community garden.
The conference received outstanding feedback, with 98% of attendees rating it at 4 or 5 out of 5. Some feedback included:
"Not only was the information diverse, relevant and forward thinking, but the ability to attract large groups of the many stakeholders in the system gave it the poly-cultural relevance that felt like real progress. I had my mind blown several times and met amazing people."
“[This conference has] deeply and intensely affected our program and especially the 5 students who were a part of it.”
"This is the conference I've been waiting for."
The 2014 Revisioning Sustainability Conference is proudly hosted by:
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Thanks to our Sponsors
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Kendall Foundation
Sustainable UMass Women For UMass Amherst Regenerative Design Group Bon Appetit |
Community Involved in Sustainable Agriculture(CISA)
Massachusetts Farm to School Franklin Community Co-op New England Dairy Promotion The Worthmore Group |
Real Pickles
Big E's Supermarket Hilltown Families Slow Living Summit Green Planning and Coaching Marlboro College |
