Press Release

For Immediate Release:

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – September 17, 2010 – Renowned energy expert Richard Heinberg is coming to Traverse City for a free public presentation entitled “The Truth About Energy, the Economy and You.”

Heinberg, a nationally recognized teacher, author and lecturer, will speak on Friday, September 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Oleson Center at Northwestern Michigan College.

A senior fellow-in-residence at the Post Carbon Institute (www.postcarbon.org), Heinberg is best known as a leading educator on the limits of oil production and how increasing oil costs will impact our economic, food and transportation systems. But his expertise is far ranging, covering critical issues including the current economic crisis, food and agriculture, community resilience, and global climate change.

“Richard Heinberg is learned, humane and courageous,” said Stephanie Mills, the Michigan author of “On Gandhi’s Path” and “Epicurean Simplicity” and a fellow of the Post Carbon Institute. “His willingness to find and face facts, to place them in a broad historical context, and to advocate for decent, sensible actions in response to the predicament of fossil-fueled civilization make him one of our greatest teachers of human ecology.”

“This is not an easy topic, but we should consider how increasing gas prices will affect our region,” said Joe VanderMeulen, executive director of LIAA, a Traverse City-based nonprofit community service organization that is helping to co-sponsor the event. “Gas was over $4 a gallon just two years ago. We want to learn about the threat and how our communities might prepare for surging energy costs.”

“Oil is a finite natural resource that powers our economy,” said Jim MacInnes, president and CEO of Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa in Thompsonville, where Heinberg was a keynote speaker at the “Conference on Michigan’s Future: Energy, Economy and Environment” in 2008. “While we won’t be running out of oil anytime soon, we may be reaching a point of maximum world oil production often referred to as ‘peak oil.’ Richard Heinberg is one of world’s most distinguished peak oil educators. I encourage everyone to attend and learn more about an important topic that is already influencing the future of our region.”

Heinberg is a much sought-after speaker and has presented in dozens of countries and across the United States. He is the author of nine books, including “The Party’s Over,” “Peak Everything” and the newly released “Blackout.” Heinberg is also featured in several documentary films, including “Earth 2100” (ABC television, 2009), “A Farm for the Future” (BBC, 2009), “Blind Spot” (2008) and “11th Hour” (produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, 2007).

Heinberg’s presentation in Traverse City is free to the public thanks to the support of several regional partners, including Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa, Northwestern Michigan College, the Grand Vision, the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, ISLAND and LIAA. For more information, visit the LIAA website at www.liaa.org.

About LIAA

Founded in 1993, LIAA is a federally approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit community service organization that helps people shape better communities through participation, education, information and the effective use of technology.

Headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, LIAA provides innovative community-building and support services for governments, organizations and individual citizens, including community planning and development; website, software and database development and IT support; geographic information systems (GIS) and mapping; community-access media and media production; and related training and education.

To learn more about LIAA and support its mission, please call 231-929-3696 or visit www.liaa.org.

Contacts
Joe VanderMeulen, Executive Director
LIAA
231-929-3696

Stephanie Mills, Fellow, Biodiversity and Bioregionalism
Post Carbon Institute
contact

Jim MacInnes, President and CEO
Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa
231-378-2000

Co-sponsors
Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa
www.crystalmountain.com
231-378-2000

Northwestern Michigan College
www.nmc.edu
231-995-1000

The Grand Vision
www.thegrandvision.org
231-715-1320

Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce
www.tcchamber.org
231-947-5075

ISLAND
www.artmeetsearth.org
231-480-4515

LIAA
www.liaa.org
231-929-3696