October 2, from 6pm-9pm and October 3, from 8:30 am-3:30 pm Thunder bay National Marine Sanctuary
Alpena, MI

World Space Week October 4-10 World Space Week is an international celebration of space and in particular the contributions space makes improving the human conditions on Earth. It was officially declared by the United Nations in 1999. During World Space Week, many public events and many educational programs are held simultaneously around the world, on the Internet, even in space! It is a great tool for getting students excited about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). But in fact space is very multi-disciplinary, you can use it for any subject! More information can be found  on the World Space Week Web site.

There are even $500 Educational Awards available. For more information on the awards, please visit: http://worldspaceweek.org/education.html

October 15, 2008
Wednesday
Michigan Interfaith Power and Lights Annual Conference
Nazareth, MI 49074

This is a one day conference and an excellent opportunity to learn more about Energy Realities and Faith Communities. This year's conference features Stephen Segall PhD., University of Michigan professor. Stephen Segall is a research physicist who has also written a book on biblical history and the effects of global warming. 

Registration and Exhibitor space is still open, for those who wish to present or attend.

The fourth annual Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) conferencewill feature presentations from volunteers from across the state of Michigan. They will celebrate the amazing work that is being done by the MiCorps volunteers to protect Michigan's lakes and streams. In addition, the conference will include presentations and training from regional experts, MiCorps staff and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Optional training for volunteers will take place on Monday, October 20 (see below), which is free of charge.  The full conference program will take place on Tuesday, October 21. For additional information on the training session, contact Paul Steen, psteen@hrwc.org or call 734-769-5971. For more information on the conference or volunteer training, please contact Beth Johnson, MiCorps staff, Great Lakes Commission, 734-971-9135, ejohnson@glc.org . The conference program and registration will be available soon on the conference website.

Richar Louv, the nationally acclaimed author of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder" will speak at Michigan State University.  He will be speaking in the MSU Concert Auditorium on October 22, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. Come discover how unstructured play outdoors has a positive impact on healthy child development, creativity, and cognitive functioning while improving health risks such as ADHD, child obesity, and stress.  Admission is FREE with ticket.  Tickets are available at the Wharton Center box office or by contacting lpanich@naturecenter.org or (269) 381-1574 ext. 38. 

Traverse Area Association of Realtors and the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. are proud to present the first annual Green Solutions 4 EXPO! Want to become more eco-savvy? Learn how to live, build and grow green! This is the place to connect with people, ideas information, products and services related to green. This EXPO will focus on green solutions for home building, commercial construction, remodeling and real estate enhancement. Seminars will be held throughout the day with experienced professionals available to answer your questions. Admission is $3 at the door.

Art Contest for Grades 2-4    An art contest for grades 2-4 challenges students to explore trees and their importance to the world by reading stories and books, searching Web sites and watching movies, and then draw a picture showing what they learned. This is the 13th annual art contest held by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in Arlington, Va. The contest supports national education standards in science and geography for grades 2-4. Entries are due Oct. 24, 2008. For more information, including detailed contest instructions, information for teachers and parents, a list of educational resources, and to view artwork of past winners, please visit the web site.

The Fifth U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions
Oakland Univeristy, Rochester, MI
Oct. 31 - Nov 2, 2008

The Fifth U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions

This year's conference, sponsored by Community Solutions and Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center, is organized around the recently published book, Plan C: Community Survival Strategies for Peak Oil and Climate Change , by Pat Murphy, Executive Director of Community Solutions. The book, and this conference, "point to the life we must lead, if we are to survive on this planet." Attendees will learn survival strategies for growing food, creating local food security in their communities, retrofitting their homes to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and educating their communities to prepare for the difficult times ahead.  For more registration details and more information, visit the conference Web site at, http://www.plancconference.org.