Planet Humboldt – A Summit of Inspiration for Community and a Vital Earth, Saturday September 14 at Eureka’s Sequoia Center 10 am – 9:30 pm.
A roster of world experts and a group of local heroes will be featured at Presenters at the Ideas Summit (10am-6pm) include international authorities on the naturalist-philosopher Alexander von Humboldt, experts on the solar power revolution, a national media correspondent, faith leaders, and environmental crusaders.
Five Humboldt County citizens-of-the-earth will be honored at the Fire of Life Awards Reception (7.30pm) for their lifetime of work for community and conservation in the spirit of Alexander von Humboldt’s legacy. Sponsored by Arcata’s Abundant Earth Foundation and local Rotary Clubs, the day-long event celebrates Von Humboldt’s 250th birthday.
Doc will be reading an original short story during the Awards Ceremony about his experience working on the “green chain” in the timber mills in the 1980s.
A featured presenter at the Ideas Summit is Dr. Oliver Lubrich of Berlin. The foremost authority on Humboldt’s influence on literature (among many others, the German polymath inspired Thoreau and Muir), Lubrich and his co-editors are releasing a new German edition of the complete essays of Humboldt. The English edition will be published in a year or two.
Jim Mathys, an agricultural consultant from Chico, will be part of a panel titled “Community of Spirit.” He will share his experiences in how the land buoys the spirit. His family lost 5 homes in the Camp Fire in Paradise. As a manager of a community faith-based farm project in the Chico area serving at risk folks, he has seen the deep spiritual benefits that come to people from simply working the earth. Chico has helped to house 20,000 Camp Fire survivors.
The Fire of Life Awards Reception will honor five local icons of the Humboldt spirit. David Simpson and Jane Lapiner have been at the forefront of habitat preservation and activism since their days as original members of The San Francisco Mime Troupe. On the ground floor of everything from salmon restoration, to sustainable forestry and climate change, David and Jane epitomize the spirit of “back-to-the-land.” Others include forest and watershed advocate Richard Geinger, researcher and ecologist Michael Furniss, and HSU professor and globe trotting Humboldt booster Dr. Lilianet Brintrup.
The Planet Humboldt event features a free Resiliency Fair for tools and strategies for sustainability, the Ideas Fest, also free, and the Fire of Life Awards Reception ($35), a benefit for local Fire Safe Councils and the Redwood Rotary Disaster Relief Fund. There will be entertainment and food all day. Visit planethumboldt.org for Event Guide, tickets to the Reception, and stunning videos of the people and places of Planet Humboldt. Contact Event Coordinator Andy Barnett at 223 1626. Volunteers welcome!
Planet Humboldt will honor David Simpson and Jane Lapiner at the Fire of Life Awards Reception. Tickets and info at planethumboldt.com
