Saturday Workshops & Panels, February 3rd

Our final full day of ShiftCon will leave you breathless. We’ve organized six additional workshops that are full of science, ways to improve your environmental footprint and heart. At the end of the workshops, remember to visit the Expo one last time and then get ready for our final reception and Awards Ceremony where we will announce the ShiftCon Shifter Winners sponsored by NutriGold. See you all soon!

From 9:45 to 11am workshops 19, 20 & 21

Workshop #19–Fashion & the Ocean: What Can You Do? A recent study found that plastic microfibers in clothing made from synthetic materials are polluting the ocean when they’re washed and dried. These fibers are so tiny that they can slip through sewage treatment plants and escape into our waters, where they threaten marine eocsystems and can work their way up the food chain—and onto our plates. What can you do? Join eco lifestyle pioneer Marci Zaroff and ocean conservation television host Danni Washington in conversation with Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff of The 5 Gyres Institute about solving the problem—and looking good while doing it!

Workshop #20–Kiss the Ground: Save the Soil, Save the World. This panel will explore cutting edge science, real world solutions and how you can be involved in the most important part of the green revolution – rebuilding our soils. It turns out that soil has the ability to sequester 100% of the CO2 humans have emitted into the atmosphere, in a very short period of time. Come learn how soil-based farming at a small urban scale or at a mega-scale can lead to healthier foods, reduce and potentially eliminate the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, and nasty chemicals, and can ultimately save our world.

Workshop 21 NOW SMELL THIS–Exploring the Hidden World of Fragrance. A rose is a rose is a rose? Not necessarily – it might be a synthetic fabrication cooked up in a lab. Scent can be so alluring, magical, and mysterious. A simple smell can take you back in time and place – it’s a powerful link to your mom’s kitchen, your first love, a clean home… And yet modern-day fragrance can be loaded with nasties, from toxins to synthetic biology. Consumers want to know more about fragrance, and now that major companies like Unilever and Proctor & Gamble are starting to “come clean” and disclose chemicals used in products, it seems change is in store. This discussion provide an in-depth look at what’s happening with fragrance practices, hidden and synthetic ingredients, essential oil extraction methods, transparency in the marketplace, and more. If you want to know what is happening in the world of fragrance so that you can keep pace with the trends, toxins and late-breaking news, this panel is for you.

From 11:15am to 12:30pm Workshops 22, 23 & 24

Workshop #22: Simple Tools to Communicate Science in an Accurate and Compelling Way. Do you ever find yourself stumped as to how to write about complicated topics like climate change science, genetically modified organisms or the health impacts from chemicals in every day products? Hear from top leaders and bloggers to learn tips to effectively communicate science in a way that preserves your integrity and builds loyal readers. Panelists will include non-profit leaders who work at the intersection of science and communications, along with bloggers who regularly write about complicated topics in a digestible and accurate way. This is the session you won’t want to miss.

Workshop #23: How to Make Fermented Drinks at Home for Pennies a Glass and Blog About Them Too. Hannah Crum aka The Kombucha Mamma, co-founder of KombuchaKamp.com and coauthor of The Big Book of Kombucha, will introduce you to the world of traditionally fermented probiotic drinks. Refreshing, nourishing and at only pennies a glass, learn how to make these ancient tonics at home while also generating a near infinite supply of content for your readership. The research on disease and the human microbiome continue to identify the need to have a diverse and well populated gut and fermented foods and drinks are an easy way to include more of these healthy organisms into your diet. Plus, the beverages make for great IG and short video posts to boost your social media presence. So swap that soda and get fermenting!

Workshop #24: The A.R.T. of the Impossible–Giving Hope to Severely Food-allergic Kids when Traditional Medicine Fails. The Life-threatening food allergies are a growing epidemic, with more food allergy-related hospitalizations occurring in the U.S. over the last decade. It’s estimated that 1 in 13 children suffer from food allergies or intolerances, or roughly two students in every classroom. The number of food allergy cases are on the rise while conventional medicine offers no cure. In this workshop we will share the story of how one mom with a child in medical distress stepped into the world of holistic health and ultimately formulated a method for curing food allergies. Learn how practitioner Amy Thieringer has combined multiple integrative techniques, helping her clients strengthen their immune systems and harness the mind-body connection to promote active healing. Hear from health and wellness blogger and mom, Lori Popkewitz Alper, whose child went through Amy’s process and is now living an allergy-free life. Attendees will walk away with: An understanding of how children with life-threatening food allergies can live an allergy- free life. Healthy living strategies to strengthening your immune system. Concrete ideas for how healthy interventions in thinking and living can fundamentally change lives. The session will end with an interactive Q & A .

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