by Erica Baumgardner '16

Knox College's Second Annual Prairie Fire Bioneers conference featured a keynote address by 2010 Alumni Achievement Award Winner James Hallock '69, founder of Earth Block Inc. Earning him the nickname "Dr. Dirt," Hallock constructs cost effective homes from compressed earthen blocks with a machine that allows him to take his efforts practically anywhere in the world.

The conference featured a variety of renowned plenary speakers, which were broadcast from the National Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California, including:

• Tony award winning playwright and prominent activist Eve Ensler, speaking about her work with female survivors of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• John Warner, President and Chief Technology Officer of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, with a talk titled "Toward a Non-toxic Industry and Economy."

In addition, Knox hosted several interactive workshops featuring local experts on topics including, agriculture, investments, community activism and educational resources.

During his keynote address "The Future of Buildings: The standard of the past and the hope for the future," Hallock encouraged audience members to "create a better world than we humans found it, now and into the future." In line with this effort, homes made from Hallock's blocks are molded from 95% natural materials, such as soy, clay and cactus juice, making them 100% recyclable. "This is the sustainable building product of the future," he said.

Among audience members was potential environmental studies major Alexis Steffen '17. "I was really inspired by all of the different ways that we can approach buildings," said Steffen who was relived to hear a message of hope at the conference.