About Our Keynote Speaker, Lonny Grafman
Lonny Grafman is an Instructor of Environmental Resources Engineering and Appropriate Technology at Humboldt State University; the founder of the Practivistas summer abroad, full immersion, Spanish language and resilient community technology program in Dominican Republic; the Advisor for the epi-apocalyptic city art projects, Waterpod, Flock House, and WetLand; the Executive Editor of the International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering; the CEO of Propelsion, a design and creativity incubator in Humboldt County; and the Founder and President of the Appropedia Foundation, sharing knowledge to build rich, sustainable lives. He is also a board member of engaged community organizations such as Locally Delicious, Thrivable, and Ashevillage Institute.
Lonny has taught courses at universities in four countries and facilitated interactive workshops in dozens of locations. He has worked, and led teams, on hundreds of domestic and international projects across a broad spectrum of sustainability - from solar power to improved cookstoves, from micro-hydro power to rainwater catchment, from earthen construction to plastic bottle schoolrooms. Throughout all of these technology implementations, he has found the most vital component to be community.
To Catch the Rain: Inspiring stories of communities coming together to harvest the rain, and how you can do it too. Our grant will purchase a book for every student and teacher who attends the summit.