Category: David Blume Consulting & Speaking

“Thanks for hosting us for a very enjoyable and educational day at Blume Distillation. I expected our discussion to uncover some areas of interest and you way surpassed my expectations! We at NASA are always interested in learning from other pioneers as we look for affordable and sustainable approaches to space exploration and we are very impressed with the work your team is doing. Our initial interest was in the alcohol fuel distillation process but I am now more intrigued with the holistic philosophy you are demonstrating as it applies to sustainable living in general and particularly the many techniques that can be applied to sustaining life on Mars or in a closed spacecraft environment during transit….” —Douglas Terrier, JSC Chief Technologist, NASA

David Blume is a consultant and speaker with decades of deep experience with permaculture and regenerative agriculture. He earned his permaculture certificate directly from founder Bill Mollison. Dave is the acknowledged expert worldwide on organic alcohol production as part of ecological no-waste solutions that, replicated, solve so many of Earth’s seemingly unsolvable problems. He is the author of the classic Alcohol Can Be a Gas! Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century.

Dave and his father Jerry grew almost all the food their family ate, organically—on a city lot in San Francisco in the mid-’60s! Dave taught his first ecology class in 1970. He majored in Ecological Biology and Biosystematics at San Francisco State University while doing volunteer fieldwork with a number of non-profits, such as the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. He put himself through school by teaching backpacking and wildlife biology through open universities during the summers … In 1978, Dave was employed by NASA to work on an experimental solar self-sufficient energy, sewage treatment, and desalinization plant in the Virgin Islands. After solving many previously persistent problems in this system, he went to work for the Mother Earth News Eco Village in North Carolina, where he worked in a team using alternative building techniques … When the energy crisis of 1978-9 struck, Dave started the American Homegrown Fuel Co….

David Blume has long been a frequent keynote and plenary speaker at ecological and agricultural conferences in the Americas, and a popular interviewee on radio/podcasts. He has appeared on the hugely popular Coast to Coast AM Radio show 32 times, so far. He has spoken at the Bioneers Conference, Upper Midwest Organic Farmers Conference, Ecological Farming Conference, University of Mexico (Xalapa campus) International Forum on Globalization, Technology and Society Committee, San Francisco’s World Vegetarian Day, the Whole Life Expo (in a number of cities), the Omega Institute, Grow Your Own Conference, Veggie Fest in San Jose, Earthsave, Gaia-Song Ecological Living Conference, Plenary Speaker at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association, Plenary speaker at the American Agriculture Movement convention, the American Corn Growers Association, the World Biomass Conference, the Solar Living Institute’s SolFest, and a host of smaller events including advanced training for USDA Master Gardeners….
Dave is a compelling speaker. Here are some testimonials from organizations that hosted Dave’s speaking engagements.

David Blume’s consulting work is wide-ranging, with projects large and small. In a typical investigation, he consulted with individuals and the government of Antigua, West Indies, on a combination water harvesting/reforestation project involving a permaculturally designed high value hardwood forest. In another project, for Quality Organic Nuts in Mexico, the goal was to meet with Macadamia nut farmers and government officials to determine the feasibility of organizing a 500 grower cooperative for exporting products.

Dave has consulted on a series of projects for the Government of Ghana in alternative fuels, training the country’s agricultural extension agents in organic farming and designing an ecological strategy to stop the advance of the Sahara Desert into the country….

Solutions for Challenging Environmental Problems. CONSULTING ON PROJECTS LARGE AND SMALL • Often surprisingly unique and always insightful •
Project feasibility studies • Environmental engineering system designs • Reduce/eliminate carbon and methane emission • Address climate change problems • Plan for remote (off-grid) locations • Solve land, air, and water problems caused by organic effluents from livestock and farm/business practices • Design, development, review, and guidance • Regenerative agriculture • Terrafarming • Waste optimization • Alternative fuel generation for resilience and autonomy • Repurposing of fallowed or greenfield operations • Soil reconstruction • Water and utility planning and water recovery….