UCLA Sustainability

2023 Environmental Justice Symposium: Keynote and Panel
2023-05-19 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The 5th Annual Environmental Justice Symposium, presented by the Bren School Environmental Justice Club, is a hybrid event that will explore topics ranging from the roots of environmental harm to advice for environmental justice careers. This event brings together interdisciplinary scholars, activists, and thought leaders to envision the future of environmental justice. The symposium will be held Thursday, May 18 (online streaming sessions) and Friday, May 19 (in Bren Hall 1414 with online viewing available).
No registration is required to attend either session. All times listed are in Pacific Time.
Event Co-Sponsors: Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB Graduate Students for Diversity in Science, UCSB Graduate Student Association, UCSB Environmental Affairs Board
2:00pm: Keynote Speaker – Mia Lopez
Bren Hall 1414. Or view online using this link and passcode justice
Former Tribal Chair, Former Vice Chair, member and Tribal Representative of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, one of several bands of Chumash people. She is also the Former Administrative Assistant at Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation, a Native Lead Non-profit that advocates, litigates and educates on behalf of the local Indigenous people, their territories, and natural cultural resources.
3:00pm: Decolonizing Environmentalism Panel
Bren Hall 1414. Or view online using this link and passcode justice
This panel will discuss the question of how environmentalists define and think about decolonization within the environmental space. Panelists include: McKalee Steen, PhD Candidate, UC Berkeley; other panelists to be announced.

Elemental Readings: Air - Day 1
2023-05-19 13:20 - 17:30 | UCLA Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
A Luskin Endowment for Thought Leadership Conference, co-sponsored by the Departments of Classics and English, UCLA. May 19th – 20th, 2023.
Recent work across a range of fields in the humanities and arts, as well as in environmental, media and digital studies, has paid increasing attention to the role of the elements in shaping our experience and understanding of the world. This conference brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines who are seeking to redefine the role of air, atmosphere, and the weather in traditionally non-scientific media (predominantly poetry, writing, music, photography, and film). The topic invites discussion of the mutability of weather as an invisible ontology (and marker of climate change) as well as discussions of atmosphere (whose porous and unfinished nature embraces a broad range of entities, from modes of knowing and feeling, to the stuff we breathe, to outer space). In each of these cases, air’s mediating possibilities across fields, materials, and periods are especially rich for collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
Our conference seeks fruitful points of contact between two colleagues in English and Classics at UCLA, who both work on air and the elements, joining with scholars from media studies, art history and environmental humanities, for a multifaceted discussion of a common object.
The conference will be on site only. Please send any enquiries to purves@g.ucla.edu
REGISTER HERE

Book Club - Heather McGhee's The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
2023-05-19 12:00 - 13:00 | HYBRID: Terasaki Life Sciences Building 1100 and Zoom, 610 Charles E Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The Center for Education Innovation and Learning in the Sciences (CEILS) is hosting a book club to discuss The Sum of Us. We will read and discuss the book in four sections. Please feel free to drop in as your schedule allows.
REGISTER HERE

Renew Wave
2023-05-19 11:00 - 15:00 | Wilson Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
This campus fair day, Renew Wave, will have some spectacular guest speakers (including KC Fockler from Surfrider Foundation OC), guided yoga and meditation, and a raffle with some epic prizes— gift cards, backpacks, skate/surfboards, and a Go Pro from amazing sponsors. Come hang out with sustainable student clubs & businesses! This event is open to the public.

Free Food from the Dining Halls
2023-05-18 22:00, 2023-05-16 22:00 | Conference Room 1 in the Student Activities Center Basement, 220 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Bruin Dine is a student-run organization founded in 2018 that works to bridge the gap between food waste and food insecurity by recovering food from the UCLA dining halls that would have otherwise been thrown away and redistributing it. Open to everyone, bring your own container and utensils.

Playground Earth: Activating Climate Emotions
2023-05-18 18:30 - 22:00 | Loyola Marymount University Roski Dining Hall, 7268 Loyola Marymount University Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90045, United States
Playground Earth: Activating Climate Emotions is a Mental Health Action Day Event on Thursday May 18th, 2023 from 6:30pm-10:00pm at LMU Roski Hall. This community-focused and youth-led event centers the discussion of the mental health impacts of the climate crisis on young adults worldwide, bringing together youth activists, leaders in the climate justice movement, and professionals in the mental health field.
D﻿oors at 6:30pm | Programming begins at 7:00pm
*F﻿ree admission – first come, first serve!*
REGISTER HERE

Career and Networking Panel: UCLA Environmental Science Alumni
2023-05-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
A﻿re you interested in sustainability careers in entertainment, tech, renewable energy, or wildlife? Our four speakers will offer you a look into these exciting areas! We will also be joined by KERAMIDA Inc., a global sustainability and EHS services firm looking to hire students inclined towards environmental engineering, so prepare your resumes if you’re interested!
Audrey Vinant-Tang, Director of Sustainability Strategy at NBC Universal
Liz Schneider, Senior Program Manager of Carbon Data and Analytics at Google
Taylor Briglio, Manager of Clean Mobility at Willdan
Kirstie Ruppert, Social Scientist at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
REGISTER HERE

Pack Up Plastics Fair
2023-05-18 15:30 - 17:30 | Bruin Plaza, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
CALPIRG is calling on Amazon to reduce their excessive use of plastic package and switch over to more sustainable alternatives. This Thursday, they are holding a Pack Up Plastics Fair by the Bruin Bear in Bruin Plaza to educate students about plastic pollution and Amazon’s large use of plastic packaging.
There will be tote bag painting/decorating, bracelet making, postcards to send to Amazon, a super cool photobooth, and trivia where you can win super cool and sustainable prizes.

Book Talk - "Ghostly Invasions: Political Theologies of Fire in Post-Coup Bolivia"
2023-05-18 12:15 - 13:45 | Haines Hall Room 352, 375 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Part of Culture Power and Social Change, Dept of Anthropology
Massive wildfires erupted across Bolivia only months before the violent ousting of the country’s first Indigenous president, Evo Morales Ayma, in 2019. Media critics depicted his mainly Indigenous followers as ghostly “invaders” who, having received property through his government, were using fires to clear land for agriculture. This talk approaches these events as points of insight into the racialization of climate politics, including the authoritarian tendencies of environmentalisms that preserve nature’s purity and reproduce narratives of racialized guilt and responsibility.
If fire frequently arises as a symptom of the end-times (waning democracy, global environmental crisis, and self-devouring capitalism) for Chiquitos activists it acts also as a redemptive force by which to contest settler fantasies of empty environments and of a future built upon the necessary erasure—and expelling—of living ghosts.

UCLA Bike Week 2023 Luncheon
2023-05-18 11:00 - 13:00 | Wilson Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Receive a Bike Week T-shirt and/or participate in the Bike Week Luncheon. T-shirts must be picked up at a pit stop on Tuesday or Wednesday, May 16-17, or at the luncheon on Thursday, May 18.
REGISTER HERE

My Green Building Conference + Expo: MyGBCE 2023
2023-05-18 08:00 - 17:00 | The Beehive by SoLa Impact, 961 E. 61st Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90001, United States
The largest and longest-running gathering for green building and sustainability advocates in Southern California is brought to you by the U.S. Green Building Council – Los Angeles this May 18th, 2023.⁠
⁠
REGISTER HERE

Free Food from the Dining Halls
2023-05-17 22:00 | Student Activities Center ROTC Room 120P, 220 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Annual Edward W. Said Lecture - Amitav Ghosh: A Lecture and Conversation
2023-05-17 16:00 - 18:00 | UCLA Broad 2160E Art Center, 240 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The Edward W. Said Series presents
Amitav Ghosh
A Lecture and Conversation with Anjali Prabhu, Professor and Edward W. Said Chair of Comparative Literature
REGISTER HERE
Co-sponsored by the UCLA Division of Humanities with generous support from European Languages and Transcultural Studies, the Kahn Chair, The UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies, the Goetz Chair, and the Center for India and South Asia
Special thanks to Dean Alex Stern and Profs. David Myers and Michael Rothberg

UCLA on-campus Farmers Market
2023-05-17 13:00 - 19:00 | Bruin Plaza, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Every few weeks, the Farmers’ Market at UCLA descends on Bruin Plaza with a smorgasbord of fresh produce to provide healthy, sustainable nourishment.

Water Efficiency in Multifamily: Leak Detection Strategies & Tech
2023-05-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Leak detection in multifamily properties can be the largest and quickest opportunity for utility savings. Simple and discrete leak detection technologies can effectively lower overall water use and substantially improve a building’s performance.
Join LABBC’s Maureen Erbeznik in conversation with Cora Snyder of Pacific Institute, Gary Tilkian of Metropolitan Water District and Terrence McCarthy of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for a roundtable discussion on:

California’s current water supply
Pending state legislation and available water incentives
New leak detection and management technologies
Leak detection case studies
Water efficiency opportunities for multifamily housing

REGISTER HERE

Impacts of Offshore Wind on Marine Mammals and Seabirds: The Knows & Unknowns
2023-05-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Online
REGISTER HERE

Bike Week Pit Stop
2023-05-17 08:30 - 10:30 | Lu Valle Commons, 398 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Bike Week Pit Stops (with bike swag and complimentary refreshments)

Webinar on Climate Change and Trauma
2023-05-17 08:00 - 09:30 | Online
Our physical and mental health are often directly tied to the environment in which we live. Climate change, if left unaddressed, could have catastrophic consequences on the mental health of entire populations. Join Drs. Dana Rose Garfin (Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA), Betty Lai (Boston College), and Sarah Lowe (Yale School of Public Health) as they discuss the impact of climate change on mental health and how we can treat those affected.
REGISTER HERE

Building State Capacity to Unlock Federal Climate Dollars: A Discussion with the State Funding Readiness Project
2023-05-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
As states across the country get into the full swing of implementing federal climate dollars in their communities, we recognize that sharing lessons learned across state lines is more important now than ever. Building capacity and providing technical assistance is essential to ensure state governments and their partners can effectively and equitably utilize their federal funds to advance meaningful climate action.
One such technical assistance provider is the State Funding Readiness Project (SFRP), an initiative led by Hua Nani Partners and the US Climate Alliance that provides free technical assistance and capacity support to help states unlock the full potential of federal climate investments. We’ve invited a panel of their experts to share what they learned from the early stages of this program, including insights into the role of equity and Justice40, best practices for federal grant applications, and a case study from one of their state partners. Expert speakers include:

Chris Bast, Principal at Hua Nani Partners
Jasmine McAdams, SFRP Equity and Environmental Justice Lead
Melissa Hampe, SFRP Federal Grant Writing Expert

REGISTER HERE

Bike Week Pit Stop
2023-05-16 07:30 - 09:30 | Westwood and Le Conte, 900 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States

Renewable Energy Deployment in China: Accelerating the Path to Carbon Neutrality
2023-05-15 17:00 - 18:15 | Online
Registration is free, but required. Register here.
A collaborative research study between the California-China Climate Institute, UC San Diego and Tsinghua University is culminating in the launch of a new research report, Renewable Energy Pathways to Carbon Neutrality in China. For China to decarbonize the power sector and reach carbon neutrality requires a large increase in low-carbon renewable energy and complementary infrastructure including storage and transmission. While these long-term objectives are clear, the deployment structure, pace, and distributional impacts are uncertain. To address this gap, we developed a novel modeling approach with a high special and temporal resolution to identify the plausible pathways for deploying renewables, storage systems, and transmission lines, by decade, from 2020 to 2060. Join us to hear about the new report from our joint California-China climate research team.
5:00 PM Discussion is opened by Moderator, Jessica Gordon, Senior Climate Policy Fellow, California-China Climate Institute
5:05 PM Opening Remarks

Jiang Lin, Nat Simons Presidential Chair in China Energy Policy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

5:10 p.m. Accelerating Renewable Deployment China Presentation:

Michael Davidson, Assistant Professor, UC San Diego

5:25 PM Moderated Discussion

Michael Davidson, Assistant Professor, UC San Diego
Zhenhua Zhang, Doctoral Student, UC San Diego
Da Zhang, Associate Professor, Tsinghua University
Xi Lu, School of Environment and State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University
Fredrich Kahrl, Research Affiliate, California-China Climate Institute

6:00 PM Audience Question &Answer
6:15 PM Closing Remarks, Jessica Gordon, Senior Climate Policy Fellow, California-China Climate Institute

Heat Equity Planning Event: Perspectives from Engaged Research and City Leaders on Partnerships to Advance Resilience for All
2023-05-15 12:15 - 14:15 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Room 2343, 337 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The climate crisis is increasingly felt in communities across California and the nation. But studies find that the impacts of urban heat are particularly severe in areas formerly targeted for disinvestment through redlining.
What are large cities like LA doing in response and what else needs to be done to ensure heat resilience for all? How can UCLA and the broader research community help inform emerging city heat planning and cooling efforts to address past and future injustices?
Featuring:

CJ Gabbe, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Santa Clara University; and Visiting Scholar, Luskin Center for Innovation
Sara Hughes, Associate Professor of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan; Visiting Scholar, Luskin Center for Innovation
Miguel Miguel and Michelle Gallarza, Master in Urban and Regional Planning Students, UCLA Luskin
Marta Segura, Chief Heat Officer and Director, Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, City of Los Angeles
Gregory Pierce, Co-Director, Luskin Center for Innovation

Lunch and registration will open at 12:15 pm with program following at 1pm. RSVP required for admittance.
Admission is free, but registration is required for each attendee.
REGISTER HERE

1st Annual Student Vendor Fair
2023-05-15 12:00 - 15:00 | Bruin Plaza, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Good Clothes Good People (GCGP) and Bruin Bazaar would like to highlight student-run small businesses. As sustainability-based organizations, we want to provide an emphasis on shopping small and local. Multiple students will be able to sell jewelry, clothing, crafts, etc. at this fair, all handmade by each seller.
GCGP and Bruin Bazaar presents the 1st Annual Student Vendor Fair! Stop by Bruin Plaza on Monday, May 15th from 12-3 PM to support 18 student vendors selling clothes, jewelry, art, and much more. Prices are as low as $3! See you all there!

Energy Insecurity & Energy Transitions — Obstacles & Opportunities
2023-05-15 11:00 - 12:30 | Online
Panelists will share takeaways from their research and policy work at the nexus of energy insecurity and energy transitions. After a discussion of how to identify and measure energy insecurity, panelists will share their findings on how the energy security of low-income populations might be affected by different aspects of the energy transition. Panelists will also examine possible solutions, such as energy cost assistance programs and post-crisis opportunities. Finally, panelists will reflect on their research design strategies for ensuring that their research processes and results serve and benefit the communities they are engaging.
REGISTER HERE

Westwood Greenway & Democracy Vouchers
2023-05-13 12:00 - 15:00 | Westwood Neighborhood Greenway, 2598-2596 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, United States
This event will start with a tour of the Westwood Neighborhood Greenway from 12 to about 12:30. Then there will be some networking and a brief discussion of democracy vouchers, and then weeding.
REGISTER HERE

May 13 Botanical Garden Tour
2023-05-13 11:00 - 12:00 | UCLA Mildred E Mathias Botanical Garden, La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Explore this living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe! Join Garden Educators for a free guided tour of the garden. We’ll hear the stories of a selection of plants in the garden, and their relevance to human society. All ages are welcome. We will meet at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion at the northern end of the garden. Restrooms are available at this location.
Important: Plan on arriving a few minutes early as the tour will leave on time at 11 a.m.
REGISTER HERE

Surplus Stop Yard Sale
2023-05-12 12:00 - 16:00 | Bruin Plaza, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Come to Bruin Plaza, and find treasures to make spring quarter even better! We have office chairs, lamps, so many school supplies, CDs, clothes hangers, and UCLA MERCH.
As per usual, everything is FREE.

Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ Summit
2023-05-11 07:30 - 13:30 | Online
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will virtually convene stakeholders to discuss the Enhanced Geothermal Shot™—an ambitious initiative to cut the cost of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) by 90% by 2035.
Agenda at a glance:
• Introductory plenaries
• Overview of DOE’s Energy Earthshots™ initiative
• EGS in context
• Environmental justice and geothermal energy
• The geothermal energy workforce
• DOE-wide efforts in support of the Enhanced Geothermal Shot™
• Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ roadmap
REGISTER HERE

Free Mobile Bike Repairs
2023-05-10 11:00 - 15:00 | Court of Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
As part of UCLA Bike Month, free bike repairs will be available to students and staff with a valid BruinCard. Stop by for a complimentary tune-up provided by Velofix. There will be a charge for additional repairs and replacement parts.
