UCLA Sustainability

Free Food from UCLA Dining Halls!
2026-02-19 22:00, 2026-02-24 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Conference Room 1 in the Student Activities Center Basement, 220 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join Bruin Dine for food recovery events every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10PM in the SAC Basement (unless otherwise announced)! Please bring your own tupperware and utensils!
Follow https://www.instagram.com/uclabruindine/ for additional updates!

February Beach Cleanup | Santa Monica Beach
2026-02-21 09:00 - 12:00 | Lifeguard Tower 20 Santa Monica, 20 Bicknell Ave, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, United States
Join this upcoming monthly beach cleanup at Santa Monica Beach, Lifeguard Tower #20. All events will take place from 9AM – 12PM.
REGISTER HERE

Vertical Gardening Workshop with Dr. James Bassett
2026-02-21 10:00 - 11:30 | jane b semel Healthy Campus Initiative Community Garden, Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, 111 Easton Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
Take a break from the rain and join a workshop on Vertical Gardening, led by Dr. James Bassett. Learn more about how to integrate trellises, hanging planters, and other space-saving methods into your garden!
REGISTER HERE

UCLA Climate Action Plan Town Hall
2026-02-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
UCLA has completed a Decarbonization Study, funded by the State of California, to develop and analyze strategies for a 90 percent or greater reduction in scope 1 emissions from fossil gas use in campus energy systems. Based on the results of this study, UCLA is now engaged in developing an updated Climate Action Plan (CAP) which integrates the recommendations of the study.
The draft Climate Action Plan was submitted to UCOP in December 2025 and can be viewed at this link – Draft UCLA Climate Action Plan. Feedback on the plan is welcome by Friday March 27 through this form: https://forms.gle/JcCYqQrApea9sa4v7. UCLA Sustainability is also hosting Town Halls for students and staff where you can learn more about the draft updated Climate Action Plan, starting on Monday, February 23rd.
REGISTER HERE
For an overview presentation about the plan, please see this recording of the briefing given the UCLA Executive Sustainability Committee in November, 2025.
Additional Climate Action Plan Town Hall sessions

Wednesday February 25, 12pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/eEcY8edbS_uNO_3_ee0j-A
Wednesday February 25, 6pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/oej5i8inR0C2N-A2WCgZCw
Thursday February 26,12pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/iUlvBn_qR0Gf9buH9ZmxLw

If you have any questions about the Decarbonization study or climate planning please contact: sustainability@ucla.edu.

51st Lester Breslow Distinguished Lecture | Dr. Yifang Zhu: "From Invisible to Visible: How air pollution research informs action in a changing climate"
2026-02-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health for the 51st Lester Breslow Distinguished Lecture, via Zoom. The event will be hosted by the dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Dr. Ron Brookmeyer, and feature Dr. Yifang Zhu delivering her lecture, “From Invisible to Visible: How air pollution research informs action in a changing climate.”
REGISTER HERE
ABOUT DR. YIFANG ZHU
Dr. Yifang Zhu is a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She graduated from Tsinghua University in 1997 and received her PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in 2003. Her research interest is primarily in the field of air pollution, climate change, environmental exposure assessment, and aerosol science and technology. Her current research focuses on measuring and modeling air pollutant emissions, transport, and transformation as well assessing and mitigating the associated health effects. Her scholarship and creativity has been recognized by several national awards, including the Walter A. Rosenblith New Investigator Award from the Health Effects Institute in 2007, the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation in 2009, and the Haagen-Smit Prize from Atmosphere Environment in 2011.

UCLA Climate Action Plan Town Hall
2026-02-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
UCLA has completed a Decarbonization Study, funded by the State of California, to develop and analyze strategies for a 90 percent or greater reduction in scope 1 emissions from fossil gas use in campus energy systems. Based on the results of this study, UCLA is now engaged in developing an updated Climate Action Plan (CAP) which integrates the recommendations of the study.
The draft Climate Action Plan was submitted to UCOP in December 2025 and can be viewed at this link – Draft UCLA Climate Action Plan. Feedback on the plan is welcome by Friday March 27 through this form: https://forms.gle/JcCYqQrApea9sa4v7. UCLA Sustainability is also hosting Town Halls for students and staff where you can learn more about the draft updated Climate Action Plan, including on Wednesday, February 25th.
REGISTER HERE
For an overview presentation about the plan, please see this recording of the briefing given the UCLA Executive Sustainability Committee in November, 2025.
Additional Climate Action Plan Town Hall sessions

Monday February 23, 6pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/8ya9xQtYS1GPQcS1wKroBQ
Wednesday February 25, 6pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/oej5i8inR0C2N-A2WCgZCw
Thursday February 26, 12pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/iUlvBn_qR0Gf9buH9ZmxLw

If you have any questions about the Decarbonization study or climate planning please contact: sustainability@ucla.edu.

UCLA Climate Action Plan Town Hall
2026-02-25 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
UCLA has completed a Decarbonization Study, funded by the State of California, to develop and analyze strategies for a 90 percent or greater reduction in scope 1 emissions from fossil gas use in campus energy systems. Based on the results of this study, UCLA is now engaged in developing an updated Climate Action Plan (CAP) which integrates the recommendations of the study.
The draft Climate Action Plan was submitted to UCOP in December 2025 and can be viewed at this link – Draft UCLA Climate Action Plan. Feedback on the plan is welcome by Friday March 27 through this form: https://forms.gle/JcCYqQrApea9sa4v7. UCLA Sustainability is also hosting Town Halls for students and staff where you can learn more about the draft updated Climate Action Plan, including on Wednesday, February 25th.
REGISTER HERE
For an overview presentation about the plan, please see this recording of the briefing given the UCLA Executive Sustainability Committee in November, 2025.
Additional Climate Action Plan Town Hall sessions

Monday February 23, 6pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/8ya9xQtYS1GPQcS1wKroBQ
Wednesday February 25, 12pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/eEcY8edbS_uNO_3_ee0j-A
Thursday February 26, 12pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/iUlvBn_qR0Gf9buH9ZmxLw

If you have any questions about the Decarbonization study or climate planning please contact: sustainability@ucla.edu.

Botany Brown Bag with Dr. Andy Kleinhesselink
2026-02-26 12:00 - 13:00 | UCLA Mildred E Mathias Botanical Garden, La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Join for another installment of Botany Brown Bag. Dr. Andy Kleinhesselink will give a talk titled “A Scrap of Nature: Rediscovering UCLA’s Native Plants on Sage Hill.”
One-hundred years ago, UCLA began constructing the Westwood campus on 419 of acres of open pasture, riparian, and coastal scrub habitat. Within 40 years, nearly all of that open space and most of the native species were gone, replaced by lawns, buildings, and parking lots. Nevertheless, a few small patches of natural habitat and about 50 native plant species survived. But which native species were lost? And which species should we attempt to bring back? Dr. Andy Kleinhesselink, the Managing Director of Sage Hill, will describe how he uses herbaria collections, historical photos and other data to piece together a more complete picture of campus’ past biodiversity. He will discuss how this history guides our plans for restoring Sage Hill, and how we can use the story of biodiversity on campus to bring lessons about conservation and restoration to life for UCLA undergraduates.
Make sure to bring your lunch!
This event is free and open to the public, no RSVP required!

UCLA Climate Action Plan Town Hall
2026-02-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
UCLA has completed a Decarbonization Study, funded by the State of California, to develop and analyze strategies for a 90 percent or greater reduction in scope 1 emissions from fossil gas use in campus energy systems. Based on the results of this study, UCLA is now engaged in developing an updated Climate Action Plan (CAP) which integrates the recommendations of the study.
The draft Climate Action Plan was submitted to UCOP in December 2025 and can be viewed at this link – Draft UCLA Climate Action Plan. Feedback on the plan is welcome by Friday March 27 through this form: https://forms.gle/JcCYqQrApea9sa4v7. UCLA Sustainability is also hosting Town Halls for students and staff where you can learn more about the draft updated Climate Action Plan, including on Thursday, February 26th.
REGISTER HERE
For an overview presentation about the plan, please see this recording of the briefing given the UCLA Executive Sustainability Committee in November, 2025.
Additional Climate Action Plan Town Hall sessions

Monday February 23, 6pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/8ya9xQtYS1GPQcS1wKroBQ
Wednesday February 25, 12pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/eEcY8edbS_uNO_3_ee0j-A
Thursday February 25, 6pm – https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/oej5i8inR0C2N-A2WCgZCw

If you have any questions about the Decarbonization study or climate planning please contact: sustainability@ucla.edu.

Shine LA
2026-02-28 08:00 - 12:00 | Los Angeles
Let’s come together and make Los Angeles shine! Join the Office of Mayor Karen Bass, our partners, and your neighbors in cleaning, greening, and preparing our city for the world stage. Take pride in your neighborhood and be part of this movement to make LA its best! We hope you will join us on February 28th at various locations across the City.
REGISTER HERE

Live Webinar: From Procurement to Governance: Board Oversight of Sustainability Measurement & Reporting
2026-03-04 09:00 - 10:00 | Online
Everyone is part of someone else’s Scope 3, and sustainability performance is rapidly becoming a core factor in procurement, risk, and revenue. As customers increasingly ask suppliers to disclose climate and ESG data, sustainability is moving into the boardroom. How prepared is your organization to respond?
Join this webinar to explore the board’s role in governing sustainability, including oversight structures, accountability, and reporting readiness. Gain practical governance models, escalation triggers, and strategic questions directors can use to guide management and strengthen resilience in an evolving business and regulatory landscape.
REGISTER HERE

Chinese Global Environmentalism: A Book Talk with Alex Wang
2026-03-04 16:00 - 18:00 | UCLA Law School, Room 1447
We find ourselves in a remarkable moment in global environmental governance. China actively supports green development on the global stage, while the US has rejected the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and actively opposes the development of renewable energy and electric vehicles.
Prof. Alex Wang will discuss his new book Chinese Global Environmentalism, in conversation with Mary Nichols. which examines how China came to embrace green development and the ways in which China promotes a developmental form of environmentalism through green ideology, diplomacy, economic statecraft, and international development cooperation.
The talk will touch on a number of case studies that shed light on China’s approach, including cases of Chinese green investment in Chile, environmental conflicts in Kenya, hydropower development in Southeast Asia, global climate negotiations, and Chinese dominance in clean technology development.
The book can be purchased here and at the following link: https://cup.org/49B6z56. A reception will follow the book talk.
Prof. Alex Wang is a Professor of Law and the Walter and Shirley Wang Chair in US-China Relations and Communications at UCLA Law School. He is also the Faculty Co-Director of UCLA’s Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
REGISTER HERE

The Cigarette Surfboard Film Screening
2026-03-04 18:30 - 21:30 | Hershey Hall 158, UCLA
Presented by the California Coastal Commission Whale Tail Grant
Catch the vibe at The Cigarette Surfboard Film Screening – surf, style, and epic waves on the big screen!
Come hang out for an epic in-person screening of The Cigarette Surfboard film! Watch as the surfboard made with 10,000 cigarette butts collected from California beaches turns into a platform for change.
REGISTER HERE

Can Abundance Be Sustainable? Merging Affordability and Climate Policy
2026-04-03 09:00 - 16:00 | UCLA School of Law, 385 Charles E. Young Drive East , Los Angeles , CA, 90095, United States
An all-day symposium that will focus on the interplay between affordability and environmental regulation.
Affordability concerns are ubiquitous in conversations on environmental and climate policy issues. Policymakers and advocates are wrestling with the question of whether cornerstone environmental laws and regulations, including CEQA and NEPA, can be robustly enforced while still recognizing and addressing cost-of-living pressures. The “Abundance” and YIMBY movements have informed how decisionmakers approach development and permitting decision across a range of contexts.
The Emmett Institute’s 2026 Spring symposium will focus on the interplay between affordability and environmental regulation, paying particular attention to recent developments in three areas: electricity generation and pricing, the transition away from fossil fuel extraction, and affordable housing. It will draw on state-level and national examples, including legislative actions in California on oil drilling and refining and a statewide freeze of building code updates, and on efforts across the country to manage growing electricity demand from data centers. Across these contexts, panelists will assess a range of reforms aimed at reducing costs and assess their compatibility with advancing environmental and environmental justice protections.
This day-long symposium at the UCLA School of Law is free and open to the public. It kicks off with a keynote address followed by the three panel discussions and an afternoon reception to continue the conversation.
Sign up here to be the first to receive registration information in the coming weeks.

Music Sustainability Summit
2026-04-14 08:00 - 19:00 | Solotech Studios, 1017 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90038, United States
The Music Sustainability Summit returns for its third year, convening professionals from across the live and recorded music ecosystem to advance sustainability in the industry. MSS26 focuses on the ideas and initiatives that reshape how music is made, performed, and experienced. Join artists, venue operators, tour managers, promoters, and more for a day of learning, networking, and action.

Check in/Coffee: 8am
Summit: 9am-5:30pm
Reception: 5:30pm-7pm

MSS26 is produced by the Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA), a 501c3 nonprofit organization. MSA’s mission is to embed sustainability in the music industry’s DNA by convening stakeholders to showcase and accelerate initiatives where sustainability becomes the norm, inspiring audiences to carry those values and empowering artists to advocate for sustainable behaviors by their teams, venues, and fans.
REGISTER HERE
**Music Sustainability Summit Scholarship Application**
MSA is proud to announce the latest round of the MSA Scholarship Program, in partnership with Warner Music Group. The scholarship is designed for those dedicated to the intersection of art and advocacy.
LEARN MORE AND APPLY HERE
Application Deadline: March 6

2026 Luskin Summit, Building Power Through Local Solutions
2026-04-15 07:30 - 14:30 | UCLA Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The 2026 Luskin Summit, Building Power Through Local Solutions, will examine how California communities can build power to address vulnerability through locally driven policy action that advances equity, and well-being. The Summit will emphasize that lasting change comes not from one-size-fits-all approaches, but from empowering local governments, institutions, and communities to shape solutions that reflect their needs and strengths.
Grounded in UCLA Luskin’s commitment to tackling society’s most urgent challenges, the Summit will explore how vulnerability is shaped by policy choices—and how power can be built through collaboration, accountability, and strategic action at the local and regional levels. Conversations will focus on how communities can leverage policy tools, data, and partnerships to translate broad goals into concrete, on-the-ground outcomes.
UCLA Luskin faculty and researchers will join policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and community partners to analyze the systems that influence everyday life and to identify opportunities for reform. This year’s discussions will examine the local implementation of SB 79, California’s new housing development law; community-centered responses to environmental challenges such as plastics and mega-events; strategies to strengthen transit safety; and approaches to addressing market concentration and intergenerational inequities—highlighting how building power locally can produce durable, equitable solutions across California.
REGISTER HERE

UCLA AUD presents: "Transitioning Worlds" conference
2026-04-20 09:00 - 2026-04-21 19:00 | UCLA Perloff Hall, DeCafe, 365 Portola Plaza, Room 1302, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The fourth program in the AUD60 Celebration
Transitioning Worlds is a two-day conference hosted by UCLA Architecture and Urban Design (AUD), reflecting on the changing global conditions that shape architecture and the evolving pedagogies, practices, and technologies through which AUD continues to engage them.
The conference includes a full day of thematic sessions, gathering panels of designers, instigators, and thought leaders to take up and debate the ground shifting beneath us all (Monday, April 20). On Day Two (Tuesday, April 21), they will reconvene with a morning workshop and an afternoon student session, interrogating the insights and proposals from Monday’s sessions and forecasting what we imagine next.
MORE INFO HERE

Clarkia Flower Festival
2026-05-16 10:00 - 16:00 | Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Dr
Save the date! The Clarkia Flower Festival will take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 10 am to 4 pm. Check back later for more details!
