UCLA Sustainability

Toward Carbon Neutrality in Higher Education
2020-09-24 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
REGISTER HERE
University campuses are part of the built environment, and in their role as educators and exemplars, college and university campuses are leading the way to a low-carbon future. Despite today’s immediate concerns, leaders in higher education are keeping their eyes on the horizon, and long-term net-zero planning and projects are continuing and finding ways to accommodate financial pressures resulting from COVID-19 related enrollment challenges.
Many campuses are considering the electrification of heating as a decarbonization pathway. Today’s status quo for heating – energy distributed through high-temperature networks – not only is over-designed and costly to maintain but also is basically incompatible with the low-carbon economy. Electrification is a proven route to enable lower-carbon buildings, led by heat pump strategies. Many have already been implemented throughout the province of Quebec.
This dynamic conversation will address the long-term planning and implementation of campus decarbonization, exploring actionable and cost-effective pathways to progress.
Panelists:

Ruth Bennett, Director of Strategic Capital Programs at Tufts University
Bert Bland, Associate Vice President for Energy and Sustainability at Cornell University
JP Drouin, Project Development Director, Ecosystem Energy Services

Moderator:

Tim Carter, President of Second Nature

Comments:

Ms. Catherine Loubier, Delegate General of Québec in New York
Marie-Claude Francoeur, Québec Delegate to New England

*Event not hosted by UCLA

Superbloom in the California Desert 2019
2020-09-23 19:00 - 20:00
A photographic journey to Anza Borrego State Park and Joshua Tree National Park during
the Superbloom of 2019.
Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Meral is the director of the California Water Program at the Natural
Heritage Institute. He works on funding for California water, Delta infrastructure, and a
variety of other California water programs. He formerly served as Deputy Director of the
California Department of Water Resources, Deputy Secretary of the California Natural
Resources Agency, Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation Director, and
Staff Scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund. He has placed 10 initiatives on the
California statewide ballot, and has been involved in many statewide ballot measures
affecting California water, parks, wildlife, health, and transportation. He has a Ph.D. in
zoology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Click here to receive emailed invitations to these Zoom meetings.

LA Equity & Equality Policy Series: Solar & Cleantech Training in South LA
2020-09-22 10:00 - 12:00
GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles presents the 5th installment of our Los Angeles Energy & Equity Policy Series (LEEPS), a symposium examining the lack of and need for Solar and Cleantech Training in South LA. Join us for an engaging panel of speakers as we discuss growing opportunities in clean energy in LA, and challenges and barriers to making solar and cleantech more accessible for local communities. We will explore the role community members, organizers, and job training programs such as GRID Alternatives have in creating equity in the clean energy space.
RSVP Here
*Event not hosted by UCLA

The Enhanced LABC Virtual Sustainability Summit
2020-09-21 15:30 - 2020-09-22 16:00
The LABC is proud to present the new Virtual Two-Day 14th Annual Sustainability Summit with our partners the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy.
REGISTER HERE

Monday, September 21 | 3:30 – 6: 15 PM
Congressional Keynote
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester

National Security Keynote
Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall
Distinguished Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology; Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Moving Toward 100% Renewable Energy & Resource Adequacy
Moderator: Sammy Roth, Energy Reporter, LA Times
Martin L. Adams, General Manager & Chief Engineer, LADWP
Marybel Batjer, President, California Public Utilities Commission
Tom Buttgenbach, President & CEO, 8minute Solar Energy
Michael Garland, CEO, Pattern Energy
Carla Peterman, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Regulatory Affairs, Southern California Edison

Spotlight Session
RA McDonough, Managing Director & Head of Energy, West Region & LA, Investment Bank, JPMorgan Chase
Monday, September 21 | 3:30 – 6: 15 PM

Tuesday, September 22 | 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Accelerating Just, Equitable Climate Goals
Moderator: Michael Northrop, Program Director, Sustainable Development, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
The Honorable Kevin De Leon, Councilmember-elect, Los Angeles City Council
Kate Gordon, Director, Office of Planning and Research & Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Change, Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
Dr. Manuel Pastor, Director, Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, USC
The Honorable Fran Pavley, Former California State Senator, Environmental Policy Director, Schwarzenegger Institute

Fireside Chat:
Educating the Future Workforce to Achieve a Sustainable, Equitable Region
Moderator: Dr. Daniel A. Mazmanian, Professor, USC Price School of Public Policy
Carol Folt, President, University of Southern California
The Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles

Business Keynote
Congressman Tony Cardenas
Emile Haddad, Chairman and CEO, FivePoint
Kevin Payne, President & CEO, Southern California Edison

The Buildings of Tomorrow
Moderator: Lauren Faber O’Connor, Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
David Hochschild, Chair, California Energy Commission
Zafer Sahinoglu, Vice President, Business Innovation, Mitsubishi Electric US Inc.
Reed McMains, Vice President & General Manager, Turner Construction Company
Jason Barrett, Vice President, GAF Energy

Fireside Chat
Moderator: Mary Leslie, President, LABC
Congressman Alan Lowenthal
Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency

Providing Clean, Affordable Water for Californians
Moderator: David Nahai, President, David Nahai Companies
The Honorable Henry Stern, Senator, State of California
Gil Crozes, Partner, Carollo Engineers
Gloria Gray, Board Chair, Metropolitan Water District
Judith Ibarra-Bianchetta, Vice President, Tetra Tech
Enrique C. Zaldivar, P.E., Director and General Manager, LA Sanitation & Environment

Transportation Keynote
Kevin Payne, President & CEO, Southern California Edison

The Future of Clean Transportation
Moderator: Pete Holland, Executive Vice President & Regional Executive, AECOM
Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Genevieve Giuliano, Director, METRANS Transportation Center, USC
David Kim, Secretary, California State Transportation Agency
James De La Loza, Chief Planning Officer, LA Metro
Matt Petersen, President & CEO, LA Cleantech Incubator

Closing Keynote
Congressman Tony Cardenas

Building a Just and Climate-Ready Economy in a Post-COVID World
2020-09-21 13:30 - 14:30
Join us for a conversation in honor of Climate Week with Daniel P. Schrag, Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology, Harvard University, who will address The Science and Forecasting of Climate Change and Rebecca Henderson, John and Natty McArthur University Professor, who will address the Business Case for Building a Just and Climate-Ready Economy.
Moderated by: Jennifer Nash, Director of Harvard Business School’s Business and Environment Initiative
Hosted by: HBS Connects and the Harvard Business School Business and Environment Initiative
REGISTER HERE

Climate Adaptation Research Symposiums
2020-09-21 09:30 - 17:00
REGISTER HERE
As global temperatures rise, climate change is causing far-reaching impacts. Communities continue to experience extreme heat waves, destructive wildfires, and devastating floods and storms. Vulnerable and low-income populations feel these impacts the most.
Climate change presents an unprecedented threat—however, researchers are making progress to estimate the impacts of climate change on many aspects of society—health, safety, and wellbeing; migration; economic outputs and productivity—and to offer potential solutions. This arena of research offers a path forward to creating resilient communities and a society that can respond to rapidly changing environmental conditions.
This full-day symposium will highlight recent research measuring the impacts of climate change, particularly on vulnerable populations and communities. The event will also include a parallel focus on strategies to address these impacts. It will foster cross-disciplinary dialogue between researchers and ultimately serve to improve our collective understanding of the climate adaptation research landscape; existing gaps; and how researchers can assist in informing adaptation and resiliency policies that are urgently needed.
View the agenda and speakers at https://climateadaptationresearch.com
The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of the Los Angeles basin and UCLA is grateful to be in service to the indigenous peoples of this area.

Climate Adaptation Research Symposium
2020-09-21 09:00 - 17:00
The Climate Adaptation Research Symposium will now be a free virtual, live event!
Register here: https://webinars.on24.com/uclaluskin/ClimateAdaptation2020
As global temperatures rise, climate change is causing far-reaching impacts. Communities continue to experience extreme heat waves, destructive wildfires, and devastating floods and storms. Vulnerable and low-income populations feel these impacts the most.
Climate change presents an unprecedented threat—however, researchers are making progress to estimate the impacts of climate change on many aspects of society—health, safety, and wellbeing; migration; economic outputs and productivity—and to offer potential solutions. This arena of research offers a path forward to creating resilient communities and a society that can respond to rapidly changing environmental conditions.
This full-day symposium will highlight recent research measuring the impacts of climate change, particularly on vulnerable populations and communities. The event will also include a parallel focus on strategies to address these impacts. It will foster cross-disciplinary dialogue between researchers and ultimately serve to improve our collective understanding of the climate adaptation research landscape; existing gaps; and how researchers can assist in informing adaptation and resiliency policies that are urgently needed.
View the agenda and speakers at https://climateadaptationresearch.com.

Electric Transportation of Goods and People and the resulting impact on Energy Infrastructure
2020-09-15 08:00 - 19:00
Electric Transportation of Goods and People and the resulting impact on Energy Infrastructure

Virtual Conference
REGISTER HERE
UCLA Event
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live, work, and travel. Delivery of food and packages to our homes by companies such as Amazon is becoming the norm as increasingly larger numbers of employees work from home. Many of these delivery companies are now electrifying their fleets. Simultaneously, a reduction in the number of vehicles on the road during this pandemic has demonstrated that a future with reduced tailpipe emissions would result in all of us breathing cleaner air – a further reason to move towards zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) which today are mostly electric. Enabling sufficient numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) so as to make a significant impact on emissions requires large scale deployment of smart and modern EV charging infrastructure that is easy to use, efficient, economical, and does not stress the grid.
On September 15, 2020, UCLA Smart Grid Energy Research Center (SMERC) and UCLA Connected Autonomous Electric Vehicle (CAEV) Program within the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering are hosting a Global Conference bringing leaders from 3 continents – North America, Europe, and Asia – together to discuss the role of EVs and how the world is putting together smart charging infrastructure to support the anticipated growth in EVs worldwide.
EV development worldwide
The EV Industry, which California pioneered, is experiencing significant growth throughout the world with rapid advances in technology, performance, and a steep reduction in cost. EV industry pioneer that started in California, Tesla, has expanded its EV footprint globally, adding factories in China and Germany. With costs falling, incumbents have rapidly entered the market and added EVs to their product mix for the mass market. Volkswagen, the world’s largest automotive manufacturer, has announced plans to launch EVs priced under $22,000. Ford, Honda, VW, and BMW recently agreed to cut emissions and promised to deliver car fleets averaging 50 miles per gallon by model year 2026. The market is reacting positively to such developments, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that by 2022 the world will have 500 EV models with an estimated 26 million EVs sold in 2030 representing 28% of total vehicles sold in that year.
EV market expands from passenger cars to commercial vehicles
While passenger cars represent a significant portion of the current EV marketplace, commercial vehicles are experiencing rapid conversion to electric, especially because the cost to own and operate EVs is reducing. First, battery cost has come down by about 87% in the past decade thereby reducing the purchase cost of the EV. Second, the energy cost per mile to operate a vehicle using electric power as compared to fossil fuel-based energy is about half. Third, clean air incentives offered by governments make purchasing of electric trucks and buses extremely attractive financially. Fourth, mandates such as the recent ruling by California Air Resources Board (CARB) requiring all commercial trucks and vans sold in California in 2045 as well as half of all trucks sold by 2035 to be ZEVs, creates a market for electrification. Therefore, analyst firms are predicting significant growth of this market – electric trucks growing at a compound annual growth rate of 53.8% from 2021 to 2026.
Electric Trucks
This anticipated hyper-growth market is fueled by investments as well as the creation of new technologies. Electric truck manufacturer, Rivian, backed by the likes of Amazon and Ford, for example, has raised about $6B billion and is focused on good delivery. XOS, a startup here in Los Angeles, is bringing new electric truck technology to the marketplace. Others include Arrival, Chanje, Workhorse, and CityFreighter. Incumbents such as Daimler and Volvo, are also coming out with electric trucks, thereby augmenting an expanding and competitive marketplace.
Electric Buses
Bus electrification is also expanding rapidly in the marketplace with manufacturers such as Proterra of California and BYD of China that started out as pure electric vehicle manufacturers, where others such as Solaris of Europe, and Newflyer of the United States have transitioned into electric as they see policymakers such as CARB setting sustainability targets for emissions reduction.
New programs and policies
EV innovation is being driven by new policies from around the world such as the London Smart Cities Initiative for the urban delivery of goods and people. The London city government announced last year that it is declaring an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) within a certain region of the city that will have tighter emissions standards. Vehicles exceeding certain threshold emissions levels would need to pay a charge to enter these zones. Los Angeles and Santa Monica in California are similarly looking at emissions-free delivery zones.
Smart charging to support a smart grid including aggressive renewable portfolio standards
While electricity as a source of energy for transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions, it also challenges the grid in the short term especially if EV charging is not managed properly. If managed via smart charging, especially using software that understands energy management, driver behavior, and battery technology, utilization of the existing grid capacity can be maximized while avoiding stressing the grid. The grid operators can benefit by utilizing the batteries within EVs as energy storage devices to stabilize their grid as they ramp up their renewable energy portfolio, which for California, a world leader in renewables, is 100% by 2045. For example, increasing amounts of solar PV generation results in the “duck curve”, a phenomenon that creates excessive power and negative pricing of electricity during the middle of the day, but by increasing the number of EVs, this energy may be absorbed thereby providing stability to the electric grid.
Additionally, EV fleet operators such as bus transit agencies whose vehicles tend to utilize large amounts of electricity, are installing stationary battery storage, so that they don’t have to rely completely on the grid operator to install power lines, especially when they supplement their facilities with rooftop PV. Such solar+battery+EV facilities can be efficiently controlled by microgrid technologies that manage these so-called “Distributed Energy Resources” or DERs thereby making it easier for grid operators to manage such assets.
AV+EV
Most EV manufacturers are simultaneously investigating autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies so that they can be at the forefront of the transportation revolution. The intersection of AV with EV creates challenges and opportunities, an example of which is the need to refuel an Autonomous Electric Vehicle (AEV) with no driver present. Wireless EV charging and robotic-assisted automated charging are being actively explored as potential solutions.
Smart Cities
As city infrastructure gets modernized, and as streets become “smart” via sensors, digital street signs, Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology, or GIS, the job of the AEV technology to deliver personnel and goods would become easier and quicker, while reducing street traffic and minimizing energy needs of the delivery fleet. Companies such as Waymo, Argo, Aurora, Cruise, Tesla, Uber, Pony.AI, and others are innovating in this space rapidly.
Infrastructure for Electric Transportation and its Energy
To discuss the technologies, innovations, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to infrastructure to support the electrification of transportation, we are bringing together experts from different disciplines at our upcoming Conference on September 15, 2020.
Tentative agenda
8 a.m. – 10 a.m. Sessions with Speakers from EUROPE
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sessions with Speakers from USA
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Lunch Break
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sessions with Speakers from USA
5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Sessions with Speakers from ASIA
All times are PDT or Pacific Daylight Time (GMT-7)

Amin Ghazanfari
Principal Scientist
Hydro-Québec’s Centre of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage

Aparna Mehta
Vice President – Global Customer Solutions
UPS

Bob Purcell
CEO
VIA Motors International

Dakota Semler
Founder and CEO
XOS Trucks

Freeman Shen
Founder and CEO
WM Motor

Ganesh V. Iyer
EVP, Managing Director
NIO USA

Gary Gero
Chief Sustainability Officer
County of Los Angeles

Jack Allen
Chairman & CEO
Proterra

Keshav Sondhi
Director – Fleet Engineering & Sustainability
PepsiCo, Inc.

Marc Manning
Senior Director, Vehicle Engineering & Acquisition
LA Metro

Rajit Gadh
Professor and Director
UCLA CAEV, SMERC, ESmart

Stella Li
President
BYD Motors Inc.

TBA
Southern California Edison

Net Zero Conference 2020
2020-09-15 - 2020-09-16
NET ZERO 2020
We’re pleased to be presenting the 2020 Net Zero Conference virtually! Because we’ve transitioned to a virtual event, we’re able to offer this year’s sponsors some new and exciting benefits.
– The world’s largest annual net zero building conference — presented virtually!
– 20+ world-class education sessions
– 3 inspiring keynote speakers
– Interactive virtual Expo Hall featuring industry-leading companies
– Reserved pool of free, need-based tickets
– Professional virtual networking with industry leaders
– Virtual tours of local net zero buildings
– Attended by experts from 38 states and 8 countries in 2019
– CEUs available for AIA, USGBC & LFA credential holders
– Content on climate, carbon, energy, water, waste + transit
– Join us in building a Net Zero Future for All!
– NZ20 is brought to you by Verdical Events
We have custom sponsorships, which can be tailored in pricing and benefit to your organization’s needs, available as well. Contact us today to learn more!

LADOT: Planning for Stress Free Connections
2020-09-14 17:00 - 18:00
On this webinar, you can find out how LADOT is planning a network of calm slow streets to help support safer biking and walking in the Central City subregion (see attached fact sheet). To RSVP, please click here. As a key part of receiving feedback to define the needs and opportunities for more stress free travel on local streets, please consider taking LADOT’s survey, available in English, Spanish, and Korean.

ICEPAG 2020 - A Virtual Colloquium
2020-09-14 - 2020-09-16
REGISTER HERE
Held virtually at the University of California, Irvine, ICEPAG 2020 supports the annual presentation on the technologies, applications, and role of hydrogen in the smart grid and smart mobility of the future. The 3-day virtual Colloquium is a valued balance of academia, industry, national laboratories, and government agencies actively engaged in the evolution of hydrogen associated with this new paradigm.
Using a colloquium format, ICEPAG:

Combines a collection of tutorials and professional presentations.
Provides extended question and answer periods to facilitate discussion.
Presents a platform to share the interests of industry, regulators, academia, and practicing professionals.

What Makes This A Must-Attend Virtual Event?

Comprehensive Program: ICEPAG addresses the spectrum of hydrogen generation, distribution, storage, and utilization to capture an integrated perspective of clean energy systems and the move to electrification.
Objective and Insightful: A diverse range of academic and industry presentations provides objective content and insights on the latest, cutting edge information regarding hydrogen, microgrids, smart grids, electrification, and clean mobility.
Key Stakeholder Engagement: Attendees are comprised of influential figures from academia, government, and industry with a stake in clean energy.
International Constituency: For the past 20 years ICEPAG has been a premier global forum in which clean energy leaders from around the world share and discuss their perspectives.

Who Should Attend?

The Colloquium is intended for professionals from academia, government, and industry, and students who seek a place on the cutting edge of hydrogen, microgrids, smart grids, electrification, and clean mobility.
The virtual networking and sharing of information will be of key interest to regulators, public policy professionals, researchers, technology developers, system integrators, investors, urban planners, utilities, and other stakeholders who wish to understand the potential and challenges associated with the rapidly increasing attention to the role of hydrogen in the smart grid and smart mobility paradigms.

Right Plant, Right Place with Scott Cher
2020-09-12 13:00 - 15:00
To maintain social distancing, this class will be held online. See below for more details.
Knowing native habitats can help you choose the right plants for your place. This course discusses local plant communities and their conditions, as well as how to assess the conditions of your garden site, including climate, soil, sunlight and space. A valuable class for beginners and the prerequisite for our Three-Part Native Garden Design Course.

This class will be held online via Zoom. An access code will be sent to attendees in advance of the class. A Zoom account is not required to attend.
Class repeats monthly.
Scott Cher is TPF’s Adult Education Manager.

CNPS Conservation Advocacy Training
2020-09-12 09:00 - 12:30
Join CNPS Conservation Program staff and experts for an introductory advocacy seminar for conservation volunteers.
REGISTER HERE

Schedule:
9:00 – 9:10 am, Nick Jensen, PhD

Introduction

9:10 – 9:35 am, Isabella Langone, JD

A primer on California plant conservation laws

9:35 – 10:00 am, Nick Jensen, PhD

CEQA 101

10:15 – 10:45 am, David Magney

The basics of how to provide effective comments during the CEQA review process

10:45 – 11:15 am, Carolyn Longstreth, JD

Everything you always wanted to know about CNPS litigation but were afraid to ask

11:15 – 11:45 am, Frank Landis, PhD

Climate change and wildfire impacts in environmental review.

11:45 am – 12:15 pm, Roundtable and Panel Discussion

Speakers:
Nick Jensen, CNPS Lead Conservation Scientist.
Isabella Langone, CNPS Conservation Analyst
David Magney, CNPS Rare Plant Program Director
Carolyn Longstreth, CNPS Marin Chapter
Frank Landis, CNPS San Diego Chapter Conservation Chair
*Event not hosted by UCLA

California Biodiversity Trivia Night
2020-09-10 19:00 - 20:00
Gather your friends and colleagues for a night of trivia all about California’s biodiverse plants and habitats! Join the Zoom session promptly to have a better chance of being crowned champion at the end of the night. Teams of 1-4 (can communicate in your own private group chat or use Zoom’s private 1 to 1 chat feature). Answers will be submitted with a provided Google form and questions will primarily be multiple choice.
Prizes such as CNPS Tshirts and books will be given out to the top teams.
REGISTER HERE
*Event not hosted by UCLA

Plan(t) for Biodiversity Webinar
2020-09-09 14:00 - 15:00
California is a biodiversity hotspot and your garden can play an important part. We’ll take a look at the beauty of California and discuss how native plants are the right plants for your space. Learn about the different palettes of California native plants, how to find the right plants for your garden, and where to buy native plants near you.
REGISTER HERE
*Event is not hosted by UCLA

Equitable Adaptation Planning: Practical Resources for California Communities
2020-09-09 10:00 - 11:00
This webinar is an introduction to a growing suite of equitable adaptation planning and practice resources. ICARP and Office of Emergency Services staff will introduce the 2020 Adaptation Planning Guide and walk through the beta online APG on the Adaptation Clearinghouse. Guest speakers from the Greenlining Institute and the Georgetown Climate Center will present guidance, toolkits, and resources to support equitable adaptation responses.
REGISTER HERE

ARS Electronica Festival
2020-09-09 07:00 - 2020-09-13 20:00
ARS Electronica Festival
Telluric Vibrations
UCLA Art Sci Center x Botanical Garden
September 9th-13th • YouTube Live
Tel·lu·ric: being or relating to a usually natural electric current flowing near the earth’s surface. UCLA Art Sci Center was invited by ARS Electronica to be the Los Angeles Garden and is presenting a series of events under the title of Telluric Vibrations. Using the model of a plant growing both upward into the atmosphere and downward into the soil, simultaneously cultivating the Earth and the Ether – conceptually and physically, grounding technology.
Beaming live from the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden in the middle of the city and the molecular imaging labs underground at the UCLA California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), site specific installations and performances from the UCLA Art Sci collective will be showcased and presented online through live video and augmented reality. Sound art, bio art and immersive installations will be created to interact within the garden and its multiple species and sensory experiences.
The garden will not function as a backdrop, but rather as an integrated, collaborative element, as the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden aims to engage people with the broad ways that plants are woven intricately into our lives and bring diverse communities together. Dr. Victoria Sork, the Garden Director, will be giving the opening keynote talk “Tree Conservation, Genomics, and Change” on September 9th at 7:00am PST.
• Read more about Telluric Vibrations
• Check out the schedule
• RSVP for virtual workshops and events
• Explore the ARS Electronica Festival

Western Monarch Butterflies : Creating Habitat with Native Plants
2020-09-08 19:00 - 20:00
SAVE THE DATE

Presented by Theodore Payne Foundation Outreach Manager Erin Johnson – a virtual presentation via Zoom – login info will be sent at a later date.

The Global Fate of Plastics: From China to COVID
2020-08-31 10:00 - 11:00
Professor Kate O’Neill of the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley charts the rise and fall (and rise again) of scrap plastic on global recycling markets, examining how waste plastic became a global commodity and why this changed so dramatically in recent years. What does the resurgence of plastics during the COVID-19 pandemic mean for addressing plastics as a global problem now and into the future?
This exclusive event is part of the virtual seminar series hosted by the Program on Plastics, Ecosystems, and Public Health at the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University (ISEN).
REGISTER HERE

Irrigation Practices for Native Plant Gardens with Tim Becker
2020-08-29 13:00 - 14:00
To maintain social distancing, this class will be held online. See below for more details.
Curious about the best ways to water your native garden? This focused one hour online class covers how, when and where to irrigate, as well as the benefits and drawbacks for overhead, drip and hand-watering equipment.
This class will be held online via Zoom. An access code will be sent to attendees in advance of the class. A Zoom account is not required to attend.
Katherine Pakradouni is a native plant horticulturist and educator who has been growing and maintaining native plants for years through her work with Grown in LA and Theodore Payne Foundation.

Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change
2020-08-26 19:00 - 20:00
Nita Winter and Rob Badger take you behind the scenes of their 27-year journey
photographing wildflowers throughout California. It began in 1992, when they discovered
and fell in love with California’s spectacular wildflower blooms in the Mojave Desert’s
Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve. Photographing these beautiful landscapes
and individual flowers evolved into their documentary art project, Beauty and the Beast:
Wildflowers and Climate Change. Their new beautiful book, co-published with CNPS,
focuses on California’s amazing plant diversity and is a companion to their traveling
exhibit. Gorgeous super bloom scenery is not the only thing that makes the Beauty and
the Beast wildflower photos so special; Rob and Nita developed unique field techniques
to capture one-of-a-kind images. They create every one of the photographs in the field,
lugging 80 pounds of cameras and their “natural light” studio equipment from below sea
level in Death Valley National Park, to 13,000-foot-high mountain passes.
Internationally acclaimed conservation photographers Nita Winter and Rob Badger have
been life partners and creative collaborators for more than three decades. Their work has
been featured in Time, Mother Jones, Sierra, Flora magazines, the New York Times,
Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Los Angeles Times.

Click here to receive emailed invitations to these Zoom meetings.

Net Zero Build Summit
2020-08-25 - 2020-08-28
About NetZeroBuild Summit
August 25-28, 2020

NetZeroBuild Summit 2020 brings together the key stakeholders involved in the Midwest’s value chain for net-zero construction in residential, commercial, academic and government buildings for the very first time.
Hosting the Midwest’s leading architects, policymakers, contractors, system manufacturers, building owners and real estate executives, this essential new event is a opportunity to understand the role netzero construction and green building will play as the Midwest’s economy recovers from the impact of Covid-19.
With a highly interactive program running across four consecutive days, NetZeroBuild Summit has been expertly crafted to facilitate connections and conversations, and for stakeholders to identify potential project partners and new suppliers.
Book your NetZeroBuild Summit 2020 delegate passes today. Click here to discover the discount opportunities.
Book a pass

Agenda outline

Join a thought-provoking discussion on NZB projects
As we move towards a future where sustainability and rising energy prices play an increasingly important role in the design, development and construction of our built environment, the concept of net zero buildings (NZBs) is gaining momentum in the architectural industry, the wider material supply chain and of course, with facility owners (e.g. manufacturing OEMs). The agenda of the NetZeroBuild summit has been designed to facilitate thought-provoking discussion between all these relevant stakeholders and provide the knowledge and contacts to deliver innovative and economically practical NZB projects.
As symbolized by the creation of the new office of climate and energy, this is a watershed moment for the state Michigan and the list of ambitious renewable energy and energy efficiency projects continues to grow. Smarter Shows is excited to host a dedicated networking forum for the building community to discuss this radical and powerful concept.

Discover the agenda

Key benefits

Take advantage of NetZeroBuild Summit 2020
Discover how to successfully implement and deliver a commercial net-zero build project
Learn the direction of travel on the green building revolution, and identify future commercial opportunities
Understand the next generation of high-performance, energy efficient buildings, and meet the people who’ll design and build them
Source cutting-edge solutions and products to enable you to deliver sustainable, cost-effective, building projects
Discover how to reduce energy consumption in commercial facilities whilst enhancing operational productivity
Understand which technical systems have the greatest potential to improve energy efficiency, for both commercial and residential buildings
Insights and case studies demonstrating how energy efficiency programmes can be leveraged to achieve corporate strategic objectives
Discover how LEED certification can yield unprecedented returns for new developments and existing building reuse
Discuss the opportunity for buildings to be transformed into microgrids, enabling the mass adoption of renewable energy and electric vehicles
Actionable insight to you access financial resources introduced to support building performance upgrades and renewable energy installations
Understand the significance of embodied carbon reduction efforts on your sustainable building value propositions

2020 MGBCE Day 2: Community Green (A day of Green Building for the General Public!)
2020-08-22 09:30 - 16:00
2020 Municipal Green Building Conference + Expo
DAY 2 of MGBCE:
Community Green
Saturday, August 22nd, 2020
MGBCE 2020 is a virtual event–see you online!
**(Please note that this date has been rescheduled from the previous date on May 30th. If you had previously registered, your registration will automatically be moved to the new dates.)
This is a free event open to the public!
Or click here to join USGBC-LA today.

Find out more information, the agenda, and speakers for MGBCE 2020, please go to
www.mgbce.online

2020 MGBCE Day 1: Municipal Green
2020-08-21 09:00 - 16:30
2020 Municipal Green Building Conference + Expo
DAY 1 of MGBCE:
Municipal Green
Friday, August 21st, 2020
MGBCE 2020 is a virtual event–see you online!
**(Please note that this date has been rescheduled from the previous date on May 29th. If you had previously registered, your registration will automatically be moved to the new dates. If you have registered and can no longer attend, please email events@usgbc-la.org for cancellations. We will happy to assist you with a refund due to the rescheduled dates.)

Pricing
*USGBC-LA Members: Free
General Public: $75
**All government, non-profit employees, and students: $25
*Please be sure that you are signed in to your account for membership pricing options.
**For government, non-profit employees, and student pricing, please register using your work or student email so that we can verify your discount.
Click here to join USGBC-LA today and receive your event discounts!
*Standard USGBC-LA membership is $100 annually; discounts may apply to your membership level*

Find out more information, the agenda, and speakers for MGBCE 2020, please go to
www.mgbce.online

And join us for our new
Community Green (DAY 2):
A public, community day in celebration of green building education and awareness!
Saturday, August 22nd, 2020
More info here!

8th Annual Building Technology Showcase
2020-08-19 12:00 - 14:00
Each year, the LABBC Building Technology Showcase helps property owners quickly get up to speed on the latest building technologies through a combination of live case studies and fast-pitch presentations from technology companies vetted by our Partners.
This year’s virtual event will focus on technologies for Multifamily Residential properties, where efficiency investments make the biggest triple-bottom-line impact.

REGISTER TODAY

Event registration is complimentary.

Upcycling Together Webcast
2020-08-13 14:00 - 15:00
Safety is Metro’s top priority while we continue to do the work to chart our path forward, especially as LA County reopens in stages.
Throughout the year, Metro is hosting a series of conversations on resiliency concepts and solutions.
Metro is seeking innovative, cost effective solutions that will help us reduce our waste streams, like our Banners to Bags Program as described in The Source article.
Join us in creating a more resilient future by helping us expand our waste diversion program.
Metro is hosting an online industry forum on upcycling on Thursday, August 13th from 2:00pm – 3:00pm where we will share an overview of our waste stream challenges and answer questions.
REGISTER HERE

Our hope is that you will help shape this project by identifying materials in our current waste stream that could be repurposed or upcycled, which diverts materials from our operations and construction projects from going to landfill.
Help us spread the word! Please forward to your contacts to include anyone who is interested in zero waste, resiliency or partnering with Metro.

RSVP by August 6th and send questions to:
Metro Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Department
Halli Bovia
BoviaH@metro.net

California Forests and the CalFire Vegetation Treatment Program
2020-08-12 19:00 - 20:00
By: Andrea Williams, CNPS Director of Plant Science
California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (aka CAL FIRE)’s proposed program to
treat vegetation on public and private land across California to improve public safety,
protect natural resources, and reduce fire suppression costs. CNPS Chapters have the
opportunity to build local relationships to ensure the work is environmentally sound and
based on the best fire science.
Andrea Williams has two decades of experience in science-based public lands
management: monitoring rare plants and plant communities, carrying out project
compliance surveys, mapping and removing invasive plants, and planning and
overseeing fuel reduction projects.
Click here to receive emailed invitations to these Zoom meetings.

Summer Nights at Home
2020-08-07 18:00 - 20:00
This summer the Nature Gardens and Tar Pits are coming over to your place. Fix yourself a DIY botanical cocktail and join our events happening LIVE. Turn up the DJ tunes and join in on a talk with Museum Staff who’ll be getting to the root of plants from the present day all the way back to the Ice Age. Celebrate your Summer Nights with nature, music, and growing your mind.
#SummerNights
This program will live-stream directly to this web page. RSVP for a day-of email reminder.
Schedule
6pm: Garden Talk: The Private Life of Pleistocene Plants
7pm: DJ Set: Knights of Zion
Garden Talk | 6 pm
PLANTS AND THEIR WILDLIFE PARTNERS
Did you know that many plants and animals depend upon each other for survival? Most plants need animals to pollinate their flowers or spread their seeds, and many animals, especially insects and birds, rely on plants for food or nesting. The Museum’s Nature Gardens Horticulture team will share some of the best plants and techniques for creating a healthy, vibrant habitat for wildlife.

CAROL BORNSTEIN
Director of Living Collections – Carol joined the Natural History Museum when the Nature Gardens were under construction. She has overseen their development and care ever since, as well as the Museum’s Live Animal Program. Carol is co-author of two books, California Native Plants for the Garden and Reimagining the California Lawn. She has selected and introduced several popular cultivars for California gardens, including Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’ and the Museum’s own Encelia californica ‘Paleo Yellow’. A gardener since the age of 5, she continues to be captivated by plants and loves sharing that fascination with others.

STEPHANIE MACIAS
Horticulturist – Stephanie volunteered at the Nature Gardens before joining the Horticulture team in 2017. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from UCLA and a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from CSULA. She is currently working on an Associate’s degree in Environmental Horticulture at El Camino College. In her free time, she likes to play the piano and of course, work in her garden.

ALAN DUKE
Alan Duke is a native plant gardener who lives and works in Los Angeles. He has an MFA from Art Center College of Design and grew up in Texas. His favorite plant is the Coast Live Oak.

MODERATOR – STEVEN MENDOZA
Steven Mendoza is a Gallery Interpreter at NHMLAC where he helps people find connections between themselves and the museum’s collections. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara where he worked at the Mesoamerican Research Center alongside archaeologists and horticulturalists. There, they studied traditional, sustainable methods to preserve the ecological and cultural integrity of the ancient Maya Forest Garden.

DJ Set | 7 pm

KNIGHTS OF ZION
Knights of Zion grew up in Roxbury (birthplace of Malcolm X) and came up in the clubs and balls of New York. He began DJing and producing his blend of Afro, Ballroom and Deep House after relocating to Los Angeles 6 years ago, where he founded the party, “NEBULA”.
Botanical Cocktail Recipe

Lavender-Honey Summer Collins
The drink curators at Post and Beam Restaurant have crafted your new favorite summertime cocktail. This bright and effervescent libation is inspired by the Pollinator Meadow at the Natural History Museum. This recipe will tickle your palate while quenching your thirst during these long midsummer days. Share your botanical cocktail creation #SummerNights

TRUE zero waste and Circular Economy Training Series: How to Apply Circularity to Your Business
2020-08-07 09:30 - 11:00
TRUE Zero Waste and Circular Economy Training Series:

HOW TO APPLY CIRCULARITY TO YOUR BUSINESS AND REDUCE OPERATING COSTS

Via Zoom
Zoom link sent upon completion of registration
Register Here

REDUCE, REUSE, AND COMPOSTING HOW TO APPLY CIRCULARITY TO YOUR BUSINESS AND REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS
Without urgent action, global waste will increase by 70 percent on current levels by 2050, according to the World Bank’s new report. The make-take-waste way of doing things is coming to an end and if we do it right, we’ll create massive new economical and social opportunities!
We’re honored and excited to have you join us for TRUE Zero Waste and Circular Economy educational series.
In this course, we’ll take the first steps. It’s not often that you get to rethink the entire economic system. Whether you’re here to gain insights into what a zero waste and circular economy is all about, identify skills to make the transition to a Circular Economy happen, or connect with a community of learners.
In this series of courses you explore how businesses can create value by striving for zero waste, seeing products and materials as cycles, the role of creative solutions, and how you can contribute to make the transition to a Circular Economy.
You will learn to re-think the economic system you experience every day; act on it and become a leader in this major paradigm shift. You will shape a more circular future, together with our network.
Join us and explore the TRUE zero waste and circular economy principles.
Students that complete all the 3 modules will receive a certificate at the end. GBCI to approve CE hours for these training sessions.

Facilitators:

Denise Braun, CEO All About Waste

Denise has over seventeen years of experience in the sustainability field, starting in Brazil and then moving to the United States. She is the founder and principal of All About Waste – a woman and minority-owned sustainability and zero waste consulting firm based in Los Angeles, CA.
Denise and her team provide a diverse range of services including solid waste data collection and analysis, circular strategic frameworks, green building certifications, zero waste programs and certification, training/educational workshops, and community outreach. She has worked in various capacities on over 150 LEED-certified projects, many of which have achieved the highest level of certification with no clarifications. Denise is currently working on several zero-waste and wellness projects.
She worked on the first TRUE-certified zero waste high-rise commercial building in the world. Denise has been responsible for over 30 million square feet of waste audits and has developed and analyzed technical waste management solutions for a large variety of building types. Denise has presented at numerous lectures, workshops, and conferences, including the annual Municipal Green Building Conference and Expo, Net Zero Conference, the Living Building Collaborative Zero Waste Forum and the GreenBuild Conference & Expo. She currently has several accreditation and expertise such as: LEED AP, WELL AP, ENV SP, TRUE Advisor, Fitwel Ambassador and sustainable supply chain. She also is sitting as a Board of Director at USGBC-LA.

Ryan McMullan, CEO Lean Green Way

Over his career Ryan McMullan has led several Sustainability programs including in Toyota’s Corporate Responsibility department and Rice University’s Facilities & Engineering department. These have included strategically developing and deploying environmental targets across a wide variety of functional groups, reporting on environmental progress, greenhouse gas inventories, and developing programs for zero waste, zero carbon, and zero water.
He now consults with companies like Lockheed-Martin, Walmart and Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) to help them establish leading sustainability strategies. He is an advisor to TRUE Zero Waste Certification at GBCI and the Environmental Leader Conference. He earned his Masters from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara and his Bachelor’s from Rice University. At home he keeps busy improving the sustainability of his home in Long Beach, California, teaching his 10-year-old son to conserve resources and design games, and writing on his experiences.

Biggest and Smallests: CNPS Yerba Buena Speaker Program
2020-08-06 19:30 - 20:30
Speaker: Kipp McMichael
Break out your rulers, scales and metrics for a tour of California flora with an eye toward maxima and minima. We’ll start with familiar status-holders like giant sequoia and duckweed but move on to more esoteric categories and the biggests and smallests therein: The largest flower? The longest vine? The biggest fruit? The smallest fern? The largest club moss? Let’s explore what lies at the disparate ends of the phytological scale!
Kipp McMichael is a professional web developer and an amateur naturalist with several degrees, none of them plant-related (but don’t tell that to his overly-large plant collection). He grows native plants, succulents and far too many bulbs in his home garden in Berkeley, CA.
REGISTER HERE
