Children, the Constitution, and the Climate Crisis
2023-11-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
This year, Held v. Montana—the only constitutional climate litigation to go on trial in the United States—was brought by Our Children’s Trust on behalf of children. The Held case was tried in state judicial district court in Helena, Montana, in June 2023. On August 14, the judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in this landmark decision, deciding that the Montana Environmental Policy Act was unconstitutional and that Montana’s constitutional right to a healthful environment includes climate.
Our Children’s Trust also represents the 21 youth plaintiffs in the landmark federal constitutional climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States, as well as youth in climate litigation and legal actions in multiple other states and countries. It is the world’s only nonprofit public interest law firm exclusively dedicated to representing young people securing their legal right to a safe climate.
Please join the Center for American Progress and Our Children’s Trust for an online event discussing the climate crisis and the constitutional rights of youth. The webinar will highlight the constitutional climate cases filed by Our Children’s Trust.
REGISTER HERE

Grid Modernization: Global Insights & Local Solutions
2023-11-29 15:00 - 16:30 | Online
Hosted in conjunction with the Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition (LGSEC), this one-and-a-half hour event will showcase an array of speakers from around the globe discussing common challenges and potential solutions as governments worldwide seek to decarbonize their electric grids. Featured topics will include the complex dynamics of grid transformation, challenges with grid capacity, the role of microgrids, and the potential of public-private partnerships to facilitate the energy transition.
This event is open to the public and free of charge.
REGISTER HERE

Free Food from the Dining Halls
2023-11-29 22:00, 2023-11-30 22:00, 2023-12-05 22:00, 2023-12-06 22:00, 2023-12-07 22:00, 2024-01-10 22:00, 2024-01-11 22:00 | Conference Room 1 in the Student Activities Center Basement, 220 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Get a plate of free hot dining hall food in the SAC basement. Please bring your own containers and utensils. Bruin Dine is operating Tuesdays, Wednesdays, AND Thursdays this quarter.

Botany of the Holidays
2023-11-30 16:00 - 18:00 | UCLA Mildred E Mathias Botanical Garden, La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Celebrate the season, and see the UCLA Botanical Garden all decked out! Learn about the histories of toyon, marigolds, and kumquats in holiday traditions around the world. De-stress in nature with snacks and a holiday hangout. Looking for a gift for your friends and family? There will be a pop-up plant sale and Garden merchandise.

Converting Natural Resources: Representations, Performances, Narratives
2023-12-01 09:00 - 2023-12-02 13:00 | William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2520 Cimarron Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90018, United States
This conference considers visual, textual, material, and performative engagement with processes of commodification in the early modern world. It explores how images, objects, and practices converted environments into resources, natural resources into lucrative items with commercial and tax-yielding significance, and destructive forces and forced labor into idealized landscapes and aestheticized bodies. The conference shifts the focus from the collection and display of phenomena in cabinets of curiosities, to the mechanisms and processes through which raw materials were converted into commodities.
The conference is free to attend with advance registration, and will be held in-person at the Clark Library. Registration will close on Monday, November 27 at 5:00 p.m. Seating is limited at the Clark Library; walk-in registrants are welcome as space permits.
REGISTER HERE

Community Engaged Research for Just Energy Services Transitions
2023-12-01 10:30 - 11:50 | Online
People do not need kilowatts; instead, they need the multitude of services provided by access to energy, including thermal comfort, refrigeration of food and medicine, cooking, lighting, communication, and transportation. As socio-technological systems experience rapid transitions associated with addressing climate change, inequity in access, aging infrastructures, and the negative socio-environmental consequences of current energy systems, addressing justice is paramount. Taking an energy services approach changes how we approach energy systems research and pursuit of energy justice, and community engagement is an essential tool for promoting just processes and outcomes. In this talk, Dr. Schelly presents some of her research collaborative research using community engagement research methods to promote just energy services access through energy systems transitions. Key takeaways from this work include the importance of collaboration across institutional domains, the complex implications of pursuing of energy sovereignty, and the role of ontological pluralism in supporting meaningful engagement that can support energy justice and a transition to a decarbonized energy system.
Join via Zoom (passcode=[REDACTED]

Botanical Garden Public Tour
2023-12-02 10:00 - 11:00 | La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Explore UCLA’s living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe! Join a Garden Guide for a free tour of the Botanical Garden.
You’ll hear the stories of selected plants in the Garden and their relevance to human society. All ages are welcome. Tours meet at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion at the northern end of the Garden and are given a grace period of 5 minutes.
RSVPs are not required.

Molly Hunker & Kyle Miller present new book, "Building Practice"
2023-12-04 18:30 - 20:00 | UCLA Perloff Hall, DeCafe, 365 Portola Plaza, Room 1302, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Molly Hunker (MArch ’10) and Kyle Miller (MArch ’08) present their new book, Building Practice, which features interviews with architects, designers, educators, curators, fabricators, strategists, critics, and activists who are advancing speculative design through the culture and politics of building, capturing critical and formative moments associated with building a practice. Each interview in the book reveals strategies for linking practical and theoretical forms of knowledge and evidences the active creation of unique approaches to contributing positively to both architectural culture and the built environment. Hunker and Miller articulate how architects today claim conceptual territory regarding form, space, order, materiality, and aesthetics, and push for design to have meaning and value in relation to cultural, environmental, political, and social concerns. The individuals and practices profiled in the book and featured in this event, including UCLA Architecture and Urban Design faculty Kutan Ayata and Benjamin Freyinger, and alumni Ellie Abrons, Paul Andersen, Kelly Bair, Kristy Balliet, Brennan Buck, David Freeland, Adam Fure, Jia Gu, Andrew Holder, Justin Rice, and Kagan Taylor, collectively partition themselves from previous generations of experimentally motivated practices while individually exemplifying their own inimitable affinities, techniques, and sensibilities. Building Practice shares the first acts of an emerging generation of practices and identifies the peripheral yet pivotal aspects of building a practice today.
REGISTER HERE

Designing for Decarbonization
2023-12-05 09:00 - 13:00 | Online
Verdical Group is partnering with Southern California Edison (SCE) to present Designing for Decarbonization, a FREE, half-day, virtual workshop that will demonstrate what it means to achieve “decarbonization” for your building projects.

Understand the definitions of decarbonization, zero net energy (ZNE), and zero net carbon (ZNC) buildings
Learn from case studies of completed projects
Understand the design and construction process necessary to achieve high-performance buildings

You will learn about important market trends around energy efficiency, green building code requirements, proven and emerging technologies, operational best practices, and real-world case studies in the built environment, as well as be given resources and tools to set building owners, operators, and end users up for success. The workshop will provide tangible next steps for how we can all contribute and shift toward a decarbonized future.
REGISTER HERE

A Discussion with Critical Ecology Lab’s Suzanne Pierre & Em Whalen
2023-12-05 12:30 - 13:30 | UCLA Geology Building, Room 4667, 595 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join a discussion, with lunch provided to attendees. This is an in-person event and spaces are limited, so an RSVP is required.
Dr. Suzanne Pierre (Founder & Director, Critical Ecology Lab) and Dr. Em Whalen (Postdoctoral Researcher, CEL) will discuss their work as part of the Critical Ecology Lab, and the organization’s mission more broadly. After finishing their PhDs in ecology and environmental science, they both sought alternative pathways outside of academia to continue their research and education work– in a context that recognized the pressing (& intertwined) social and environmental crises we face today.
The Critical Ecology Lab (CEL) is an independent, not-for-profit, transdisciplinary research and education organization that aims to uncover the social, political and economic systems that give rise to coupled social injustice and ecological crisis. During this lunch, we will discuss the following themes, leaving ample time for Q&A based on the group’s interests:

Pathways for environmental science research outside academia and industry
Connections between social theory, environmental justice and quantitative science
Reframing the origins of our present environmental crises in order to rethink solutions

If you have the time and interest, we invite you to read the following short articles and excerpts in advance of our discussion, to provide context and ground the conversation:

Michelle Nijhuis, The Miracle of the Commons
Farhana Sultana, Excerpts from Whose Growth in Whose Planetary Boundaries? (read abstract & introduction; read section “Systems Change Needed” p. 5-6)
Oxfam, Excerpts from Climate Equality: A planet for the 99% (read beginning of introduction, e.g. p. 7-13; read p. 20-27 section on actions)

Space is limited due to room size (capacity = 20). You must RSVP to reserve your spot!
REGISTER HERE

Celebration of Climate Success
2023-12-05 18:00 - 20:00 | The Stalking Horse Brewery & Freehouse, 10543 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, United States
Please join E2’s Los Angeles Chapter and fellow LA-area business and environmental leaders to celebrate the significant climate and clean energy victories we achieved in 2023 – and learn about the opportunities and challenges we’re facing in 2024.
Connect with like-minded LA business leaders at a terrific restaurant owned by one of our newest E2 LA Chapter members, and learn how you can help build a better environment and economy in the year ahead.
More details, including speaker information, to come.
SPACE IS LIMITED! So please RSVP today.
REGISTER HERE

HBCU Lunch & Learn Series - Machine Language
2023-12-06 12:30 - 13:30 | Online
K﻿evin Leonard – University of Kansas Associate Professior in Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Discover how you can make a difference in the environment through the work that you do. This series is specifically designed for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) students, but all are welcome to attend.
Learn about sustainable practices, innovative technology, environmental initiatives, and nature-based solutions in a fun and interactive way. Connect with professionals in the field and gain valuable insights.
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and network. Grab your lunch and join us online!
REGISTER HERE

California's Environmental Heritage: Indigenous Wisdom, Historical Impact, and Future Sustainability
2023-12-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Join Dr. Brittani Orona, Dr. Melinda Adams and Rose Ramirez in California State Library’s Zoom Room for a night of discussion about the environmental legacy of settler colonialism in California, including its impact on current land and water management policy, through the lens of Indigenous practices and perspectives.
REGISTER HERE

AASHE 2023 Sustainability Awards Ceremony
2023-12-07 09:00 - 10:00 | Online
The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Awards provide global recognition to the individuals and organizations leading the higher education sustainability movement.
You are cordially invited to the 18th annual AASHE Sustainability Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 7, from noon – 1:00 p.m. Eastern. This year, there were over 300 submissions resulting in 43 finalists and 10 winners.
Register now for a front row seat with your colleagues as we celebrate award-winning achievements, collaborations and research in higher education sustainability!
REGISTER HERE

Deriving Community Benefits from Climate Investments: Gathering Inspiration from California Place-Based Programs
2023-12-07 09:30 - 11:00 | Online
California is embarking on significant new energy infrastructure development, including in the development of offshore wind and solar, to increase its clean energy capacity and meet its climate change and clean electricity goals. As California prepares to deliver these projects, there is an opportunity to ensure that development uplifts host communities, and those nearby, through community benefits.
CLEE’s December forum will highlight and share examples of place-based, community-led collaboration and investment in California to inform developing discussions on community benefits in the context of California offshore wind and other climate projects in California. The webinar will lift up examples of community coalition building, development of community vision and priorities, and implementation and oversight through such California programs as Transformative Climate Communities (TCC), among others.
REGISTER HERE
A Zoom link, agenda, and calendar invite will be sent out closer to the event.

Film Screening: Food and Country
2023-12-07 19:00 - 21:00 | James Bridges Theater, 235 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Documentarian Laura Gabbert (City of Gold) and chef/writer/editor Ruth Reichl chronicle the plight of the American food industry in the wake of greedy conglomerates and the COVID-19 pandemic, talking to independent farmers, ranchers, and restaurant owners alike.
Director Laura Gabbert and Los Angeles Chef Minh Phan (Phenakite) will join us for a post-screening discussion moderated by UCLA Ph.D. candidate Elizabeth Schiffler (Performance Studies & Food Studies).
REGISTER HERE

LACI's Transportation Electrification Partnership Summit 2023
2023-12-11 08:30 - 16:30 | La Kretz Innovation Campus, 525 South Hewitt Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90013
LACI’s annual Transportation Electrification Partnership (TEP) Summit returns to the La Kretz Innovation Campus to celebrate our progress on electrification and look ahead to 2024 and beyond.
California and Los Angeles are helping drive the zero emission transportation transition with our policies, pilots, funding, and early deployments. The TEP Summit is a chance to reflect on this groundwork and continue to accelerate change, both locally and globally. Please join us and engage with policymakers, industry leaders, startups, project innovators, academic experts, and advocates as we learn from our progress and plan together for our shared future.
A﻿genda and speaker lineup to be announced soon!
REGISTER HERE

Protecting Student Health and Learning with Heat-Resilient Schools
2023-12-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Ten Strands, and Undaunted K12 invite you to a Virtual Policy Forum: Protecting Student Health and Learning with Heat-Resilient Schools. Come learn about the impacts of extreme heat on our students and school communities, understand evidence-based strategies for heat-resilient schools, and gather ideas for impactful policy opportunities in California and beyond.
REGISTER HERE

Shade Tree Adoption at Pico Union
2024-01-06 09:00 - 12:00 | Koreatown Youth and Community Center, ﻿1319 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, United States
City Plants is pleased to partner with Koreatown Youth & Community Center for a FREE Shade Tree Adoption. The event will be open from 9 AM to 12 PM. If you are a resident of the City of Los Angeles, you can adopt up to seven trees and plant them in your yard! You must bring proof of residence (photo ID with an LA City address or an LADWP bill) to the adoption event. Trees come in 5-gallon containers and must be planted in the ground on your private property.
Walk-Ups Only!

Public Botanical Garden Tour
2024-01-06 10:00 - 11:00 | UCLA Mildred E Mathias Botanical Garden, La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Explore our living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe! Join a Garden Guide for a free tour of the Botanical Garden.
You’ll hear the stories of selected plants in the Garden and their relevance to human society. All ages are welcome. Tours meet at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion at the northern end of the Garden and are given a grace period of 5 minutes.
RSVP here or on Facebook for the January 6 at 10 a.m. tour.
However, RSVPs are not required. If the Eventbrite is full, we’d still love to see you! Every tour is different; each Garden Guide has a unique story to tell.

Kelp Kulture talk: AltaSeads Conservancy for Seaweed “Seed Banking”
2024-01-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
Michael Marty-Rivera is the collection curator of well over 1,000 kelps strains at AltaSeads Conservancy. He has been working with photosynthetic organisms since he’s been an undergraduate student back in Puerto Rico, using seaweeds (Sargassum spp.) to feed anaerobic bioreactors for methane production or working on coral bleaching at a microscopic level.
Michael will be talking about AltaSeads Conservancy and what their mission and goals are.
Kelp Kulture is a monthly interdisciplinary speaker series. The team consists of researchers from the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB), Law, and Art departments at UCLA. The intention is to build interdisciplinary conversation around the invaluable kelp forest ecosystem and its intricate links to various cultures, professions, and academia. Each quarter Kelp Kulture hosts talks with speakers from different backgrounds seeking to contextualize our involvement with this habitat and its abundant resources.
REGISTER HERE

Data-driven Equity and Environmental Justice Analysis
2024-01-11 10:30 - 11:30 | Online
Tanya Stasio, PhD
Researcher, Applied Economics Clinic
Dr. Tanya Stasio is a Researcher at the Applied Economics Clinic (AEC). She has more than five years of experience in research and analysis, with a focus on decarbonization, climate risk, climate policy, and geographic information science (GIS) analysis. She has authored reports on energy, climate, and environmental justice. Prior to joining AEC in 2021 as a Researcher, Dr. Stasio worked for AEC as a Research Assistant for 3 years. Dr. Stasio has also completed internships with A Better City, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and Climate Action Business Association. Dr. Stasio holds PhD in Economics from Clark University, a Master of Arts in Economics from Clark University, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Environmental Science from Simmons University.
Dr. Stasio discusses data-driven approaches to understanding equity and environmental justice in the energy sector. Specifically, in this presentation Dr. Stasio (1) discusses common resources and data used to identify environmental justice, or overburdened, communities, (2) provides examples of how these tools have been used in AEC’s work (e.g., creating indices), and (3) highlights past AEC projects where these tools have been used to advance equity and environmental justice goals across the United States.
JOIN VIA ZOOM HERE(passcode=[REDACTED]

Westwood Village Farmers’ Market and Community Compost Hub
2024-01-11 12:00 - 17:00 | Westwood Village Farmers’ Market, 1036 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
The Westwood Village Farmers Market occurs every Thursday from noon to 5 pm on Broxton Avenue between Kinross and Weyburn. The Broxton Public Parking Structure offers two hours of free parking before 5 pm.
The Market features over 40 weekly vendors and offers local and organic fresh produce, baked goods, fruits and vegetables, honey, hummus, prepared foods, handmade artisanal items, clothing, craft goods, art, and more! This valuable resource provides Westwood Village residents and visitors access to healthy food while enjoying a live musical performance and community booths with family and student-focused information.
Additionally, the market operator recovers approximately 200 unsold (but still delicious!) produce items and delivers them to food-insecure communities throughout Los Angeles County.
The Westwood Village Farmers’ Market is managed by Farm Habit: www.farmhabit.com

ClimateCAP MBA Academy: View of the C-Suite from the Eyes of a Chief Sustainability Officer
2024-01-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Join the virtual learning series, ClimateCAP MBA Academy: Understanding the Business of Climate. Through this series, experts speak on topics across the climate x business continuum to prepare the business leaders of tomorrow—today’s MBA students— to anticipate and manage climate risks and opportunities in their careers.
The speaker is Chrissa Pagitsas, Principal and Founder of Pagitsas Advisors and a Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Co. Chrissa will be speaking on the topic, “View of the C-Suite from the Eyes of a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO).” She’ll cover topics such as how CSOs balance different priorities, identify CSO best practices, and discuss how a leaders personality and priorities impact the way that they show up at work.
REGISTER HERE
