UCLA Sustainability

The Fires 2: Hazardous Waste, Air Quality & Water Safety
2025-01-24 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
As community members return to their homes, schools, and businesses, there will be new and additional safety concerns. Please join Coalition for Clean Air for a second Clean Air Conversations webinar on the Southern California fires to hear from experts who will let you know how best to protect yourself and your family. Speakers include:
Katherine Butler, Director, California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Dr. Mark Gold, Director of Water Scarcity Solutions, Natural Resources Defense Council
Dr. Joe Lyou, President & CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air
The webinar is free and open to all, so please feel free to pass this along to anyone that would benefit from this information and may be interested in attending.
REGISTER HERE

Torched Talks with Edith de Guzman and Greg Pierce
2025-01-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Gather your questions about fire and water and join on Tuesday, January 28 at noon on Zoom. Alissa Walker will be speaking with Edith de Guzman, water equity and adaptation policy cooperative extension specialist for the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources and co-founder of the Los Angeles Urban Cooling Collaborative, and Greg Pierce, co-director of UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation and director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab.
MORE INFO HERE

L.A. Fires & Public Health: Where We Go From Here
2025-01-28 12:00 - 13:15 | Online
Join the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health for a webinar addressing the “L.A. Fires & Public Health: Where We Go From Here” on Tuesday, January 28, from 12:00pm – 1:15pm PT, via Zoom.
REGISTER HERE
HOST
Dr. Ron Brookmeyer, dean and distinguished professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
PARTICIPANTS
Dr. David Eisenman, professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences and director of the Center for Public Health and Disasters at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Dr. Dana Rose Garfin, associate professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Dr. Michael Jerrett, professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, the Jonathan Fielding Chair in Climate Change and Public Health, and co-director of the Center for Climate Change and Health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Dr. Rachael Jones, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Dr. Miriam Marlier, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
Dr. Yifang Zhu, professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Free Food from UCLA Dining Halls!
2025-01-28 22:00, 2025-01-29 22:00, 2025-01-30 22:00, 2025-02-20 22:00 | Conference Room 1 in the Student Activities Center Basement, 220 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join Bruin Dine for our food recovery events every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10PM in the SAC Basement! Bring your utensils, containers, and appetite!
Hit the follow button (https://www.instagram.com/uclabruindine/) to see what we’re serving up each week!

RFF Live Event: Big Decisions 2025
2025-01-29 11:00 - 12:30 | HYBRID: Online and Resources and Conservation Center, 1400 16th Street Northwest, Washington, DC, 20036, United States
With every new administration and Congress comes a different set of energy and environmental priorities. Despite shifts in political offices and rhetoric, there are opportunities for policy action toward a healthy environment and thriving economy. Join Resources for the Future (RFF) and leaders from across government, business, philanthropy, and media to discuss the big decisions anticipated in 2025. RFF and speakers and attendees will explore the priorities of the incoming Trump administration and the 119th Congress, as well as offer expert insights to inform research and policy agendas for the coming year.
Attend In-Person (reception to follow program) REGISTER HERE
Attend Virtually REGISTER HERE

Crisis Response for Kids: Keeping Children Safe During and After Wildfires
2025-01-30 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
The University of California is sponsoring a six-part webinar series for the UC community and the public titled “Urban Wildfire Response and Recovery Webinar Series,” focusing on the physical health, mental health and social impacts of wildfires, providing a blend of scientific information and practical skills, and highlighting environmental justice issues. The goal is to provide information and respond to the many requests for information from UC students, staff and faculty and from the broader CA community, in response to the wildfire devastation in LA. The series is sponsored by the UC Center for Climate, Health and Equity (CCHE) and its Climate Mental Health Council, the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions, the Sustainable LA Grand Challenges and UCSF Alumni Association.
This webinar highlights the special attention needed to protect youth. Children eat, drink, and breathe three times as much of their environment as do adults, and their normal behaviors present additional exposure risks.
REGISTER HERE

Los Angeles County Town Hall: Protecting Your Health after Wildfires
2025-01-31 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
L.A. County Department of Public Health is hosting a virtual town hall on air quality, soil and water safety, and safe cleaning after a wildfire. Livestreams will also be held here: https://www.facebook.com/lapublichealth, https://x.com/lapublichealth and youtube.com/lapublichealth.
Submit your questions in advance: TinyURL.com/AskPublicHealth

Guided Garden Tour – February 1
2025-02-01 10:00 - 11:00 | La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join a Garden Guide for a free tour on February 1, 2025 at 10 am. Explore a living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe!
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.
Tours are free.
REGISTER HERE

Botany Brown Bag: Changing Behavior in Changing Cities by Joey Di Liberto and Suu Zhou
2025-02-03 12:00 - 13:00 | La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join a new lecture in the Botany Brown Bag Series, continued by Joey Di Liberto and Suu Zhou, who will give a talk entitled “Changing Behavior in Changing Cities: Shifting Trends in Urban Bird Behavior Across Seasons and Cityscapes” on Monday, February 3 at 12pm. As cities expand, more and more animals have been forced to adapt to the environmental challenges within cities. Learn how birds like juncos may be coping by changing important ecological attributes of their life history, such as their behavior. Make sure to bring your walking shoes and your lunch!
REGISTER HERE

Can Democracies Deal with the Climate Crisis?
2025-02-03 12:15 - 13:30 | UCLA Law School, Room 1447
The environmental consequences of the 2024 presidential election are coming into sharper focus as the U.S. confronts one of the largest climate-fueled disasters in its history. But the U.S. is not the only country where climate politics are complicating climate policy. Some political scientists are asking whether democracies are adequately equipped to deal with the growing climate crisis.
Join the Emmett Institute for a provocative discussion about the challenges that the climate crisis poses to constitutional democracies. Can the global-scale and long-term efforts needed to address climate change gain and sustain democratic support? Can democratic national governments support equitable global sharing of burdens? Can they act effectively in response to incomplete or uncertain scientific information? Can they make decisions whether to include geoengineering interventions in climate response and if so how to govern them? How does rising populism influence the answers to these questions? And how can national and global institutions be redesigned to effectively address the climate challenge?
Cristóbal Bellolio is Associate Professor at the School of Government, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile, where he studies political theory and its relation to science, religion, populism, constitutional debates, and Latin American politics. In 2024-2025, he holds the Tinker Visiting Professorship at the University of Chicago.
Bellolio will be joined in conversation with Professor Ted Parson, Faculty Director of the UCLA Emmett Institute, and an expert in international environmental law and policy and the role of science and technology in policy-making.
REGISTER HERE

Wildfire disaster, recovery, and resilience: what have we learned?
2025-02-03 14:00 - 16:00 | California NanoSystems Institute, 570 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join the first event in the 2024-2025 Focus on Environment and Sustainability Series, a three-part special seminar exploring critical environmental challenges. The first seminar in this series, to be given by Prof. Crystal Kolden from UC Merced, has been rescheduled to Monday, February 3 from 2-4 pm in the California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI) auditorium.
Light refreshments will be available starting at 1:30 and there will be a Q&A session following her talk.
Crystal A. Kolden
Associate Professor in the Management of Complex Systems department,
School of Engineering, at the University of California, Merced
In 1991, the Tunnel-Oakland Hills Fire in the San Francisco Bay Area of California destroyed over 3,000 homes in just a few short hours, ushering in the modern era of Wildland-Urban Interface wildfires. Since then, over 50,000 structures have been destroyed in the US by wildfire, displacing tens of thousands of people for weeks to years. As most of these disasters have occurred in the last decade, little is known about the post-fire recovery process and what processes drive or hinder it. We evaluated recent wildfire disasters in California in order to improve understanding of how communities are affected by and recovering from wildfire disasters. We found that communities recover extremely slowly from wildfire stemming from challenges that are unique to the post-wildfire landscape. These include long-term exclusion from the burned area relative to other disasters due to the requirements around hazardous tree and toxic waste removal, critical infrastructure loss, exacerbation of existing affordable housing shortages, regulatory challenges, and substantial problems with duplication of benefits, uninsurance, and underinsurance. Socially vulnerable populations are further marginalized by wildfire disasters, and there is evidence for gentrification in post-fire areas yielding climate migrations. Despite these many challenges, need has produced innovative solutions that can improve the post-fire recovery process and mitigate future wildfire disasters.
REGISTER HERE

Les is More: An Hour with the Mayor
2025-02-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Beverly Hills City Hall, Municipal Gallery, 455 N Rexford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA, 90210, United States
Come be part of an insightful panel discussion with the City of Beverly Hills’ sustainability experts and Mayor Friedman regarding how the City is preparing for a sustainable and resilient future.
This special event will discuss important sustainability initiatives and how to make Beverly Hills even more eco-friendly. Whether you have questions, suggestions, or just want to learn more, this is your chance to engage with City leadership and shape our sustainable future.
Les is More: An Hour with the Mayor is a special talk series held at City Hall featuring guest speakers and topics.
TOPICS
Energy Resiliency, Water Efficiency, and Sustainable Food System
PANELISTS
Shana Epstein, Director of Public Works
Josette Descalzo, Environmental Compliance & Sustainability Programs Manager
Amanda Grossman, Sustainability Program Administrator
To participate virtually and for more information on the Mayor’s special talk series featuring guest speakers and topics, visit beverlyhills.org/LesisMore.

Marschak Colloquium series: Generationally Parochial Geoengineering?
2025-02-04 13:00 - 14:30 | HYBRID: Charles E. Young Research Library, Main Conference Room 11360 and online, 280 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Presented by the UCLA Library and the Jacob Marschak Interdisciplinary Colloquium on Mathematics in the Behavioral Sciences
Speaker: Stephen M. Gardiner, professor of philosophy and Ben Rabinowitz Professor of the Human Dimensions of the Environment at the University of Washington, Seattle
Gardiner maintains that the threat of intergenerational tyranny ought to be a core concern in environmental governance and policy. In this talk, he shares how the idea was motivated through an exploration of a key contemporary example, the threat of generationally-parochial geoengineering (‘GPG’). To do so, Gardiner and colleagues developed the concept of GPG, suggested some salient scenarios and identified early warning signs in the current scientific and policy literature.
Gardiner concludes with the offering that GPG ought to be a central issue in both the ethics of geoengineering and any serious scientific, political or policy discussion of such technologies.
This talk is offered both in person and online. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is required.
REGISTER HERE

Grand Theft Eco Screening #1
2025-02-05 17:00 - 18:00 | Darren Star Screening Room, 1422 Melnitz Hall, 235 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Grand Theft Eco: Environmental Futures of Los Angeles repurposes the game engine and design of Grand Theft Auto 5 to creatively imagine environmental change and its consequences for Los Angeles in the year 2050. The first of three “machinima” (video game cinema) episodes, titled “The iBear in the River,” will make its debut on February 5. To commemorate this release, LENS will hold two screenings, at 5:00pm and 6:30pm (Doors at 4:30pm and 6:15pm, respectively), each with a production Q&A afterwards.
The Darren Star Screening Room has a 50-seat capacity. Because of the limited capacity, we ask that you RSVP in advance, if possible, for the screening you plan to attend. Standby attendees without an RSVP may be accommodated, space permitting.
REGISTER HERE

Grand Theft Eco Screening #2
2025-02-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Darren Star Screening Room, 1422 Melnitz Hall, 235 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States

Ends of the Earth: Journeys to the Polar Regions
2025-02-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Burbank Buena Vista Branch Library, 300 N Buena Vista St, Burbank, CA, 91505, United States
In Search of Life, the Cosmos, and our Future
Paleontologist Neil Shubin, in conversation with JPL’s Alex Gardner, explains the dynamics of ice sheets and glaciers, what they tell us about our past, and what they portend for our future.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE

Psychological First Aid and Communal Support for Acute Stress
2025-02-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Immediately after climate disasters, it is critical to help people who are impacted get access to psychological first aid tips and community support.
The University of California is sponsoring a six-part webinar series for the UC community and the public titled “Urban Wildfire Response and Recovery Webinar Series,” focusing on the physical health, mental health and social impacts of wildfires, providing a blend of scientific information and practical skills, and highlighting environmental justice issues. The goal is to provide information and respond to the many requests for information from UC students, staff and faculty and from the broader CA community, in response to the wildfire devastation in LA. The series is sponsored by the UC Center for Climate, Health and Equity (CCHE) and its Climate Mental Health Council, the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions, the Sustainable LA Grand Challenges and UCSF Alumni Association.
REGISTER HERE

UCLA Technology Development Group Climate Action Day
2025-02-13 09:00 - 16:00 | UCLA Sunset Village Covel Commons, 200 De Neve Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
Climate change is upon us and research is an important part of finding solutions to this environmental crisis. In 2022, the State of California designated grants to the UC to develop innovations that address critical needs across the state. UCLA scientists have worked to provide novel solutions to some of our greatest climate challenges. Be part of this capstone event as lead research teams share their exciting ideas that can help us live sustainably while mitigating impact on our environment.
Highlights of the Day Include:

UCLA Research summaries on energy-efficient technologies, sustainable water recycling, and more
Keynote by Glen Sproul dit MacDonald, Distinguished UCLA Professor and climate expert
Insightful panels on LA28 Olympics and investing strategies for this market
Networking opportunities with industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers

Registration Open Now!
Registration Fee for ALL Attendees: $20 (space is limited)
REGISTER HERE

Community Impacts and Models of Community Recovery
2025-02-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
The University of California is sponsoring a six-part webinar series for the UC community and the public titled “Urban Wildfire Response and Recovery Webinar Series,” focusing on the physical health, mental health and social impacts of wildfires, providing a blend of scientific information and practical skills, and highlighting environmental justice issues. The goal is to provide information and respond to the many requests for information from UC students, staff and faculty and from the broader CA community, in response to the wildfire devastation in LA. The series is sponsored by the UC Center for Climate, Health and Equity (CCHE) and its Climate Mental Health Council, the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions, the Sustainable LA Grand Challenges and UCSF Alumni Association.
This webinar will cover the social impacts of wildfires as well as the model of community response and recovery.
REGISTER HERE

Well-Being Community Forum, “Cultivating a Well-Being Toolkit in 2025”
2025-02-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
The goal of the event is to highlight UCLA health and well-being resources and services which can support your well-being in 2025. Perhaps you’ve set intentions for the new year, whether they be related to emotional and social well-being, physical vitality, or overall sense of balance – throughout this interactive, online community forum, experts will share insight and practical tools and tips to support your well-being journey. Engage in discussions and leave with actionable tools to incorporate into your daily life for a happier, healthier year ahead.
Only those with valid UCLA email addresses will be provided with the Zoom information for the event. Those participating will be able to pose questions during the community forum. A video recording will be available for viewing after the event on the Semel HCI Center website.
REGISTER HERE

UCLA Anderson Energy Innovation Conference - Sustainable Cities
2025-02-14 08:00 - 16:15 | UCLA Anderson School of Management, 110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, 90095, United States
In light of the recent wildfires that have impacted our Los Angeles community, we stand together in support and solidarity. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to unite and explore innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
UCLA Anderson Energy and Cleantech Association invites you to join the Energy Innovation Conference, a gathering of professionals, students, and academics dedicated to advancing clean energy and sustainability initiatives. This year’s theme, Sustainable Cities, will focus on critical topics with climate resilience at the forefront, as well as mobility, the built environment, renewable energy solutions, community engagement, and climate tech innovations. From innovative technologies to transformative policies, the conference will delve into how we can reimagine cities to balance environmental sustainability, economic growth, and quality of life.
REGISTER HERE
Co-hosted by the Energy and Cleantech Association and the UCLA Center for Impact

Recycled Water Facility Tour
2025-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility, 1935 S. Hughes Way, El Segundo, CA, 90245, United States
FREE Recycled Water Facility Tour!
Join West Basin Municipal Water District for a tour of the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility in El Segundo. West Basin water industry experts will take you behind the scenes of the recycled water facility. Learn all about West Basin’s role in recycled water and how the entire purification process works!
Free breakfast is included (while supplies last)! Spots fill up quickly – Register today for this exclusive tour by visiting www.westbasin.org/public-tours.
REGISTER HERE

LA County Post-Fire Air, Soil, and Water Assessment Plan Virtual Town Hall
2025-02-18 18:00 - 18:30 | Online
Join the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and partners for a virtual town hall on the post-fire air, soil, and water assessment plan addressing:

Air Quality
Soil & Water Testing
Initial Results and What They Mean
Next Steps

Watch on:
Facebook: facebook.com/lapublichealth
X: x.com/lapublichealth
YouTube: youtube.com/lapublichealth
For more information visit: ph.lacounty.gov/media/Wildfire/

Wildfire Impacts on Brain & Cognition
2025-02-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
This webinar will cover the impacts of climate disasters such as wildfires on the brain and vital cognitive functions, and will discuss important climate resiliency efforts that protect brain health.
The University of California is sponsoring a six-part webinar series for the UC community and the public titled “Urban Wildfire Response and Recovery Webinar Series,” focusing on the physical health, mental health and social impacts of wildfires, providing a blend of scientific information and practical skills, and highlighting environmental justice issues. The goal is to provide information and respond to the many requests for information from UC students, staff and faculty and from the broader CA community, in response to the wildfire devastation in LA. The series is sponsored by the UC Center for Climate, Health and Equity (CCHE) and its Climate Mental Health Council, the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions, the Sustainable LA Grand Challenges and UCSF Alumni Association.
REGISTER HERE

Book Talk: Real Food, Real Facts - Processed Food and the Politics of Knowledge
2025-02-20 17:00 - 19:00 | Royce Hall 314, Humanities Conference Room, 10745 Dickson Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join Dr. Charlotte Biltekoff, Professor of American Studies and Food Science and Technology at University of California, Davis, for a discussion on her newly released book Real Food, Real Facts. Bilitekoff’s work explores “the role science and scientific authority play in food industry responses to consumer concerns about what we eat and how it is made.”
The talk will be moderated by Dr. Elizabeth McQueen, recent graduate from UCLA, and Postdoctoral Fellow for the Mellon Foundation Sawyer Seminar, “Thinking Food at the Intersections,” at University of California, Davis.
Biltekoff’s talk will be followed by refreshments. This event is co-sponsored by the UCLA Institute for Society and Genetics.
REGISTER HERE

Carbon Politics, American Power, and the Almighty Dollar
2025-02-21 12:30 - 13:30 | Bunche 4276, Bunche Hall, 11282 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Lunch will be served for registered attendees.
Mark Blyth, William R. Rhodes ’57 Prof International Economics & Acting Director, Climate Solutions Lab
If a Trump administration doubles down on carbon, the short-term boost to growth through lower input prices plus deregulation will be huge. Climate denial can be profitable. But the rest of the world, China, Europe and East and South Asia, will continue to develop the green technologies needed to survive in the 21st century. The US will fall behind in this critical area as the countries involved in the green transition trade more intensely with each other. The lock on effect is that the global role of the dollar shrinks. First, because the issuer doesn’t like the side effects. Second, because in a post carbon world, who needs a currency that denominates and is back by carbon assets that no one else uses anymore? In short, our addiction to carbon and the politics that it produces risks burning down the house.
REGISTER HERE

Public Gathering: Fire Kinship - Southern California Native Ecology and Art
2025-02-22 18:00 - 21:00 | Fowler Museum
You are invited to a public community gathering in honor of the exhibition Fire Kinship: Southern California Native Ecology and Art. Fire Kinship challenges the attitudes of fear and illegality around fire, arguing for a return to Native practices, in which fire is regarded as a vital aspect of land stewardship, community well-being, and tribal sovereignty. Highlighting the knowledge and expertise of the Tongva, Cahuilla, Luiseño, and Kumeyaay peoples, the exhibition—on view through July 13, 2025—presents a living history of communities past and present.
The Fowler Museum mourns the tragic loss of life and devastation caused by Southern California wildfires. We are deeply grateful to firefighters, first responders, and tribal nations for their heroic efforts. In this critical moment, Fire Kinship offers valuable lessons in Indigenous fire stewardship and ecological resilience. We hope it will inspire reflection, healing, and sustainable rebuilding.
The evening will begin with a welcome from a local California Indian community, followed by a reception, and opportunity to view the exhibition and reflect on the role of fire stewardship in our communities.
REGISTER HERE
