Earth Month in Review
April 22nd marked the 47th anniversary of Earth Day, the birth of the modern environmental movement that led to bipartisan support for the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Act. For many of us, it’s not Earth Day, it’s Earth Month. Who are we kidding, every month is earth month at A/G!
April was however uniquely jam-packed with industry and community events centered around environmental conservation and resiliency. We heard from California’s Attorney General Javier Becerra and Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon about their commitment to fighting climate change and promoting clean energy regardless of what happens in Washington. At the quarterly Women in Green breakfast, we heard from local leaders from Liberty Hill, the ACLU and the Partnership for Working Families—all of whom are on the front lines of fighting for social, economic, and environmental justice. At MGBCE, we were profoundly inspired by thought leaders like Dr. Antwi Akom who spoke to the imperative of designing resilient communities to safeguard the most vulnerable populations. We also celebrated the successes of the US Green Building Council with the LA County Board of Supervisors and marched with scientists to commend their role in preserving our environment. We even spent a little time out in nature with our clients in the Pacific Northwest. And, we became a carbon neutral company offsetting our scope 1 and scope 2 emissions with Green-e renewable energy credits and verified emission reductions.
A/G Supports USGBC-LA with Relaunching the Women in Green Breakfast Series
With all of the resources that went into Greenbuild 2016, planning the Women in Green breakfast series unfortunately took a backseat. It had been over a year since this group gathered, but with the flurry of questions and concerns about the future of climate and energy policy that arose after the November election, Annie Argento, our colleague Melissa Gutierrez-Sullivan at Flourish Consulting, and our friends at USGBC-LA relaunched the breakfast series at the end of 2016 with an all-star panel of climate policy champions featuring Mary Nichols, Chairman of the California Air Resources Board and the ultimate woman in green; Lauren Faber-O'Connor, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer at the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; and Aimee Barnes, recently appointed as Senior Advisor to California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
The discussion, expertly moderated by Aimee Barnes, was inspirational as the panelists shared anecdotes from their careers; was realistic about the current harsh political landscape; and believe it or not, left many feeling less skeptical than they did when they walked in the door. And needless to say, all 150 attendees left with a sense of gratitude for leadership in LA and California and the commitment to always fight for environmental protection.
Mary Nichols spoke to her early career as one of the first female journalists at the Wall Street Journal, her enrollment in the first class at Yale Law School to admit women, and decades of fighting for clean air, clean water, and better climate policy at the state and national levels. Lauren Faber-O'Connor gave advice to young professionals in the audience about the dividends paid by seeking out fellowships and leadership on boards early in a career.
Both panelists were realistic about the danger of appointing climate change denialists to key environmental posts, yet also shed light on political transitions and policy reversals based on their experience with the Schwartznegger-Brown transition. There were humorous and cynical moments such as the advice “go drinking” in order to cope with climate denialists in cabinet positions, but overall, the discussion left attendees with a sense of optimism. The City of Los Angeles will continue to be a leader in fighting climate change through its policies around energy efficiency in buildings, electric vehicle charging stations, and thoughtful implementation of LA's comprehensive sustainability program, the pLAn. In fact, the City recently announced that it has achieved two-thirds of all 2017 goals early. And, earlier this week after the administration advanced their effort to undo Obama era climate policies, Mayor Garcetti stated, "No matter what happens in Washington, Los Angeles will uphold the obligation to preserve the health of our planet, protect our most vulnerable residents and create a 21st century economy -- and working with my fellow climate mayors, we will continue doing our part to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement in cities across the country." And certainly California is committed to its role as a global leader in environmental policy from fuel emissions standards to green building codes and will continue to work with other states and countries to commit to bold CO2 emissions reductions.
The next event in the Women in Green breakfast series is Friday, April 14th. The plan is to highlight some local leaders and organizations here in Los Angeles who are leading the charge on creating sustainable and just communities and how those in the green building movement can be good allies. For more information, click here.