Sustainable Environment Institute
Los Angeles Community College District
Summer/Fall, 2023 and SEI: events and resources for this academic year.
This Fall the SEI is preparing a series of seminars for the fall related to the Climate Crisis and what is happening locally, regionally, and globally to confront this pivotal moment in the existence of the human species. We resume our monthly seminar series in September. We will have a newsletter for the beginning of the academic year coming up.
Environmental Justice Topics
RESCHEDULED until Sept 28—Marta Segura, Chief Heat Officer City of Los Angeles 12:00-1:00pm on zoom. Presented by SEI and PDC
Oct 19th, 12-1:00 pm on zoom presented by SEI and PDC: Authors of the "Unequal Exposure to Heatwaves in Los Angeles: Impact of Uneven Green Spaces” study from Cal Tech will be speaking.
Oct. 24, 25, 26 Conference: “Climate Palooza” presented by WLAC and CCCCE
Nov 14th Dina Gilio-Whitaker presented by WLAC and the CCCE
Nov 30th, 12-1:00pm TBA presented by SEI and PDC
(Flex Credit available through the VRC)
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Encouraging news from Montana to Ecuador:
Montana youth activists win historic climate change lawsuit.
This ruling “may inspire similar lawsuits around the world." By Dana Drugmand, - August 17, 2023
New report predicts wind and solar to produce a third of power worldwide by 2030
The RMI report said that by 2030, solar and wind are "predicted to generate 12,000 to 14,000 terawatt hours of power" or three to four times the capacity of 2022 levels. By Ashley Curtin - July 28, 2023
New Jersey requires climate change education. A year in, here's how it's going. (NPR)
Ecuador Votes to Keep Yasuní Oil in the Ground in Historic Referendum
August 23, 2023, Angélica María Bernal and Joshua Holst, NACLA
California Sues Giant Oil Companies, Citing Decades of Deception
Launching one of the most prominent climate lawsuits in the nation, the state claims Exxon, Shell, BP and others misled the public and seeks creation of a special fund to pay for recovery
The SEI’s own Xiao Behlendorf has prepared a webpage via the LA Valley College library that hosts resources for faculty and students in confronting this challenge. Beginning with a useful definition of this phenomenon, the site offers links to book titles and short reviews as well as articles. There are podcasts and videos as well as links to local environmental organizations where students can volunteer, intern, and even get paid positions. Most importantly, the page offers several organizations that can help people facing a mental health crisis. The tab on Climate Crisis Conversations hosts 17 of them running from 30 minutes to 1 hour. The TED talk on mental health is also very well selected. Xiao was recently featured in the Valley Star for her work at the LAVC Library.
Recently the national availability of an emergency phone number, 988, is now national service for the most immediate help in a crisis. The issue is also getting attention in the LACCD so that Student Health services on each campus are stepping up their capacity to help students distressed by the tsunami of bad news. The SEI hosted a roundtable of sorts on November 10 as part of the Professional Development College series of Summer/Fall talks. See other article here on the planned schedule for these talks.
Beth Abels
George Leddy
Xiao Behlendorf
David Beaulieu
September 6, 2023