All Media

Although the smart phone sitting in my pocket can help me find the answer to most any question, I don’t think of my phone as the intersection of technology and learning, but simply a tool that I use more often than I’d like to admit. However, a library is truly that space – that intersection […]

Just over a year ago I started this blog to better understand what people think about the concepts and principles of sustainability. Early in the series I wrote an entry on resilience and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Unfortunately, the experience has been more like marbles rolling around in a labyrinth getting stuck in […]

The Athens Services Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Sun Valley, is one of the highest-tech facilities in the industry, and receives 100% of its materials from Los Angeles. If you didn’t get a chance to go on the USGBC-LA tour, there’s a video tour here that offers a cool peek at the technology they use! […]

It was the summer of 2009 and the ink was still wet on my Master’s degree from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara. When I went back to school, I was confident that designing and operating sustainable buildings was both what I wanted to do with my life and a growth industry. I just […]

strat·e·gy noun a plan of action  The USGBC-LA Board of Directors and Chapter Leaders have been hard at work this year, post-Greenbuild LA and post-Presidential election to steer a clear path forward. The 10-year strategic plan was crafted in 2011, setting the groundwork for the Chapter’s activities and growth. Looking ahead, the next three years […]

“Don’t let my pretty eyes fool you.” This was said by Jackie Defede, Facilities Director at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. After transitioning to a woman, it is a phrase she’s used with male contractors who have vastly underestimated her technical experience. She described how, using a firm tone, she would have to remind them […]

I have been fortunate enough to attend various local and international summits in my life, but this is the first conference I have ever attended where young leaders (delegates) are taking the front seat, seasoned professionals (counselors) took the back seat, and introduced delegates to share their stories and insights! Around 1,500 people from 194 […]

Thinking about disasters is part of daily life in the resilience world, and the past month has been intense. I have written about the kind of work that needs to be done to prepare, the ways that organizations can find value in getting ready, and the ways that communities can build resilience every day. Living […]

By now you’re likely aware of the big changes to the Materials and Resources (M&R) credits under LEED v4. If not, the following article might come as a surprise. Regardless, hopefully BASF can shed a little light on one area we’ve been working on for the past three years – Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).  In […]

Where were you on Monday? Did you block time on your calendar between 9:45 and 10:30am to make sure you could take a peak at the solar eclipse? If you’re like me, I was checking the weather and asking those with window offices to keep their blinds open, hoping for clear skies. At the appointed […]

From July 30-August 5 I had the unique opportunity to be an Ambassador aboard the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, a 211 foot-long research vessel currently working along the eastern Pacific Ocean. The goal is to better understand the unknown with a focus on the deep ocean and the organisms that live there. I would be […]

In the weeks leading up to the Net Zero 2017: Energy + Water + Waste conference – now in its fourth year – the excitement is mounting. This year will be the first full-day conference hosted by Verdical Group, and the conference will be hosted at IBEW NECA’s Net Zero Plus facility. World class presenters […]