|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
| [I] . Defining Sustainability — Why Should We Care? (9:50-11:30) |
|
9:50-10:15
(25 min) |
Understanding Sustainability This word is thrown about a lot, but what does it really mean? What range of issues does the notion of a sustainable future encompass? This opening talk will explain why the sustainability movement (and not environmentalism) is how we should frame the issues we need to confront. This includes global warming & pollution prevention, but also looks at social and political sustainability — and equity — for all the world's people. speaker: confirmed: Jamie Ramirez (Environmental Affairs Commissioner of ASI & Sustainability Advisor of earth LA) |
10:20-10:40
(20 min) |
Fashioning Appropriate Concerns It's easy to look at an issue like global warming and the devastating effects it will have on us and our children and realize this is something we want to avoid. That's because we obviously value our loved ones. But what about farther away, more distant concerns? How can we agree upon a global set of values? And how does this translate into an ethical obligation to save the planet? Furthermore, how can we change our mindsets so that with the knowledge we possess, action becomes inevitable? speaker: confirmed: Dr. Joseph Prabhu (philosophy) |
10:45-11:25
(40 min) |
Exploitation and Sharing This roundtable will include one professor each from geography, sociology & political science, and will explore some of the following questions: How is it that a narrow group of individuals have come to own the planet? Doesn't every human deserve an equal share of land and resources? To what extent is the ownership and management of land and resources beneficial? How can the distribution become more equitable while keeping ecological protections intact? To what extent is inequality responsible for environmental degradation? What impact could be made by more equal distribution? Isn't there enough for everyone? Is there any need for poverty in the world? How have arbitrary decisions about the worth of labor become so entrenched that we continue to buy products made in sweatshops? Shouldn't laborers reap a larger share of the wealth they create? speakers: confirmed: Dr. John Kirchner (geography), Dr. Gunnar Valgeirsson (sociology), & Dr. Don Bray (political science) |
| [II] . Scope of the Problem & Consequences of Inaction (11:40-2:15) |
|
11:40-12:00
(20 min) |
Precedents For Concern It's all too easy to think that resource depletion, economic collapse, or social unravelling are unlikely possibilities. But the state of affairs we have come to know are short-term realities that will inevitably change. We have to choose how this change is going to look. This introduction will set a historical context to remind us all that stability is not guaranteed, and certainly not common. speaker: confirmed: Dr. John Gamon (biology) |
12:05-12:35
(30 min) |
The Most Basic Human Needs & Rights Water, food and land. We take them for granted in this country, but what about the bigger picture? If we've got plenty, shouldn't we be sharing (rather than wasting) what we've got? Water shortages are popping up all over the world, forests are being destroyed for commercial purposes, and despite surplus food supplies in certain parts of the world, there continue to be great numbers of starving and malnourished people. How are these issues related? Some of the issues to be explored include: impact of deforestation on agricultural land, the struggle of local communities to maintain control over natural resources, rainforest destruction, and the ecological impact of commercial forestry. speaker: confirmed: Dr. Angela Vergara (history) |
12:40-1:20
(40 min) |
A Housing Crisis of Epic Proportions Let's start with a few statistics. As of 2004, there were an estimated 9.2 million refugees and 25 million internally displaced persons in at least 49 countries (70-80% of whom are women & children, and 14 million of whom are estimated to be at risk of death through violence). 600 million urban dwellers and 1 billion people in rural areas live in overcrowded and and poor-quality housing—that's 1 in 6; and by 2020, the number is expected to grow to 1 in 3. At least 100 million children live and work on the streets in the developing world. And in the U.S., on any given night, 700,000 people are without shelter. While we're busy trying to prevent disasters that will devastate great numbers of people, it's important to remember how many people are already homeless, and that this segment of the world's population is growing most dramatically. And then, before we start to think about solutions to the world's homelessness epidemic, we must keep in mind: buildings consume 40% of the world's energy and emit 50% of its greenhouse gases. How can we even begin to build homes for the world's destitute without developing vastly more sustainable architecture, and inventing new models for urbanization? speaker: TBA |
1:30-1:50
(20 min) |
Beyond Global Warming: Fossil Fuels & Social Justice As a nation, we've finally become widely aware of the looming effects of global warming. But there are so many other problems that fossil fuels create. Coal-burning power plants are routinely sited in poor communities, and big oil & energy producers are notorious for creating environmental disasters in developing nations and not even attempting to clean them up. Oil companies are so rich and powerful, they can cause nations to go to war, selfishly killing millions of innocent people for their profit. Then they artificially inflate the price of oil, which disproportionately affects the working poor, who can hardly afford gasoline or rising public transit costs. Furthermore, their power has helped to keep environmental quality standards low in general, which has wide repercussions. speaker: confirmed: Dr. Blase Bonpane (CEO, Office of the Americas) |
1:55-2:15
(20 min) |
The Siting of Toxic Waste Dumps Did you know?: Three out of five African Americans live in communities with uncontrolled toxic waste sites. Native American lands and sacred places are home to extensive mining operations and radioactive waste sites. Three of the five largest commercial hazardous waste landfills are located in predominantly African American and Latino communities. As a consequence, the residents of these communities suffer shorter life spans, higher infant and adult mortality, poor health, poverty, diminished economic opportunities, substandard housing, and an overall degraded quality of life. It is unfortunate that any toxic materials are created in the first place, because who wants to live near a toxic waste site? No one. Companies shouldn't be able to make decisions about which communities will be made sick, because they inevitably choose the cheapest sites, which is where the poorest people live. And if that's still too expensive, they illegally dump. It's more common than you think. This alarming trend should lead us to the logical conclusion that pollution prevention is the most compelling response. speaker: tentative: Angelo Logan (East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice) |
| [III] . Roles we Play: The Individual & Local Lenses (2:20-3:10) |
|
2:20-2:40
(20 min) |
Cars, Transportation, Geography, & Lifestyle Los Angeles is a sprawling city of cars and long commutes. And not only are greenhouse gases spewing out the back of our vehicles while we're speeding across town, they also do it while we're sitting stuck in traffic, which Los Angelenos do a lot of. It is important that new models emerge in which people can live near their jobs, or perhaps do more telecommuting, and in which public transit is seen as a viable option. Spatial arrangements and new development must take a different turn, away from the sprawl model. Not only do long commutes contribute to air pollution, they extend our time away from our homes and families, which certainly doesn't strengthen family or community bonds—which society desperately craves. speaker: confirmed: Esperanza V. Martinez (Bus Riders' Union) |
2:45-3:15
(30 min) |
Consumption Patterns How you spend your money matters. It can't change everything, but it does make a difference. It's awful that toxic waste dumps are routinely sited in poor, minority communities, but if there were no toxic substances to dispose of, no one would have to live near them. It might be hard to influence the decision-making of those charged with disposal, but we can certainly work together to reduce the production of toxic waste, by buying products that don't require toxic substances to produce. Another way you can make a difference is by supporting companies that act responsibly; for instance, you can buy your computer from a company that will recycle it (or properly dispose of it) when it reaches the end of its life. format: video |
| [IV] . Obstacles to Change & How to Move Forward (4:20-6:00) |
|
4:20-5:05
(45 min) |
Big Business Gets the Most Votes Do you ever feel like your vote doesn't carry much weight? You're probably right. Special interests are paying politicians to favor them, and it's hard to fight back by voting. The more interest groups a candidate panders to, the more money they get for their campaign. And it's been proven that the candidate who spends the most typically wins. This isn't what comes to mind when you think of democracy, is it? This talk will explore the influence of big business on politics, and what needs to happen for us to return to a true democracy. speaker: confirmed: Anitra Wetzel (Democracy Matters) |
5:10-5:40
(30 min) |
Deception & Misconception Our media rarely reports on some of the most disturbing facts about the state of affairs in this country. We have a large segment of the population living in abject poverty, and they're all but invisible. The middle class is practically non-existent, but no one seems to notice. Our leaders are corrupt and self-serving, and yet we haven't risen up to reject them. What role does the media play in getting the American consciousness to the point where we refuse to tolerate these glaring contradictions any longer? What consequences has the general lack of responsible journalism had for our progress forward? speaker: confirmed: Dr. Jon Beaupre |
5:45-6:00
(15 min) |
We Need a Major Technology Revolution It's certainly important that some of us are taking the lead figuring out what it takes to use cleaner energy and to grow responsibly. But this is just the start of a trend that absolutely must continue for this planet to remain safe for human life. Our systems of transportation, energy production, and health care are all waiting for more sustainable ideas to implemented on a wide-scale. This talk will explore some of the changes that are necessary, and what it might take to make happen. speaker: confirmed: Michael Wittman (biofuels activist) |
| [V] . Paving New Paths to a More Hopeful Future (6:10-7:50) |
|
6:10-7:00
(50 min) |
It All Begins with a Proper Education What should we be doing at colleges and universities to prepare ourselves for the challenges before us? What sort of initiative should students be taking to become informed, responsible citizens? What role should educators play? speakers: tentative: CSULA's President Rosser / confirmed: Dr. Paul Narguizian (education), Dr. Jeffrey Tipton (director, health center), Dr. Landsburger (engineering & technology) |
7:05-7:50
(45 min) |
Getting Paid to Change the World What we do when we finish school can change the world. But it can be intimidating setting out when we feel that it's a choice between getting paid well and doing what's right. Help brainstorm what it will take for all of us to be able to do both. speakers: confirmed: Emily Southard (Green Corps) & Jeremy Mills (Environment California) |
 |
Thanks to Clif Bar, for being one of our sponsors. All of Clif Bar's products are organic and vegan. They will be providing free samples of their products for Focus the Nation participants on the day of the event. Clif and Luna bars are also sold in the campus bookstore. |
 |
|
| ASI |
Associated Students, Inc. - ASI's Mission: Provide protection of the rights and interests of the individual student and the entire student body. Perpetrate interaction and support of the University. Promote effective venues of student input into campus governance. Provide service and programs that meet the educational, social, recreational, and cultural needs of the pluralistic community. Serve as a learning laboratory for student leadership development. |
|
|
| earth LA |
Earth LA is Cal State LA's sustainability club. It is earth LA's goal to raise awareness about important environmental issues; to mobilize students, faculty, and staff toward environmental activism; to make the CSULA campus more sustainable; and to host projects & events to train and educate the campus community. |
|
|
| the Humanist Association |
The Humanist Association at Cal State Los Angeles had its first formal event on November 13, 2001, when the Co-President of the Humanist Association of Los Angeles gave a talk defining humanism. We are an affiliate of two organizations: The American Humanist Association (AHA), and the Secular Student Alliance, which is also an affiliate of the AHA, and consists of clubs at universities and colleges throughout the world. A concise definition of humanism, given in the magazine, The Humanist follows: HUMANISM is a rational philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion. Affirming the dignity of each human being, it supports liberty and opportunity consonant with social and planetary responsibility. Free of theism and other supernatural beliefs, humanism thus derives the goals of life from human need and interest rather than from theological or ideological abstractions, and asserts that humanity must take responsibility for its own destiny. Nevertheless, Humanism does not exclude those who hold some sort of religious belief (as do most members of the CSULA branch).
We have held meetings, usually bi-monthly, since our inception, and have presented numerous events--lately two per quarter. We have also been periodically involved in campus affairs such as efforts to lower textbook costs. From the beginning, our campus advisor has been Dr. Donald Bray, Professor of Latin American Studies. |
|
|
| CCC |
The mission of the Cross Cultural Centers at California State University, Los Angeles is to encourage student learning as well as foster an inclusive campus environment free of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other forms of oppression. With a commitment to increasing cross-cultural awareness, we offer a wide variety of programs and services that explore both the shared and unique experiences, histories, and heritages of our diverse community. |
|
|
 |
Environment California is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Our professional staff combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for California's environment. Environment California draws on 30 years of success in tackling our state's top environmental problems. |