2024
San Francisco Summit
Day 1
After settling into our Airbnb, we started the day with a conference call to Save the Bay. Save the Bay is a nonprofit organization that engages in local efforts and community outreach to preserve the San Francisco Bay and related estuarine habitat areas. We were able to learn about their approaches to combat rising sea levels in the area.
Later that day, we ventured to Alemany Farm where we were warmly welcomed by Alfredo Hernández. After he gave us a tour, we learned about the Alemany Farm's operations. The farm grows produce for community members, as well as for those battling food insecurity. Volunteers and donations allow for the Alemany Farm to continue their work.
We ended the day with a meeting with Jacquelyne Espejo-Vera from Acterra at Golden Gate Park. We discussed her work on the Karl Knapp GoEV program and Green@Home, exploring the intersectionality of sustainable solutions and socioeconomic issues. We also shared our research projects from the year with her.
Day 2
On our last day, we paid a visit to the SSF Water Treatment Plant for a tour of their facilities. We not only learned about current water treatment practices in the Bay, but also about the history of those practices and how they have evolved over time.
2019
Summit
Mexico City, 1st Annual IUSSC Summit
UNAM/UCLA
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2024 IUSSC Sustainability Summit
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Thank you to our guest speakers from The Luskin Center for Innovation, Clean Consulting, and Our Divisions!
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The summit was one of the best and defining moments of my college career. It's truly fascinating to get a perspective on urban sustainability that is so drastically different from ours.
Peter Redublo, Alumni
Day 1
On Day 1 of our summit, we touched down in Mexico City at around 6 in the morning. From then, we had a few hours of rest before we headed to our host university, the Universidad Nacional Autonóma de México. We had breakfast consisting of freshly picked and juiced fruits from UNAM's sustainable gardens and bread and butter. Right after breakfast, our group lectured for four hours after which we listened to UNAM's lecturers for another four.
Day 2
On Day 2, we were taken to native farmlands deep within the Basin of Mexico. No other foreign tourists or travelers had ever set foot in this specific farmland. It was multiple acres large and it took us nearly two hours to walk through it all. These farmlands are called chinampas: they are segregated by large canals of water that serve to irrigate the land and water the plants organically. A researcher from UNAM's department of biology toured us through the canals and lectured. We had lunch in a privately owned chinampa belonging to UNAM, where we were able to touch and smell various crops as well as explore innovative ways to combat pests.
Day 3 was focused around water management. We were able to be shown around the two largest water plants in Mexico City. An industrial ecologist lectured for two hours about water management systems as well as ways in which the government of Mexico was streamline the water purification process in Mexico City.
Day 3
Day 4
Architecture was the main focus of Day 4. A lead city architect and architecture professor at UNAM lectured for two hours in the morning, before he took us on a personalized tour through his creations within the city, among which were a completely self-sustaining eco-friendly park, a park built around a canal to encourage both safe water storage and city beautification through nature. Urban planning was also a central focus for Day 4.
Day 5
On this day, we were taken to the largest recycling plant in Mexico: PETSTAR. We were toured through the recycling plant as well as given a hands on look into how recycling works in Mexico. Being able to touch the plastic as well as track its movement through the plant was a fascinating experience. The plant itself was very beautiful and well planned out.
Day 6
On the last day of summit, we were given freedom to explore the city. We took a tour of the ancient ruins of Teotihuácan, and after, we visited the great Basilica in the heart of the city. It was a great way to end a terrific summit. We were headed back to Los Angeles with new knowledge and inspiration.