LA Climate Week comes to a close on Friday, and what a week it was, from educators to students, artists, storytellers, farmers, filmmakers, scientists, politicians and career builders; the community came together to advocate for SDG causes and to have the critical conversations at a time of cultural shifts and policy upheaval. Of course, it was not all focus on serious discourse, there was also plenty of dance parties, screenings, rigorous hikes, yoga; all celebrating our planet and recognizing climate warriors. All of the participants and sponsors of Climate Week should be lauded for their commitment to sustainable efforts, rolling up their sleeves to do the work, and build the community to sow the seeds of change.
Highlights of Events from Act Local’s team:
The Sierra Club’s Sierra Symposium opened LA Climate Week. With the subheading of Environmental Utopia or Dystopia: The World We Imagine for Our Children, it set the stage for a powerful gathering of scientists, policy leaders, cultural figures, and storytellers trailblazing a path for the rights of nature and humanity. At the helm of the event was Loren Blackford, Executive Director of the Sierra Club brining to the stage Matt de Santos, Co-Executive & General Counsel of the Our Children’s Trust, Erica L. Rosenthal, PhD, Director of Research at the Norman Lear Center at USC, exploring the way media messages climate change and award winning director, writer, producer, environmental activist and pioneer, Rebecca Tickell. Her inspiring trilogy started with the remarkable documentary, Kiss the Ground that introduced regenerative agriculture to a global audience. Then in 2023 , Common Ground that went deeper, exposing the political and financial forces behind the United States’ broken food system while spotlighting the farmers fighting back. Completing the trilogy is Groundswell acquired by Amazon for worldwide release later this year. The film takes audiences around the world, telling the impact stories of what regenerative farming practices can do across the planet. Learn more about the remarkable conservation efforts and how to get involved with the Sierra Club in LA , Our Children’s Trust, and the Norman Lear Center at USC, and Follow Rebecca Tickell’s work .
The Green School Alliance
nd films on climate infrastructure, student-led climate leadership on campus, and youth-led policy advocacy. GSA gives students tools to make a difference in their own communities and creating an opportunity for long-lasting change. Want to get involved, support local green schools, or bring GSA to a campus near you? Go to greenschoolsalliance.org.UCLA, Anderson School of Management
Climate Film Festival
- Greer Fawcett (Director, Clean Up Sayu)
- Tehya Jennett & Maxfield Biggs (Co-Directors, Dreamland)
- Zazie Ray-Trapido (Director, The Instability of Clouds)
- Heather Fipps, Moderator, (Hollywood Climate Summit)
Sustainability Film Industry News
And right on cue, on April 15th the Producers Guild of America announced in the Hollywood Reporter, a substantial update to their guidelines to make productions more economically and environmentally sustainable. The new Sustainability Tool Kit for Producers gives our industry actionable guidance for greening productions from the ground up. The new guide also addresses solutions for producers and tools for scalable practices. Climate Week may be closing, but Earth Month is still going strong. Whether you’re a filmmaker, a student ready to lead, a lifelong Angeleno who loves this city and wants to fight for its future, or a city farmer wanting to teach people how to grow their own food, there is a place for you to make a difference. Follow Act Local for more on climate change productions, stories, how you can make an impact and watch more films, go to our FAM community to sign up to local groups, add your films and to see what events are coming near you.