Speaker Presentations
Topic Summary: Sustainability and the United Nations Goals for 2030 are not just topics that should be considered by adults. In this short video I will discuss the implications of sustainability in the classroom from the Bamboo Jungle perspectives of Indonesia.
Speaker Biography: As an ocean and outdoor enthusiast, I grew-up with a deep respect for nature. Transitioning from an ocean lifeguard to a public school teacher in California, I gained quick insight into how truly unsustainable education can be from both child well-being, and consumption standpoints. I decided that I would push myself out of the comfort zone of a tenured teaching job, and pursue education of my own in sustainability, and teaching practices that embrace this to the fullest where the wonderful worlds of sustainability and progressive education intersect. What followed was immersing myself for the next 4 years in the Bamboo forests in Bali that surround the Green School.
Topic Summary: Why collecting data at cleanups is valuable and vital
San Diego Coastkeeper is a local environmental ngo that works at the city, county, and state levels to protect and restore fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters. Through a strategic combination of science, advocacy, education, and community engagement, we work to effectively address existing and emerging water quality issues. Marine debris is a pervasive global issue that directly impacts our water quality in San Diego, and is a continued threat to our inland waterways, ocean, and marine life. By collecting data at cleanup events throughout San Diego County, we are able to not only monitor our outdoor spaces, but we are able to effectively advocate and educate to incite change.
Speaker Biography: Marie Diaz is the marine programs coordinator for San Diego Coastkeeper, and oversees the organization’s marine programs including community cleanup and restoration programs. Marie works to protect our coast and oceans by connecting San Diegans to hands-on environmental stewardship opportunities and marine debris prevention strategies. Before working with San Diego Coastkeeper, Marie worked with Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), in Key Largo, Florida, as the invasive species program manager. There, her love of outreach and scientific communication grew as she worked to engage both the local and global community in REEF’s community science efforts and invasive lionfish potential/combat strategies. In addition to working with San Diego Coastkeeper, Marie is a graduate student in the Smith Coral Reef Ecology Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where she works with 3D imaging software to better understand coral reef communities and the ecological changes and challenges they face.
Topic Summary: Greening the restaurant industry needs to be put at the top of the agenda to address climate change, as this industry consumes more electricity than any other in the retail sector. Learn how to green your own dining habits while using your consumer power to shift the industry to abecome zero-waste, climate-neutral, and meet the GRA’s other sustainability markers in energy, water, waste, food, disposables, chemicals, and building.
Speaker Biography: Michael Oshman is the Founder and CEO of the Green Restaurant Association, the first and largest national organization with the mission of creating environmental sustainability in the restaurant industry. Since 1990, Mr. Oshman has been the most outspoken person on the planet about the ways to help the restaurant industry become environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner. Mr. Oshman and his work has been featured in thousands of media articles, tv, and radio, including CNN, Fox News, NPR, ABC, New York Times, San Diego Union Tribune, and Time Magazine. Mr. Oshman has consulted some of America's largest chains, spoken in front of the Olympics Organizing committee, and met with the President’s Council on Environmental Quality.
Social Media:
Topic Summary: As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Rep. Levin will highlight the work he is doing with his colleagues to advance aggressive climate legislation in the 117th Congress. Rep. Levin will discuss federal policy on climate change, clean energy, and conservation, as well as the economic benefits of climate action.
Speaker Biography: Congressman Levin is a longtime clean energy advocate and environmental attorney. Prior to serving in Congress, he served on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy, based in San Diego, and co-founded Sustain OC in Orange County. With California experiencing worsening droughts, intensifying wildfires, and rising sea levels, Rep. Levin believes we must take aggressive action now to limit the worst effects on our planet and preserve our natural resources for future generations. Rep. Levin serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
Social Media: @RepMikeLevin on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Topic Summary: Effective communication in a changing world. Our planet is changing quickly - and so is the way we communicate. How can we use digital communications to drive action and policy on environmental issues? How can we create engaging content and stay relevant in a time when people’s attention spans are diminishing? This talk will discuss ways to use visuals, social media, and photos to bring attention to scientific information and environmental issues to create a lasting impact.
Speaker Biography: I am a biologist, photographer, filmmaker, and conservation communicator. In my current role as Director of Media & Communications for the Waitt Institute, I oversee strategic communications for marine conservation & sustainable growth partnerships with the governments of 8 island nations across the globe (the Azores, Bermuda, Barbuda, Curaçao, Federated States of Micronesia, the Maldives, Tonga, and Samoa). I am also a Co-Founder of Salty Cinema, an event series with Scripps Institution of Oceanography that blends original film content with expert discussions to shed light on ocean topics. I have a Masters of Advanced Studies from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, and an undergraduate degree from University of Colorado, Boulder, in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Media & Technology. Throughout my career I have worked to blend my passion for graphic design, video editing, photography, and storytelling with scientific information and conservation messages.
Social Media:
Instagram: @shaynabrody
Website: shaynabrody.com