Thursday, July 27, 2023

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - August 2023

 These kinds of events below are happening all over the world every day and most of them, now, are webcast and archived, sometimes even with accurate transcripts. Would be good to have a place that helped people access them. 


This is a more global version of the local listings I did for about a decade (what I did and why I did it at http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-i-do-and-why-i-do-it.html) until September 2020 and earlier for a few years in the 1990s (https://theworld.com/~gmoke/AList.index.html).  

A more comprehensive global listing service could be developed if there were enough people interested in doing it, if it hasn’t already been done.  

If anyone knows of such a global listing of open energy, climate, and other events is available, please put me in contact.

Thanks for reading,

Solar IS Civil Defense,
George Mokray
gmoke@world.std.com

http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com - notes on lectures and books
http://solarray.blogspot.com - renewable energy and efficiency - zero net energy links list
http://cityag.blogspot.com - city agriculture links list
http://geometrylinks.blogspot.com - geometry links list
http://hubevents.blogspot.com - Energy (and Other) Events
http://www.dailykos.com/user/gmoke/history - articles, ideas, and screeds

———
Index
——— 

Throughout August, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is asking the public:
"What do you need to prepare your community for climate change?"

Webinar: Food and Agriculture Sustainable Strategies Framework In Action
Monday, July 31
2:30pm to 1:30pm

Powering the Future: A Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessment
Tuesday, August 1
10:00 - 11:00 EST

Whole Project Decarbonizatioin
Wednesday, August 2
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Decarbonize Existing Buildings Alliance
Wednesday, August 2 
3 - 4pm EST

Beyond the Surface: Uncovering the Full Value of Water Stewardship Investments
Thursday, August 3
10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

The Inflation Reduction Act: One Year In
Thursday, August 3
1 - 2 pm [12:00-1:00 PM CT]

Jeff Goodell: The Heat Will Kill You First
Monday, August 7 
8:30pm EDT [5:30 PM PDT]

Local Tech Ecologies 
Tuesday, August 8
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (in-person)
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. (live-streamed)

ESKIES - Energy Resilience in Extreme Weather Events
Thursday, August 10 
4:00 AM - 5:00 AM EDT

David Gessner & Nina de Gramont: A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World
Wednesday, August 16
7:00PM ET
Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA

World Water Week 2023:  Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World
Sunday, August 20 - Thursday, August 24

Sustainable Supply Chains: Pushing the NHS towards a Greener Future
Wednesday, August 23 
7:30 - 08:30am EDT

Education Now: Building Diverse College Communities [or How Harvard Plans to Deal with the Supreme Court’s Adverse Ruling]
Wednesday, August 23
3 – 4 p.m.

Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite
Tuesday, August 29
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Harnessing Machine Learning for Climate Policy
Thursday, August 31
8 - 9am EDT

Big Data Conference 2023
Thursday, August 31- Friday, September 1
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

————— 

NOAA Asks "What do you need to prepare your community for climate change?"
Throughout August, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is running comment sessions on NOAA's Request for Information on Equitable Climate Service Delivery” asking the question
What do you need to prepare your community for climate change?
Schedule at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/equitable-climate-service-delivery-2404789

"NOAA released a Request for Information on how the agency can increase capacity and access to climate services for climate preparedness, resilience, and adaptation planning in historically underserved communities—including Tribal and Indigenous communities–as well as how the agency can better include Indigenous and local knowledge in our climate services. We want to hear from YOU! Your feedback will be used to develop an Action Plan to 1) make NOAA’s climate services more accessible, understandable, usable, inclusive of the social and economic impacts of climate change, and capable of addressing complex hazards, and 2) build capacity for and support users of all disciplines and backgrounds, particularly historically underserved communities and Tribal communities, by expanding science literacy and successfully applying climate services to science-based decisions about climate risk and resilience."

—————

Webinar: Food and Agriculture Sustainable Strategies Framework In Action
Monday, July 31
2:30pm to 1:30pm
Online
RSVP at https://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/center-sustainable-business/news-events/events/upcoming-events/webinar-food-and-agriculture-sustainable-strategies-framework-action

Join NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business and our partners from HSBC and Ingredion for an in-depth exploration of the Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI™) methodology at work in the food and agriculture industry. An overview of the Food and Agriculture Sustainable Strategies Framework will be followed by a panel discussion on its use case. Ingredion will share specific examples of applying the strategies to their operations, and the resulting financial value and societal impact delivered.

Speakers include:
Chisara Ehiemere, Senior Research Lead, Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI™), NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.
Kelly Fisher, Head of Corporate Sustainability, HSBC Bank, USA
Andrew Utterback, Director, Global Sustainable Sourcing, Ingredion
Tensie Whelan, Founding Director, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business

By attending, you will gain access to insights and examples of the business case for sustainability that help unlock the benefits of more sustainable practices through operational efficiency, customer demand and loyalty, risk mitigation and more. Learn more about the framework and preview the strategies at https://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/centers-of-research/center-sustainable-business/research/return-sustainability-investment-rosi/food-and-agriculture-sustainability-strategies

—————

Powering the Future: A Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessment
Tuesday, August 1
10:00 - 11:00 EST
Online
RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k4g_sQkWTX-npk6h4JZ3eQ#/registration

This webinar will present the results and recommendations from Powering the Future: A Massachusetts Clean Energy Workforce Needs Assessmentand will include a Question & Answer session.

The report is a comprehensive analysis of the clean energy workforce needed to meet the state’s ambitious 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The report provides insight into workforce needs from an occupational, regional, and equity lens, highlights gaps surrounding clean energy career awareness, the workforce training ecosystem, and hiring and retention practices, and underscores the need for strategic workforce planning, including increased coordination and partnerships across state agencies, unions, employers and other key stakeholders.

Co-presented by the MassCEC Workforce Development team and BW Research Partnership, Inc.

————— 

Whole Project Decarbonizatioin
Wednesday, August 2
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Online
RSVP at https://online.architects.org/bsassa/f?p=EVTSSA:4010::::4010:P0_EVENT_ID:3724:
Cost:  $40- $80

This session will explore the relationships between embodied and operational carbon; the role of architects, construction managers, MEP engineers, and structural/civil engineers in quantifying and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings; and the tradeoffs faced when evaluating how to achieve the best operational performance with the lowest upfront carbon cost. Additionally, this presentation will discuss strategies for educating the next generation of AEC professionals on carbon literacy.

Objectives include:
Define the relative impact of operational vs embodied carbon in a project’s life cycle.
Identify key strategies for reducing operational carbon emissions
Recognize which types of analyses to run at each stage of a project’s life cycle to minimize carbon emissions
Distinguish between operational carbon and embodied carbon, and where they influence one another

The role of the building industry in contributing to climate change is no secret. As such, it is key for the AEC industry to become more carbon literate in an effort to slow or mitigate the impact of climate change. Central to this is developing the ability to define and implement carbon reduction strategies not just for the building occupants and users of today, but for the health, safety, and welfare of those building occupants and users of the future, who will be facing an even more tangible impact of our changing planet.

Presenters:
Suzanne Robinson P.E. LEED AP | Director of Sustainability, LeMessurier
Patrick Murphy P.E., LEED AP BD+C, CPHC | Director of Sustainability, Vanderweil

————— 

Decarbonize Existing Buildings Alliance
Wednesday, August 2 
3 - 4pm EST
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/decarbonize-existing-buildings-alliance-tickets-481775021057
Cost:  $0-$50

A roundtable for practitioners and reporting entities to come together to discuss best practices, technologies, and challenges.

Existing buildings are major contributors to climate change. In 2015, existing residential and commercial buildings generated 1,913.3 MMtCO2e, or 29 percent of total U.S. emissions. To help address this sector, Built Environment Plus (BE+) with Rethinking Power Management LLC (RPM) are spearheading a coalition of organizations with expertise in GHG reduction and who are committed to supporting decarbonization in existing buildings.

This reoccurring monthly gathering is a roundtable which serves as a platform where practitioners and reporting entities can come together to discuss best practices, technologies, challenges, hear information related to the ordinance and its implementation, etc.The Alliance’s objectives include:
Increase awareness of energy disclosure ordinances including BERDO and BEUDO and enhance understanding of requirements. 
Provide information and resources to reporting organizations that answer “how do we comply” questions through general and building-sector specific webinars.
Engage disadvantaged/underserved communities.
Share best practices and lessons learned.
Provide resources to building owners to help understand decarbonization pathways and create carbon reduction roadmaps.
Work with non-profit partners to provide information about/introductions to established practitioners. 
Reach out to communications@builtenvironmentplus.org with any inquiries, questions, or concerns.

*Roundtables are FREE for Built Environment Plus Members.
**New to the Roundtables? Join as a Newcomer, and come visit up to 3 times for FREE. After that, consider becoming a BE+ Member, or purchase general admission to return you like.

—————

Beyond the Surface: Uncovering the Full Value of Water Stewardship Investments
Thursday, August 3
10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://ceres-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FBhgTP3vSEqBgNkLHS17xg#/registration

New cutting-edge research from Ceres and Bluerisk demonstrates how companies and investors can integrate water stewardship benefits - as well as the costs of addressing water risk - for a more complete financial picture of water. Join Ceres for a webinar discussing this research and marking the release of a new report, "Development of a Company-Level Cost-Benefit Analysis Framework: Assessing the Full Value of Water Stewardship Investments to Business and Society." In this session participants will: - Breakdown key findings from the research and gain insights into the newly developed cost-benefit analysis framework to help support a company’s understanding of the full value of water to its business - Identify the business value in acting to better manage water resources with a panel discussion with company and investor representatives - Explore perspectives on how the cost-benefit analysis framework can be applied to comprehensively demonstrate the business value of water stewardship and how it supports the goals of the Valuing Water Finance Initiative 

Featuring: - Kirsten James, Senior Program Director, Water, Ceres (Moderator) - Paul Reig, Founder, Bluerisk - Howard Deans, Social Impact Manager, Reckitt - Jehanne Fabre, Sustainability, Water Director, Danone - Anne Simpson, Global Head of Sustainability, Franklin Templeton Please email Nathaniel Reed (nreed@ceres.org) with any questions. 

—————

The Inflation Reduction Act: One Year In
Thursday, August 3
12:00-1:00 PM CT
Online
RSVP at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/1616897124744/WN_7ylBMjTHRiGEVUKwc9Ryrw#/registration

This is the shortened public version of our Q2 US Virtual Group Meeting.

The passing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August 2022 heralded a new wave of clean tech manufacturing and deployment in the USA. Project development has accelerated, with capacity in interconnection queues increasing by over 40% year-over-year in 2022—and growing.

Almost one year in, however, significant uncertainty still remains around key IRA provisions. The Treasury has issued a plethora of guidance, yet exact definitions for tax credit adder qualifications, such as the energy communities, are still outstanding. Meanwhile, challenges with interconnection queue backlogs, permitting, and transmission upgrades continue to slow the pace at which new projects can be deployed.

In this pan-US session, we will present an overview of the wider US federal policy landscape alongside detailed analysis from the ERCOT, PJM, CAISO, and MISO markets.

The session will address the following questions:
How much has the IRA changed the development landscape of new power projects in the US?
How will tax credit pass-through impact project viability and long-term deployment?
Where is the main uncertainty surrounding outstanding guidance from Treasury/IRS?
What is the impact of curtailment on the selection of the PTC vs ITC?
How will EPA rules impact the retirement of thermal assets?

We look forward to welcoming you to the session.

—————

Jeff Goodell: The Heat Will Kill You First
Monday, August 7 
8:30pm EDT [5:30 PM PDT]
The Commonwealth Club of California, 110 The Embarcadero, Toni Rembe Rock Auditorium, San Francisco
and Online
RSVP at https://commonwealthclub.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0F3j00001ia8QnEAI
Cost:  $5

“When heat comes, it’s invisible. It doesn’t bend tree branches or blow hair across your face to let you know it’s arrived. . . . The sun feels like the barrel of a gun pointed at you.” 

The world is waking up to a new reality: wildfires are now seasonal in California, the Northeast is getting less and less snow each winter, and the ice sheets in the Arctic and Antarctica are melting fast. Heat is the first-order threat that drives all other impacts of the climate crisis. As the temperature rises, it is revealing fault lines in our governments, our politics, our economy and our values. Journalist Jeff Goodall says the basic science is not complicated: Stop burning fossil fuels tomorrow, and the global temperature will stop rising tomorrow. Stop burning fossil fuels in 50 years, and the temperature will keep rising for 50 years, making parts of our planet virtually uninhabitable. The hotter it gets, the deeper and wider our fault lines will open.

Goodell's book The Heat Will Kill You First is about the extreme ways in which our planet is already changing. It is about why spring is coming a few weeks earlier and fall is coming a few weeks later—and the impact that will have on everything from our food supply to disease outbreaks. It is about what will happen to our lives and our communities when typical summer days in Chicago or Boston go from 90 degrees Fahrenheit to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. A heatwave, Goodell explains, is a predatory event, one that culls the most vulnerable people; but that is changing—as heatwaves become more intense and more common, they will become more democratic. 

As an award-winning journalist who has been at the forefront of environmental journalism for decades, Goodell might be his most provocative yet, explaining how extreme heat will dramatically change the world as we know it. 

—————

Local Tech Ecologies 
Tuesday, August 8
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (in-person)
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. (live-streamed)
University Memorial Center room 235, University of Colorado Boulder
and Online
RSVP at https://www.colorado.edu/lab/medlab/2023/06/26/conference-local-tech-ecologies

When the devastating Marshall Fire spread across Boulder County in on December 30, 2021, many of us turned to our phones and our networks. They helped us make sense of the crisis and keep each other safe. We relied on information from local organizations and governments, as well as global platforms not designed for a moment like that, and not designed for our community.

What if we valued local technology the way we value local food and local businesses?

This event explores opportunities and challenges for building healthy tech ecosystems that are focused on the needs of local communities—with a focus on projects active across Colorado's Front Range. What kinds of social media could bring people together rather than driving them apart? What kinds of gig platforms could put workers and small businesses above global monopolies? How can regional journalists develop tools truly suited to their needs? The event will make space to introduce projects already cultivating local tech ecologies in Colorado and beyond, and we will discuss strategies for more intentionally developing those ecologies in the future.

Speakers include:
Aaron Brockett (mayor, City of Boulder)
Becks Boone, Jamie Anderson (Rootable)
Caroline Savery (Bloom Network)
Erika Iacono (Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center)
Ethan Zuckerman (UMass Amherst)
Josh Ritzer (Nigh)
LeeLee James (Slay the Runway)
libi striegl (Media Archaeology Lab)
Mike Perhats (Nosh)
Saleh Khaled Ibrahim (Phoenix of Gaza XR)

Lunch will be served, along with snacks and a reception at the end. This is a free event, but please consider making a donation to MEDLab to support our work.

Organized by the Media Economies Design Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder and made possible by a generous gift from Colorado ReWild.

—————

ESKIES - Energy Resilience in Extreme Weather Events
Thursday, August 10 
4:00 AM - 5:00 AM EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eskies-energy-resilience-in-extreme-weather-events-tickets-677124426387

The ESKIES project (Energy Sustainability through Knowledge and Information Exchange and Sharing) aims to increase community understanding of the role of solar, batteries, and other Distributed Energy Resources (DER), as well as energy management approaches, in maintaining electricity supply to regional and rural communities during bushfires and other disruptions to the electricity grid.

Based on our research, including what we have heard from you, we are currently developing a website with a guide to different DER options, as well as a report of our learnings. Please join this webinar to hear what we have learned, with an opportunity for Q&A.

—————

David Gessner & Nina de Gramont: A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World
Wednesday, August 16
7:00PM ET
Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA

In person at Brookline Booksmith! Celebrate the release of A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World with author David Gessner, in conversation with Nina de Gramont. Register for the event!RSVP to let us know you're coming! Depending on the volume of responses, an RSVP may be required for entrance to the event. You will also be alerted to important details about the program, including safety requirements, cancellations, and book signing updates. A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water Bestselling author David Gessner asks what kind of planet his daughter will inherit in this coast-to-coast guide to navigating climate crisis.

The world is burning and the seas are rising. How do we navigate this new age of extremes? In A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World, David Gessner takes readers on an eye-opening tour of climate hotspots from the Gulf of Mexico to the burning American West to New York City to the fragile Outer Banks, where homes are being swallowed by the seas. He does so with his usual sense of humor, compassion, and a willingness to talk to anyone, providing an informative and sobering yet convivial guide for the age of fire, heat, wind, and water.

Gessner approaches scientists and thinkers with a father's question: What will the world be like in forty-two years? Gessner was forty-two when his daughter, Hadley, was born. What will the world be like in 2064, when Hadley is his age now? What is the future of weather? The future of heat, storms, and fire? What exactly will our children be facing? A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World tells a story of climate crisis that will both entertain and shake people awake to the necessity of navigating this new age together.

David Gessner is the author of Quiet Desperation, Savage Delight: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis, Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness, and the New York Times–bestselling All the Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner and the American West. Chair of the Creative Writing Department at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and founder and editor-in-chief of Ecotone, Gessner lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, with his wife, the novelist Nina de Gramont, and their daughter, Hadley.

—————

World Water Week 2023:  Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World
Sunday, August 20 - Thursday, August 24
Stockholm 
and Online
https://www.wri.org/events/2023/8/world-water-week-2023

World Water Week is the leading conference on global water issues, curated by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and convened by world-leading organizations that share their latest insights. The conference features a wide range of topics, including the water impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, food security, agriculture, health, technology, and more.

—————

Sustainable Supply Chains: Pushing the NHS towards a Greener Future
Wednesday, August 23 
7:30 - 08:30am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sustainable-supply-chains-pushing-the-nhs-towards-a-greener-future-tickets-566954394857

This webinar will see NHS and industry professionals, and business discuss how the NHS can move towards a more sustainable supply chain

The NHS is committed to reaching net zero by 2040 for their directly controlled emissions, and by 2045 for the emissions they influence through goods and services bought from their suppliers. But, to achieve this ambitious goal, the NHS needs a great deal of collaboration from their suppliers. The Net Zero Supplier Roadmap sets out a step-by-step timeline to help suppliers align with the NHS’s net zero goals between now and 2030 (including a two year grace period on milestones up to 2027 for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises). But what extra steps will the NHS and their suppliers need to take to ensure their success on their net zero journey? And how easy will this transition be for both parties? This webinar will see NHS and industry professionals, and business with products or services to aid the NHS in moving towards a more sustainable supply chain come together to discuss what will be needed to build a greener future. 

—————

Education Now: Building Diverse College Communities [or How Harvard Plans to Deal with the Supreme Court’s Adverse Ruling]
Wednesday, August 23
3 – 4 p.m.
Online
RSVP https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3nkFw_OlTKWRkRDdSr2h1w#/registration

The implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling against the use of affirmative action in college admissions are still emerging. But the underlying work — to increase access to college, foster a welcoming learning community on campus, and support successful outcomes — hasn’t changed. In the wake of the Court’s decision, we consider how the ruling may prompt new action and new approaches to building and sustaining diverse communities on college campuses across the country. We hear from specialists in college access and higher education, who share various perspectives on the implications of the ruling and what comes next.

Guests include:
Richard Weissbourd, Senior Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and Harvard Kennedy School; Director, Making Caring Common, HGSE
Host: Francesca Purcell, Senior Lecturer on Education, Faculty Director, Higher Education Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education
** Special one-hour episode from 3 - 4 p.m. ET
CONTACT EMAIL events@gse.harvard.edu

—————

Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite
Tuesday, August 29
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/5016594478101/WN_o1sIx5kqSUWrxAmnwwgBDA#/registration

Dean King discusses his 2023 book, Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite, the dramatic and uplifting story of legendary outdoorsman and conservationist John Muir’s quest to protect one of America’s most magnificent landscapes, Yosemite.

In this portrait of a place, a time, and a movement, the bestselling author Dean King takes us behind the scenes, to the beginning of America’s love affair with Yosemite Valley. In June of 1889 in San Francisco, John Muir—iconic environmentalist, writer, and philosopher—met face-to-face with his longtime editor Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. Before long, the pair ventured to Yosemite Valley, the magnificent site Muir had visited twenty years earlier. There, they confronted a shocking vision, as predatory mining, tourism, and logging industries had plundered and defaced “the grandest of all the special temples of Nature.” The rest is history: that watershed moment led to the creation of Yosemite National Park, and launched an environmental battle that at once captivated the nation and ushered in the beginning of the American environmental movement. Join us for King’s illustrated presentation of his riveting new book, Guardians of the Valley, “a rich, enjoyable excursion into a seminal period in environmental history” (The Wall Street Journal).

————— 

Harnessing Machine Learning for Climate Policy
Thursday, August 31
8 - 9am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harnessing-machine-learning-for-climate-policy-tickets-661756731197

This presentation explores applications of machine learning in the realm of climate policy, with a specific focus on evaluating the actions of subnational and non-state actors such as cities, regions, and corporations. In recent years, these actors have emerged as key players in driving climate action, and their efforts have the potential to significantly impact global emissions reduction targets. Leveraging machine learning techniques, we can effectively assess the initiatives and contributions of these entities towards climate mitigation and adaptation goals. This presentation showcases the diverse ways in which machine learning can analyze large-scale data sets, identify trends, and provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.

Speaker: Prof. Angel Hsu (Assistant Professor of Public Policy + Environment at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Director/Founder of Data-Driven EnviroLab)

Speaker Bio
Angel Hsu is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy and the Environment at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She is the Founder and Director of the Data-Driven EnviroLab, an interdisciplinary research group that applies data-driven approaches to pressing environmental issues. She was a contributing author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report and was a lead author of the 2018 UNEP Emissions Gap Report special chapter on non-state and subnational actors. She holds a PhD in Environmental Policy from Yale University and was formerly an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Yale-NUS College in Singapore.

—————

Big Data Conference 2023
Thursday, August 31- Friday, September 1
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Harvard Science Center, Lecture Hall D, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://cmsa.fas.harvard.edu/event/bigdata_2023/

On August 31-Sep 1, 2023 the CMSA will host the ninth annual Conference on Big Data. The Big Data Conference features speakers from the Harvard community as well as scholars from across the globe, with talks focusing on computer science, statistics, math and physics, and economics.

SPEAKER(S) Jacob Andreas, MIT
Morgane Austerne, Harvard
Albert-László Barabási, Northeastern
Rachel Cummings, Columbia
Melissa Dell, Harvard
Jianqing Fan, Princeton
Tommi Jaakkola, MIT
Ankur Moitra, MIT
Mark Sellke, Harvard
Marinka Zitnik, Harvard Medical School
COST Free, Registration required

CONTACT INFO Maureen Armstrong 
Harvard University Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications 
20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
maureen@math.harvard.edu

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - July 2023

 These kinds of events below are happening all over the world every day and most of them, now, are webcast and archived, sometimes even with accurate transcripts. Would be good to have a place that helped people access them. 

This is a more global version of the local listings I did for about a decade (what I did and why I did it at http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-i-do-and-why-i-do-it.html) until September 2020 and earlier for a few years in the 1990s (https://theworld.com/~gmoke/AList.index.html).  

A more comprehensive global listing service could be developed if there were enough people interested in doing it, if it hasn’t already been done.  

If anyone knows of such a global listing of open energy, climate, and other events is available, please put me in contact.

Thanks for reading,

Solar IS Civil Defense,
George Mokray
gmoke@world.std.com

http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com - notes on lectures and books
http://solarray.blogspot.com - renewable energy and efficiency - zero net energy links list
http://cityag.blogspot.com - city agriculture links list
http://geometrylinks.blogspot.com - geometry links list
http://hubevents.blogspot.com - Energy (and Other) Events
http://www.dailykos.com/user/gmoke/history - articles, ideas, and screeds

———
Index
——— 

Unlocking the Power of Regenerative Agriculture A Collaborative Pathway to Global Food Security, Biodiversity Conservation, and Net-Zero Agri-Food Transition 
Monday, July 3
8:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://climatebonds.zoom.us/webinar/register/6416869281769/WN_vJ1Sg2_jRU-MOG18j-JN7g#/registration

Japanese-German Energy Transition Talks:  Online discussion on carbon pricing in Germany and Japan
Thursday, July 6
4am to 5 am [10:00-11:00 CEST (17:00 – 18:00 JST)]
Online
RSVP at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LR5PhMurTvGAld7ZWxUwjQ#/registration

from Oilchange International
Volunteer Call for the March to End Fossil Fuels
Thursday, July 6
7-8pm ET
Online
RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/forms/volunteer-call-july-6th?referrer=group-oil-change-international

Climate Crossroads Summit 2023
Tuesday, July 11 - Wednesday, July 12
National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Ave NW, Washington DC
and Online
RSVP at https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/39683_07-2023_climate-crossroads-summit-2023

Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis
Tuesday, July 11
4 PM ET
Online on Zoom
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__x9qCBDMQiSExOv1erC_3A#/registration

A Changing Planet Seminar: The role of land ecosystems in climate mitigation and adaptation
Wednesday, July 12
6am - 7am EST [11:00 - 13:00 GMT-04:00]
Fisher and Haldane Rooms, Hamilton Building, Berkshire, Silwood Park Campus, London UK
and Online
RSVP at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/162852/a-changing-planet-seminar-the-role-of-land-ecosystems-in-climate-mitigation-and-adaptation/

U.S. C3E Women in Clean Energy webinar series: Hydrogen: A rising pillar for our clean energy future
Thursday, July 13
1:00pm to 2:00pm 
Online
RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YskuUkR5Tj-yAJ7uINhSig#/registration

Indigenous Expertise Leads the Fight Against Climate Change
Thursday, July 13
1:00 PM EDT TO 2:00 PM EDT
Online
RSVP at https://pulitzercenter-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cHXY9CaVSMiUB8S4VhJFPA#/registration

Northeast Organic Farmers Association Summer Conference:  Buen Vivir: Celebrating Harmony with Nature and our Communities
Monday, July 24 - Thursday July 27
Worcester State University, Worcester, MA
and Online
RSVP at https://whova.com/portal/registration/nofas_202307/
Cost:  $15 - $250

Embodied Carbon Reduction in Buildings
Tuesday, July 25
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Online
RSVP at https://builtenvironmentplus.org/event/embodied-carbon-reduction-in-buildings-case-studies-in-lca/

Going Big with Climate Action: Multifamily, Commercial, and Institutional Buildings
July 27
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Fort Point Room, 290 Congress Street, Second Floor, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://www.architects.org/events/604994/2023/07/27/going-big-with-climate-action-multifamily-commercial-and-institutional-buildings
Cost:  $0 - $10

We Garden Together
Sunday, July 30
3:00pm
Porter Square Books, 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA

———- 
Events
———-

Unlocking the Power of Regenerative Agriculture A Collaborative Pathway to Global Food Security, Biodiversity Conservation, and Net-Zero Agri-Food Transition 
Monday, July 3
8:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://climatebonds.zoom.us/webinar/register/6416869281769/WN_vJ1Sg2_jRU-MOG18j-JN7g#/registration

Discover the collaborative pathway to achieving global food security, biodiversity conservation, and a net-zero agri-food transition. This webinar brings together thought leaders, researchers, policymakers, and industry experts to explore innovative frameworks that enable food systems to simultaneously address climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security challenges. 

Key Discussion Points: 
The potential of regenerative agriculture in meeting global goals on climate, biodiversity, health & wellbeing, and food security. 
Shifting focus from practices to outcomes: Why alignment around desired results is crucial. - Developing comprehensive frameworks to assess transition strategies, encompassing environmental and social ambitions in the agri-food sector. 
The role of the private sector in driving the transition to regenerative food systems. 
Audience Q&A 

Speakers:  Maria Alejandra Pulido, EU Sustainability Agri Lead, Climate Bonds Initiative 
Theodora Ewer, Program Manager of Regen10 Frameworks Hub 
Rachel Hemingway, Head of Transitions – Climate Bonds o Stefania Avanzini Director, One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) WBCSD 
Luiza Volpe, Advocacy, Policy and Partnerships Practice Lead WFO 
Moderator:  Sean Kidney, CEO – Climate Bonds Initiative 

—————

Japanese-German Energy Transition Talks:  Online discussion on carbon pricing in Germany and Japan
Thursday, July 6
4am to 5 am [10:00-11:00 CEST (17:00 – 18:00 JST)]
Online
RSVP at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LR5PhMurTvGAld7ZWxUwjQ#/registration

The German-Japanese Energy Transition Council (GJETC) has been actively involved in the energy transition of both countries for six years. In its fourth project phase, the German-Japanese Council is developing recommendations and studies on the implementation and further development of the energy transition, strengthening cooperation between Germany and Japan and promoting an open dialogue, including on controversial issues.

The joint event series of the Japanese-German Energy Partnership Team and GJETC "Zoom In! - Japanese-German Energy Transition Talks" ties in with this: Focussing on current developments regarding the energy transition in both countries, each session zooms in on a specific topic and serves decision-makers from policy, industry and research as a platform for in-depth information and discussion on the current status, development and potential for different energy transition policies and technologies in Germany and Japan.

The first online session on 6 July 2023 delves into the topic of carbon pricing, the different approaches and lessons learnt so far. Germany launched its national emissions trading system (ETS) already in 2021, covering emissions missing in the EU ETS, namely heating and transport fuels emissions. With the introduction of the ETS, a wide range of sectors in Germany are now subject to a carbon price. In February, the Japanese government announced the upcoming Green Transformation (GX) League, a baseline-and-credit system for companies. Moreover, in February 2023, the cabinet passed the basic GX plan, a 10-year roadmap that includes initial agreements for a mandatory national emissions trading system beginning in 2026.

Interested parties can access further information and register free of charge for the online event in English and Japanese via the following link. The event will be simultaneously translated.

—————

from Oilchange International
Volunteer Call for the March to End Fossil Fuels
Thursday, July 6
7-8pm ET
Online
RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/forms/volunteer-call-july-6th?referrer=group-oil-change-international

Last week, over 1000 people joined the kickoff call for the March to End Fossil Fuels. The march is still three months away, but people are already excited and looking for ways to get involved.

In order to harness that energy for this massive climate march in New York City this September, we’re hosting our first big call for volunteers. If you want to connect with other climate activists, learn new skills, and make this march a huge success, this is the call for you. Can you join us on Thursday, July 6th, at 7pm ET for our first volunteer call?

On the call, we will cover some basic details to get everyone up to speed, then break into three different groups:
New York City residents, who can do lots of in-person outreach and promotion for the march.
People outside of New York City who want to bring others from their community to the march.
Anyone who wants to volunteer from home by making phone calls or sending text messages to ask other people to join the march.

This call will be participatory and interactive - it’s time to get to work to make this march happen! Here are the 

The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges we face. It will take all of us to force President Biden to stand up to Big Oil and lead the transition off fossil fuels, and this march is one way we can do that. If you want to be a part of this historic movement, please join the volunteer call on July 6th!

—————

Climate Crossroads Summit 2023
Tuesday, July 11 - Wednesday, July 12
National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Ave NW, Washington DC
and Online
RSVP at https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/39683_07-2023_climate-crossroads-summit-2023

Join the National Academies [of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine] on July 11 and 12 for a summit engaging experts, community stakeholders, and decision makers on equitable pathways to meet the climate crisis.

The global community is in a crucial window for addressing the many threats climate change poses to the planet and society. To meet these challenges, the nation and the world must harness the full complement of knowledge and skills across science, engineering, and medicine. On July 11 and 12, the National Academies Climate Crossroads Summit will bring together leaders spanning the breadth of expertise for a vibrant discussion about how to catalyze action among a diverse range of stakeholders and decision makers.

Attendees will:
Engage with a broad set of thought leaders and stakeholders on critical crosscutting topics and pathways to action to meet the climate crisis; 
Explore emerging challenges and opportunities for addressing climate challenges; 
Connect stakeholders to each other and to ongoing climate work across NASEM, creating opportunities for building and strengthening collaborations; and
Plan for future crosscutting work accelerate the transition of science into climate action.
Join us virtually and in-person at the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C. for this dynamic meeting.

Agenda Overview
Day 1 will open with a discussion among the presidents of the three academies on harnessing and leveraging a breadth of expertise to address climate change.  A series of panels will follow, addressing (1) pathways to action towards thriving ecosystems, climate-resilient communities, and accelerating decarbonization, (2) advancing productive dialogue and engagement, and (3) cross-sectoral innovation and opportunities.

The day will conclude with showcase of current climate activities from across the National Academies, followed by an evening networking reception with light refreshments.

Day 2 will feature panel discussions that explore intersections of climate and other societal challenges, and advances in science, engineering, and medicine that are bringing new opportunities to address the climate challenge.
In-person attendees will be able to participate in breakout sessions to discuss how to work together to make rapid progress addressing key challenges and opportunities.

Plenary sessions will be accessible via livestream, with ongoing opportunities for virtual participants to engage throughout the program.

Live closed captioning will be provided.

About Climate Crossroads
Building on more than 40 years of foundational work on climate change, the National Academies are stepping up efforts to meet the most urgent issue of our time. This year the National Academies launched Climate Crossroads, a new initiative that leverages our disciplinary breadth and capacity for collaboration.
Climate Crossroads provides space to respond to new challenges as they arise, expands the Academies’ work to a more diverse range of stakeholders and decision makers, and is developing new ways to work with underrepresented communities on climate

—————

Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis
Tuesday, July 11
4 PM ET
Online on Zoom
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__x9qCBDMQiSExOv1erC_3A#/registration

Join us for our continuing series of Virtual Radcliffe Book Talks exploring recent publications whose subjects or authors have a connection with Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

The 2023 summer series will begin with Ann-Christine Duhaime RI ’16, author of Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis (Harvard University Press, 2022). Duhaime is the Nicholas T. Zervas Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, associate director of the Mass General Center for the Environment and Health, and associate editor-in-chief of the Journal of Climate Change and Health. A practicing board-certified pediatric neurosurgeon, she is deeply interested in environmental issues and the relationship between brain and behavior.

Duhaime’s reading will be followed by a discussion with Sharon Weinberger RI ’16, national security and foreign policy editor at The Wall Street Journal.

The event will also include an audience Q and A.

Harvard Radcliffe Institute gratefully acknowledges the Elaine Kotell Binder Dean's Leadership Fund for Academic Ventures, which is supporting this event.
Free and open to the public.
To view this event online, individuals will need to register via Zoom.
For instructions on how to join online, see the How to Attend a Radcliffe Event on Zoom webpage.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing a link and password for this meeting.

————— 

A Changing Planet Seminar: The role of land ecosystems in climate mitigation and adaptation
Wednesday, July 12
6am - 7am EST [11:00 - 13:00 GMT-04:00]
Fisher and Haldane Rooms, Hamilton Building, Berkshire, Silwood Park Campus, London UK
and Online
RSVP at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/162852/a-changing-planet-seminar-the-role-of-land-ecosystems-in-climate-mitigation-and-adaptation/

Bonnie Waring is a Senior Lecturer in Imperial College London’s Department of Life Sciences and the Grantham Institute on Climate Change and Environment. Her work combines laboratory, field, and modelling approaches to understand how the ecology of plant and soil microbial communities controls carbon sequestration in land ecosystems. Her research group is also investigating ways to better manage ecosystems in order to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, by helping forests regrow and by co-deploying engineering and nature-based climate solutions. Dr Waring will discuss the role land ecosystems play in helping society mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

————— 

U.S. C3E Women in Clean Energy webinar series: Hydrogen: A rising pillar for our clean energy future
Thursday, July 13
1:00pm to 2:00pm 
Online
RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YskuUkR5Tj-yAJ7uINhSig#/registration

Hydrogen has been recognized as a key pillar of decarbonizing the global energy system, with application across numerous sectors including transportation, heavy industry and energy storage. Indeed, it is anticipated that the use of clean hydrogen will avoid up to 60 Gt of CO2 emissions over the next 30 years (IEA). Developing the policy, technology and commercial solutions necessary to realize the full potential of hydrogen is not for the weak-hearted. In this webinar, we’ll hear from leading women experts who are paving the way forward for a hydrogen economy and discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

About the series
The C3E webinar series provides a forum to hear the latest on clean energy topics from women who are making a difference. The goal of the quarterly webinars is to highlight the outstanding work of clean energy professionals in various fields and to foster discussion around clean energy opportunities and solutions.

Get to know the work of today’s leaders, including C3E Ambassadors and recent Awardees, by participating in an upcoming webinar, followed by a discussion session, allowing participants to ask the speakers questions, share their own ideas and experiences, engage in conversation, and network with other clean energy professionals.

For more information on future webinars, subscribe to C3E email updates at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHFTHfBCiW5CDDgk6zdM96aB9L3oQtsNrzHw3FoBl5y0NOMg/viewform?pli=1

—————

Indigenous Expertise Leads the Fight Against Climate Change
Thursday, July 13
1:00 PM EDT TO 2:00 PM EDT
Online
RSVP at https://pulitzercenter-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cHXY9CaVSMiUB8S4VhJFPA#/registration

Indigenous communities have a longstanding tradition of protecting their land, building extensive knowledge on conservation in the face of climate change. Join Indigenous leader Manny Kudluk and the Pulitzer Center's Blanca Begert, Meral Jamal, and Peter Yeung for a webinar on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at 1:00pm EDT. Panelists will discuss their reporting on Ingenious expertise in preservation efforts in Indonesia, Peru, and the Arctic.

Panelists: 
Meral Jamal, the Pulitzer Center's 2023 Persephone Miel Fellow, is a journalist based in Nunavut, Canada’s vast Arctic territory. She writes news and feature stories for Inuit communities across Inuit Nunangat. Her Pulitzer Center-supported project, What the Snow Can Teach, highlights the Arctic Snow School, a team of 40 researchers, students, and Indigenous knowledge holders trying to learn more about changing snow in the region.  

Blanca Begert is an environmental journalist based in Los Angeles. Her report "Peru's Shipibo People Fighting To Reclaim Management of Their Land" shows how Shipibo and local communities are exploring alternate possibilities for a new type of conservation area they could manage themselves and benefit from.

Peter Yeung is an award-winning freelance journalist and an International Rainforest Journalism Fund grantee. His project, Indonesia's Indigenous Customary Forest, follows nine Indigenous communities who were handed over 13,000 hectares of customary land, recognizing their longstanding good stewardship and management of forests, in an effort to develop a sustainable solution to the country’s future development. 

Manny Kudlak is an Inuvialuit and has worked in the Arctic as a guide, observer/communicator, and corporate manager. He has served the community of Sachs Harbour as the director of the Inuvialuit Game Council, and he was also the director of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. He was a founding member of PermafrostNet, an initiative for climate-change adaptation.

Pulitzer Center Program Coordinator Mikaela Schmitt will moderate the conversation, followed by an audience Q&A. The webinar is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

————— 

Northeast Organic Farmers Association Summer Conference:  Buen Vivir: Celebrating Harmony with Nature and our Communities
Monday, July 24 - Thursday July 27
Worcester State University, Worcester, MA
and Online
RSVP at https://whova.com/portal/registration/nofas_202307/
Cost:  $15 - $250

Buen Vivir is a contemporary philosophy rooted in Indigenous Andean traditions of collective care, land stewardship and harmonious co-existence

Spend the week engaging with farming technologies, practices and thoughts around good, vital and just living for all at the community scale!

The Summer Conference weekend is online and in Worcester, MA this year

More information at https://whova.com/web/q8nNAu7gY-gdFcVWrRsRDND1164u2ChDbb-xpev%40nzE%3D/

————— 

Embodied Carbon Reduction in Buildings
Tuesday, July 25
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Online
RSVP at https://builtenvironmentplus.org/event/embodied-carbon-reduction-in-buildings-case-studies-in-lca/

Iterative life cycle assessment (LCA) through the course of design offers a powerful method for vetting embodied carbon reduction strategies. This session will walk through key priorities and examples of how to put LCA into practice during design and procurement. First, we will consider target setting, building certifications, scoping considerations, and structural system selection during early design. Then we will walk through practical examples of assembly comparisons and whole building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) on vastly different building types and scopes including offices, data centers, multi-family, and commercial fit-outs. These diverse case studies will offer insight into how LCA can be leveraged for decision making towards deep carbon reduction.

This course is taught by Aurora Jensen Brightworks Sustainability.
Aurora is a Senior Technical Specialist and the Embodied Carbon Lead with Brightworks Sustainability in New York City with a focus on materials and carbon, and a part-time faculty member at the Parsons School of Design. With her work she seeks to engage multiple scales of social and environmental concerns—from microscale heat flows to macroscale supply chains—by linking passive, active, and materials design decisions to climate. She uses her experience in high performance energy modeling and whole building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) to drive down the operational and embodied carbon of projects. She sits on the ILFI Energy and Carbon TAG, and co-leads the NYC chapter of the Carbon Leadership Forum. Aurora received her Masters in Design Studies in Energy and Environment with distinction from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

—————

Going Big with Climate Action: Multifamily, Commercial, and Institutional Buildings
July 27
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Fort Point Room, 290 Congress Street, Second Floor, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://www.architects.org/events/604994/2023/07/27/going-big-with-climate-action-multifamily-commercial-and-institutional-buildings
Cost:  $0 - $10

On September 22, 2021, the Boston City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the City of Boston’s Building Energy and Reporting Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), known as BERDO 2.0. While BERDO has been in place in Boston since 2013, this amendment will require large existing buildings to move from energy reporting and disclosure, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. BERDO 2.0 targets only 4% of buildings across the City of Boston, but will address over 60% of citywide emissions, and will be an essential component of achieving the City’s net zero goals

What will this shift towards carbon neutrality mean for day-to-day design and construction? What are the challenges and opportunities for deep retrofits, particularly for historic buildings? What steps can the design and construction industry take to meet current expectations and prepare for the standards and targets of the future? On July 27th, please join the COTE and The BEC at The Boston Society of Architects to hear Dr. John Straube speaking on low-carbon design and retrofits for Boston’s larger buildings. An eminent building scientist and educator, Dr. Straube will touch on examples from other jurisdictions and discuss challenges and solutions for a range of complex projects—including real-world projects submitted by attendees. For building owners, property managers, engineers, and beyond —submit specific details regarding your building in relation to meeting carbon targets. Please email each detail as a single-page pdf by 9 PM ET on 07/12/2023 and include up to 3 questions with your submission*. A selection of submissions will be incorporated into the program by Dr. Straube to address specific real-world concerns. * By submitting a project detail, you confirm that you have authority to give permission for use, and thereby grant permission for use by the Boston Society of Architects and other participants of this event.

Speakers: Dr. John Straube, Ph.D., P.Eng., Principal and Senior Building Science Specialist, RDH Building Science
Dr. Straube is a principal at RDH Building Science, where he conducts forensic investigations, assists with the design of new high-performance buildings, and leads research projects in the areas of low-energy building design, building enclosure performance, hygrothermal analysis, and field performance monitoring. A prolific writer and researcher, Straube Is the author or co-author of over 100 published technical papers, the author of the book High Performance Enclosures, and the co-author, with Eric Burnett, of Building Science for Building Enclosures.
Moderator Robert Blount – New England Architectural Manager, ROCKWOOL North America

Learning Objectives
After completing the training, participants will be able to:
Describe some example municipal climate action plans and related legislation as they apply to new buildings and retrofit projects
Recognize unique challenges and opportunities for retrofits, in particular for buildings constructed before 1950
Discuss specific details in terms of performance criteria such as water control, airtightness, and thermal performance
Define and compare low-carbon vs. low-energy design strategies, for example in relation to material selection, as well as the role electrification plays in meeting carbon-reduction targets

—————

We Garden Together
Sunday, July 30
3:00pm
Porter Square Books, 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA

Join Jane Hirschi, author of We Garden Together for our July Be the Change!
This colorful activity book invites kids to explore the world of plants and how they grow through creative hands-on activities. 

Kids don’t need a big backyard or outdoor space to learn about gardening and how plants grow. This introductory garden book, packed with photos of 3 to 6 year olds in action, features hands-on planting and growing activities that can be done in a small yard, classroom, or community garden. Written by the staff of City Sprouts, a leading educational organization in promoting urban gardening and equitable access to nature, each activity—from Sorting Seeds to Going on a Worm Hunt to Planting a Tasty Salad—encourages kids to roll up their sleeves and learn about seeds, planting, and gardening. Step-by-step photos and on-the-page discovery prompts, presented in a lively design, make it easy and inviting for kids everywhere to become plant lovers and nature explorers.   

Jane Hirschi is the founding director of CitySprouts, a nationally recognized program that provides early science and nature education in collaboration with 20 public schools in the greater Boston area. She is passionate about making sure that all children have opportunities for hands-on science education in the garden and the chance to get to know the natural surroundings in their own neighborhood. A regular presenter at conferences regionally and nationally, Hirschi has been recognized as a Social Innovator by Root Cause Social Innovation Forum and is the author of Ripe for Change: Garden-Based Learning in Schools. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Porter Square Books will be donating 20% of sales from 3-5PM on July 30th to CitySprouts. 
CitySprouts cultivates curiosity and wonder with hands-on science learning through urban gardens. For more than 20 years, CitySprouts has partnered closely with public elementary schools in the greater Boston area to provide opportunities for children to learn by exploring the natural world as part of their school journey. CitySprouts is committed to greater equity in science education and children’s access to nature no matter where they live.