Sustainable Tucson

The world has just passed the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement (and we in the US await rejoining that Agreement). Locally the City of Tucson’s Climate Emergency Declaration has provided a clear recognition of what we face and suggests many of the actions needed in response.
 
Join us on January 12, 6:00 pm, online, for an update on where we are in Arizona in the face of the climate crisis, and where we need to go, both in action and policy.
 
At this first monthly meeting of 2021, UA Professor Gregg Garfin will present an overview of the current climate picture and prospects for the future in Arizona, with particular focus on Southern Arizona. Then UA Professor and State Senator-elect Kirsten Engel will look at what’s needed in the way of policy for our region and state, and what impacts national policies can have on our region. This will include what’s likely to come up in our State Legislature and what policy directions we – as an organization and as individuals – can and should advocate for.
 
Join us for this important start to the Year of Change – 2021, to energize our ST community for action. Then, consider becoming an Ambassador for Sustainability and participating in the Climate Communication Workshop.

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 6:00pm MST
Link to recording of meeting

Join us for a fun-filled virtual party full of games and family-friendly performances. There is so much good work being done in our desert community. What better way to celebrate it than by showcasing our artists for sustainability?

• Enjoy the musical stylings of songwriter and modern-day bard Bryce J Rogers, Connie Brannock of Little House of Funk, and alternative fusion band Method to the Madness.
• Dance along with clogger Katie Popiel.
• Be entranced by storytellers Marc Severson, Jeremy Segal, and Jana Segal-Stormont! 
• Get inspired by the short documentary What about the Saguaro? and an excerpt from Patagonia Treasure Trail.
• Join A Desert Feast author Carolyn Niethammer in the kitchen for a tasty cooking demo. 
• Sneak a peek at the new play about a sustainable future in Tucson, Regeneration.
• And other surprises!

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 6pm MST
https://meet.google.com/izw-crbr-utr

Join us at our November Topical Issue Meeting for an exploration into living with zero waste intentions in Tucson. Your hosts for this evening’s discussion will be the Co-Chairs of our Zero Plastics Waste Committee, Sharia Des Jardins and Kevin Greene.

We will start with an exploration of what is zero waste and how to bring more of those ideals into your daily life here in Tucson. This will be followed by a sharing of what our Zero Plastics Waste Committee is actively doing and how you can get involved!

After all the ideas shared at this meeting, we hope you are inspired to act by participating in Tucson For the World, beginning Monday, November 16, 2020 at 2:00 pm. You can present a bold idea for achieving zero waste, form a team to create a plan, and finish the event ready to act on your idea!

Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 6pm MST
https://meet.google.com/vbd-topb-mqb

On 9 September 2020, the Mayor and City Council of Tucson unanimously approved a resolution declaring a climate emergency, which begins with:

The Mayor and Council of the City of Tucson declare that a climate and ecological emergency threatens our city, region, state, nation, civilization, humanity, and the natural world, and recognize the need for bold action to combat climate change, so that it meets or exceeds the current recommendations of the foremost climate scientists working around the world…

What does this resolution mean for the future of Tucson?

We discussed the climate crisis that motivated our city leadership to act, the affect this resolution will have on city plans and actions, and – most important – what we as Tucsonans can do to realize this “bold action to combat climate change”.

Finally, we hope you are inspired to act by participating in Tucson For the World beginning on Monday, October 26th. You can share a bold idea for addressing the climate crisis, form or join a team, create a plan, and finish the event ready to act on your idea!

View the meeting

This event supported Sustainable Development Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Climate change is a big problem.  All the solutions we need to avert climate disaster already exist and are actionable.  Yet decision makers are falling far short on implementation.  How can we motivate them to respond in time?  How do we empower ourselves and each other as community members and constituents?  Where do we begin when there are so many large issues facing us at this time?  This workshop can help.  

After a brief review of climate challenges, we will explore key communication skills recommended by social psychologists for catalyzing real change.  Our primary reference will be The Psychology of Climate Change Communication published by Columbia University. Then we will discuss the intersection of climate change with systemic inequity and racism, and offer you avenues for effective action that you can develop further at Tucson For the World on September 21st!

Tuesday, September 8, 2020 starting at 6pm MST.
Event recording:
https://youtu.be/m98sKuPw2dE

This session supports Sustainable Development Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

This Topical Issue Meeting has already happened, but you can find the recording on our YouTube channel.

The current pandemic is a bit like living in a Category 5 hurricane we didn’t prepare for. It won’t be the last emergency we face, and probably not the worst. According to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego – “You cannot anticipate everything that will happen and one crisis does not wait for the other one to finish.” 

Join us for “Strong Communities & Beautiful Neighborhoods”, where we will explore some of the tools we have available to prepare for the next pandemic, the next local climate disruption. We need to prepare for the future we have already set in motion and explore ways we can use the tools at hand to build a more resilient Tucson and a sustainable future.

What sorts of tools? They include:

• “Complete Streets” to transform our streets into living public spaces that connect people to places and to each other.
• “Shade Tucson” to plant a million rain- and gray-watered trees.
• “Neighbors Care Alliance” to build neighborhood support networks for the elderly.
• Partnerships between schools and neighborhoods to create safe venues for experiential and service learning – and to connect students to their community.
• Neighborhood and market gardens to provide fresh and delicious local food.
• Distributed solar power to guarantee uninterruptible power for cooling and water.

“Strong Communities & Beautiful Neighborhoods” will feature a panel of community experts who will discuss some of the many ways we can employ these and other tools to create the beautiful, resilient, and sustainable community we want – and deserve – if we can come together to create it.
 
Join us to explore ways to create a sustainable and resilient Tucson built on strong communities and beautiful neighborhoods and get ready for the Tucson for the World workshop starting on August 24.

Tuesday, August 11th, at 6pm PDT/MST
https://meet.google.com/wmr-fjhx-fdo

This meeting supports Sustainable Development Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

The ongoing viral pandemic isn’t the only threat we need to address. Shortages of resources, waste, pollution, and an addiction to fossil fuels that is overheating the planet are causing unprecedented damage to the environment our way of life depends on.

Fortunately, it’s not too late. Renewable energy deployments are accelerating globally, promising the ability to live a meaningful and satisfying life without increasing the burden on our planet.

Join us to review progress and priorities in flattening the carbon curve.  Our aim is for everyone present in our virtual meeting to leave with a desire, a plan, and a commitment to take some kind of positive action.

Tuesday, July 14 at 6pm PDT
Join us online at https://meet.google.com/euk-avzh-sga

This event addresses Sustainable Development Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

Join Sustainable Tucson for a special Juneteenth community discussion:

1. Watch the movie The Long Shadow, a documentary by Frances Causey. The filmmakers have made the movie available to Sustainable Tucson to view for FREE from Monday, June 15th through Sunday, June 21st at http://www.thelongshadowfilm.com/sustainabletucson
2. Join us for a discussion about the film with the filmmaker, Frances Causey, on Juneteenth (Friday, June 19th) at 6pm MST. The discussion will be online at https://meet.google.com/ccp-hugo-ccy

Of all the divisions in America, none is as insidious and destructive as racism. In this powerful documentary, the filmmakers, both privileged daughters of the South, who were haunted by their families slave owning pasts, passionately seek the hidden truth and the untold stories of how America—guided by the South’s powerful political influence—steadily, deliberately and at times secretly, established white privilege in our institutions, laws, culture and economy.

This event addresses Sustainable Development Goals 10, Reduce inequality within and among countries, and 16, Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

The City of Tucson is preparing a city-wide transportation master plan that will create a mobility blueprint for the City’s future in a rapidly-changing world. The plan will be innovative, creative, and inclusive. By working together, we can commit ourselves to create a mobility future that works for all of us.

How can streets be made safer? How can we expand travel options so more people can walk, bike, or take public transit? How do we improve reliability of travel time, particularly as we grow? We need your help shaping the City’s vision and action plan to answer these questions and more. Together, we can create the city we want to be.

The outcome of the planning process will be a document that informs the Mayor and Council’s decisions in the very near future about policy, resources, and how welcoming and livable our city is to visitors, residents, and business owners.

Join us at the next Sustainable Tucson Topical Issue Meeting to learn more about the Move Tucson public input process and make your voice heard!

Tuesday, June 9th, at 6pm
Join with Google Meet: meet.google.com/ehf-xquo-uso
Join by phone‪: +1 252-696-1240‬ PIN: ‪465 615 840‬#

This topic relates to Sustainable Development Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

A conversation with Mike Peel of Local First Arizona about ways to create a resilient local economy here in Southern Arizona.

The coronavirus pandemic response has highlighted a number of weaknesses in our economy. How can we create a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable local economy? We will be asking Mike that question in this conversation about steps we can be taking now and in the future to ensure we can weather this crisis and the inevitable shocks to the economy that climate change will bring.

Join us for this virtual topical issue meeting about Sustainable Development Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 from 6-8pm
https://bit.ly/STLocalEconomy