In its 9th year, the brightest Venusian stars in the environmental ecosystem gathered at the Women in Green Forum. An opportunity for green women to share their stories, inspire each other and learn about the latest green innovations. Green Eatz last attended the forum in 2011 and was glad to find that this environmental group is still strong, committed, and full of passion. The safe hands of many generations of women, from Millennials to Baby Boomers, are nurturing our planet back to full health.
Green Women in Tech
I started out as a software developer, so always great to hear from fellow female techies about the latest innovations shaking up the male-dominated tech industry. At the Tech For Good Lab, a diverse group of ladies discussed how tech is used to advance the environmental cause.
Jasmine Crowe created her startup Goodr to distribute excess food from large venues to those in need. The Goodr mobile app is user-friendly for use by chefs and cashiers – and aims to reduce food waste and feed the hungry. Currently, it is in operation in Atlanta but she plans to bring it to Los Angeles very soon.
Mikala Eskenazi of Blippar talked of the need to eliminate gender bias from AI (artificial intelligence). For example, AI sees a man in a white coat as a scientist, but a woman as a beautician! Mikala sees AR (augmented reality) and AI as a vehicle for showing us the future possibilities of our world. However, she also warned that society must adapt to the changing nature of work as our world becomes more digital.
Later, Julie Pecson of Planet Labs arrived on stage with her ‘Dove’. This tiny satellite is part of a flock of 250 that orbit the earth to photograph the changes from above. This data identifies such things as illegal gold mining, the impact of natural disasters, the scope of deforestation and the spread of refugee camps and urban development.
Buying the Green Lifestyle
Consumers are more aware of the environmental impact of what they buy, but many are not prepared to change their lifestyle or buy inferior products, believes Sonika Malhotraj of Love Beauty and Planet. Product design needs to incorporate green features into a product that people want. Their dry shampoo is convenient but also cleans hair without using any water.
Shona Quinn, from the high-end clothing brand Eileen Fisher, talked of the extreme difficulty and lengthy process of creating a sustainable supply chain. She acknowledged that their brand is expensive, but suggested that we all ‘invest in what you love’. Women only wear 20% of their closet, so buy less, keep it longer and sell, donate or swap what you don’t need. The Swap Society from the event’s Eco Marketplace seems a good place to start! At my table, Jennifer Gilbert told me that only 20% of Goodwill donations make it to the store – the rest generally ends up in landfill. Her organization I Collect USA has partnered with H&M, Columbia and M&S to allow you to recycle your clothes responsibly.
In Our Voice Our Power, the movie trailer ‘River Blue’ gave us a glimpse of the impact that the fashion industry has on our rivers. The outflow of toxins, dyes and chemicals is killing our water supply – a sobering thought when you are out shopping next. A great example of how storytelling can unveil something that is usually hidden and shock us into changing our habits. Thanks to movie producer Lisa Mazotta for bringing this to our attention.
Stories of Environmental Despair and Hope
The winner of the Youth Trailblazer Award, Nalelli Cobo, gave us the story of her South LA neighborhood and the environmental impact of the nearby oil well. The local families, especially children, were living in a nightmare of noxious gases, noise and pollution – and at the age of nine, she started her campaign ‘People Not Pozos’ (oil wells) to change this for her people. Now, the group STAND-LA is working together to shut down local wells that are severely impacting the health of Angelinos.
Hilda Solis, LA County Supervisor, was also inspired to become a leader for air quality by the experiences of her childhood. Her family lived near to two battery-recycling plants, which spewed out toxic gases containing lead and hexavalent chromium, resulting in a high risk of cancer for the local residents. She led a trip to the State Capitol in Sacramento with a group of women who knocked on doors and shared their stories with local politicians. Next week, they were awarded 176M from the State. The power of storytelling can really have a great impact!
Finally, Chantalle Nikin, from Monterey, Mexico, shared her story of the horrific air pollution in her city – and how a group of only 46 women had changed laws and won pledges from politicians to start the clean-up of this pollution. She also lives a sustainable life in many, small ways – we bonded at breakfast over our shared hatred of plastic straws!
And Finally…
These are my personal highlights of an inspiring event and a fabulous group of green women. Let us hope that the next year will bring more wins for the environment, as we all continue to fight for a sustainable world for us and future generations.
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