Sustain AI Planet

Ep 11: Exploring the Intersection of Environmental Justice, Sustainability, and AI with UCLA’s Dr. Lara Cushing

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"In many ways, just as Coronavirus has kind of dominated our lives for the last couple years, I think climate change is going to be the environmental health challenge of our time," says Dr. Lara Cushing, UCLA professor who teaches Environmental Health Studies

 

In this episode, host Dylan Singla engages with Laura Cushing, an esteemed professor of Environmental Health Science at UCLA, to explore the profound connections between sustainability, environmental justice, and the impact of AI on water sustainability.

 

As a prominent voice in environmental health science, Lara sheds light on the critical importance of understanding and addressing issues of sustainability, environmental racism, and climate change for the well-being of future generations. Throughout the conversation, we gain insight into the challenges posed by climate change and the potential health impacts it can have, from infectious diseases to respiratory and cardiovascular health. Lara emphasizes the urgency of collective action and the significance of young people's engagement in advocating for climate change policies.

 

As we conclude this immersive conversation, Lara urges individuals to adopt more sustainable practices in their daily lives by reducing consumption and making informed choices. Moreover, she emphasizes the significance of collective action in addressing climate change and shaping a more sustainable future for all.

 

Quotes

  • "The most important thing that young people or really anyone can do is to engage in collective action. Because climate change is not a problem that any one individual or even one state can solve, or even one country. It's really a collective action problem." (04:12 | Lara Cushing)
  • "Living near flaring increases the risk of preterm birth. Which is when a baby is born too early. That was really the first study to demonstrate that so. And it's a region with primarily Latin X population, real low income rural area of Texas. There's environmental justice implications for that practice as well." (07:32 | Lara Cushing)
  • “I think the most important thing is just to reduce consumption, the number and amount of things that you buy, and use. Whether it's  clothes, or electronics, or especially things that don't have a long lifetime, and get disposed of quickly, all of these objects have a carbon footprint associated with their production. And a lot of them are not recyclable. So unless you really need something, a good way to tread more lightly on the planet is just to use and consume less." (15:07 | Lara Cushing)



    • #SustainabilityMatters #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateAction #AIforGood #CollectiveAction

     

    Links

    Connect with Dr. Lara Cushing:

    https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/person/lara-cushing/

     

    Connect with Dylan:

    Website: https://www.sustainaiplanet.com




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    Sustain AI PlanetBy Dylan Singla