Last year, as we sheltered at home, many of us noticed that for a few weeks the skies were clear, the birds could be heard chirping, and the weather was mild. Many of us knew this respite would not last, and we also know what needs to be done in order for us to live sustainably, reduce transportation emissions, and achieve not just good but great air quality.

Join us next Wednesday, April 21, at 11 am to discuss innovative pilots and projects in SoCal that marry new technology with “old school” transit and air quality solutions that could help bring the clear skies and chirping birds back even when we are not sheltering at home.

We are pleased to host 13 guests who will talk about their work and answer your questions. And we are pleased to also honor Dr. William Burke, who is retiring as Chair of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).

The "framers" for each discussion—both serve on the SCAQMD board—will speak about the agency's decades-long work to fund new technology to power light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles that reduce criteria pollutants (especially super pollutants such as methane), and the health benefits and greenhouse gas emission reductions that result.

These "co-benefits” are critical if we are to achieve our aggressive GHG reduction and air quality goals because transportation accounts for 40% of emissions—50% if you include emissions from oil refineries.

The first panel will discuss efforts to improve access to clean, safe public transit and address public health with innovative programs that include: rides for low-income patients to get to and from doctors’ offices, putting air quality monitors on buses, and developing sensors and apps that enable wearables—such as an Apple Watch or Fitbit—to provide data on the best time of day to take a walk, take the bus, or just stay inside.

Framer for Panel #1: Sen. Vanessa Delgado, Incoming Vice Chair, SCAQMD

• Moderator: Daniel Tabor, Move LA Board President 
• Rakhi Basu, Infrastructure Consultant, the World Bank
• Gora Datta, CEO, P3 Innovation Center
• Dr. Matt Miyasato, SCAQMD
• Francisco Oaxaca, External Affairs VP, L.A. Care Health Plan
• Tanya Peacock, Manager of Public Policy and Planning, SoCalGas

The second panel will focus on how government agencies, businesses, and advocates are implementing creative solutions that improve multi-modality—the only path to reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector.

Framer for Panel #2: Veronica Padilla, Executive Director, Pacoima Beautiful and Board Member of the SCAQMD

• Moderator: Gloria Ohland, Move LA Policy and Communications Director 
• Marcel Porras, Chief Sustainability Officer, LA Department of Transportation
• Scott Briasco, Manager of Power Engineering, LA Department of Water and Power
• Gene Oh, CEO, Tranzito
• Alyssa Haerle, Director of Transit Development, Circuit
• Andrew Papson, Advisor to eMobility Group, SoCal Edison
• Rani Narula-Woods, Senior Director of MicroTransit Operations, Metro

This program is free to the public and we hope you will join us! Register now!