Latest / UNCHAINEDTV'S Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell / UnchainedTV: First ever LA Climate Week!

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UnchainedTV: First ever LA Climate Week! · UNCHAINEDTV'S Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell

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L.A. Climate Week, it is coming up
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people!
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September 8th to the 15th and there are
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more than 100 events and there are incredible
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events that you can be part of and
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we're going to tell you exactly how you
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can do all that and of course all
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of it is a call for planetary health
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and climate justice.
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Guess what people?
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All you have to do is step outside
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to realise we are in a climate crisis.
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The earth is on the verge of five
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catastrophic climate tipping points.
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According to scientists who are warning us about
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this, the world is on the brink of
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five disastrous climate tipping points.
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Giant ice sheets, ocean currents and permafrost regions
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may have already passed the point of irreversible
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change.
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But we are optimists and we know that
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together we can do something to stop a
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climate apocalypse.
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Turn it around and what better place to
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start than Los Angeles!
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So I would like to introduce the folks
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who are part of all this.
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I've gotten to know them.
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JC Arce.
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Yes, hi everyone.
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My name is JC and I am the
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co-founder, co-executive director of the Kaleidoscope
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Foundation.
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What we do, very simple, support impact leaders
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and nonprofits with their back office and through
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collective power.
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And in the last year that we've been
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working, I had I had this idea alongside
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my co-founder Dan Thorman a year ago
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during your client week where we were like
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LA has so many amazing organisations and so
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many amazing impact leaders that work in climate
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but they're not talking to each other.
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Frankly there's a lot of opportunities, a lot
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of resources, capital in LA that can be
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used to mobilise real solutions to to address
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this climate issue.
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Now I'm so happy to say a year
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later this division has come to life alongside
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my dear friend and partner Larudar.
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And just to see the community thousands of
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people and hundreds of organisations come together and
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producing these hundreds of events this year brings
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so much joy and a lot of hope
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for me and for us at Kaleidoscope Foundation.
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We're just really excited to have you all
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join us during Climate Week.
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I am super jazzed.
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I want to hear from Laura all about
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the various extraordinary events and we can all
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take part.
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And by the way if you're listening or
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watching from far away you too can take
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part because there are some remote events that
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you can join via Zoom.
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So the most important thing for you to
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write down, I think you should actually write
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some of this stuff down, is to visit
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LAClimateWeek.com and register for these events because
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there's gonna be a lot of them.
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I'm attending a lot of them.
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I'm speaking at one of them.
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I'm super jazzed that Unchained TV is a
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media partner and that I'm on the steering
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committee.
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Steering steering steering.
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But Laura tell us about what people can
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expect.
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Sure there are a hundred events, more than
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a hundred events actually happening throughout the week
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all the way from documentary screenings to hikes
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to town halls with deputy mayors to sustainable
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fashion shows and of course our closing ceremony
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which will be one big party celebrating climate
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action and the community here in Los Angeles.
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So so many different events open to all
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age groups.
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We have you know elementary children's book readings
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on climate to climate runs and marches.
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So really something for everyone.
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So I hope that you join us.
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I'm very excited about it and one of
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my dear friends Samantha Lau has just jumped
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on.
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Samantha I'm going to ask you to tell
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me why you decided to get involved.
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For plant-based treaty this is a very
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exciting opportunity for us to get involved because
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we need everybody to understand that a plant
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-based food system can absolutely fight climate change.
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Right now the animal agriculture is very devastating.
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It is causing a lot of havoc on
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our planet and we have this opportunity to
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let everyone know to get everybody involved who's
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involved in the LA Climate Week importance of
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having a plant-based food system to fight
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climate change.
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Yeah and I'm just gonna put up some
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of the events that look there's a hundred
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of them so we could literally spend an
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hour listing them but guys and gals if
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you're watching and you're in LA take notes
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if not listen and realise that this could
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happen in a city of your choice.
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I know we're nationally syndicated that we're heard
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in Atlanta as well as various other parts
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of California and on podcasts around the world
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so if this excites you you might be
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able to do this in your city.
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At a great restaurant called Olock there is
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going to be a film called Eating for
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Tomorrow narrated by the famous actress Kate Winslet
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that is happening on Friday September 13th.
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Oh my god Friday the 13th well I
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don't believe in superstition it's a good way
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to remember it and one of my heroes
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Dr. Silas Rao is going to be doing
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a Q&A afterward.
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I did an entire documentary on Dr. Silas
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Rao that streams on Unchained TV he is
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a genius and he has some great solutions.
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Here's a really fun one we've got a
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sustainable fashion show happening and that's on September
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10th so that is a Tuesday I believe
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from 6 to 9 p.m. everybody is
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invited and I would say that that is
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going to be one of the most exciting
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events.
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We've also got this is on the 9th
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so this is Monday this is one of
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the first events after the big kickoff on
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Sunday this is a climate town hall and
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again you're invited you know you can see
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here that it's on September 9th 530 p
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.m. Fiesta Hall in Plummer Park which is
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in West Hollywood so just remember Plummer Park
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in WeHo and it starts at 530 and
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it's going to be an incredible panel discussion.
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So these are just some of the incredible
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events that are happening and obviously Unchained TV
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is a vegan streaming network so I am
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very excited that there's going to be a
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big emphasis on plant-based lifestyle and you
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can see that there's going to be vegan
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food trucks including one of my favourites word
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-of-mouth at the closing ceremony so I
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want to go back to JC Arce and
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ask him all about the opening ceremonies and
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the closing ceremonies what are those going to
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be?
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Well we are really excited to bring together
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the hundreds of organisations and hundreds of people
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that have produced all these events and celebrate
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at the start of LA Climate Week this
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Sunday evening September 8th for our opening ceremony
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and it's really a time to come together
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meet other organisers and celebrate this momentous occasion.
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The closing ceremony is an opportunity to bring
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together the larger LA community anyone who is
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a you know think children to families to
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parents to partake and really see the magic
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that is LA Climate Week and just celebrate
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all the energy and all the work that's
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been done throughout the week.
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Let me see if we can go back
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to my dear friend Samantha Lau.
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We are planning almost we have nine events
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scheduled for the entire week and we're our
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involvement is that we're planning a lot of
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different types of activities and events throughout the
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week ranging from a town hall to a
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climate run to an art exhibition art gallery
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showing the devastation of climate change and to
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a fashion show to screening of Eat for
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Tomorrow and then we are gonna end it
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with a climate march so we're very excited
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to have all these different avenues of reaching
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different people in spreading the message about how
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important it is to fight for a sustainable
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system.
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Excellent I know you've been working very hard
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on it and I am very excited to
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attend these events.
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Let's cut to the chase.
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Let's talk about the underlying issue here and
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that is climate change and the fact that
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climate change is literally posing an existential threat
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to our world and I think you know
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what's great about this is that Los Angeles
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is where all the trends start so we
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need to get serious about fighting the climate
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that is super super important and there is
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one aspect of the climate crisis that cannot
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be ignored but it has been ignored a
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lot and that is animal agriculture and food.
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I'm going to put up an article that
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was in the New York Times and that
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pretty much explains where we're coming from and
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that is save the planet put down that
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hamburger.
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Researchers examined the diets of 55,500 people
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and found that vegans are responsible for 75
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% less in greenhouse gases than meat eaters.
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Now this is not just anybody saying this
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this was an Oxford University study that studied
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55,000 diets and after very in-depth
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study came to this conclusion.
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Now when I saw this article I thought
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well surely CNN is going to say something
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about this because they play catastrophe porn day
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and night.
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Surely MSNBC is going to say something about
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this.
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I certainly didn't expect Fox News to say
10:28
anything about it but no nobody picked up
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this story.
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The story of the impact of animal agriculture
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on the climate is not being told.
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Why?
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Well there's a pretty obvious reason.
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Look at the advertisers.
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The advertisers are the meat dairy and pharmaceutical
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industry.
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So if they put this up well wait
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a second what are the implications?
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The advertisers keep the lights on.
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I was in mainstream media for more than
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30 years.
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I'm not just talking you know off the
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top of my head okay.
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I've seen it.
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I've seen it in action.
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So what we're trying to do is alert
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people that of course we want to fight
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fossil fuels.
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Of course we want to switch to sustainable
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energy.
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Of course we want to use solar and
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other alternative energy sources.
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But what we eat three times a day
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what goes on our plate is extremely important
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and I personally feel that it has been
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under-emphasised by the environmental movement and I'm
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extremely thrilled that LA Climate Week is giving
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it its due.
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So Lara can you weigh in on that
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a little bit?
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Sure yeah we as LA Climate Week really
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want to inspire action and inspire lifestyle change
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right.
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So one of the ways we're doing this
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is partnering with different companies, with different restaurants,
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organisations.
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Of course our opening closing ceremony all the
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events we organise are plant-based entirely but
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it's been so amazing seeing that the restaurant
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for example that we're partnered with for the
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opening closing ceremony for catering or the venue
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that we're partnered with will be going entirely
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vegan for the week of Climate Week with
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a special plant-based menu.
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But then also extending that to the whole
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month and slowly trying to become vegan as
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a restaurant.
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So it's been really great having discussions with
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restaurants not really in the plant-based community
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and for them seeing this excitement of LA
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Climate Week, seeing the community wanting more from
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different businesses and restaurants and them actually contributing
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to climate action in their own way.
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So genuinely I think LA Climate Week is
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a great place for people to even just
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try plant-based food and see how amazing
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it is and then integrate it into their
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diet.
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So we really are trying to cater to
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the broader public and get them into lifestyle
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changes into the climate movement.
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All right and we've got some callers right
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now.
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Let's go to Dezar from the Plant-Based
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Treaty is joining us because the Plant-Based
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Treaty is very involved in this.
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Welcome and what are your thoughts and comments?
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How's it going?
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Thank you again Jane for everything you do,
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for being a pillar in the community.
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Yeah we're just very excited to be a
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part of LA Climate Week.
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You know thank you to LA Climate Week,
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all the organisers, Laura and everyone.
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And it's exciting.
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You know it's a great moment in history
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because we need to empower ourselves because so
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much so much of the time we're not
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empowered by our governments or you know officials
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such as being in the drought in California.
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They say shorten your showers, let your lawn
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die, don't wash your car, get ticketed.
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Never once did they say hey watch out
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that to get a plant-based meal when
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you can save about two months worth of
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showers predicted you know.
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So it's a great sign of the times
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and we're so happy to be a part
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of it and you know and make that
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bridge so you know go along with fossil
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fuels, solar, electric, drought tolerant.
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But let's get the food systems in there
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because that's like half of the toolbox, half
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of the fire extinguisher.
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We got a lot of work to do
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so we're very excited.
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You know there's so many events we invite
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everybody to join the event in person and
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there's also online events so you know LA
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Climate Week everybody's been working around the clock.
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Sam, Laura, JC, everyone, all the organisers, Eugene,
14:37
myself, our organisers from Plant Based Treaty, Ellen.
14:41
So we're very excited and it's just it's
14:44
here now so we hope everybody comes out
14:46
and joins.
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Don't miss out.
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We hope to see you at all these
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amazing events.
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You're gonna want to be there.
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All right, Cesar, tell us about the March,
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the Climate March which is, everybody write this
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down, Saturday, September 14th.
15:00
It's a great opportunity to go to the
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beach.
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Lot 5, which is very easy to find.
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You're going to see a lot of people
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gathered right smack dab in the middle of
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the boardwalk Santa Monica.
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Just remember Lot 5 South.
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It's easy to find.
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Go to the beach in Santa Monica.
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Easy to find.
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Tell us about the Climate March.
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Yes, the Climate March is amazing.
15:25
So again, we're bridging the communities, you know,
15:28
the vegan vegan communities, animal rights communities, climate
15:31
communities.
15:31
We all need the unity because we are
15:33
stronger together and to have this march in
15:36
beautiful California on the coast reflecting towards the
15:39
oceans and just everything in general.
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It's going to be amazing.
15:42
A lot of networking going on.
15:43
We're going to have some food from the
15:44
vegan joint is donating some food.
15:47
So you know, make sure to bring your
15:48
sunscreen and stay hydrated and it's going to
15:50
be amazing.
15:51
So we hope to see you there as
15:53
well as the WeHo Town Hall on Monday
15:55
and there's events all in between, the opening
15:57
and closing ceremonies.
15:59
It's going to be amazing.
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So we hope that you can make it
16:01
out.
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Tell your family and friends, come on out
16:03
and let's save our planet.
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We only got one home.
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This is it.
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We owe it to the future.
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We owe it to the past, present, and
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future.
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All the babies, everyone.
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Tell us about another one.
16:14
Tell us about Eating for Tomorrow narrated by
16:16
Kate Winslet down at the incredible Olock restaurant.
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Yes, yes.
16:22
We're going to be at Olock screening the
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amazing Eating for a Better Tomorrow.
16:28
You know, don't forget Unchained TV will be
16:31
covering all these live streaming, the live streaming
16:33
network.
16:34
So we're going to be over there with
16:35
the Q&A with Dr. Salish Rao will
16:38
be there doing a Q&A.
16:39
It's going to be really awesome.
16:41
So we hope you can make it there.
16:42
I think that one is a capacity but
16:44
there's a waiting list.
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So, you know, some people might not show
16:48
up so we'll be able to get more
16:49
people in there.
16:50
The WeHo Town Hall on Monday with Vice
16:53
Mayor is going to be amazing.
16:55
Tuesday we have a sustainable fashion show with
16:59
a panel as well.
17:00
That's going to be amazing.
17:02
Wednesday we have the unveiling of the gallery.
17:06
We have the reception at the gallery.
17:07
That's going to be a lot of fun.
17:09
A lot of amazing artists are going to
17:11
be there and showcasing their artwork.
17:14
Thursday we got a 5k at Besties Vegan
17:16
Paradise and I believe there's going to be
17:18
some shirts given away.
17:19
That's not announced yet.
17:20
You guys are the first to hear.
17:21
There's going to be some free shirts given
17:23
away for the runners as well as there's
17:25
going to be amazing musical event in Pasadena
17:28
for Mother Earth with legendary jazz artists.
17:33
So check that out and get some more
17:34
of those details and see.
17:36
And then Friday of course the screening and
17:38
Saturday the Climate March.
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So we're busy but you know what?
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We don't have any time to waste.
17:43
The time is now.
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This is the coolest summer you will experience
17:46
for the rest of your life unless we
17:48
start making changes right now and you can
17:51
empower yourselves.
17:52
Y'all have the power to do it.
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You are so absolutely right and Cesar Acevedo
17:59
you are my hero because you are working
18:01
so hard on this and I've been getting
18:04
all sorts of updates.
18:06
So it's true.
18:08
We are dealing with a climate crisis.
18:11
It's right in our face every single day
18:14
we see it.
18:16
I happen to live near the coast.
18:19
It's a little cooler but it's still plenty
18:21
hot to the point where my dogs at
18:23
3 o'clock in the afternoon they can't
18:25
even touch the pavement.
18:27
Imagine what it's like in Arizona or Phoenix.
18:30
Mother Nature likes the idea of summer sticking
18:32
around out west where heat alerts are in
18:35
effect.
18:35
This includes LA where temperatures will get close
18:37
to 100 degrees.
18:39
A ridge of high pressure will be responsible
18:41
for potential record heat across Washington and Oregon
18:45
Thursday and Friday.
18:46
Seattle could hit 90 on Thursday with triple
18:49
digits in the forecast from Portland down to
18:51
Medford.
18:52
This is going to be very uncomfortable for
18:54
people without AC which is common in this
18:56
part of the country.
18:58
Yeah that's just a slight taste.
19:02
I was reading about temperatures are hitting 120
19:05
degrees.
19:07
Look it doesn't matter how much money you
19:08
have.
19:09
If you can't walk across the street without
19:12
fainting.
19:13
If a delivery person and this is already
19:15
happening cannot deliver because they're collapsing due to
19:20
the heat.
19:20
Now what's the point of it?
19:23
JC what is the big picture here?
19:28
Yes I mean the heat issue within Los
19:31
Angeles is a very very paramount issue here
19:34
and I'm really excited to actually be speaking
19:37
and moderating the panel alongside not just Deputy
19:39
Mayor Chelsea Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers from Los
19:42
Angeles but the LA City Chief Heat Officer
19:45
of Los Angeles.
19:48
Now this Chief Heat Officer is in a
19:51
very unique and influential position as a decision
19:55
maker within Los Angeles and a leader within
19:58
the space to actually advocate and push forward
20:01
policies and recommendations to address this heat issue.
20:05
Now as an Angeleno and resident that's been
20:07
living in LA for the last five years
20:09
I've only seen this issue become worse and
20:13
worse and the reality is it's not just
20:15
a heat issue it's not just a food
20:17
systems issue.
20:18
All these issues are so intersectional and interconnected
20:20
that if we can actually identify these opportunities
20:24
to tangibly work on heat and food systems
20:27
for example you can actually move the needle
20:29
forward in this like collective manner that we're
20:32
doing at Climate Week.
20:33
So I'm very very excited to actually set
20:34
the new precedent addressing these issues.
20:38
I am so excited and honestly honoured to
20:41
be a part of this.
20:43
It's really mind-blowing like the amount just
20:47
the sheer amount of events it's it's great
20:50
and it's you know you can take part
20:54
in this you could be a part of
20:55
history this is the first LA Climate Week
20:58
but it certainly won't be the last.
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So when you look back on your life
21:03
don't you want to be a part of
21:04
history?
21:05
I remember being at the Women's March in
21:07
Washington DC I will never forget that I
21:10
was part of history.
21:11
This is the same kind of thing so
21:14
we really want everybody to get involved.
21:16
Okay we've got some more callers.
21:18
Neelofar in Dallas Texas your question or thought?
21:24
It seems like such a huge endeavour to
21:28
hoist and dispatch such a grand event in
21:31
Los Angeles.
21:33
I will wager it's going to be successful.
21:37
Los Angeles is the top vegan friendly city
21:40
in this country.
21:42
Well what do you think about copying this
21:46
event for example in another metropolitan city such
21:49
as Dallas Texas?
21:51
I love that question Lara you want to
21:54
take it?
21:56
Sure yeah there are a lot of different
21:59
climate weeks happening all around the world.
22:02
I think the original I might be wrong
22:05
was New York Climate Week so that happens
22:07
every year.
22:08
We also have London Climate Week and then
22:11
SF and also Pacific Climate Week so there
22:15
are a lot of different climate weeks a
22:17
lot of companies and organisations putting them on.
22:20
We just thought as a nonprofit based in
22:22
LA why is there no climate week in
22:25
LA which is the second biggest city in
22:28
the US and also a very highly emitting
22:32
city so there definitely has to be more
22:35
work done here.
22:36
So please reach out to your local nonprofits
22:40
and companies and ask them hey why is
22:42
there no climate week in Dallas Texas and
22:45
maybe they can put one on or you
22:47
can also create one yourself so please all
22:51
the power to you.
22:52
Well they say everything starts in LA and
22:55
then spreads eastward I've seen it with many
22:58
many things and I think this is going
22:59
to be one of them.
23:00
Now we've got a special caller Jonathan O
23:02
'Hion who is the man who is putting
23:05
together the fashion show.
23:08
Jonathan bonjour monsieur tell us all about your
23:13
sustainable fashion show that's going to be happening
23:15
September 10th 6 to 9 p.m. Yes
23:20
bonjour yeah first of all the reason why
23:23
I called is mainly to give a big
23:25
thank you to LA Climate Week for creating
23:27
this and yes so sustainable fashion I think
23:31
one of the biggest pillars of sustainable fashion
23:34
is ethic and compassion I think we don't
23:38
talk enough about it in the sustainable fashion
23:40
world and so thank you for giving this
23:43
opportunity.
23:44
I believe if we were implementing ethic in
23:48
fashion meaning taking care of our planet taking
23:51
care of the humans of the animals the
23:54
fashion wouldn't be one of the world leading
23:57
polluter but actually will be the one healing
24:01
it by creating secondhand store by giving more
24:07
more beautiful alternatives to a leather or fur
24:11
all these horrible material that are destroying our
24:15
planet so that's what we're going to do
24:17
in this event is showcasing ethical alternatives in
24:21
our conference and as well in the fashion
24:23
show where you can see beautiful alternatives that
24:26
you can actually purchase on shop like you
24:28
give a damn which is a beautiful marketplace
24:31
the founder who we live in Amsterdam is
24:35
coming all the way for this event is
24:37
going to be amazing.
24:40
All right now tell me one thing that
24:43
I'd like to know and I kind of
24:45
know it but you are the expert Jonathan
24:47
people say well leather is natural and they
24:51
love to point to leather alternatives as being
24:55
synthetic and not natural and somehow extrapolating that
24:59
those are worse for the environment that's not
25:02
true you've explained it to me you've written
25:04
a book about this tell our audience.
25:07
Yeah yeah exactly I talked about it in
25:10
the fashion industry doesn't want you to read
25:13
this book and basically leather is not natural
25:16
what is natural is the skin of the
25:18
animals but nobody wants to wear a skin
25:21
that will rot after a couple days it's
25:24
gonna smell bad so they use around 50
25:27
to 250 different chemicals to make this leather
25:31
I mean this skin becoming leather so then
25:34
it's become non-biodegradable and you release a
25:36
lot of chemicals there's a lot of carcinogenic
25:38
chemicals in those leather like arsenic you can
25:43
find a chrome 6 which is one of
25:45
the worst and that's why a lot of
25:48
people are producing overseas because the regulation are
25:51
not as bad so then they can produce
25:54
a lot of leather full of chemicals and
25:57
even if it was if it were if
25:59
you went to biodegrade it will release all
26:01
these toxic chemicals in a in a river
26:03
in our soil so it's the world there
26:06
is as well studies that prove that the
26:10
production of plastic even the worst type of
26:14
plastic has four time less impact on the
26:16
environment than the production of leather so I'm
26:19
not saying plastic is a solution I'm just
26:21
saying that if we all agree that we
26:23
should get out of plastic we should agree
26:26
four time more that we should get out
26:28
of leather I agree and I could talk
26:31
to you about this all day I feel
26:32
very strongly about it but let's go to
26:34
the next caller we have thank you Jonathan
26:38
and I'll have one this year I will
26:40
see you at the fashion show Karen in
26:43
Venice California your question or thought for our
26:45
fabulous panel hi there so I get pretty
26:51
infuriated when I'm watching mainstream media and the
26:55
weather people come on and they talk about
26:57
climate change but they don't discuss the issues
27:00
okay they just talk about you know maybe
27:03
fossil fuels how can we educate to them
27:07
and I know it's scary for them because
27:10
the ones that might know I don't think
27:12
they all actually realise this how can we
27:16
get them to talk about this on TV
27:21
is it possible JC you're nodding your head
27:24
well let's I mean I'll just be very
27:29
frank the reality is climate journalism and climate
27:32
anxiety is a great story to tell on
27:34
news and media outlets and that is a
27:36
story that turns people's heads but frankly our
27:39
mission at the LA climate week and kaleidoscope
27:42
foundation is to take that anxiety take that
27:45
doomer as a narrative and change it into
27:47
something hopeful something tangible I mean as longtime
27:51
activists and organisers you know working with people
27:54
like Laura for example we understand being on
27:56
the front lines that there are tangible ways
27:59
for people in their personal life to in
28:02
these larger institutions or through media groups as
28:04
well to actually identify those opportunities to to
28:08
be hopeful I'm actually it's it's really interesting
28:11
that that that is an issue the reality
28:14
is is that we as the people curious
28:18
and and wanting to do the work we
28:20
just have to find ways to smile I
28:22
was I remember being at an event climate
28:25
conference event where I was put down because
28:29
I was smiling and I was questioned to
28:32
have hope in this space the reality is
28:34
if you all cannot identify a way to
28:36
visualise a future in five ten twenty thirty
28:39
hundred years where your family where you're where
28:42
you're yourself and your community can can feel
28:45
happy can feel safe and healthy then it
28:48
is a lot harder to even fight and
28:50
address these these issues and that's really what
28:52
we want to do is make it so
28:53
that we give you a reason and through
28:56
climate week a reason to smile and reasons
28:58
to find that hope and to work together
29:01
to address these issues yeah I mean I
29:05
agree in fact there was an article in
29:06
the New York Times it said that climate
29:09
apocalypse doomsday mentality is giving way to hope
29:12
and I just read a book called not
29:14
the end of the world which is by
29:17
a very very knowledgeable statistician who interprets the
29:23
data in a way that allows us to
29:26
say hey we can turn this around if
29:29
if if we start making changes and that's
29:33
why I want to applaud the two of
29:34
you for and I'll be honest with you
29:37
including the plant-based message in your overarching
29:43
mission and how you're making it manifest because
29:49
in the past I personally have been shouted
29:53
down and told to quote-unquote you be
29:56
quiet when I have brought up the issue
29:59
of animal agriculture's impact on the climate and
30:02
the amount of land that is used for
30:05
animal agriculture and how it contributes to habitat
30:09
destruction wildlife extinction and of course human world
30:12
hunger which is not necessarily a climate issue
30:15
but it's a very serious issue obviously especially
30:18
for those people who are hungry because animals
30:22
are eating a huge percentage of the food
30:24
we produce that could be diverted to humans
30:26
so there's so many aspects of this it's
30:30
a natural but let's face it food is
30:34
a very primal issue and a lot of
30:36
people were very resistant and I've even read
30:39
books by climate authorities who say well people
30:42
are going to eat what they want to
30:43
eat that's a cop-out because the US
30:46
government for example heavily subsidises animal agriculture that
30:51
cheap hamburger that you get for two bucks
30:54
would cost 25 maybe even more dollars if
30:57
it weren't subsidised by the US government and
31:00
Unchained TV has been doing a lot of
31:02
interviews and stories on the farm bill that
31:05
is currently being debated in Congress that will
31:07
set the agenda for how much subsidy goes
31:11
to that and how much goes to actually
31:13
fruits vegetables nuts grains and legumes that humans
31:16
eat which is a teensy tiny fraction so
31:19
I think it's a really important subject and
31:22
I just want to applaud LA climate week
31:24
for having the courage to bring it up
31:29
because I will tell you that there are
31:31
a lot of quote unquote environmental groups that
31:34
don't want to give it up because they
31:35
don't want to offend their donors and their
31:39
membership group that are still eating animals so
31:44
it takes a lot of courage but let's
31:46
face it the reward is coming up with
31:50
a solution to climate change which thus far
31:52
those cop meetings and all of that have
31:56
not even accomplished and the final thing I'll
31:58
say about that is that look the World
32:03
Bank itself which is an incredibly powerful institution
32:06
that controls billions of dollars has publicly called
32:11
for changes in farm and food production to
32:14
cut greenhouse gas emissions and the final final
32:18
thing I'll say is that the Intergovernmental Panel
32:21
on Climate Change which is a UN agency
32:23
wanted to attempt attempted to recommend a plant
32:27
-based diet very recently and it was blocked
32:30
it was blocked the recommendation was just shut
32:34
down and so what you're doing you're on
32:37
the forefront of history and I think you
32:40
the two of you are my heroes no
32:43
no exaggeration you are my heroes for doing
32:49
the doing the right thing and making it
32:51
a part of this so my gosh we've
32:55
got so much going on here more people
32:58
calling in Steve in Dallas Texas your question
33:02
or thought for our panel yes hey Jane
33:07
thanks for bringing up what happened with the
33:10
IPC the IPCC the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
33:14
Change their summary report for policymakers was blocked
33:19
and edited in a lot of ways but
33:21
their main report still has the recommendation to
33:27
and it shows that a vegan diet by
33:30
far causes great reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
33:36
it's still there in the main report it's
33:38
just not in the summary reports and they
33:41
have bold statements in that main report saying
33:44
that changing our diets is essential it's one
33:48
of the best things we can do it
33:50
shows that it has the potential to reduce
33:54
more emissions than many solutions out there that
33:56
are pitched all the time our national climate
34:00
assessment mandated by Congress also highlights this diet
34:06
change plant-based diet as a huge and
34:08
essential thing we can do to address climate
34:11
change it is there in those main reports
34:13
that the summary reports are being influenced by
34:17
a lot of people so it's there great
34:22
resources plant-based treaty plant-based data speciesjustice
34:27
.org slash FAQ George Monbiot a lot of
34:31
these experts are out there dispelling the myths
34:34
there's a great article merchants of doubt same
34:37
strategies by the by the climate fossil fuel
34:40
groups are trying to spread misinformation I think
34:44
it's great to empower us to to reach
34:47
out the climate movement activists show them that
34:50
there's energy here get them on board there's
34:53
a lot of great resources out there thank
34:55
you for highlighting this as one of the
34:57
most important things we can do to address
35:01
climate change thank you thank you so much
35:03
and you obviously are very knowledgeable and I
35:06
appreciate that there's nothing like a knowledgeable caller
35:10
they're gems so now we have Samantha Lau
35:14
on the phone she is somebody who has
35:17
done so much work for this effort this
35:23
climate week LA's first ever September Sunday September
35:27
8th through Sunday September 15th Samantha tell us
35:31
about some of the key events and I
35:33
want to start with this Hollywood Town Hall
35:36
tell us about the Hollywood Town Hall it's
35:39
open to the public is my understanding I'm
35:42
gonna be there we're gonna be going live
35:43
and interviewing people this sounds absolutely fascinating yes
35:50
it is a very very exciting event this
35:53
is the event that where we are and
35:56
we have invited a lot of local policymaker
35:58
vice mayor of West Hollywood Chelsea Byers is
36:02
going to be on the panel and as
36:04
JC mentioned earlier we're also going to have
36:06
LA chief heat officer Mara Segura we're going
36:10
to be able to talk about how local
36:12
legislative action can help fight climate change can
36:16
help build resiliency in all our communities and
36:20
we've invited a lot of policymakers from all
36:23
over the area such as Beverly Hills Culver
36:26
City Pasadena all over and of course LA
36:29
City Council to come and participate and see
36:33
how we can use food systems to fight
36:35
climate change and other programmes that West Hollywood
36:38
has implemented to fight climate change and aside
36:41
from the panel discussion we're also going to
36:44
have plant-based food all vegan food available
36:47
for everyone to try out we're gonna have
36:49
crates we're gonna have mini samplers and so
36:52
that's going to be a very exciting event
36:54
and all we're also going to have NGOs
36:57
nonprofit organisations tabling their networking with policymakers to
37:01
make sure that LA climate week is not
37:04
just this week but beyond after LA climate
37:07
week we want to make sure we take
37:09
continue the conversation and take action on fighting
37:13
climate change with a food system and again
37:16
this is a climate town hall Unchained TV
37:19
will be there as well as the plant
37:21
-based treaty and it's Monday the 9th and
37:26
it's 530 to 830 at Fiesta Hall in
37:29
Plummer Park which is in West Hollywood just
37:32
put Plummer Park in your ways and you'll
37:35
get right there it's at 530 but the
37:38
discussion goes on till 830 and again delicious
37:41
plant-based food will be served if you
37:45
are feeling wow there's so many events how
37:47
do I keep up you can very easily
37:50
go to LAClimateweek.com and it's all there
37:56
for you you can register for these events
37:58
they're free it's gonna be fun cuz why
38:02
do I know that I'm gonna be there
38:03
just kidding but it's gonna be a lot
38:06
of fun so this is a really fun
38:09
one and just give me one more insight
38:13
into this March because I'm super psyched about
38:17
this climate March I'm gonna be speaking and
38:21
it's it's it's I've been to a few
38:24
of these climate marches it's a celebration it's
38:27
a perfect way to spend a Saturday that's
38:30
Saturday September 14th it starts at 11 o
38:33
'clock go to lot 5 South in Santa
38:36
Monica basically just go to the main parking
38:39
spot at the beach in Santa Monica not
38:42
not the pier but just south of the
38:44
pier there's a nice little a parking lot
38:47
toward the southern end of Santa Monica and
38:49
you're right there tell us about that Sam
38:53
yes so that is a big climate March
38:57
we plan to do to raise awareness about
39:00
the ocean because you know as you know
39:02
animal horticulture is definitely devastating the ocean temperature
39:07
rise sea level rise so we definitely want
39:11
to raise awareness about what's happening in the
39:13
ocean at 11 we will start our rally
39:16
where as you know Jane you'll be one
39:18
of the speakers and we'll have other speakers
39:20
talking about the importance of the ocean because
39:24
if the ocean dies we all die so
39:26
we need to take action on making sure
39:29
our ocean is safe and so we expect
39:33
a lot of people to show up and
39:35
we're gonna have a rally from 11 to
39:37
12 and then at 12 we're gonna start
39:39
the march along the along the beach and
39:41
it'll be it'll be great we'll also have
39:43
drone footage and unchained TV will be there
39:47
thank you so much for capturing this important
39:49
event well thank you for all you do
39:52
Samantha you have worked around the clock I
39:56
can tell you I know that everybody on
39:59
this show has worked around the clock in
40:02
fact I'm a little nervous about taking time
40:04
away from them to talk to us because
40:07
they've got so much work to do however
40:11
let me say this you are the people
40:15
listening the people watching you are the most
40:19
important people because you have to come to
40:22
make it come alive so I go to
40:26
a lot of different events I can tell
40:29
you from what I know these are gonna
40:30
be super fun super fun I like to
40:34
have fun I'm not a doomsday person sure
40:37
do we have to go to protests every
40:39
so often yes but this is a celebration
40:41
JC why you you you're a very young
40:46
man you and Laura have taken the lead
40:48
on this tell us about you and how
40:52
you came to be the person who is
40:54
spearheading this well first off I so appreciate
40:58
the acknowledgement in terms of like leader this
41:01
leadership and this opportunity but frankly I would
41:03
not be here and this would not all
41:05
happen if it weren't for people like Laura
41:07
and my entire team and just my entire
41:09
support system who have contributed to my well
41:12
-being my ability to smile widely on and
41:15
off camera and and frankly I would say
41:19
I've always been really really passionate and really
41:22
curious around climate change ever since I was
41:25
young I every opportunity I had to do
41:27
a research paper at school I was always
41:29
doing on climate change and I had this
41:31
fascination especially towards a polar bears and you
41:34
know when the height of the youth climate
41:38
activist movement I would say started in like
41:41
2017 through like 2020 I had this opportunity
41:45
I had moved to Boston Massachusetts actually and
41:48
and was able to to organise the largest
41:52
strike in history Massachusetts the Boston climate strike
41:55
and we got over 50,000 people to
41:57
to strike business as usual and fight for
41:59
a Green New Deal and that was such
42:01
an amazing experience that really cemented this fervour
42:05
this ambition within me I didn't know at
42:07
the time what that actually meant but this
42:09
this pledge to build a life and career
42:11
root and impact purpose and community and so
42:13
you know now five years later six years
42:16
later working alongside folks at Kaleidoscope Foundation and
42:21
the LA climate week organising team to say
42:24
hey I have this vision of bringing the
42:26
Los Angeles community together 10 million people within
42:30
the county and and hundreds of hundreds of
42:33
thousands of people online millions of people online
42:35
saying hey we have this opportunity now to
42:39
take the amazing precedent that New York climate
42:41
week that that cops that other events and
42:44
over other leaders in this climate and sustainability
42:47
space have done throughout the many years and
42:50
say we can do this here in our
42:53
home and and do something to fight this
42:56
issue but also find ways to smile together
42:59
and be in each other's arms that is
43:01
really you know that is it's to be
43:03
to say hey that was the vision and
43:06
to see that vision come to life is
43:07
just the most heartwarming thing that and and
43:09
just feeling very very blessed to to have
43:12
all this happen and really I just I
43:14
want to echo what I said I would
43:16
we would not be here if it weren't
43:18
for the amazing folks such as Laura who've
43:21
just done such an amazing job to make
43:23
this vision come to life well absolutely and
43:27
Laura I would love to hear why you
43:29
what is your inspiration and backstory that makes
43:32
you so passionate about this particular issue sure
43:37
the story is that of course Dan and
43:41
JC thought about this months and months ago
43:44
and they came to me and JC especially
43:47
was like Laura I have an idea like
43:48
what if we host LA climate week and
43:51
I was kind of like okay JC calm
43:52
down but nothing happens for like a month
44:01
after but then I was just thinking and
44:03
I was like wait actually I was in
44:05
one of my lectures at university and I
44:08
was like wait actually this is a very
44:10
important thing to create why does LA not
44:13
have a climate week and so I went
44:15
back to the team I'm like okay guys
44:16
like we're doing this I don't care we
44:18
all think I think it is a brilliant
44:20
idea and we we have to do this
44:23
so we've been working on it day in
44:25
day out literally around the clock to put
44:27
this together so it's been amazing for me
44:30
I have attended different conferences I was at
44:34
COP 28 in Dubai I was at the
44:38
Stockholm plus 50 conference and it was just
44:41
always the same a thousand people the same
44:45
faces at these conferences and if really climate
44:48
is impacting the public why is the public
44:51
not at these conferences it is so I
44:55
guess like inaccessible to people and people find
45:00
it really hard to become activists and attend
45:03
these conferences so really LA climate week is
45:05
all about getting the public and bringing them
45:08
into these conversations because climate change and climate
45:11
action can only be achieved and solved if
45:14
the public is involved because it really is
45:17
a collaborative effort so yeah bringing all the
45:21
lessons I've learned from all these different UN
45:23
conferences meeting with IPCC I really wanted to
45:27
put something together that is really a reflection
45:30
of our climate space today so thank you
45:33
JC thank you to the whole team it's
45:36
going to be a brilliant week and we
45:38
hope to see you there you guys are
45:41
so inspiring I really see a sea change
45:46
in the environmental movement in the last five
45:50
years I think that prior to that people
45:55
kind of had their attitude toward well this
45:58
is how you do it I can't tell
45:59
you how many biographies of famous people I
46:01
listen to because I walk my dogs and
46:03
listen to biographies and they are purporting to
46:06
be environmentalists but there's a lot of things
46:08
they are personally doing that are very environmentally
46:11
unsound big-time and so not that we
46:16
want to shame people I'm sure I'm not
46:18
the perfect environmentalist either I only recently started
46:21
composting primarily because I run a streaming network
46:25
about plant-based living and sustainability and I
46:28
was uploading videos about composting and I stopped
46:30
myself and I said I'm a hypocrite I'm
46:33
uploading videos about composting and I don't compost
46:35
I started composting and now I love it
46:38
and you know I learned so we're all
46:42
a work in progress but I do feel
46:45
that as this crisis manifests more to our
46:48
face I have friends who can't live in
46:50
Palm Springs in the summer they can't even
46:52
go to their houses in Palm Springs in
46:54
the summertime it can't they have to have
46:56
an apartment here in LA which is kind
46:58
of crazy and so we're seeing this happening
47:03
in our face we're seeing the rising sea
47:05
levels we're seeing houses not far from here
47:08
in Rancho Palos Verdes crumble and fall into
47:11
the ocean we're seeing wildfires devastating not just
47:16
people but also the wildlife it's becoming less
47:20
hypothetical and more real and I think you
47:22
know as the road gets narrower people are
47:25
starting to maybe get a little more real
47:28
I use an addiction analogy we have to
47:31
hit bottom okay I'm 29 years sober and
47:34
until I hit bottom by making a big
47:37
fool of myself at a party in Hollywood
47:39
with a lot of important people around I
47:41
didn't want to hear from anybody I was
47:42
like yeah yeah yeah but then I hit
47:44
bottom and then I got help and I
47:47
haven't had a drink in 29 years hopefully
47:50
April Fool's Day it'll be 30 years and
47:53
yes that is my sobriety date which is
47:56
very apropos because I made a fool of
47:57
myself all the time but the point is
48:00
I had to hit bottom when are we
48:02
gonna hit bottom on the climate crisis and
48:04
realise that it's gonna take a lot more
48:08
than just lip service JC it's gonna take
48:11
us changing our lifestyles yeah I if I
48:17
if I can hop in here I we're
48:20
at the point I actually I firmly believe
48:22
this is especially now that Gen Z and
48:25
young people have really taken that leadership position
48:28
and communicating and raising awareness around these issues
48:31
we're at the point where climate change is
48:34
no longer this intangible you know oh is
48:37
this a problem or not I think people
48:39
have reached the consensus not just within the
48:40
u.s. but around the world that this
48:43
is something that impacts our lives in very
48:45
different ways for example due to climate change
48:49
we are expected to have a whopping 1
48:52
.2 billion people displaced due to climate change
48:55
and climate related catastrophes by 2050 and things
49:00
such as displacement to food apartheid that is
49:04
not just impacting people in the global south
49:05
anymore now it's impacting people in developed cities
49:08
in Western states such as the u.s.
49:11
such as Los Angeles you might not know
49:13
this but if you go out in your
49:15
community there are displaced individuals your neighbours might
49:17
be impacted by those these by climate change
49:20
themselves and all that to say this is
49:23
an opportunity this LA climate week September 8th
49:26
or 15th there's an opportunity for you all
49:27
to you know go beyond asking questions and
49:30
doing research it's applying what the little that
49:32
you know and taking that leap of faith
49:34
like we all have done here and saying
49:37
you know what I can find a way
49:39
to do something about this and take this
49:41
theoretical knowledge that I have and apply it
49:44
in my own personal life and no snow
49:45
act is too small and you're never too
49:48
late to get started and I really really
49:51
believe firmly believe now that no matter where
49:53
you go people are talking about this and
49:55
people are curious be the one to start
49:58
those conversations and and be crazy enough like
50:01
like we were to be like you know
50:03
what what if in a year from now
50:05
we're going to do a climate week or
50:06
we're going to put on that sustainable fashion
50:08
show we're going to do this this town
50:10
hall you are part of the solution as
50:12
much as we are and and we need
50:14
you frankly we need all of you to
50:16
be with us to find these these these
50:19
solutions and I want to say one more
50:20
thing sustainability and and action can mean a
50:25
lot of different things and what is sustainable
50:27
for one community can be different for another
50:30
and I say that because being representatives and
50:33
being part of your community you know your
50:35
community the best to be the one to
50:37
voice and and and to advocate for what
50:40
works for your community and for your people
50:42
for your for your for your for your
50:44
home that is really what what we're trying
50:47
to do here in LA just because there
50:49
are 88 cities for example when LA County
50:51
and each city has its own set of
50:55
constituents its own policymakers and really really giving
51:00
that that space making that space to to
51:03
advocate and not just advocate but to do
51:05
something about it is very very important well
51:08
I just think first of all your courage
51:11
in so many ways this is a big
51:13
project I recently threw one party and I
51:17
thought I was gonna lose my mind by
51:19
the way I apologise for barking at you
51:22
when you had your your mics muted it's
51:26
you know these things become very stressful and
51:30
I just want to give you to a
51:31
compliment for handling everything very gracefully I can
51:35
learn a little bit from you guys I
51:38
don't know how you're doing it staying calm
51:41
cool and collected while this massive event more
51:45
than 100 events within LA climate week September
51:49
8th through 15th they're they're putting their blood
51:52
sweat and tears into this so guys and
51:55
gals out there do yourself a favour get
51:58
involved in LA climate week okay I mean
52:02
it's gonna be fun and I just want
52:05
to say thank you to both of them
52:07
and while we're at it please download unchained
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