Roots of Cool Art Exhibition
2025-07-12 - 2025-10-12 | Descanso Gardens
Don’t miss Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World, a series of indoor and outdoor art installations curated by Edith and Jolly de Guzman at Descanso Gardens. Roots of Cool explores the topic of shade equity, with installations throughout the gardens and in the galleries. Featuring 13 women artists and an art collective, the exhibition invites visitors to connect with—and cultivate appreciation for—the vital role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
When: The exhibition runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership.
Location: Sturt Haaga Gallery, Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Hosted by: Descanso Gardens, with curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman. This exhibition and its programs were curated in partnership with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability, TreePeople, USDA Forest Service, Arroyo Arts Collective, The Nature of Cities, Avenue 50 Studio, USC Public Exchange, Dashboard.Earth, and Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles.

Roots of Cool Curator Tours
2025-07-12 11:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Descanso Gardens
Artwork by Robin Lasser, Postcards to a Cooler Future
See the Roots of Cool exhibit through new eyes as curators Edith and Jolly de Guzman conduct a tour of the exhibition on July 12 at 11am and 1pm.
Why attend: Curators will explore the topic of shade equity, an issue that disproportionately affects working-class neighborhoods with a lack of trees, and how providing shade can be done effectively in many creative ways.
Cost: Included in the price of admission or membership, no event reservations required. See event page here.
When: Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 11:00am-12:00pm & 1:00pm-2:00pm
Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership. Learn more here.

Made in the Shade Event at Descanso Gardens
2025-07-25 16:30 - 19:00 | Descanso Gardens
Experience the Descanso Gardens in a whole new way through Cultivate, a monthly series that features tours, workshops, live demonstrations, and music throughout the gardens. July’s theme “Made in the Shade,” will compliment the exhibition Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World, which features curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman.
Why attend: Roots of Cool explores the topic of shade equity as installations throughout the gardens and in the gallery, featuring 13 women artists and an art collective, invite visitors to connect to and cultivate appreciation for the life-giving role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
Cost: Entry to this event is included in the price of admission or membership, no event registration required. See event page here.
When: Friday, July 25, 2025, from 4:30-7:00pm
Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership. Learn more here.

Schedule:
Thermogram Photo Booth

Use a specialized photo booth that uses infrared technology to capture heat signatures and bodily heat maps.
4:30–7pm

Summer Tree Care Workshop

Summer in Los Angeles County can get HOT. Learn about how to help your trees beat the heat in this workshop.
5–5:45pm
6–6:45pm

Heat Scavenger Hunt

Led by Descanso Gardens docents, explore the gardens with the use of a digital thermometer to explore heat and climatic zones.
4:30–7pm

Hands-on Craft

Get crafty with us at Cultivate!
4:30–7pm

Ask an Expert

Meet a member of the Horticultural department and ask any questions you might have.
4:30–7pm

Flashdance DJs

Enjoy a mix of classic hits and contemporary songs by our popular guest DJs.
4:30–7pm

A Celebration of Cool, part of the Roots of Cool Art Exhibition
2025-08-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Descanso Gardens
In conjunction with the Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World exhibition, celebrate shade throughout Los Angeles at A Celebration of Cool! This day-long event will include panel discussions on shade equity, a thermal imaging booth, a heat scavenger hunt, a giant puppet parade, tree give-aways, art workshops and more.
Why attend: These educational, action-oriented events will offer activities for the whole family and invite everyone to take action. Roots of Cool explores the topic of shade equity as installations throughout the gardens and in the gallery, featuring 13 women artists and an art collective, invite visitors to connect to and cultivate appreciation for the life-giving role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
Cost: Entry to this event is included in the price of admission or membership, no event registration required. See event page here.
When: Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 10:00am-4:00pm
Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Hosted by: Descanso Gardens, with curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman. This exhibition and its programs were curated in partnership with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability, TreePeople, USDA Forest Service, Arroyo Arts Collective, The Nature of Cities, Avenue 50 Studio, USC Public Exchange, Dashboard.Earth, and Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles.
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership. Learn more here.

How Does Your Drinking Water System Compare? A Webinar and Demo on UCLA’s New Water Atlas
2025-10-07 12:00 - 13:00
Discover how 663 Southern California’s water systems perform on water quality, affordability, and other important factors.
Join us for a webinar introducing UCLA’s newly launched 2025 Southern California Community Water Systems Atlas. This report and interactive map analyze 663 community water systems serving 40% of the state’s population, giving policymakers, researchers, and communities an unmatched tool to track water system performance and target solutions. The webinar will include an overview of findings, a live demo of the mapping tool, and a moderated discussion on the implications for advancing the Human Right to Water.
Why Attend: See how SoCal water systems stack up and learn about opportunities for improvement. By making outcomes transparent, this new tool from UCLA can help policymakers, water managers, researchers, and community advocates tackle affordability, water quality, and climate challenges.
When: Tuesday, Oct 7, 2025, at 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific Time
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Register Here
Hosts:
Edith de Guzman, Water Equity and Adaptation Policy Cooperative Extension Specialist, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Gregory Pierce, Senior Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Lauren Dunlap, Project Manager of Energy Equity Research, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Panelists:
Max Gomberg, Independent Consultant on Water Affordability and Resilience and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Advisory Board Member
Michael Rincon, MPP, Research and Policy Manager, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles
Itzel Vasquez-Rodriguez, Project Manager, Rural Community Assistance Corporation

Los Angeles Business Council's 19th Annual Sustainability Summit
2025-10-09 07:00 - 15:00 | Town and Gown, University of Southern California (USC)
Save the date for the Los Angeles Business Council’s 19th Annual Sustainability Summit. A high-level convening of business, government and nonprofit leaders transitioning to a dynamic, clean energy economy. See day-of agenda here.
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2025
Time: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM (PDT)
Location: Town and Gown, University of Southern California (USC)
Hosted by: Los Angeles Business Council

Event Contact: Rali Mladenova, rmladenova@labusinesscouncil.org
Register here

Environmental Graduate Student Networking Reception 2025
2025-10-14 17:00 - 19:00 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3rd Floor Commons & Patio (3383), 337 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
All UCLA graduate students interested in environmental justice, sustainability, and climate resilience are invited to our free, cross-campus mixer!
When: Tuesday, October 14 from 5-7 PM
Where: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3rd Floor Patio and Commons (3383)
What to Expect:

Discover student funding opportunities, jobs, internships, and campus resources
Connect with peers who share your passion for the environment
Enjoy appetizers and drinks in a relaxed setting
Meet professionals and experts offering insights to support your academic and career journey

RSVP: Eventbrite registration is required to attend. This event is free and open to UCLA-affiliated students, staff, and faculty. Sign up here today to join us!
Hosted by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation in collaboration with partners across campus
Campus Partners:
UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Center for Impact (UCLA Anderson School of Management)
Graduate Student Water Resources Group (IOES)
Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (UCLA School of Law)
UCLA Campus Sustainability
Register Here

Protecting Children from Extreme Heat at School: A Legislative Briefing Webinar
2025-12-11 10:00 - 11:00
UndauntedK12, Ten Strands, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and the UC Santa Barbara 2035 Initiative are pleased to invite you to a virtual legislative briefing, Protecting Children from Extreme Heat at School: What California Policymakers Can Do To Protect Students.
Join us, and be some of the first to hear about:

The latest research on extreme heat in schools and its impacts on health and learning
Real stories from the classroom
Actionable policy solutions for legislators, including existing funding pots

When: Thursday, December 11, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Pacific Time.
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UndauntedK12, Ten Strands, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and the UC Santa Barbara 2035 Initiative.
Register Here

Policymaking Under Uncertainty: Zone 0 and Vegetation Clearance
2025-12-12 12:00 - 13:00
The UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge invites you to join Living with Future Fire: Getting to Research-Informed Policymaking for Fire-Resilience, a series of three webinars featuring experts unpacking the complicated natural and institutional dynamics at play as we work toward a more fire resilient Southern California.
The first webinar, titled Policymaking Under Uncertainty: Zone 0 and Vegetation Clearance, will feature a panel of experts that bring a diverse range of knowledge to help answer questions about what is—and, crucially, what isn’t—known about the role vegetation, the built environment, and other factors play in fire spread.
When: Friday, December 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM Pacific Time.
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge
Moderated by: Nurit Katz, UCLA Chief Sustainability Officer
Featuring:

Edith de Guzman, Water Equity and Adaptation Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension
Travis Longcore, Senior Associate Director, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Max Moritz, Statewide Wildfire Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension
Alessandro Ossola, Associate Professor, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences

Register Here
