In Southern California natural disasters are a way of life. Wildfires, mudslides and probably the disaster many of us fear the most: a monster earthquake. It’s not often, given the horrendous drought situation here in the Golden State, that neighbors are worried about too much rain. However, what if that rain were to morph into a massive flood of biblical proportions? A natural disaster so great that California could be ground zero for possibly the costliest natural disaster in world history. Scientists at UCLA, and meteorologists around the state, have been researching and studying the likelihood of this type of flood here in California; a repeat of the Great Flood of California in 1862.

Many of us believe we get sick at work… because we are around other sick people. Your coworkers decide to work at the office even though they have cold or flu symptoms. While that is true… many of us do not know that we could get sick simply from the toxic chemicals in the cleaning supplies that the custodial service companies have been using for years. That is why there is a brand new project in the works to keep you safe at your workplace. It is the Green Janitor Education Program… part of an effort of the United States Green Building Council… or USGBC. If you work in one of the office buildings in Downtown Los Angeles… you probably do not even know that when you leave in the evening… Green Janitors are cleaning your office in the most environmentally friendly way possible to keep you safe from disease and illness… and also to keep you sustainable. We also discuss green buildings and green cities.

The United States Geological Survey or USGS is in the process of building a brand new earthquake alert system in California as well as Oregon and Washington State. This new USGS high tech system could be the prototype for advanced sustainability technology. The early warning earthquake system is called ShakeAlert. This technology uses decades of earthquake science and a network of sensors to monitor for the earliest sign of a quake before sending you a warning. U-S-G-S says ShakeAlert can give seconds… and in some cases tens of seconds… of advance earthquake warning depending upon how close or how far away you live from a fault line so you can take the necessary actions to protect life and property. We also discuss the recent Ridgecrest Earthquake and the resiliency of the DTLA skyline in the event of a massive earthquake.

Sustainable Works is a unique non-profit environmental education organization in LA County helping residents and businesses reach their sustainability and climate action goals. Their programs are designed to provide key stakeholders with the resources needed to integrate more sustainable solutions into their daily lives. Sustainable Works is located at Santa Monica College and the organization has been working with the City of Santa Monica and other cities throughout LA County for over 20 years. David Nazar reports.

Clean Power Alliance is a local governmental agency that purchases clean energy and then works with SoCal Edison to deliver that power to customers. This is an opportunity to empower residential Southern California residents who want more choices for cleaner energy in their homes. CPA currently serves 32 cities in LA and Ventura Counties. There are also new innovative customer programs using smart technologies and financial incentives to reduce demand at peak times. David Nazar reports.

The new climate protest activism is everywhere. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with the help of the Millennial generation stormed into office convincing voters of economic and environmental social justice. Once in office Ocasio-Cortez led the campaign to create the Green New Deal. While all this was going on… Time Magazine named then 16 year old climate activist Greta Thunberg as their youngest Person of the Year ever. We assemble a special panel of student scientists from UCLA to discuss climate change activism. David Nazar reports.

Trains are used to transport just about everything. From people and fuel to raw materials and manufactured goods. And while electric trains using renewable energy can offer a more carbon free journey... the commonly used diesel engine is a problem for our environment. Trains produce nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide as well as particulate matter that contribute to air and water pollution as well as climate change and global warming. We visit with a company trying to change all of this. David Nazar reports.

The Port of Los Angeles brings more goods into the U.S. than any other port in the country. This port was the single largest source of air pollution in Southern California emitting smog and particulate matter as well as other toxins that threaten public health in all the neighboring communities… including greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and global warming. We find out the unique way the Port of LA is now being a good sustainability citizen. David Nazar reports.

Special exclusive one on one interview with Peter Kareiva. Kareiva is a scientist at UCLA and the new President and CEO for the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Kareiva is one of the most renowned climate scientists in the U.S. Kareiva has angered some of his fellow environmentalists with his… tell it like it is… style. And he has even reprimanded the enviro community for demonizing science deniers and corporations. Kareiva has a unique approach to bring everyone together to combat climate change and global warming. David Nazar reports.

Green spaces are important to our mental well being. They offer opportunities for exercise and social activities while improving mental health. Unfortunately our urban landscapes tell a tale of inequality where our parklands are concerned. In places like Los Angeles…publicly funded laws to create more parkland have left disadvantaged communities in LA in jeopardy. Could there be a fairer solution that is affordable and sustainable and healthier. David Nazar reports.

When we talk about sustainability we’re not just referring to the environment and social concerns. Economic sustainability is also part of the equation. How do we succeed financially and environmentally without compromising future generations. This is a question the banking and financial industries began asking decades ago. Today many major companies… financial or otherwise… don’t just have a CEO… COO… and CFO. They also have a CSO… Chief Sustainability Officer... and part of this has to do with something known as Sustainable Investing. David Nazar reports.

Lead contamination can be found all throughout the U.S. Everywhere from Flint Michigan to Southern California. Los Angeles has been dealing with its own lead contamination crisis. For years… the neighbors living in East LA and the surrounding communities have been pleading with city… county… and state officials… to finally dispose of the lead that has poisoned their backyards. The culprit in all of this is a now closed… neighborhood battery recycling plant… known as Exide. David Nazar reports.

Money and electricity… is there a connection. Cryptocurrency is a virtual currency… a type of unregulated digital money available electronically. No dollar bills… quarters… nickels… nothing like that. Cryptocurrency financial transactions are online… though your computer… an app… or a digital wallet. The first cryptocurrency… created about a decade ago… was Bitcoin… which still remains popular… and valuable. Cryptocurrency has been both praised and criticized. David Nazar reports.