What a thrill to celebrate Earth Month, OneGreenThing's third anniversary, and the launch of my day reader 60 Days to a Greener Life on the West Coast at UTA (United Talent Agency).
Thanks to OneGreenThing board member René Jones and the UTA foundation and its talented team, who hosted our board of directors and national advisory council at their beautiful facilities. Â
UTA Foundation hosted a fabulous panel conversation about the impact of the climate crisis on the mental health of young people and how it’s time for all of us to get involved in climate action.Â
Thanks to actor and climate education advocate Calum Worthy, OneGreenThing board member, Gen Z activist, artist and animator Maya Penn, and general manager of Exposition Park Andrea Ambriz for sharing their expertise and experience on climate solutions and how to create a greener, healthier, more just future.
We talked about how joyful daily action can ease eco-anxiety and shift the culture toward climate solutions. Rene Jones welcome the crowd as part of UTA's Earth Month programming and its celebration of 20 years of connecting talent to social impact.
A few key takeaways about managing eco-anxiety:
Calum, as a frequent spokesperson for the Climate Reality Project and Bono's One Campaign, spoke about how eco-anxiety is a real phenomenon, and that we must feel all the feels, but also we must help people focus on climate solutions. We have all the solutions we need.
Maya teased a clip from her new animated short, Asali: Power of the Pollinators starring Whoopi Goldberg. Viola Davis and Julius Tennen are executive producers. Maya spoke about how eco-anxiety inspired her to create the film and to show hope through action.
Andrea, as a policy professional and general manager, spoke about how access to nature can be a powerful antidote to eco-anxiety and how LA's Exposition Park is working on more sustainable, green design to increase green spaces in Los Angeles as it prepares for the 2028 Summer Olympic and ParaOlympic games.
The positivity and determination of the crowd was contagious. We left inspired and focused on what's ahead.
Shout out to our sponsors Uppendo! Productions, Paul Hashemi Gigi Lee Chang, ChicoBag Catawba College, MADE SAFE, a program of Nontoxic Certified, Zibby Books, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Kroma Wellness and more.Â
Photo credit: AB Images Benjamin ShmiklerÂ
Happy Earth Month everyone!Â
Founder & CEO Heather White is an author, environmentalist, lawyer, and nonprofit executive with more than 20 years experience in environmental law, policy, and advocacy. She's a frequent spokesperson in the national media on environmental issues and has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC, NBC, MSBNC, and quoted in numerous national media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Teen Vogue. Her next book 60 Days to a Greener Life: Ease Eco-anxiety Through Joyful Daily Action was published by Harper Collins on April 9, 2024.