Island Press Events

Events

Climate Reality Book Club Presents: Life After Carbon by Peter Plastrik

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 - 12:00pm EST

Globally, cities are reinventing themselves to handle the climate catastrophes they are facing today. That reinvention is taking place in real time and, in many ways, is adding valuable benefits to those living in the cities and beyond.

In his book, Life After Carbon, author Peter Plastrik talks to leaders in city governments, businesses, and local communities that are taking the challenge of climate change and converging it with other radical, yet necessary, changes.

Plastrik will reflect on his book, discuss how his continued work and research has evolved his thinking, and share how replacing the pillars of the modern-city model, converting climate disaster into urban opportunity, and shaping the next transformation of cities worldwide will map a path to a sustainable future. The conversation will be moderated by William Shutkin, a social entrepreneur, executive, attorney and educator who has been at the forefront of the urban sustainability field for over three decades.

Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation by Danielle Arigoni | An Island Press book

America Walks Webinar: Climate and Age-Friendly Communities

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 - 2:00pm EST

In her new book Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation, community resilience and housing expert Danielle Arigoni argues that we cannot achieve true resilience until communities adopt interventions that work to meet the needs of their oldest residents. Join this America Walks webinar for a discussion on how to integrate age-friendly resilience into community planning and disaster preparedness efforts

The discussion will be hosted by America Walks board members Arlis Reynolds, a city council member from Costa Mesa, CA, and David Dixon, an urban planner with Stantec.

Hazardous Seas: A Sociotechnical Framework for Early Tsunami Detection and Warning  Edited by Louise K. Comfort and Harkunti P. Rahayu | An Island Press book

A Groundbreaking New Approach to Tsunami Detection and Warning

Wednesday, January 10, 2024 - 1:00pm EST

Presented by: Louise Comfort of the University of Pittsburgh and Lee Freitag of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Tsunamis are infrequent but terrifying hazards for coastal communities. Difficult to predict, they materialize with little warning, claiming thousands of lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. Developing countries cannot afford costly underwater cable systems, and governments and relief organizations have been forced to rely on flawed warning systems such as deep-sea buoys. Now, a groundbreaking new approach to tsunami detection and warning, which relies on low-cost underwater sensors and networks of smartphone communication, has changed the equation. Developed by an international, interdisciplinary team of researchers, this approach allows at-risk coastal communities to have an economically viable, scientifically sound means to protect themselves. Learn about the science behind this new approach in this webinar with Louise Comfort and Lee Freitag. Discover how this new sociotechnical approach could alert residents to impending tsunami threats in near-real time and how the approach could apply to all coastal cities at risk of tsunamis, sea-level rise, storm surges, and other hazards. Hazardous Seas: A Sociotechnical Framework for Early Tsunami Detection and Warning. 

Hosted by: OCTO

Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities by Veronica Davis | An Island Press book

ULI Healthy Places Book Talks: Inclusive Transportation - In Conversation with Veronica Davis & Shonda Wang

Friday, January 26, 2024 - 1:00pm EST

Join us for the inaugural ULI Healthy Places Book Talk! Our new Book Talks series represents the next chapter of the Building Healthy Places Book + Film Club. Launched in the spring of 2020, BHP Book + Film Club brought people together for meaningful discussions during times of social separation.

The first Book Talk will shine a spotlight on Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities by Veronica Davis. In this groundbreaking work, Davis fearlessly confronts the significant challenges that transportation and land use professionals face today. She delves into the inherent inequities of our transportation systems, which only serve to exacerbate disparities across communities in the U.S. Davis emphasizes the importance of empathy and determination in reshaping a transportation system that, for too long, has favored automobiles and divided communities.

Inclusive Transportation is not just a call to action; it's a practical guide for those eager to champion justice and equity in community development through transportation. Davis advocates for a transformative approach that spotlights the critical need for diverse leadership, updated training, improved communication, and enhanced data collection. 

Join us for a powerful conversation with Veronica Davis, facilitated by Shonda Wang, that explores the path to a more equitable and just future in transportation and development.