Event Description

As we focus on solving the climate crisis, our human family is focused on equality and the Black Lives Matter movement. Equality is a basic human right — to be free from fear, to be safe. To be alive. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi teaches that we all must actively work to build a world that is antiracist. There is no silent middle ground between racist and antiracist. Actions are either one or the other. The world depends on your actions to speak up when you see inequality and not stay silent, and to actively set policies that ensure systemic racism is stamped out. The time is now, there is no time to wait when people are suffering and dying.

The same is true for our planet’s natural environment — our mountains and forests, oceans and rivers, polar ice caps and archipelagos — do not have time for us to wait as we face a rapidly changing climate due to human actions. Humanity has disregarded and disrespected mother nature since the industrial revolution and with every minute we fail to take global action catastrophic consequences loom closer at hand. Humans have trouble comprehending global impact. Our brains can’t think that big. But thanks to filmmakers like Leonardo DiCaprio, we can get a sense of humanity’s global impact on the planet. Go watch Before the Flood if you haven’t seen it yet. The debate about climate change is history, and now it’s time to focus on action to solve the crisis we’ve created.

We need net zero everything now. We need architects, engineers, and building owners demanding net zero buildings. We need massively accelerated city scale decarbonization programs, and zero carbon buildings. We need product manufacturers, like those here in our Net Zero Conference virtual expo hall, bringing innovation to market. We need more B Corporations, and accelerated adoption of renewable energy. We need government actors at all levels getting policies in place that ensure rapidly scalable global change. Now.

It comes down to individuals coming together to share ideas, and then taking actions in our own lives to build the future we want to live in, and that we want our loved ones to enjoy, for generations to come. A future that includes true equality with a level playing field for every human. A future where Earth exists in sustainable balance with humanity.

Drew Shula
Event Chair
Net Zero Conference

NZ 20 Highlights:
 

– The world’s largest annual net zero building conference -- presented virtually
– 20+ world-class education sessions
– 3 keynote speakers
– Interactive virtual Expo Hall featuring industry-leading companies
– Reserved pool of free, need-based tickets
– Professional virtual networking with industry leaders
– Virtual tours of local net zero buildings
– Attended by experts from 38 states and 8 countries in 2019
– CEUs available for AIA, USGBC & LFA credential holders
– Content on climate, carbon, energy, water, waste + transit
– Join NZ 20 in building a Net Zero Future for All!