For CASM's September SAMOCAN we will be hosting two of CASM's Climate Jobs Corps (CJC) Mario Melgarejo and Mia Levenson present their projects structured around their interests in sustainability. Mario will report on our recent initiative to promote non-car commutes at Samohi. This effort involved engaging with students during the "Get Your Stuff" days, leveraging Climate Corps, student input, and CASM resources to emphasize sustainable transportation as a priority for the school year. Mia will be presenting her research on Mass Timber. She has been working with the Office of Sustainability and the Environment over the past few months to conduct this research. A general overview of mass timber building as well as the market in Santa Monica, with an emphasis on emissions reduction in the building sector, will be discussed.
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Mia attended SAMOHI and recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BS in Environmental Science and a minor in Sustainability Studies. She has interned at Natural Bridges State Beach where she has worked with youth on environmental education and restoration projects. She has also studied abroad in Costa Rica examining the relationship between the people and the natural ecosystem. Now, she is studying for the LEED Green Associates. Mia joined Climate Action Santa Monica in April as a Climate Outreach Fellow. During her time she has worked on green building research, electrification projects, and community engagement events. As a Santa Monica native, she is excited to be back working on climate issues in the community.
Mario Melgarejo joined CASM in early 2023, as a member of CASM’s Climate Jobs Corps, a division of the State of California’s Youth Jobs Corp program. Since then, he has worked on a variety of outreach projects in electrification and transportation, been present at various community events, and assisted in the running of a summer youth program. Mario graduated from UC Davis in 2020 with a degree in Sustainable Environmental Design, and participated in a study abroad program on housing and urbanism in Barcelona in 2019. Inspired by his educational and personal experiences, Mario now seeks to dedicate his professional career to addressing social and environmental problems in California, particularly in the area of transportation and urban design.