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GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar

GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ

Bruins For the Future

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 212 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    7.5
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    70
    minutes
    spent learning

GENESIS's actions

Health and Education

Connect With A Nonprofit

Family Planning and Education

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on issues affecting women, girls, trans people, and/or nonbinary people in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Explore Other Transportation Solutions

All Transportation Solutions

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching other Drawdown Transportation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Learn About Aquaculture

Improved Aquaculture

Each day, I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about sustainable aquaculture.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Transportation

Test Drive an Electric Bike

Electric Bicycles

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food, Agriculture, and Land Use

Support Local Food Systems

Plant-Rich Diets

I will source 50 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation
    Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Private vehicles account for 60% of trips of a mile or less. Do you often drive short distances instead of biking or walking? If so, how might incorporating an electric bike into your lifestyle help you make more climate-friendly choices?

    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar
    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ 6/02/2025 10:51 AM
    I recently tried one of the Metro Bike Share Bikes near the Luskin Hotel to go to Santa Monica rather than driving or taking the bus. It was about $1.75 for 30 minutes of riding. I usually take the bus rather than driving for short distances. I think incorporating bikes could be a good way to make even more climate-friendly choices, and they definitely offer more flexibility than the bus. But as a college student, cost is a big factor. We get discounted bus passes, so renting a bike regularly might not be the most efficient or affordable option for me right now. Still, it’s something I’d consider using more often for certain trips

    • Joel Cruz's avatar
      Joel Cruz 6/02/2025 2:56 PM
      How do you see the feasibility of bike transportation in your life after school? For me personally, I see our college town as bike friendly but the rest of LA, especially the more metropolitan areas seem quite bike-unfriendly. I haven't tried riding a bike yet but just seeing people on bikes while I'm driving makes me think about the risks of accident, especially on narrower roads, I don't know if I could live with that risk on a daily commute.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
    What was the most interesting thing to learn about sustainable aquaculture practices?

    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar
    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ 6/02/2025 1:12 AM
    Through my research for RP1, I learned a lot of different things about this practice. One of the most interesting aspects of aquaculture is the rise of seaweed farming as an alternative to traditional farming and agriculture on land. I learn that kelp farming not only serves as a sustainable source of aquatic food but also has the ability to buffer the ocean’s increasing acidity. kelp helps de-acidify marine environments, creating healthier conditions for shellfish and other aquatic species to thrive by absorbing high levels of carbon dioxide from water, supporting biodiversity in the oceans, and enhancing the overall productivity of marine ecosystems.
    However, adopting seaweed farming is a very complex concept. It comes with its own challenges, such as dealing with labor equity. As aquaculture becomes more widespread and profitable, it can create exploitative labor conditions similar to those historically seen in traditional agriculture. Agricultural labor in the United States has disproportionately relied on underpaid and overworked migrant communities, so it’s difficult to imagine that aquaculture will be immune to similar conditions. seaweed farming could end up continuing the same injustices rather than solving them.


    • Lauren Edwards's avatar
      Lauren Edwards 6/02/2025 9:54 AM
      Hi Genesis, kelp farming is a really interesting concept and it would be interesting to use it to help supplement traditional farming. I find this especially compelling because it helps promote and support biodiversity in our oceans. Due to changes in climate the oceans have been changing and erasing biodiversity so this method helps promote a positive climate impact and a better aquatic environment. Thank you for the information aquatic farming, I am interested in further exploring this solution and how it interacts and compares to traditional farming and how it can impact communities that are landlocked.

  • GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar
    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ 6/01/2025 10:19 PM
    After attending an Earth Day party hosted by some friends of mine, I was inspired to reevaluate my daily routine and its impact on the planet. While at the party, I noticed they had recyclable aluminum cups instead of your usual red plastic party cup. These cups were part of a sustainable effort called The Ball Aluminum Cup, which follows the idea of infinitely recyclable cups. I later learned that producing these aluminum cups requires up to 20 times less energy than manufacturing traditional plastic alternatives. This made me question my own efforts to sustain sustainable habits, and I realized that there are ways I can contribute to environmental sustainability in my everyday choices.

    One of my daily habits is getting coffee in the morning. I began to exclusively purchase coffee from places on campus that use 100% compostable cups (this includes most ASUCLA coffee shops with the exception of places serving Peet's or The Coffee Bean coffee). These compostable cups, made from renewable materials, are designed for commercial use, making them a much better alternative to plastic. This shift, while small, is one of several steps I’ve started taking toward building more sustainable habits.



  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation
    What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar
    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ 6/01/2025 9:18 PM
    I found out about the Bruins4bettertransit initiative on campus. Two years ago, I helped my friend collect signatures to pass the transit pass, which gave all UCLA students a tap card to ride public transportation for a low cost included in their tuition. This quarter I found out the U-Pass program was expiring, which motivated me to get involved again and help promote the renewal campaign for it. Through this, I learned how important advocating for free resources and public transportation is. Public transportation is truly one of the easiest and most effective actions a person can take and as college students, one of the easiest solutions that can be implemented into our daily lives. It drastically reduces our carbon footprints. I also learned that taking the bus, rather than driving to places reduced greenhouse gas emissions drastically. This motivated me to share the initiative with my friends and coworkers and explain the environmental impact. I explained the broader significance (not just as a convenience, although that is a selling point!) but as a critical public resource that benefits us individuals and the environmental crisis, especially in a city like LA, where having a car is so prevalent. However, I did learn that in order for people to want to take action on environmental issues, other aspects play a big role. These solutions must be feasible. In this case, the U-pass was affordable, accessible, and environmentally conscious. As I continue to explore transportation solutions, I’ve come to understand that meaningful change often starts with awareness. That includes small things like knowing what our tuition pays for and becoming more mindful of our individual carbon impact. This kind of awareness empowers us individually and as a student body to make better choices (whether it's taking the bus instead of driving or voting yes on a public transportation referendum).


    • Nala Son's avatar
      Nala Son 6/02/2025 11:21 AM
      Hello! Bruins4BetterTransit has honestly been a game-changer throughout my college career. As someone who juggles commuting to school, work, and home, the U-Pass has made everything so much more accessible and affordable. It’s not an exaggeration to say that without it, getting around LA would have been so much more stressful, both logistically and financially. What really stuck with me from your reflection was the point about feasibility. You’re so right: people are much more likely to support climate-friendly options when they’re actually accessible. The U-Pass isn’t just good for the planet, it makes everyday life easier. That’s what made me not only use it, but talk about it with others, just like you’ve done.
      It’s inspiring to see students like you advocating for its renewal and helping others understand the broader value of public transit. I’m grateful for all the work behind the scenes that made this resource available, and I’m even more motivated now to stay informed and involved. Thank you again for your advocacy and your insight!

    • Tianai Zhang's avatar
      Tianai Zhang 6/02/2025 8:17 AM
      Hi Genesis, I really loved the initiatives you took to help pass the transit pass! I use it a lot, and I also meet many UCLA students on my bus rides. I think that is definitely a significant move that helps us reduce our carbon footprint. Personally, before learning about the transit pass, I could only take uber from place to place, which is not only bad for the environment and also very costly for me. I even tend to go out less to save money on transportation costs. But with the transit pass I'm able to travel more to the downtown area and other places that bears me no cost. It really helped a lot.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food, Agriculture, and Land Use
    Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?

    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar
    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ 6/01/2025 4:45 PM
    Supporting local farmers is one of the advantages that inspire me the most. When purchasing local producers, we are not just purchasing food but investing in the preservation of farmland and ensuring that farms can continue to thrive in today's challenging economy. Two weeks ago, I was in Oxnard, California, which is known for its strawberry picking. A friend of mine, who is local to Oxnard, took me to her favorite produce stand on the side of the road, where I spoke to the owner, and tried to assist her with some information regarding access to oral care for individuals without insurance (which makes up most of the farmworker community in Oxnard). We purchased strawberries, and the following day we shared it with people from a campus organization we are part of. The aspect of knowing that when you buy locally, you are directly impacting the livelihood of people in your community is rewarding.

    The access to dependable fresh food also drives my inspiration. I got involved with the organization UCLA Farmers Market through another friend of mine (you can find them on Instagram @uclafarmersmarket). This organization focuses on promoting food security and sustainability on our own campus. This inspires me because access to quality food and fresh ingredients should be easily accessible, and I am proud that this can happen within our school, and that there is a place where college students can find quality food easily available (near Ackerman, right in the middle of UCLA!) .
    Through these experiences, I have also realized that local food systems serve as a source of education for many people. Interacting with local farmers has allowed me to understand seasonality, and how we should try to eat and pick food with the seasons. I have also learned new ways of cooking and preparing food. These are also advantages to local food systems that inspire me in my journey since they contribute to creating better eating habits and raising awareness about the food grown on our land. Supporting local farmers helps individuals learn by interacting with people, and it raises awareness about the source of food, contributing to a more sustainable life.

    The access to dependable fresh food also drives my inspiration. I got involved with the organization UCLA Farmers Market through another friend of mine (you can find them on Instagram @uclafarmersmarket). This organization focuses on promoting food security and sustainability on our own campus. This inspires me because access to quality food and fresh ingredients should be easily accessible, and I am proud that this can happen within our school, and that there is a place where college students can find quality food easily available (near Ackerman, right in the middle of UCLA!) .

    Through these experiences, I have also realized that local food systems serve as a source of education for many people. Interacting with local farmers has allowed me to understand seasonality, and how we should try to eat and pick food with the seasons. I have also learned new ways of cooking and preparing food. These are also advantages to local food systems that inspire me in my journey since they contribute to creating better eating habits and raising awareness about the food grown on our land. Supporting local farmers helps individuals learn by interacting with people, and it raises awareness about the source of food, contributing to a more sustainable life.

    • Simren Nagra's avatar
      Simren Nagra 6/01/2025 8:13 PM
      I love that you brought up seasonality and learning directly from farmers. It’s something many people overlook, but being more aware of where our food comes from can help shape healthier and more mindful eating habits. Your involvement with making quality food accessible on campus is really inspiring!

  • GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ's avatar
    GENESIS CANO ALVAREZ 4/05/2025 1:52 PM
    I am here because I have firsthand experience with the impacts of climate change and want to continue to educate myself and dive deeper into the different ways climate change affects me individually and our collective shared experiences. I grew up in a coastal beach city in Mexico, surrounded by plants and animals. I have memories of helping out in my grandmother’s garden in my childhood home and feeding her many pets, which ranged from cats and dogs to parakeets and iguanas. I believe that my early life experiences and connection to nature are the reasons I am here today. I am concerned about the way climate change affects specific demographics and groups of people in contrast to others, and I am concerned about the preservation of natural resources and environmental conditions. To this day, I still enjoy the art of gardening and have slowly created my own garden at my home in Pasadena. I want to continue to explore the different arts of nature when I get older, travel, and experience the beauty of nature. But most importantly, I want to continue to develop my understanding of climate change and learn how to think critically about the issues right in front of me before we reach a point of no return.