My Climate Journey: Shana Bonstin, MUP ‘01

At age 14, I took a class that changed my life and informed my career trajectory—Environment and You. It made me interested in the practical interplay and impact of built human systems on our environment and vice versa. I found myself considering questions that have informed and followed me throughout my education and career: How can we design more sustainable, equitable, and livable cities? How do land use patterns impact not only air quality and the climate but also health? How can we make local design and zoning decisions with consensus to support broader equity and sustainability goals-including housing and transportation?

As an urban planner and Deputy Director for Los Angeles City Planning, the department’s Chief Sustainability Officer, and recently an instructor of Sustainability Legislation at Cal State Northridge, I am excited that we can be part of real climate equity solutions locally. When planning for neighborhood futures and considering community needs and concerns, we see they are infinitely unique. It is impossible for us to design more sustainable cities without recognizing and remedying the drastic inequity different neighborhoods in the same city can face. Within the City of  Los Angeles, life expectancy can vary by 16 years based on which neighborhood one lives.

Sustainable development must go hand-in-hand with addressing the unique challenges of each community based on history and context. Sustainability and resilience must not only preserve our planet but also uplift each and every human being who is a part of it.