Issue Ten (September 2023)

September 2023[edit | edit source]

Introducing our Green Tea Podcast

Welcome back, Sustainability Now readers!

In this issue, the Sustainability Committee is excited to introduce a new resource: the Green Tea podcast! On this podcast we will speak with leaders in the field about all areas of sustainability as well as challenge you to broaden your thinking about what encompasses conservation in a changing world. We have released three episodes featuring progressive thinkers who are sure to broaden your mind and change your relationship to sustainability.

In episode 1, ICON accredited conservator Lorraine Finch talks about her newest book, No Cost, Low Cost Tips for Sustainability in Cultural Heritage and de-bunks the many reasons why sustainability is perceived as more expensive than current practices, giving listeners great starting points to consider in their own practice. Lorraine’s resourceful, can-do attitude is sure to inspire you to make changes in your relationship to sustainability and daily practice.

In episode 2, we speak with Bianca Garcia, from the Balboa Art Conservation Center in San Diego, California, about the changing landscape of the art conservation field towards engaging more directly with local communities and their heritage. This episode outlines a fascinating philosophy for conservation in a changing world and it is a must-listen for everyone working in the field today.

In episode 3, objects conservator Netanya Schiff speaks about the history of and their experience with Repair Cafes in the UK. Listeners will learn the basics about what is needed to start a Repair Cafe, the impact it has on our local communities, and how it can help conservators increase visibility of our field with the public to expand our skills and services. Thinking about conservation in relation to the growing movement for a repair revolution is impactful and reminds us that we can move to serve growing populations of people.

Follow the Green Tea podcast on Spotify to never miss an episode!

Do you have an interesting topic you would like to share on the Green Tea podcast? Reach out to us at aicsustainability@gmail.com with the subject heading "Green Tea."

News from the Committee

Conversations with Changemakers

If you missed our installments in our Conversations with Changemakers series, you can watch the recordings now. Check out our Strategies for Reducing the Energy Consumption of Buildings conversation with Chris Dunbrack (The MET Cloisters) and Bethann Heinbaugh (Head of Preventive Conservation), and Brock Manville (The National Gallery of Art). Also available now is our Small Museums Webinar, hosted in partnership with the ICON Sustainability Network.

There are a few other exciting events happening by our partner groups in sustainability and cultural heritage!

GCI and V&A Workshop

The Getty Conservation Institute's (GCI) Managing Collection Environments Initiative and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) are organizing a regional workshop titled “Changing Climate Management Strategies: Sustainable Collection Environments and Monitoring Object Response, to be held from February 5-9, 2024, at the V&A in London, UK. This workshop will address obstacles in developing and implementing adaptive environmental strategies in heritage institutions, which are under increasing pressure to operate in a more sustainable manner due to the global climate crisis.

The workshop is open to all stakeholders—conservators, registrars, facilities staff, curators, directors, engineers, architects, instructors—who can impact the decision-making process on environmental management at heritage institutions. To support the regional heritage community and ensure a diverse cohort, we also encourage applications from practitioners in Africa, West Asia, the United Kingdom, and Europe; heritage professionals from small- to medium-sized organizations; and emerging professionals and current/recent graduate students with keen interest in the management of the collection environment.

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, October 6, 2023, and applications can be submitted via the online application portal; also required is submission of a 2-page CV to mce@getty.edu. While employer and/or institutional funding is encouraged to cover the workshop fee (US$800) and travel costs, the GCI may provide financial assistance to a limited number of workshop participants; those requesting financial assistance should indicate their specific needs in the online application.

The workshop curriculum will encompass discussion of:

Decision-making under uncertainty
Evolving environmental guidance and government regulation
The relationship between damage, change, and value
Life and cost cycle assessment
Risk assessment
Material properties and response
Object monitoring techniques including acoustic emission and speckle interferometry
Environmental monitoring and data analysis
The impact of the loans process
Mechanical and non-mechanical environmental management strategies
A suite of sustainability case studies

For additional questions, please contact us at mce@getty.edu.

How Green is Your Money?

On September 28, 2023, join the Icon Sustainability Network as Climate Action Lewisham’s Holly Coyle shares why entrusting your money to banks and pension providers who choose clean investments is one of the most impactful actions we can take in response to the climate crisis.

In addition to highlighting the important role that banks and pension providers play in relation to the climate crisis, Holly will provide some well-researched starting points for those wanting to refine their own next step.

For more information and to apply, visit: www.icon.org.uk/events/icon-sn-webinar-how-green-is-your-money.html.

News from the World

It’s been Climate Week in NYC and a lot of fantastic programming has been happening! You can even stream events you’ve missed.

In other exciting news, the Biden Administration has launched a Climate Corps, a “new initiative to train young people in high-demand skills for jobs in the clean energy economy. The American Climate Corps will put a new generation of Americans to work conserving our lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, advancing environmental justice, deploying clean energy, implementing energy efficient technologies, and tackling climate change.”

If the Green Tea podcast hasn’t kept your ears busy, The Daily, a podcast from the New York Times, has released an interesting podcast about the water crisis in the American west and about the far reaching implications of dying coral reefs in Florida.

Looking for Even More Resources?

Check out the Sustainable Practices Wiki where you can find all of the previous Sustainability Now e-blasts and much, much more.

You can also join the Sustainability Forum on the AIC Member Community. It's an easy and effective way to stay informed on sustainability events throughout the field, learn about valuable resources, and share questions and ideas! To join, login to the member community, browse “all communities” and request to join the “Sustainability Forum.”