Local Voices: In Conversation for Climate and Conservation
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation is thrilled to embark on a long-term partnership with the San Diego Botanic Garden — a collaboration rooted in shared values of sustainability, innovation, and environmental stewardship.
The start of this partnership was publicly introduced during a special event on March 19, 2025, held at the San Diego Botanic Garden. The evening included an engaging discussion with Ari Novy, President & CEO of San Diego Botanic Garden, alongside Jessica Toth, Executive Director of Solana Center for Environmental Innovation. They spoke about how these two nonprofit organizations are working to strengthen efforts to mitigate climate change – from plant conservation to waste reduction – to help address urgent challenges affecting San Diego County and beyond.
Celebrated local author Richard Louv moderated the session, offering additional insights into the state of our climate and our connection to the natural world.
The partnership focuses on four main pillars:
Community-Driven Sustainability: Solana Center envisions a future with San Diego Botanic Garden in which our local community is empowered to lead by example by engaging in sustainable practices and actively working together to positively impact our environment. We aim to cultivate a sense of responsibility and engagement at the grassroots level, fostering a deep connection to nature and an understanding of the importance of protecting natural resources.
Innovation for Environmental Solutions: Solana Center and San Diego Botanic Garden seek to be at the forefront of developing and promoting innovative environmental solutions that can have a meaningful impact on both local and global scales by embracing cutting-edge technologies and strategies.
Education and Empowerment: Solana Center and San Diego Botanic Garden aim to offer accessible education and science-based research to drive sustainable practices. By providing practical tools, knowledge, and resources for individuals and organizations, we strive to inspire a shift toward sustainable lifestyles and practices that have a tangible, positive effect on the planet.
Circular Economy and Waste Reduction: Solana Center and San Diego Botanic Garden promote a circular economy, where waste is minimized, resources are reused, and environmental impacts are reduced.
As this partnership unfolds, both organizations invite the public to join them in cultivating a more sustainable, resilient San Diego. Stay tuned for workshops, events, and initiatives that bring this vision to life.
“San Diego Botanic Garden showcases the natural world, inspiring lasting connections with nature’s fauna and ecosystems. Solana Center for Environmental Innovation designs accessible sustainability solutions to ensure nature’s future. By working together, our organizations will bring practical environmental solutions to regional and global challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, agricultural soil health, and watershed contamination. We look forward to a vibrant conversation that brings to light the benefits at the nexus of our partnership, and current missions, which may result in a new joint mission in the future.” -Jessica Toth, Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Executive Director
You can watch the talk here:
Learn More About the Presenters:
Jessica Toth, Executive Director of Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Under Jessica’s leadership, Solana Center has become an award-winning non-profit that influences policy and impacts communities in over 80% of the area’s jurisdictions. Last year, Solana Center’s collective programming mitigated more than 18,000 tons of greenhouse gases. Recently, Jessica was honored with the 2024 San Diego Woman Who Inspires Award by California State Senator Catherine Blakespear and the 50 Most Influential Women Over 50 by the San Diego Business Journal in 2022. Though always passionate about the environment, Jessica took a circuitous route to get here. After completing an engineering degree at Cornell and a master’s degree in business from MIT, Jessica began her career on Wall Street. She then held positions in corporate research, marketing, and business process improvement at various companies, including HP, Texas Instruments, the World Bank, Kyocera, SDG&E, and the San Diego Zoo.
Author Richard Louv is a journalist and author of ten books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age, and Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life: 500 Ways to Enrich Your Family’s Health & Happiness, and his newest book is Our Wild Calling: How Connecting With Animals Can Transform Our Lives – And Save Theirs,. His books have been translated and published in 24 countries, and helped launch an international movement to connect children, families and communities to nature. He is co-founder and chair emeritus of the Children & Nature Network, an organization helping build the movement.
Ari Novy, President & CEO of San Diego Botanic Garden
Dr. Ari Novy is a plant biologist with a wide range of expertise in plant science and education. In addition to his role at the Garden, Dr. Novy is an active researcher, holding an appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers and regularly speaks on various horticultural and botanical topics nationally and internationally. He is the founding co-chair of the Food and Agriculture Professional Section of the American Public Gardens Association. Dr. Novy has served on task forces and advisory panels for diverse groups including the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Cornell Alliance for Science, Botanic Garden Conservation International, Rock Creek National Park, the Garden Club of America, the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, and many others. He has a deep passion for translating science into best management practices and public education. He is immensely proud of having been a science advisor for the most recent seasons of The Magic School Bus.