ONE HOME, ONE PLANET (OHOP) U.S.
OHOP 2024
Circularity: the thread that connects affordable housing and clean construction
We currently live in a linear economy where the products, goods, and services that we use are primarily sourced, created, consumed, and disposed. In a circular system—or closed loop system—materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. This requires adapting existing business models to enable the prolongation of product and material life, by enabling the four circular loops of reuse—refurbishment (including repair), remanufacturing, and recycling. If we created a circular economy, it would not only encompass the products and goods that we use (like furniture and technology), but also the systems we function within and the services we offer. For example, homes and other buildings could be built and furnished with secondary raw materials or repurposed/refurbished materials which would support the demand for a circular economy. Materials used in homes and buildings can be thoughtfully curated to keep the carbon footprint of the building and its materials low, increase affordability, and create a healthy living environment for the many.
- How might we learn and build cross-sector best practices for circularity?
- How might we co-create holistic solutions to the affordable housing crisis?
- How might we advance clean construction?
ONE HOME, ONE PLANET (OHOP) is an action-oriented event which brings together purpose-driven, ideas-led doers, thinkers and influencers from across various fields. During the event, we will explore how to advocate for a people and planet positive future, focusing on what needs to be done to solve key social and environmental challenges facing the U.S. The event’s ultimate goal is to inspire change and spark action in the areas of climate change and inequality so that collectively, we can create the future we all want to be part of.
Dates
March 18, 2024 / 5-8 PM
March 19, 2024 / 8-5:30 PM
Location
House of Sweden
2900 K Street N.W.
Washington DC 20007
2024 Speakers
Stephen K. Benjamin Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement
Steve Benjamin is an Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the President and Director of Public Engagement. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Benjamin was the Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina from April 2010 through December 2021. Benjamin has served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (2018-2019), as President of the African American Mayors Association, Vice Chairman of the Global Parliament of Mayors, Executive Chairman of Municipal Bonds for America, Chairman of the FirstNet Authority, a Member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, and as a member of several corporate and nonprofit boards.
Javi Quiñones, CEO and CSO, IKEA U.S.
(Javi) is CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA U.S. He assumed that role in March 2019. He first joined in Barcelona, Spain, as a part time co-worker in the self-serve department in 1997, advancing within Ikea Spain in roles such as sales manager and store manager, before joining IKEA UK and Ireland in 2014 as deputy retail manager. In June 2018, he was named country retail manager for the region.
Carmen Gama Co-Founder, Make Anew
is a New York-based designer and expert in circular design. Born and raised in Mexico, she serves as Director of Circular Design at EILEEN FISHER. A graduate of Parsons The New School for Design, Gama brings a true passion for solution-based design and circular systems to her role. Striving to design scalable systems that have the capacity to extend the life cycle and re-capture the value of pre and post consumer textile waste, Gama works to reduce the environmental impact of fashion, creating business models for other brands to follow. Gama has been featured in numerous publications including Women's Wear Daily, Business of Fashion, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, The New York Times and Harper’s Bazaar.
Reham Fagiri CEO & Co-Founder, AptDeco
is the Co-Founder and CEO of AptDeco, the leading furniture resale marketplace that handles all the logistics of buying and selling used furniture online. Prior to starting AptDeco Reham spent 5+ years at Goldman Sachs in various engineering and management positions focusing on designing, building, and launching new technology applications for the firm.Reham holds a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. She has served on the Fast Company Impact Council and Rewriting the Code advisory board, which works to advance women in business and tech.
Zanagee Artis Executive Director, Zero Hour
is the 24 year-old founder and the executive director of the global youth-led climate justice organization Zero Hour. Zanagee also works to oppose new fossil fuel leasing and development on public lands and waters as the Fossil Fuels Policy Advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He is the co-author of A Kids Book About Climate Change and co-host of 1 Point 5: A Kids Podcast About Climate Justice. Artis graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Environmental Studies in 2022.
John Smieja Vice President, Circularity, GreenBiz Group
earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of St. Thomas and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of California – San Diego. After graduate school, Jon joined Steelcase Inc. as their environmental chemist and eventually moved into a role as a leader in sustainable design and development. He joined Andersen Windows & Doors where he served as corporate sustainability manager and was responsible for product lifecycle assessments, material ingredient transparency, and preparing Andersen for a future in the circular economy. Jon is now the VP of Circularity and Senior Analyst at GreenBiz Group, a media and events company that works to accelerate the just transition to a clean economy.