Long Beach Sustainability Spring Newsletter, April 2020
LB Sustainability Quarterly Newsletter
Dear Friend,

Each quarter we create a newsletter with updates on sustainable programs, projects, and events from our office and others in the City of Long Beach. With Earth Day coming up during a period of social distancing, we hope we can provide some ways for you to continue to be involved in sustainability efforts in your home and community.
April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day celebrations around the world. Though we can’t celebrate in person on that date, there are still many ways we can mark the occasion, and many ways you can help protect the environment!

First you can take action at home to reduce your environmental footprint. Use the EPA’s Carbon Footprint Calculator to better understand your impact and what actions you can take to reduce. You can also reduce the pollution coming from your home by switching to green cleaners (see the EPA’s Safer Choice and Environmental Working Group lists for green product options), and reducing your plastic consumption. Local Green Business, BYO Long Beach can help you replace plastic and disposable items with reusable natural materials for cleaning and personal care. The Long Beach Water Department also has some great "water hacks" to help you save water at home.

Long Beach Sustainability also has ways you can participate at home. Our Edible Garden and Native Plant workshops have gone digital and are being broadcast through Facebook and Instagram TV. Learn how to grow your own food at home or about the native habitat and ecosystems here in Long Beach.

The Growing Experience is a 7-acre urban farm and community garden located within the Carmelitos Housing Development that provides fresh produce and safe green space. The community garden has been serving the Carmelitos community for over 20 years. In 2008, the Growing Experience was established and transitioned the site into an urban farm with programs and a farm stand available to the community. With 4 acres of farm land and 3 acres of community garden, including 60 raised garden plots and a variety of free programs, the Growing Experience is dedicated to making sustainability and fresh produce accessible in a park-poor area of North Long Beach.

The Growing Experience farms over 100 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs through organic and aquaponic agriculture methods. The aquaponic system has over 100 vertical towers with two 650-gallon fish tanks, and produces 20lbs of greens per week including herbs and lettuce greens. The Growing Experience distributes approximately 100 pounds of produce every week through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription box. The CSA box is available for pick-up for $20 and contains 8 to 10 seasonal fruits and vegetables and one herb. The Growing Experience is also home to a farm stand that provides fresh, organic produce every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon.*


*Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the farm will be closed until further notice as a safety precaution. Compost may be deposited in marked bins outside the gate. The farm stand and CSA will be cancelled until further notice. 
Sustainability Workshops
Join us for a digital Native Plant Workshop this month! Find the video on Facebook and Instagram @LBSustainability this Thursday (4/9) and view the schedule of upcoming workshops at:
Don’t miss the first virtual Edible Garden Workshop! The first virtual workshop video is up on Facebook and Instagram @LBSustainability. View the calendar of upcoming classes online at:
As part of the California Green Business Network (CAGBN), Long Beach certifies and recognizes green businesses for their efforts to protect the environment. Below are the businesses that were certified in Q1 2020.
Find more green businesses and get your business certified at www.longbeach.gov/greenbusiness.

We are able to certify businesses digitally! If you're interested in getting started, please contact us, we're happy to help you navigate the certification and connect you with resources to help. Email us at Sustainability@longbeach.gov.
Meet Our Team
Meet the newest member of the Sustainability team:

Jessica Medrano joins our team as a Sustainability Field Specialist. She will be supporting field programs like tree planting, the restoration at Willow Springs Park, and mulch delivery. Jessica has 3 years of Environmental Science experience with California State Parks and 2 years of experience working with the Natural Resource Department at the Orange County Water District. Her background consists of native habitat restoration in addition to monitoring endangered and threatened animal species. She enjoys camping, cooking plant-based meals, and learning about California history, but most of all she enjoys nature and sharing what she knows with others!
Meet the Sustainable City Commission
Donna Bergeron-Birge serves the “Great 8th“ as Sustainable City Commissioner. As a working mother, she began part-time undergraduate studies at 36 and graduated (a speedy) 14 years later earning a BA in Latin American Studies and a Spanish Teaching Credential. She served 10 years as the Club Verde and Native Plants garden coordinator. She has lived and studied in Hawaii, Guatemala, Ecuador and traveled extensively throughout Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. She is a strong advocate for marginalized communities, and considers teaching ELD one of her most valuable contributions to society. She is a dedicated gardener, native plant enthusiast and native pollinator species seed saver. She believes that we need to set our goals beyond sustainability to be in a mode of regeneration.
Join us for the next Sustainable City Commission meeting: 
Thursday May 28 at 4pm in City Council Chambers
Presentations: TBD

LB Sustainability | 562-570-6396 | Sustainability@longbeach.gov | www.LBSustainability.com