April is Earth Month – Clean-up Efforts Are Held to Clean Up Streets

While Earth Day is officially on Tuesday, April 22, it’s expanded to Earth Month as a global event that focuses on taking action to benefit our planet. Community events are held to create more awareness of protecting our environment.

On Sunday, April 13, Councilmember Imelda Padilla hosted Sheldon Community Day: Earth Day Celebration at Sheldon Skate Park. The event was held with the Sun Valley Area Neighborhood Council and the youth group GR818ers.

Earth Day activities in the Sun Valley neighborhood included painting a colorful mural that celebrated nature and gathering community volunteers to cleanup Sheldon Park. LA Mayor Karen Bass attended. 

Padilla told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol that when she was a youth program coordinator for the nonprofit Pacoima Beautiful, they would have community cleanups in areas with large amounts of trash. Now, as a councilmember, she decided to incorporate that into her Earth Day programming.

“One of the reasons I like having them is because it gives us an opportunity to connect with multiple organizations that are taking things at a grassroots level,” Padilla said. “I think it’s very important that we teach young people the importance of not littering and knowing how to properly dispose of their waste. 

“To do that, you have to spread that education as a local government to everybody,” she continued. “A lot of organizations are putting something together in Sun Valley, but we also have to do something in North Hills … and Arleta.”

There are other cleanup efforts by a “strike team” working out of Padilla’s office that go to different areas of her district to take care of reported piles of trash or overgrown grass. Local constituents call in about these areas, field deputies create a list of priority spaces and the strike team, composed of four people, will go out to clean the area. They work in partnership with LA Sanitation & Environment and 311 – the nonemergency line for California residents to access city services, report issues and receive information.

When asked what the community can and should do day to day beyond Earth Day,  Padilla encourages local residents to properly separate their trash and understand what needs to be disposed of versus what can be recycled to ensure it ends up at the appropriate place. 

“Everything related to the future of this planet is related to how we figure out how to use less … so everybody should invest in some time to really understand waste,” Padilla said. “I think people should also … find some time to plant a tree and flowers. Take greater steps to reduce your water consumption, energy consumption and take advantage of opportunities … that could bring in some rebates for better usage of your energy and water.”

Tips on Supporting Your Local Environment

There’s plenty more you can do to help protect the environment. Invasive plant species can destroy habitats and hurt our health, so it’s best to get rid of them whenever possible. You can volunteer with your local nature group or go to a nearby park to help remove an invasive species in your area. They can be difficult to remove, so research online the best method to deal with them.

If you’re making a garden, look for native plants that can replace any invasive species in your yard. Pests can also be a problem, so keep a lookout in your area.

The amount of plastics being produced is also a major issue, as plastic pollution is so widespread that tiny microplastics are contaminating our food, drinking water and bodies. You should contact your representatives, both state and local, about your concerns and urge them to enact real solutions. 

Individually, it can help to choose natural fabrics over synthetics, as our clothes release microplastics called microfibers into the environment during manufacturing and when they’re washed. 

Climate change is becoming ever more prevalent, and tackling it may seem like a daunting task. However, there are actions you can take. Get involved in the community and advocate for laws and policies that aim to increase renewable energy, investment in electric vehicles and improve public transportation. 

Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, so try cutting back if possible to reduce your carbon footprint. Try exploring spaces close to you for your next trip – you can save money and learn about your area better.

Introduce more plant-based foods in your diet, as they generally leave a lower carbon footprint than meat. This can have both an impact on the environment and your overall health. 

For more information, go to https://www.nature.org/en-us/membership-and-giving/earth-day-guide/.