Long Beach is celebrating Earth Month with several free events centering on sustainability — from championing local wildlife to waste-reduction techniques — following the theme of Planet vs. Plastics.
“Celebrating Earth Month creates opportunities for our residents to learn about existing City programs and policies that support our climate action goals,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a statement from the City. “I encourage residents to join the festivities to learn how they can help make Long Beach a more sustainable place to live.”
Earth Month festivities include volunteer opportunities and workshops for residents to take part in throughout April. The City has put together an Earth Month events calendar on the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability webpage, with the following events:
- Recycle Right Long Beach – Saturday, April 6, 10 to 11 a.m.: Attendees will go through the “dos and don’ts” of recycling correctly in Long Beach in a workshop that will be held in English and Spanish at the Environmental Services Bureau (2929 E. Willow St.) . Those interested in attending can sign up here.
- Earth Day Community Clean-up and Week of Action Kick-off — Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m. to noon: The Long Beach Health Department, along with a handful of local community groups and City departments, will kick off the City’s Earth Day week of action with a cigarette butt clean-up event at DeForest Park (6175 DeForest Ave.) The Earth Day Community Clean-up will include music, giveaways, photos and more. Supplies will be provided. No registration is required.
- Earth Day Tree Planting — Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to noon: The community is invited to spend their Earth Day helping to plant 38 trees in Long Beach’s Washington neighborhood alongside the California Climate Action Corps. Attendees will meet at 14th St. and Locust Ave. Prior registration is required, as the event has limited capacity.
- Learn to Compost Workshop — Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. to noon: Attendees can learn the process of composting as they are guided through how to turn food scraps and yard debris into a valuable aspect of a garden or landscape at the Environmental Services Bureau (2929 E. Willow St.) Residents will receive advice on setting up backyard compost and vermicompost bins as well as tips on what materials can and cannot be composted. Those interested in attending can register here.
- Annual City Nature Challenge — Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Long Beach residents can identify the local flora and fauna of the trails at Willow Springs Park (2745 Orange Ave.) and track their observations on the iNaturalist app where cities all over the world will be sharing insights into their natural habitats. No registration is required.
Throughout Earth Month, the following City departments will be launching educational, environmental resource campaigns on social media to encourage residents to reduce waste and live more eco-friendly:
- The Public Works Department — @lbrecycles on Instagram, Facebook and X — will post tips on extending the life of produce throughout the remainder of Food Waste Prevention Week, which ends April 7.
- The Health Department — @lbhealthdept on Instagram, Facebook and X — will post information about community clean-up toolkits for residents to host their own clean-ups during the week of action from April 15-22.
- The Office of Climate Action and Sustainability — @lbsustainability on Instagram, Facebook and X — will be posting resources and statistics about plastic pollution throughout Earth Month.
To learn more about the upcoming Earth Month events in Long Beach, visit the City’s Earth Month calendar. Questions about how to participate in Earth Month events should be directed to the Office of Climate Action and Sustainability at sustainability@longbeach.gov.