January 2021
Save Water, Energy, Money and the Environment
Water Lab Offers A Digital Learning Experience

Welcome to the Water Lab’s Winter Session! West Basin Municipal Water District is excited to continue offering a collection of free online classes and family-friendly resources available to the community. A full listing of programs and schedules is provided below. All webinars will be live-hosted by West Basin staff or in partnership with other subject-matter experts and participants will be given the opportunity to ask questions during and after each presentation. NOTE: Space is limited and wait lists are currently unavailable, so please sign up as soon as possible.

Do you know your H2O? Enjoy an evening with West Basin with this opportunity to take an in-depth look into one of life’s most important resources: water. Webinar participants will enjoy an evening learning about one of four topics:
  • Wednesday, January 13: Where Your Water Comes From – An exciting journey from mountain(top) to tap
  • Saturday, February 6: Water Recycling Facility Virtual Tour – Take a peek behind the curtains of a world-class recycled water production facility
  • Wednesday, March 10: Water Supply Diversity – Adapting to an ever-changing water reality
Click the graphic above to discover Metropolitan Water District’s portal for water-saving rebates and grants, landscape classes, water-wise garden inspiration, and tons of helpful tips.
Meet Rachel, the Tunnel Boring Machine
Thank you to all LA County students that entered our TBM Naming or Art contests. We were pleased to receive over 100 submissions. For the naming contest, students submitted original essays that best explained the significance of their proposed name and its importance to the community. For the art contest, students were asked to submit original artwork that shows why it's important to keep our rivers and oceans clean. The top three for each contest can be viewed at the following links...
Metro Recaps 2020's Impact on Mass Transit
In one sense, 2020 was the toughest of years for mass transit across the United States. Lives were lost. At LA Metro and across the nation, ridership plummeted due to safer-at-home orders. Service was reduced and — depending on location — restored to varying degrees. Agencies’ finances were upended. Metro shared a video last year on March 31 that says it all.

Also, learn about other Metro programs such as Vanpool and ExpressLanes.
CARE Helps Customers Slash Their Gas Bills

SoCalGas offers its CARE program to help customers save 20% on their monthly gas bill. If you are seeking financial relief, you may qualify for 20% off your natural gas bill with our CARE program. It only takes a few minutes to apply and no additional documentation is required. Apply today to see if you qualify.
Property Upgrades Translate to Big Savings

Add value to your property, improve tenant comfort, and reduce maintenance costs with the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) Multifamily Program. This program offers technical assistance and financial incentives when you make energy-saving improvements to your property.
LADWP and SoCalGas Team Up To Help Customers Save Money and Water
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) have partnered to distribute over 150,000 free energy and water efficiency kits to residents throughout Los Angeles. Each efficiency kit is equipped with simple household devices to help conserve water and natural gas and save money on utility bills. Installing these devices can reduce natural gas usage in Los Angeles by approximately 3.5 million therms and save 46,000 gallons of water per year as a result of this program. Each kit contains a water-efficient showerhead; two bathroom faucet aerators; and a kitchen faucet aerator. 
FREE Virtual Eco Gardener Class: Wednesday, January 20
In coastal Southern California,
residents are lucky to garden year-round. For native plants in the
region, the wet winter months
are like their springtime! This class helps participants make a plan for winter gardening and leaves plenty of time for questions from the audience. From pruning and modified watering schedules, to planting your new CA native plants, the class will teach you how to put the winter months to good use!
Sanitation Districts and LA County Offer Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Help

To encourage LA County residents to stay home during the pandemic, Household Hazardous/Electronic Waste Collection Events have been temporarily suspended starting January 16, 2021.

Sanitation Districts hope to resume this free service in the near future and will make an announcement when the program restarts.
S.A.F.E. (Solvents / Automotive / Flammables / Electronics) Center locations and days/hours of operation in Los Angeles can be found here
Coronavirus Resources from the City of Torrance

Get up-to-date information for status of business activities, housing, tax relief, public service announcements, bus schedules, and more via the City's COVID-19 Dashboard. Additionally, learn more about outdoor dining, takeout options, and local grocers that accommodate vulnerable groups.
On the Go
News for Southern California Commuters: January / February 2021
Learn about opportunities for ridesharing, public transportation, and the benefits that an Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC) can offer your workplace. This monthly newsletter addresses the broad audience of commuters that rely on transportation agencies from Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, and Ventura County.
California Green Business Network (CAGBN)
California Green Business Network Helps Businesses Through Uncertain Times
The California Green Business
Network quickly switched to virtual
assistance for small businesses and
is helping them adapt during this
challenging economic time. We will
be critical in helping SMBs increase
efficiency, bring in customers, and
cut costs so they can bounce back.
Businesses in Torrance and Hawthorne can join the CAGBN by contacting Martha Segovia: (310) 371-7222 martha@southbaycities.org
SBCCOG General Assembly Sponsors
SBCCOG’s General Assembly is an annual public forum that engages elected officials, private and public organizations, general public, and other South Bay stakeholders during a program composed of exhibitors and guest speakers, speaking individually and in panels, presenting content unified under a central theme. 
SAVE THE DATE:
Thursday, March 18, 2021
for our upcoming virtual
General Assembly!
We want to thank the following organizations for their sponsorship:

Sponsors
Learn more about South Bay sub-region and its member cities/areas here
Interested in becoming a volunteer at SBESC? Fill out an application here
 Links to Partner Resources En Español: