Long Beach Sustainability Winter Newsletter, January 2021
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.
This Earth Day the Office of Sustainability invites you to join the Long Beach community of environmental professionals, students, activists, and concerned residents to discuss the future of sustainability in Long Beach. Our office is working to create a Sustainability Strategic Plan to guide our priorities for the next 5 years. This Summit will be focused on discussions about the major topics in sustainability today and what actions are most needed to make Long Beach a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient city.
On Tuesday, January 5, the Long Beach City Council confirmed the City’s first-ever Climate Action and Adaption Plan (CAAP), directing staff to move forward and prepare an Environmental Impact Report. The CAAP is anticipated to be adopted by Fall 2021. Following the end of 2020, a year that broke many extreme weather event records, climate action is critical to better prepare Long Beach for the current and future impacts of climate change.

Sustainable City Action Plan 10 Year Report - Preliminary Results
It’s been over 10 years since the Sustainable City Action Plan was approved by City Council in 2010. The Office of Sustainability is working on a report that looks back at the last 10 years, the goals we met, where we need to make more progress, and the achievements we didn’t see coming. Tune in to the next Sustainable City Commission meeting on Thursday, January 28, at 4pm to see preliminary findings from this report, and stay tuned for the report to be released in the coming weeks.

Find links to watch or sign up for public comment at www.longbeach.gov/scc.
$500 Rebate Available for Business Efficiency Measures

Through the Long Beach Green Business Program, local businesses can access a $500 rebate to implement water and energy efficiency, reduce pollution, and reduce waste. These measures can help save money on utility bills and make improvements to the business and its environmental sustainability.

To access the rebate, businesses must complete Efficiency level certification. This is a much shorter list of requirements compared to certification focused on saving water and energy, and reducing waste and pollution.

New Recycling Standards

The City of Long Beach announced new updates to the curbside recycling program! These updates will help make recycling easier for residents and include what can and cannot be recycled as well as how to properly prepare your recyclables for your Purple Cart.

For a detailed list of recycling program updates, please view the new Recycling/Refuse Guidelines.

Follow @LBRecycles on Instagram to learn what can and cannot be recycled.

Long Beach Sustainability is partnering with Rain Barrels Intl. to host a five-day rain barrel distribution event February 8-12! Pre-order a rain barrel and it will be delivered directly to your home during the event.

Rain Barrels are available for purchase at a community event price of $65.00 + tax. The Metropolitan Water District is currently offering all Long Beach residents a rain barrel rebate of $35.00 per rain barrel. This rebate is good for two (2) rain barrels per household.

Sustainability Workshops
Our workshops have gone online! Check out our Workshops Playlist on Facebook to view all our workshop videos.
Join us for our virtual Native Plant Workshops on Facebook and Instagram @LBSustainability. View upcoming workshops at:

Check out these Native Plant workshop videos:
Join us on Facebook and Instagram @ LBSustainability for our virtual Edible Garden Workshops! View upcoming workshops at:

Check out these Edible Garden workshop videos:
Farewell to Staff Member
Since May 2020, Nicole has happily supported the compost, tree planting, and native plant restoration programs at Willow Springs. Originally part of the Youth Work Program, she went on to join the team at the Office of Sustainability, and is now saying farewell as she moves to an eco-village in the Costa Rican jungle.

Nicole is an outdoor enthusiast and loves to play outside, hiking, surfing, and roller skating. Her experience is in environmental activism and a minimal waste, plant-based lifestyle. She is fascinated by innovative architecture, the science of biomimicry, and calling the Earth her home.
Join us for the next Sustainable City Commission meeting: 
Thursday January 28 at 4pm via teleconference
Agenda Items: review and approve the draft letter on Commission policy priorities and forward to City Council, receive a presentation on the preliminary results of the Sustainable City Action Plan 10 Year Report, and discuss focus areas and priorities for a new Sustainability Strategic Plan.