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Last month, the CRA community gathered at Steel Cup Cafe for great coffee, even better conversations, and some deep dives into recycling and composting. It was wonderful to see everyone in person!
During our discussion, one question came up that sparked interest with the entire group: "Is it better to buy food items in plastic or glass, even if the plastic is recyclable?"
The group reached the consensus that glass is a better option than plastic for several reasons:
- Microplastics can leach into food through packaging
- Glass is infinitely recyclable, whereas plastics degrade each time it's processed and need virgin plastic to maintain their structure
During Plastic Free July, challenge yourself to make one change in your plastic consumption! Bring your reusable coffee cup, your own takeout containers, or opt for glass or aluminum packaging on your next grocery run.
Let us know which change you're making first during the next CRA meetup.
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We want to recognize Bonnie Gasior (Winter '23) for taking the initiative to teach her neighborhood about composting! Bonnie created a three-part Compost 101 series focused on backyard composting, which wrapped up last month.
- Session 1: What is Compost? - Getting started
- Session 2: Backyard Compost Systems - Types of bins and methods
- Session 3: How to Use Compost - Stages of compost
Bonnie also recently graduated from the Master Gardener Program. It was wonderful being able to support her with this project and seeing her passion during the presentations. Great work, Bonnie!
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Interested in gaining more skills for engaging your community about recycling and organics?
Join us on Saturday, July 25th, for a workshop focused on how to engage your community on proper handling of recycling, organics, and trash. During this workshop, we will discuss behavior motivators, how to table, what goes where in Long Beach, and how to engage your community.
When: Saturday, July 25th
Time: 10 am - noon
Where: 2929 E. Willow St., Long Beach, CA 90806
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
| ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS | |
Talk to Us During Our Ambassador Meet Up Hour
Do you already volunteer with a local Long Beach organization? Have an idea for your neighborhood, or just need to troubleshoot a stubborn compost pile?
We are excited to announce a biweekly Ambassador Meet-Up Hour! Stop by to ask your questions, share ideas, or simply catch up with fellow CRAs.
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When: July 9
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Time: 11 a.m. - Noon
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How: Via Zoom
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Passcode: CRA
We'd love to see you there!
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Missed the first in-person meetup? Our next one will be:
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When: July 23
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Time: 11 a.m. - noon
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Where: SteelCraft Long Beach (3768 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90807)
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When was the last time you logged into MyImpact? We would love to see how you're doing and celebrate all your amazing work. Your volunteer hours matter, and we appreciate your contribution to building a more sustainable Long Beach Community.
If you run into any issues, feel free to reach out to us at cra@longbeach.gov
You can also email us your hours if you would like us to log them for you.
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- Expanded polystyrene is prohibited from being sold in CA
- Under California law, to continue selling EPS food service ware in the state, EPS food service ware producers must demonstrate that all EPS meets a 25% recycling rate as of January 1, 2025.
- To date, this requirement has not been met.
- As a result, producers are prohibited from selling, offering for sale, distributing, or importing EPS food service ware, like single-use takeout containers and cups, in or into California.
- In 2018, the City of Long Beach signed a polystyrene ordinance into law, which then restricted the use of polystyrene and other non-recyclable foodware; prohibited the sale of polystyrene ice chests, bean bags, and crafts; and required that straws and utensils be provided only upon request for takeout items
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- We have received a lot of questions about the purple to blue recycling cart swap. The reason why the City had to swap out your recycling carts is that:
- SB1383 requires that all the carts be the same color across the state.
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Black or grey for trash
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Blue for recycling
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Green for organics
- In addition to the standardized colors, all containers must be labeled with what materials can and cannot go into the container.
| | Here are the current volunteer opportunities, which are also listed on the CRA Portal. For a refresher on how to report your volunteer hours, click here to find the Volunteer Portal Guide. | | | Date | Opportunity | Sign-Up Link | | Every 1st Saturday of the Month
10 am - 12 pm | Stewards El Dorado Nature Center Cleanup | Click here | | Every 2nd Friday of the Month
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Restoration & Native Gardening
2026 Restoration Fridays | Click here | | Every 3rd Saturday of the Month
9 - 10 am | Wetland Warrior Cleanup at Jack Dunster Reserve | Click here | | Every 4th Saturday of the Month
9 - 10 am | Clean Up Day at El Dorado Regional Park Center | Click here | | Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
Times vary per day | LB Community Table Food Distribution | Click here | | Every Wednesday
12 pm - 5 pm (you do not need to stay the whole time) | Grow2Zero Farm Food Distribution | Click here | | Every Friday and Sunday
Click link to view times | LB Community Compost | Click here | | Saturday, July, 11, 2026
9:30 am - 12:30 pm
2 - 4:30 pm | July 2026 Fixit Clinic - Event Set Up & Breakdown | Click here | | Saturday, July 11, 2026
11:30 am - 3:30 pm | July 2026 Fixit Clinic - Event Support Role | Click here | | | You can complete a continuing education assignment for a 1- hour volunteer credit with a limit of 5 assignments. These are the continuing education assignments currently available. Please respond to this email if you have any questions. | | |
Q: Where can I access the CRA Portal?
A: The CRA Portal is linked here.
Q: Can I access My Impact Page to report hours without going through the CRA Portal?
A: Yes! Please visit MyImpactPage.com and log in to report your hours.
Q: What if I get asked a question that is not about waste reduction, recycling, or composting?
A: At events led by us there should always be a staff member available to answer questions. If someone is asking questions unrelated to the topics we have covered in class, let the community member know you are a volunteer and please ask a staff member to answer the question. If staff is not available, please give them a business card to contact us.
Q: What if the event that I want to volunteer at is not related to waste reduction, recycling, or composting, can I still count that towards my hours?
A: Only events related to waste reduction, recycling, or composting count toward volunteer hours. Please email the Program Coordinator to get a volunteer activity approved with an organization that is not on our list of current partnerships.
Q: What should I wear when volunteering?
A: Please wear your name tag and t-shirt so that community members can easily identify you as a CRA.
Q: Are there incentives for volunteering?
A: Yes! We appreciate your time spent volunteering. We will be entering folks for a chance to win a gift pack for each milestone of hours you've completed (5,10, and on). So, if you've completed 10 hours, you get two entries.
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Do you have a question for us about waste reduction, recycling, composting, and/or volunteering? Ask us here!
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