March Meeting Notes

Minutes

March 24, 2011

The meeting was called to order by Chris Ward at 7:30 p.m.

In attendance –

Mary Parcell, Austin Parker, Bruce Monroe, Chris Ward, Taylor Parker, Kerry Martin, Tiffany Chen, Elliot Gonzalez,

Introduction

El Dorado Audubon - Mary Parcell - eldoradoaudobon.org / eldoradoaudobon@yahoo.com –

· Discussion of Gary DeLong’s Lunch talk about 2^nd&PCH re-circulated EIR.

· El Dorado Audubon has a conservation committee. They are asking people to write their council members and express what they like about El Dorado Nature Center, El Dorado Park East and West. Whatever it may be that you enjoy about the park, please contact your council member.

“The Movement with no name” a continuation of Earth Day - Bruce Monroe - Go to Google Earth for details

· Having governments reduce their defense budget and allocate more of those funds to environmental concerns. Google has agreed to show what is being done for the earth through Google Earth ~ through international symbolic language. They will then allow individuals to pledge to multi-generational responsibility of a specific place on Earth.

· What Google needs is you to contribute your design for symbols for global environmental causes

· Matriotism: Elliot Gonzalez’s term for a new shift from male-centric to female

· Global Climate Change map: geo.arizona.edu

Community Organizer/Office of Sustainability - Tiffany Chen– greenlb.org / catalyst.org / tiffany.chen@longbeach.com

·

April 2^nd – 3pm- 6pm : Catalyst Assembly at Art Expo in Bixby Knolls ~ catalyst.org

· April 9^th – Many Events:

o LBWD Earth Day Celebration at the Aquarium of the Pacific 9-4 ~ Green Long Beach and EcoLink are partnering to table together

o LB Solar Grand Prix ’11 – El Dorado Park

o Earth Day Art Show @ Catalyst Space - 430 E 1^st St. 6-9pm at Catalyst Space

· April 19^th & 20^th -10-2pm ~ Tabling at CSULB – Earth Week Fair

· April 13th – 4.30pm-6.30pm ~CSULB Sustainability Mixer – Topic: Sustainable Leaders – Speakers: Larry Rich of Office of Sustainability, Tiffany Chen of Green Long Beach, free to the public, free food,

· April 21^st – 2-5pm - Urban Farming in North Long Beach

· April 21^st – Screening of “No Impact Man” at CSULB

· April 22^nd 11-2pm- City Hall “all kinds of crazy” of Office of Sustainability Earth Day Programming

· Adopt a Berm Program

· Sustainability Conference in July at CSULB

Green Long Beach -- Elliot Gonzalez– greenlb.org

· Mission Statement for Green Long Beach: Green Jobs, Green Spaces, Education and Awareness, Green Festival

· June 11^th – 10am-8pm: 3^rd Annual Green Festival -Downtown Long Beach Promenade – tons of eco-fun. They are taking donations and have various sponsorship levels for paying for

·

City of Long Beach Sustainability Commission -- Elliot Gonzalez– sustainablelb.com / longbeach.gov /

· Driving the Sustainability Master Plan

· Greywater Pilot Program and Green Progress Report Presentation today ~ all commission meetings are available on the website

· Next meeting is the fourth Thursday of the month at 4pm in City Hall

El Dorado Nature Center - Kerry Martin— longbeach.gov/naturecenter/

· Discussion of activities at Nature Center

Shipley Nature - Kerry Martin— shipleynature.org

· April 30^th – 9-2pm – Spring Festival

Bolsa Chica Land Trust - Kerry Martin— bolsachicalandtrust.org

· Discussion of Mesa Restoration ~ portable nursery station

350.org - Chris Ward– 350.org

· Discussion of the McKibben’s Money Pollution: new campaign to attack the US Chamber of Commerce. Check 350.org for information.

IAM Union– Chris Ward- iam947.org

· March 26^th- 9am meet at Wardlow, 10am March to Pershing Square in support of public unions

Community Organizer- Taylor Parker—ecolinklongbeach.blogspot.com

· EcoLink:

o Discussion of Field trip to Palos Verde Peninsula Land Conservancy on March 20.

o Discussion of LCW Restoration Design Talks to create an informal space for community engagement regarding the upcoming LCW design.

· Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program: Discussion of community-based restoration: www.lcwetlands.org

· Friends of Colorado Lagoon: Discussion of activities: www.coloradolagoon.org

Next Field Trip: April 17^th –10am - Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve (meet at the Borders parking lot on Bellflower and Stearns at 10am)

Next Meeting: April 28^th – 7pm -Unitarian Church on Bellflower and Atherton

Palos Verde Peninsula Hike! In the Storm!!

So apparently when you schedule field trips, that gives the mighty San Pedro Bay gods all the motivation they need to unleash a mighty storm. No matter; we were undettered. After the last three field trips succumbed to inclement weather, this trip was determined to occur. Due to our courageous leadership of Cris Sarabia, Stewardship Manager of the Palos Verde Peninsula Land Conservancy, we were led on an amazing tour one of their many restorations. This particular restoration involved the usage of goats as non-native weed killers. While the goats were hunkered down under the nearby shrubbery (as we might have been intelligent enough to do so were it not for stubborn perseverance) our 11 person crew was still able to see the many fine points of their work. Check out the photos below because it really was an exhilarating time! Also, be sure to check out the next EcoLink meeting this Thursday at 7pm at the Unitarian Church on Bellflower and Atherton.