When Less Is More - In the Garden

Hey gardeners and home owners out there, did you know that you could reduce the amount of toxins in our waters by following a few easy rules?

It’s true and if you have a lawn or garden and occasionally use pesticides or herbicides to green it up, we have a little recommendation that could go a long way in helping keep our waterways clean .

First, always read directions on any product you plan to use on your lawn or garden, and only apply the amount of pesticide specified on the label. Second, always spot apply these substances on areas that you believe need them the most, and be sure pesticides are properly applied to the area the pest is most prevalent.

The less you use, the less that will make its way into the storm drain system and to our ocean. So when it comes to using pesticides, always remember that less is more.

Check back soon for another green gardening tip where we will discuss how to maintain your garden without using pesticides at all!

*Image courtesy of IPM Thailand

Friends of the Ballona Wetlands Honor Cynthia M. Ruiz, Los Angeles Public Works President

On April 29, 2010 at an evening awards ceremony held on the 51st floor of City National Plaza, the Friends of the Ballona Wetlands recognized Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commissioner Cynthia M. Ruiz as a “Watershed Warrior” for her ongoing efforts to protect Ballona Wetlands. Commissioner Ruiz and Terry O’Day of Santa Monica City Council were presented with the first-ever “Passionate Pickleweed Award” for their work on urban and coastal water quality.

During her acceptance speech, Ruiz noted that she is a life-long environmentalist who believes nature holds intrinsic value. "The vitality of Los Angeles depends upon the oceans' health for the oxygen we breathe, the food that we eat, and a livable climate," said Ruiz. “It is an honor to be recognized, but the true change begins from the ground up, where youth, educators, residents, businesses and City officials are all working together for the vision of a cleaner, greener LA.”

Cynthia Ruiz has been the president of the Board of Public Works since 2005, and throughout her tenure has encouraged Los Angeles residents to adopt better pollution prevention practices. Ruiz is also a strong supporter of Kids Ocean Day held annually at Dockweiler Beach, and has led the way for Los Angeles to become an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Ruiz also pioneered the Los Angeles Environmental Youth Conference, now on its third year. The event has drawn an average of 5,000 students in previous years.

Friends of the Ballona Wetlands is a 32-year-old nonprofit organization that strives for the restoration and protection of Ballona Creek’s dwindling wetlands. It works to involve and educate the public as advocates and stewards of this precious resource.

*Photo courtesy of chritamaephoto.com.

Monthly Events: This MAY Be the Time to Volunteer for a Greener LA

Spring is officially in full swing and May is the month you should consider volunteering to green our great city and improve water quality conditions. For more info on the following events, including time and location, please visit the embedded links or check out our calendar.

>Every Thursday during the month of May TreePeople will be hosting a Park Work Day in Beverly Hills, so if the weekend is too busy, you may want to devote a lovely Thursday afternoon to help out the community. All outings are from 10am to 12pm.

>On Saturday May 8th you can join in the Great LA River Clean-up, where volunteers with Friends of the Los Angeles River pick up litter and help to revive out city’s main artery to the ocean. After your day in the sun L.A. Eco-Village will host a cool documentary on a kayak trip down the LA River.

>TreePeople is back at it on Sunday, May 9th in Calabasas. Volunteers will help the group plant oak trees and native bunch grasses to restore habitat along Las Virgenes and Malibu Creeks.

>If the beginning of the month is already booked, why not consider heading out to Topanga Canyon on Saturday the 15th to help TreePeople restore the watershed by planting native trees.

>Saturday May 22nd and Sunday May 23rd are also set to be a fun-filled days. Join Music 4 Relief, TreePeople's Ryan Allen, and the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks at a local park for some much-needed reforestation. It’s all part of Million Trees LA. So help plant a few trees and be a part of history.

>Lastly, on May 29th, head out to Sylmar to water newly planted trees with TreePeople. Last October over 50 trees were planted and they are in need of some care so that they survive the upcoming dry months.

*Photo courtesy of thedailygreen.com.

Rainwater Harvesting Participant Shows Off Her Crafty Rain Barrel

The LA Stormwater Program was on hand for this year’s Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase on April 25th in celebration of Earth Day (and groovy gardens!). The event was organized by Mar Vista Green Committee to give area residents a glance at the creative and inexpensive ways to conserve outdoor water use.

One thing we know for sure is that this is a model community at the forefront of Los Angeles’ most progressive water conservation measures. Over 80 residents allowed the public to see firsthand a variety of sustainable, drought-resistant landscapes.

Mar Vista was one of the communities in our area that was selected to participate in the LA Rainwater Harvesting Program. Below is a video of one of its participants, Patricia Karasick, who is happy to show off her really cool rain barrel. It is our hope that Patricia’s creativity inspires others to not only go green, but to do so in a creative way!

April Showers Bring . . . A New Frame of Mind - A Message from the Stormwater Program Manager

How often have we heard the adage that April showers bring May flowers? This year in Los Angeles, April showers are bringing a new frame of mind as well. More and more Angelenos are viewing rainwater as a resource to be captured and used, instead of a liability to be diverted into our storm drain system. All across the southland, we are beginning to see residents recognize not only the importance of conserving water during this time of drought, but also take creative steps to harvest rainwater for their irrigation needs.

Earlier this year, the City of Los Angeles took its own important step in moving towards a time when rainwater is harvested on properties throughout the city. On January 15, the Board of Public Works voted unanimously in favor of a Low Impact Development (LID) Ordinance that would require all new development projects to put in place best management practices to capture and infiltrate or use the first ¾” of rainwater from all storm events. The next step for the proposed LID Ordinance is review by the Mayor’s Office, City Council Committees, and full City Council. In the interim, the Bureau of Sanitation is moving forward with plans to begin developing a Low Impact Development Handbook that will outline the ordinance's requirements and guide applicants through the approval process, and we want you on the team.

The LA Stormwater Program will be coordinating the efforts of public officials, stakeholders, private industry and the general citizenry in the development of these guidelines. We encourage you to attend the May 20 launch meeting. Learn more about how you can get involved in being part of putting together the LID Handbook by visiting our LA Team Effort Blog.

In this issue of LA Stormwater, we focus on this rainwater-as-a-resource paradigm shift that we are starting to experience in LA. We will provide an update on our popular Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Program that ended in March, and give information on the next steps for citywide implementation. With spring officially here, we will provide homeowners with information on how to create more pervious areas around their homes during home improvement project season. We will also hear from Sherri Akers, a member of the Mar Vista Community Council, who will give her unique view on this changing rainwater harvesting mindset. She provides details about the upcoming Mar Vista Green Gardens Showcase on Sunday, April 25 that features a walking tour of more than 75 California-native friendly gardens, many of which include rain barrels installed as part of our Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Program.

In this era of diminishing water supplies and increasingly tough drought conditions, I am encouraged by this new and changing forecast. I can see southern California moving towards a time when people are working together, each in their own individual way, to harvest LA’s rain.

Best Regards,





Shahram Kharaghani, Stormwater Program Manager

Click here to view all of the articles in Issue 10 of the LA Stormwater newsletter.

The Road Less Traveled: Pervious Pavement & Other Green Surfaces for Your Home

Impervious surfaces, or areas that do not allow water to absorb into the ground, blanket a large portion of urban Los Angeles. Most of us only have to look as far as our driveways to find a concrete, asphalt or brick surface that is impervious. While surfaces of this sort are useful in controlling flooding, they are detrimental to groundwater supplies and hazardous to the health of our water bodies. That's because when rain hits an impervious surface, it runs right off, flows into our streets and picks up most everything in its path like oil residue or trash before it flows into storm drains and straight to our creeks, rivers and ocean.

The answer to this problem is simple – change impervious areas to pervious surfaces that allow water to soak into the ground. Although we don't have much control over the types of materials used in the construction of roads, we do have control over our own driveway's surface. The options available to homeowners looking to create a more eco-friendly driveway are as diverse as the communities here in southern California. If you're looking for a home improvement project this spring, consider the road less traveled - installing a green driveway that will improve both your property and our planet.

Note: The description of green surfaces below is only a listing of choices available to homeowners. LA Stormwater has not used or tested any of the products. We are providing this listing only as a compilation of our research and not as an explicit endorsement of these products. If you have experience using the products listed below, please let us know your thoughts and comments.


Pervious Concrete = ‘Green’ Concrete

Pervious concrete is one of the most effective means of converting your driveway into a surface that absorbs water but still allows your driveway to look, well, like a concrete driveway. There are many types of porous concrete that are perfect for the job. It all depends on the style you want. Any style, even bricks, can be created with pervious concrete in a way that helps reduce runoff from your driveway. On the surface, porous pavement may not look any different, but close inspection will reveal small holes or slits that help the water to absorb into the ground. You can get your feet wet by checking out this permeable concrete video demo. For information about pervious pavement in general, here's a little fresh dirt from a homeowner who regrets not using ‘green’ concrete.


A Country Lane in the CityThe easiest and perhaps most common method of creating a green driveway is to create two parallel narrow strips (made of bricks or concrete, for example) for tires and plant native grasses or other plants in between. Think modern country lane in the city! Depending on what you want, your budget and your willingness to do a little work, you can either hire a professional or do it yourself.

If it Ain’t Broke …

Perhaps a porous concrete surface or a modern-styled country road isn't in your plans. Permeable pavers with native grasses planted in between are another great option. Pavers vary in design as well as cost and many have lifetime warranties. For a cost comparison on permeable pavers, check out this great page. Don't want grass on your driveway? Not a problem. Gravel, wood chips or other materials placed in between the concrete squares will also allow water to infiltrate. You must have seen examples around town of eco-friendly driveways or parking lots with pavers and permeable material in between. Pavers actually date all the way back to Roman times, so really this isn't a new concept. Like the old adage says, "If it ain't broke..."

Amass the Grass!

Replacing your driveway has never been so green. Literally. Driveable grasses may be another option you can consider - guaranteed no mud and no watering. Pre-fabricated panels, manufactured in a variety of materials from plastic to concrete, are laid on your driveway. Once the interlocking pieces are in place, native grasses are sown in between. To read about a Do-It-Yourselfer couple in Canada who created a green driveway over a three-day weekend, visit frankejames.com.

Options Galore

There are even more ideas for innovative and inexpensive types of permeable surfaces out there for you. Saying goodbye to puddles (and storm water pollution) never looked so fashionable, and you’ll impress your neighbors with your forward-thinking approach to home improvement. Take a peek at Landscape Online's permeable surfaces page to broaden your horizons. You can also review the Chicago Green Alley Handbook for a helpful overview on the different options for making your home more water sustainable (pg 24-34). For a detailed, technical look at porous pavement, check out LA County's LID Manual (pg 53-57). Also check out the City's Green Streets Manual, which is full of useful information about permeable pavement (pg 8-12).

Still thirsty for more? HowStuffWorks offers an explanation of green pavement.

If you care about protecting our water quality and are looking to do some home retrofits in the near future, installing permeable surfaces around your home may be something to place on your springtime agenda. As with any home improvement project, it’s always a good idea to check with the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety first before moving forward with a major improvement project. We encourage you to call (866) 452-2489 or visit www.ladbs.org for more information.

We're curious to hear what type of experience you've had with any of these materials. Please reply to this post with your comments.

Click here to view all of the articles in Issue 10 of the LA Stormwater newsletter.

*Country Lane photo courtesy of TheChicEgologist.com.

Rainwater Harvesting Program Plans to Flow Citywide

Good news! The LA Stormwater Program has successfully completed the City’s first Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Program at the end of March! The even better news? As a result of the pilot, 600 Los Angeleno homeowners and eight commercial building owners received and installed free rain barrels and planter boxes to collect rainwater and reduce urban runoff that leads to the ocean (see pics here). Just imagine that collective effort of captured rainwater strategically re-used for on-site irrigation. Consider that each 55-gallon rain barrel captures an average of 1,000 gallons of water per year from a residential property. For every barrel, that’s equal to one month’s worth of showers for one person!

The pilot program was initiated by the Bureau of Sanitation to help its efforts in keeping Los Angeles rivers and oceans healthy and safe, while also conserving potable water. A grant from the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000 funded the pilot program that targeted the neighborhoods of Jefferson, Sawtelle and Mar Vista in the Ballona Creek Watershed. Area stakeholders embraced the program by submitting more than 3,000 applications despite the limited number of slots. An active momentum needed to generate interest in harvesting rainwater throughout the entire City remains in full force!

With all the positive feedback we received and the smashing success of the pilot, the City, in collaboration with conservation groups including the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, TreePeople, G3, Surfrider and Heal the Bay, as well as engineering experts Malcom Pirnie, is currently evaluating five key models for full scale citywide implementation. Funding options and program duration are also being explored together. The hope is to select the most effective, but not cost-prohibitive, program that every Angeleno can participate in.

Of the five key citywide implementation avenues under consideration (see here or on the LA Rainwater Harvesting website), the City’s recommended model entails providing rain barrel rebates rather than discounts to city residents who purchase their own rain barrel. To help those who are new to rainwater harvesting, there will be optional hands-on workshops aimed to provide Do-It-Yourself education and best management practices for rain barrel installation.

The goals of the citywide program will focus on providing a service and rebate for residents while also promoting both reuse and infiltration methods as equally beneficial components of rainwater harvesting. The program seeks to make a rain barrel or a downspout disconnnect as the homeowner's “first-step” on the road to water conservation and minimizing urban runoff.

Marilee Kuhlmann of G3 says, “Rain barrels are strong visual acknowledgements of the power of harvesting rainwater in the LA area. The more people know, the more they can do. I truly believe that 55-gallons are only the beginning!”

We couldn’t agree more with Marilee. Thank you and congratulations to all the pilot participants who now proudly harvest rainwater. LA Stormwater is glad to have you on our team! To all the others enthusiastically awaiting a citywide roll-out, hang tight as we work hard for ways to get everybody on board! Meanwhile, stay in touch by becoming a fan at LA Stormwater’s Facebook Fan Page for the latest program updates. What do you think about the plans for citywide roll-out? Please post your thoughts and opinions below.

Click here to view all of the articles in Issue 10 of the LA Stormwater newsletter.

Be a Part of Putting Together the City's LID Handbook!

The City of LA’s Low Impact Development (LID) ordinance is moving forward and the Bureau of Sanitation wants to make sure its landmark LID guidelines will best serve our community. In a unique and transparent effort, the LA Stormwater Program will be coordinating the efforts of public officials, stakeholders, private industry and the general citizenry in the development of a LID Handbook.

And we want you on the team.

This Handbook will be a crucial tool in effectively implementing LID once the ordinance has made its way through the adoption process. The City will have only 90 days after the ordinance’s passage to develop and adopt a LID Handbook, so over the course of the next six months, with your help, we are going to get a head start.

Beginning with a May 20th launch meeting, the City of Los Angeles will coordinate the volunteer efforts of LA residents, stakeholders and non-profits in the formulation of a LID Handbook. While the Handbook itself will be technically oriented, we have a few different roles so that you can get involved in this critical process regardless of your level of LID expertise:

Community Voices: If you are generally concerned and interested in water quality and would like to remain informed about LID related updates, including the development of the handbook, then this is the role for you. Community Voices are civic minded citizens who may not have enough time or technical expertise to be a part of the actual writing of the LID Handbook but would like to be kept in the loop. To become a Community Voice, all you have to do is sign up for our eNewsletter. If you are already signed up, make sure that the “Low Impact Development (LID) Updates” box is checked in your preferences.

Consulting Advisors: Like our Community Voices, Consulting Advisors are civic minded residents and stakeholders who may not have the expertise to be a part of the technical committee, but still want to remain actively involved. Consulting Advisors should expect to spend a bit more time on the LID Handbook project than Community Voices, generally contributing one hour of their time per month through the attendance of approximately 3-4 meetings over the life-cycle of the Handbook writing process. Advisors will also take an active role in some of the big picture issues of the LID Handbook while leaving the more nitty-gritty of the writing to the Technical Partners group. If you’re interested in becoming a Consulting Advisor, please follow this link.

Technical Partners: If you have experience in LID, water quality or Best Management Practices (BMP) development then we hope you’ll join us on this committee. Builders, non-profits, landscape architects and engineers are some of the folks who would feel right at home here. Technical Partners can expect to spend three hours per month in regular meetings and will be directly involved in the details of the LID Handbook. If you are interested in becoming a Technical Partner, please follow this link.

As a whole, this is a terrific and rare opportunity to get involved in the real work of the civic environmental community. Not only will you be getting the chance to witness the evolution of a major municipal work, you will be helping to ensure the safety of future generations by participating on the ground level of systemic change.

So whether you are ready to join the team or have a few questions which you would like to ask us in person, please plan on attending the LID Handbook launch meeting on May 20th from 1 – 3pm at the LA River Center (570 West Avenue 26). If you have questions now, please feel free to email us at LAstormwater@lacity.org. This is about writing a low impact development handbook that will help build the Los Angeles we all want to live in – make sure you’re a part of it.

Save Water by Going Native!

Water is a precious resource, especially in Southern California where the annual average of rainfall is much lower than in other parts of the country. At times this can mean water shortages and drastic cut backs as our population is large and our potential to use water is great due to our dry climate.

There are certainly many ways to conserve water usage, but one that is not often talked about is the use of native plants. Not only are plants that are native to our region beautiful, perhaps more importantly they are adaptable and accustomed to our dry climate.

Images of green lawns are typically what come to mind when we think about perfect residential landscapes. However, most of the green grasses that we use for our lawns are not native to Los Angeles, nor are they green. In fact, many of them use a lot of water.

That’s why native plants may be a great option if you are seeking to reduce your water usage, which in turn will help reduce runoff from your lawns. The less water you use in your yard, the less likely it is to run off into our storm drain system. Native plants, unlike regular lawns, use far less water, and are typically able to survive droughts and promote an aesthetic that is beautiful yet sustainable.

One other cool thing about native plants is that there are many types to choose from. Most also live a long time, so your initial investment will surely pay off. In fact, the Theodore Payne Foundation, which promotes the use of native plants throughout Southern California, organizes tours that may help entice you to go native! They hold several inspiring tours in different spots around Los Angeles where you can learn more about the wonders of native plants.

For a listing of the 7th Annual Native Garden Tours that will be held this Saturday and Sunday, please visit: http://www.theodorepayne.org/Tour/.

April Events- Earth Day Celebrations, Garden Tours and More!

April 22 marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, so there is no better time than now to volunteer for the environment (and your community)! For more info on the following events, including time and location, please visit the embedded links or check out our calendar.

>Join us on Saturday, April 3rd for two great events. First, we'll be kicking off a native garden workday and beach clean up in San Pedro. Then it is off to Silver Lake in the afternoon where we'll attack the plastic bag problem with Heal the Bay. Be there or be square, your choice.

>If weekends aren't good for you, check out a Watershed Workshop on Tuesday, April 6th in Pasadena, where you will be able to learn and talk watershed issues in the afternoon. Then it is off to Beverly Hills on Thursday, April 8th for a fun park clean-up, sponsored by TreePeople.

>Since Earth Day falls this month, the weekends in April are packed full of volunteering opportunities. On April 10th there is a Mountain Restoration project in Topanga and then on Sunday the 11th we will be out in Malibu for a restoration project, both with TreePeople. And if native gardening and plants are your thing, check out the Theodore Payne Foundation's awesome self-guided garden tours on the 10th and 11th.

>On Saturday the 17th, come on out to Calabasas in the morning for a restoration project. The afternoon on this day also has a great event in Santa Monica in celebration of Earth Day with Heal the Bay, so come on by!

>Sunday of that same weekend is also busy. April 18th has a grand total of four events that you can participate in. TreePeople will be at it again in Malibu and Calabasas. The group will also be holding a native plants event in Beverly Hills and Heal the Bay will be in Santa Monica for a fun Earth Day celebration.

>Surfrider swims into action on April 24th with a clean-up outing in Baldwin Hills. The group won't be talking about how to catch waves, they'll be teaching you about the groovy vibes of native plants instead. TreePeople will be in Coldwater Canyon as well all day, planting some tree vegetation.

>If you are busy on Saturday the 24th, Sunday the 25th might be a better option. There is a green gardening tour in Mar Vista on the calendar that has close to 80 gardens participating with sights such as native gardens, rainwater harvesting, vegetable gardens, onsite landscape designers and more!

>Lastly, on Thursday, April 29th, TreePeople will be hosting a park work day in Beverly Hills, the last of the month. Bring your sunscreen and work boots!

Stormwater 101

If you need a refresher course on the Los Angeles stormwater system, check out the Stormwater 101 article on "Your Daily Thread". Questions were answered by the L.A. Stormwater's own Joyce Amaro!

An Angeleno Shares her Rainwater Harvesting Program Experience

by Sherri Akers

The keyword is “We”… the collaboration between the Mar Vista community and LA Stormwater set the bar for what is possible when the community gives up the ‘why don’t they…’ attitude and works with the city towards a greener LA!

The LA Rainwater Harvesting Program was an incredible example of what can be achieved when city government and grassroots community volunteers band together.

Mar Vista was thrilled to be selected to receive free rain barrels. We have a community that shares a passionate focus on conservation. The challenge wasn’t how to inspire people to want rain barrels, but rather how to get the word out most effectively so that we captured as many as possible!

Our stormwater runs directly out to Santa Monica Bay – we are painfully aware of the damage being done as our families are surfing and swimming in that water. This was our chance to make a difference – by capturing that ‘first flush’ of rain that hits our roofs and washes the toxic residue from plane and automobile exhaust directly into the bay. The added bonus was that the water we capture will be used in our gardens.

LA Stormwater truly partnered with us and this turned into a community based project where neighbors heard from neighbors. The launch was accelerated in order to start the campaign at the Wise Water Use Expo, which created a buzz. They loaned us a rain barrel which we lugged to our MVCC Green Booth at the Mar Vista Farmers Market every Sunday for several months. It was a show stopper! It was impossible for people to pass by without asking why we had a barrel. Every Sunday we had a new list of 25 to 50 neighbors eager to sign up for the program.

You just can’t underestimate the power of word of mouth within a community. We zone out from information overload. The conventional approach of bill inserts and news articles often gets lost in the noise. We have found that the Farmers Market has become our ‘town square’ and allowed us to become a small town.

The results? Mar Vista overwhelmingly captured the largest number of rain barrels in the program. Neighbors who missed out on the program are buying rain barrels from local, affordable resources like Rainbud. Many of us are adding more rain barrels – one family is up to five!

We will celebrate Earth Day this year by opening 79 drought resistant and edible gardens for the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase on April 25^th – a free, self guided tour of gardens that are both water conserving and beautiful. And we are thrilled to say that a third of them have rain barrels!

Sherri Akers has a passion for learning how to conserve water and energy and sharing it with others. As Co-Chair of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) Green Committee, she has the good fortune of putting that passion into action. See what the MVCC is up to by visiting their blog: www.marvistagreengardenshowcase.com

Click here to view all of the articles in Issue 10 of the LA Stormwater newsletter.

Reduce Your Dog's carbon paw-print? Yep, and even win a free prize!

So maybe your dog doesn’t leap through hoops and catch Frisbees six feet in the air, but that doesn’t mean your little friend can’t win a contest.

That’s right, and it’s even easier than training your dog to do fancy tricks. Just log on and join our Facebook page, if you have not done so already. Once you are there post on our wall and tell us how your cute pooch reduced his/her carbon paw-print. We’ll need all entries by March 31.

Here’s an example from one of our great fans, “For the Ultimate Eco-Dog Challenge, here's how Bentley is reducing his carbon paw print: He plays green with sustainable goodies! We try to buy earth-friendly pet care toys and products by checking the label to find out about the toy's origins and materials. We go for unbleached, non-toxic toys.”

The winner will walk away with a set of free dog training classes (there is still hope for your circus dog yet) provided by HDOC!

For some hints on what we are looking for and why this even matters (my dog has a carbon paw-print? Answer: yep), please visit here.

Get Your Volunteer on for Clean Water!

Upcoming Events for March 2010:

For more info on these events, including time and location, please visit the embedded links or check out our calender.

>Come join the clean-up of Cienga Elementary School on Saturday, March 6. The event is sponsored by Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program. The event is part of the group’s annual clean-up from March 1 through May 31, involving an estimated 3 million volunteers and attendees.

>The Surfrider Foundation and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium are also putting their weight behind two events on Saturday, March 6. Surfrider volunteers will be tackling beach garbage in Venice and folks that volunteer for Cabrillo can weed and learn about native plants at their awesome native garden. There is also a cool TreePeople restoration event on Sunday, March 7 in Agora Hills.

>Later, during the second week of March, TreePeople will be hosting a Park Work Day in Beverly Hills on March 11 (if you can’t make it on the 11, chip in on the 18 or 25) and on Saturday the 13 they’ll be putting their muscle behind a mountain restoration gig in the glorious Topanga and Coldwater Canyons. And if you are up for double duty that weekend, join TreePeople for a project in Calabasas.

>Don’t think you can run a marathon? That’s okay, that doesn’t mean you can’t help out during the LA Marathon’s big day, which will happen on March 21. To be a volunteer attend a meeting on March 19 or 20 to bring your eco-skills to the mix.

>TreePeople will be at it again on March 20 in South L.A. to help an Eagle Scout add some green to the community. Heal the Bay will also be at it on the coast, doing a clean-up with volunteers at Dockweiler Beach.

>The Mayor (and the City) is calling on you to chip in on March 20 as well for a Day of Service. The LA Schools Day of Service is a day for Angelenos throughout the City to unite and share a day filled with service projects throughout local schools that will address school and community issues, as well as highlight the school's and community's assets. So learn a bit more about how you can get your hands dirty to make our city a little bit cleaner.

>March 21 (as noted) is marathon day in the sunny city we call Los Angeles. So if you attended one of those meetings, this will be your chance to put yourself to the test. Runners (and the environment) will thank you.

>Also on Sunday March 21, Heal the Bay will be embarking on work in Malibu Creek State Park as well as Santa Monica Mountains. So if marathons aren’t your thing, head to the hills!

>Brentwood residents will have a chance to plant trees with TreePeople on Saturday, March 27. The event will be part of an effort to plant 1 million trees in L.A. That means they need a lot of good folks on board to help out (hint, hint)!

Keep Your Furry Friend Pawsitively Green!

The digital age has provided animal lovers with many resources to discover everything from pet health and safety tips to the latest pet clothing trends. However, scouring through the abundance of information available can be overwhelming, especially for the busy dog owner. Fortunately, for those residents who want quick, trusted tips on how to protect their companion while also reducing their pets’ carbon paw print, the City of LA’s Stormwater Program is offering free dog-related electronic email updates.

Reaching more than 1,000 dog owners, LA Stormwater’s e-Updates offers the scoop on the latest news and events from its dog owner outreach program, pawsitive tips and opportunities to win free prizes and enter fun contests. This month’s issue offers insight into the “Take a Bag, Leave a Bag” pilot program, which is making it easier than ever for owners to pick up after their pooches at various parks in the city. Other highlights include a free dog training class giveaway (an $85 value), recognizing top eco-dogs and information on how owners can aid in reducing the overpopulation of pets by spaying and neutering their pet. Check out the latest issue by clicking here.

LA Stormwater’s pet owner outreach program was started to encourage owners to pick up after their pooches to help protect their pets’ health and preserve the environment. Unattended dog waste has been, and continues to be, a major pollutant for our environment. While indoor waste water is processed at sewage treatment plants before being discharged into our waterways, outdoor runoff washes waste on the ground directly to the ocean via the 1500-mile storm drain system. This means the toxic mix of dog waste and water often ends up untreated at our beaches and in the ocean, negatively impacting aquatic life. Moreover, unattended pet waste can cause diseases such as Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper and Giardia amongst people and pets.

Residents interested in learning more about how they, and their furry friends, can help LA achieve cleaner communities and a cleaner coast should become our pal at facebook.com/lastormwaterprogram or visit us at lastormwater.org/pet