It’s Cleanup Time!

For the third year in a row, Guidance will be teaming up with Heal The Bay on its Annual Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD), Saturday, September 19th.

Guidance will be joining over 12,000 volunteers from all over Los Angeles who will take action to rid our beaches and inland waterways of unsightly and harmful debris. Coastal Cleanup Day is an international event with over 60 countries around the world participating, making it one of the largest volunteer efforts on the planet.

So join us at Dockweiler Beach (11999 Vista del Mar, El Segundo, CA 90293) on Saturday, September 19th at 9:00am. You’ll see us with the light blue Guidance Green shirts. We hope to see you there!

If you can’t make it to Dockweiler Beach, but would like to participate of Heal The Bay’s CCD, sign up today at http://healthebay.org/volunteer/ccd/2009/participate.asp and choose from the list of participating beaches, rivers, parks, lakes, even creeks!

Happy Earth Day!

Last Saturday, while members of the Guidance Green committee helped rescue the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly habitat, the City of Manhattan Beach, Calif. was celebrating Earth Day with their annual Earth Day Fair at Polliwog Park. I stopped by the fair in the afternoon and boy, was I happy to see so many people attending the event this year!

I was also glad to talk to a couple of people who remembered last year's Guidance Green booth at this event -- they even recalled the booth's exact location (WOW!). It's good to know we had a lasting effect!

Some familiar faces were at the event this year, including the Go Earth team, the folks from Tree Musketeers and reps from Heal The Bay, among others.

The entertainment? A Morrissey/The Smiths tribute band -- and they were phenomenal! Couldn't tell the difference.

It's great to see our community being so active about such an important message. Now's your turn -- what are you doing to celebrate Earth Day this year? Whatever you do, make it a great Earth Day!

Alejandra Espinosa
Guidance Green

Guidance Green Pictures

Coastal Cleanup Day with Heal The Bay
September 20th, 2008

Tree Care Event with Tree Musketeers
July 19th, 2008

Guidance Green Picnic
July 11th, 2008

California Coastal Cleanup Day

September 20th, 2008
9am to noon
Over 70 coastal sites throughout
Los Angeles County, Calif.

For the 18th consecutive year, Heal The Bay, a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds healthy and clean, has organized the Coastal Cleanup Day. This year's event will take place at over 70 different locations throughout Los Angeles County on Saturday, September 20th from 9am to noon.

As expected, Guidance Green will be there to help collect what Heal The Bay predict as the 1-millionth pound of trash they have collected in 18 years. The Guidance Green team will report at Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey, CA.

If you'd like to join us, here's how:

• Download and print a copy of the Coastal Cleanup Day flyer to display on your car dashboard to benefit from the free parking from 9 to noon.
• Download and print the event's waiver and sign it. Bring it to the event with you.
• When you arrive at Dockweiler State Beach (or any of the 70 CCD-participating sites), turn in your waiver at the registration table or station #1.
• Proceed to station #2 to receive a safety and education talk with instructions for the day and to know where to clean, what to clean, and why.
• Once you are instructed you'll be ready to receive your cleanup supplies (trash bag, recycle bag, data card, pencil, and glove) from station #3.
• Please return everything at the wrap up of the event at 11:30am. Each site will have special instructions to follow day of, so pay attention to your cleanup captains.

Please note:

• All minors under the age of thirteen must be accompanied by an adult.
• All toddlers and babies must be with their parent at all times.
• All scouts, cubs, and youth groups should follow a reasonable adult-to-kid ratio for the safety of all participants at this event.

If you're wondering what to bring to the event, here's a list:

• a water bottle
• a hat
• sunscreen
• close-toe shoes
• appropriate clothing for a day of cleaning (if you plan on attending a beach site like Dockweiler State Beach, wear layers; if you're going inland to clean, wear clothes that will allow you to work in creek beds and rivers)

Cleanup supplies are provided by the California Coastal Commission at all sites.

For more information, contact Heal The Bay at (800) HEAL-BAY or visit their webiste at http://www.healthebay.org/.

See you on Saturday 9/20!