Celebrate Earth Day 'Safer At Home'

Our Earth Day 50th Anniversary Celebration may have been canceled but we still have plenty of ways you can continue to celebrate our planet. Unfortunately, the City has had to postponed or cancel events and large gatherings due to the current public health crisis. Although, the City's priority continues to be the safety and health of the community, we believe that there are fun and creative ways you can participate in Earth Day while following the 'Safer at Home' order.  With the help of our Long Beach Water Department, Office of Sustainbility, Development Services and Public Works we've complied a list of tips, virtual workshops and even digital games for your kids!

1. Continue to help save water! Our Long Beach Water team has some great tips on how to be #WaterWise like: 
   
   
   • Make sure to wash your hands for 20 seconds but turn the water off while you do so!
   • When it rains, put out rain buckets to collect water for your indoor plants.
   • With being home so much of the day, the dishes tend to pile up. Let dishes soak in soapy water so you use less water when washing at the end of the day
   • Avoid a sticky situation in your pipes! Before you rinse your dishes, scrape fats, oils and grease in the trash. If poured down the drain the residue collects food particles, which can cause expensive and inconvenient backups. 
   • Only flush the 3 Ps – pee, poo and toilet paper! No other material can be properly flushed, including wipes labeled “flushable.”
   • Check your home for leaks. Toilet leaks are sneaky and can waste over 10,000 gallons of water per year! You can check for a toilet leak by putting a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank, waiting 15 minutes without flushing, and seeing if any color leaks into the bowl. If color runs into the bowl, there is a leak. Make sure to fix the leak right away.
   • Save water and reduce your gas bill! Take five minute showers and use a little less hot water. Do both and you'll reduce your gas and water bill.
     
     
2. Long Beach has 50 Certified Green Businesses you can support! These are businesses that have made significant reductions in the areas of energy, waste, water, and pollution. Residents can find Green Businesses to support at www.longbeach.gov/greenbusiness.Now is a great time to order takeout or buy gift cards to support our local businesses.
   
   
3. Get your FREE trees from the Office of Sustainability! Order a tree for your parkway, or if you are in a priority neighborhood you can also order a fruit tree for your front yard. Find information and applications at www.longbeach.gov/trees.
   
   
4. Sustainability workshops have gone digital! Tune-in to Native Plant and Edible Garden workshops on our Facebook and IGTV @LBSustainability. The next workshop will show you how to grow vegetables from your grocery produce on Thursday, April 30th at 2 p.m. 
   
   
5. You can create safer, greener alternatives to household cleaners. Our @LBRecycles team from our Environmental Services Bureau, Public Works has a list of recipes on their website, you can find here! 
   
   
6. You can reduce food waste at home by, shopping smart to avoid food spoiling before use by making a meal plan, get creative with leftovers to make a whole new dish, freeze over-ripened fruit for smoothies, and compost your scraps. For more info on starting a compost pile at home, check out our Composting 101 page.
   
   
7. Think about ways to reduce waste you produce at home such as using reusable items that can be washed instead of disposable alternatives for things like dishes and utensils. What other ways can you reduce waste at home? For more tips on waste reduction, check out our waste reduction page here. 
   
   
8. Save natural gas while staying home and cooking. Simple changes in the kitchen can help lower your gas utility bill, such as using a smaller pan if possible and putting a lid on it so the food cooks faster. Use the microwave to heat food whenever possible.
   
   
9. City of Long Beach Water, Energy Resources and Environmental Services Bureau has made environmental education curriculum available online for K-8 students. Check out the digital games and activities to help you learn how to save water and energy and reduce waste. Grades K-5 Grades 6-8