By Adam Enomoto
Managing Editor
Manhattan Beach has a longstanding history of being a pioneer in green and sustainable living. The city council and various commissions have voted on policies that have set a precedent for protecting the environment in order to help preserve a healthy neighborhood. Dating back to 2008, Manhattan Beach has had a strong presence in environmental development that have inspired neighboring communities to follow.
Manhattan Beach has passed two recent ordinances, the Plastic Bag ordinance and the Reusable Bag Program, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Janet Jones said. The reusable bag program makes Manhattan Beach have the largest polystyrene food service ban in all of the South Bay. Manhattan Beach also repealed an ordinance causing restaurants to be disallowed from single-use plastic bags.
Banning point-of-sale plastic bags at all retail establishments in Manhattan Beach is a good step in promoting environmental awareness throughout the city, Jones said. It’s excellent that Manhattan Beach is taking the lead in the effort to protect the environment.
Putting policies relating to sustainable building, water conservation and climate is a great way to reduce waste at our local level Environmental Programs Manager Sona Coffee said. Coffee’s position is much needed in tackling environmental issues.
Read about the Plastic bag ordinance here.
It is far less expensive to prevent environmental damage than to try to fix the damage and restore an environment to its original condition, Coffee said. From a social perspective, it is important to treasure and protect the environment, instead of being in a bad position of trying to clean up a blight on the environment.
For many communities, hiring someone to spearhead and implement environmental initiatives comes as a result of some misstep that occurred in the city, Jones said. Usually, the misstep refers to a recent destruction to the environment, such as oils spills that cause a public outcry for reform which results in reactionary measures to help the environment. In order to make permanent progress, it’s necessary that Manhattan Beach decided to initiate a proactive plan to help prevent environmental disasters and problems.
Read more about the background of the eco-friendly trashcan.
Manhattan Beach is a very vocal community that has voiced concern for the environment and potential environmental hazards, such as the proposal to place a cell tower at Grand View, which was only rejected because parents stepped up to fight against it, Coffee said. This was a great example of local action to promote environmental safety and health in our community.
There are many new and important technologies Manhattan Beach has been looking into for reducing our communities’ footprint, Jones said. For example, many free parking spots are opening up around Manhattan Beach to be used for electric vehicle charging stations. This incentivises and promotes usage of sustainable and environmentally friendly energy.
One of the most well-known ordinances passed in Manhattan Beach is the Breathe Free MB law prohibiting smoking in public areas. Already this has proven to be beneficial for the environment by reducing litter and toxic fumes, as well as addressing the health concerns of second-hand smoke, Coffee said. Following Manhattan Beach’s example, other cities like Hermosa Beach and Palos Verdes have passed similar smoking bans according to the Los Angeles. It’s great that the Manhattan Beach has set a strong precedent for others to follow.
Having an environmental manager is a crucial step in protecting and preserving Manhattan Beach. There is still much more to be done, but the progress that has been made paint a positive picture for Manhattan Beach’s future.
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