Residents celebrate Earth Day

By Ben Gibbons

Staff Writer

Manhattan Beach residents celebrated Earth Day at Polliwog park on April 22 to promote eco-friendly products and to provide residents with information to protect the environment.

The event was put together by the City of Manhattan Beach, local vendors and Volunteers and Organizations Improving the Community’s Environment. The event began with a March for Mother Earth where residents marched around Polliwog Park to celebrate Earth Day and taking care of the planet.

“I think students need to take more responsibility for their actions,” Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher Trevor Oystrick said. “When you walk out into the lunch area it’s absolutely disgusting how much trash is left behind.

From 11:00am to 11:30am Dino Man sang for the children attending the celebration. At 11:30am, Stacy Robbin and Imaginary Friends sang, and at 12:30pm highschooler Lizz King sang. At 1:30pm, the Free to Be Me drum circle performed where residents could participate and play drums together. Finally, The Lucky Ones sang at 2:30pm wrapping up the event.

“We’d love to get new and fresh ideas going forward,” director Lisa Ryder said. “There’s always a new generation to educate, inspire, and engage, and we’re hoping we’ll light the fire of people young and old.”

Click here for more information about Lisa Ryder and other local environmental programs.

Local food vendors such as Right Choice Catering, The Yalla Truck and Larry’s Tacos served food for residents attending the celebration. All the vendors made homemade vegetarian only food for attendees.

Photos: Residents celebrate Earth Day as a community in Polliwog Park.

“I really enjoyed the event because it was a great way to turn unwanted work into a fun celebration involving the whole community,” Junior Xavier Court said. “Earth Day helps inspire many to change their lifestyle and the community’s.”

The celebration also included a Reuse Drive and Earth Day Exchange. Residents could bring lightly used clothing and glasses, batteries and printer toner cartridges to the event where they could be exchanged. Remaining items were donated to charity.

“With Earth Day and Environmental Science our biggest challenge is that so many people are unaware of what’s happening.” Oystrick said. “We’re making the ocean more acidic everyday. Everyone is worried about Global Warming but all that carbon dioxide is being absorbed by the ocean.”

Video: Manhattan Beach residents celebrate Earth Day at Polliwog Park on April 22nd. Vendors sold eco-friendly products and promoted environmental safety to residents.

At 1:00pm the city gave out Environmental Hero Awards and Green Business Awards honoring people that went above and beyond to help the environment of Manhattan Beach. The event also included informative booths such as an Eco Education Stage where residents could learn about the environment and ways to improve it.

“I hope we can have more events like this throughout the year,” Court said. “We should treat our environment well every day not just on a holiday.”

Click here for more information regarding the celebration and its schedule.

Vendors such as an Eco Quiz booth offered a bike to the winner of the quiz about the environment. Other vendors sold eco-friendly products such as honey, clothing made out of recycled material, and green beauty products. Performing artist Chin-Chih Yeng dressed up as the Trash Man where children could stick their trash to him and see the effects of garbage waste in our ecosystems.

“We hope the city will continue with this effort,” Ryder said. “It’s all about learning and this is a great opportunity for people to learn. We’ve got the Wildlife Rescue there, we’ve got the Round House Aquarium, we’ve got Surfrider there’s a whole bunch of things people can get involved in all year round.