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It’s always encouraging to hear of people finding creative ways to help the environment. The following is a press release about Sierra Madreans who have been recognized for their recycling and environmental stewardship:

SIERRA MADRE COMMUNITY RECIPIENTS OF L.A.R.A. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD

The Los Angeles Regional Agency (LARA) hosted its annual awards luncheon Tuesday, May 6, 2008 recognizing recycling and environmental stewardship efforts of San Gabriel Valley manufacturers, educators, as well as commercial and non profit organizations. The luncheon took place at the Kellogg West Conference Center & Lodge located adjacent to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Six Sierra Madre entities were recognized for their efforts last Tuesday;

Cafe 322 – Small businesses like Café 322 in Sierra Madre set the example for other small businesses to follow. Café 322 recycles daily by utilizing a separate dumpster for a minimal fee of $50.00 a month, which is pickuped twice a week. The dumpster is filled with plastic, foil, bottles, cans, paper and cardboard, and the recycler processes the recyclables at a Materials Recovery Facility. Café 322 also contracts for a 50-gallon barrel so that they can recycle kitchen grease. The recycler collects the barrel every two months or so for a fee of only $35.00 per pick up.

Café 322 supports a citizen-based advocacy group called Environment California with a monthly donation of $75.00 to promote environmental protection. They buy recycled paper, paper towels, and bathroom tissue, and they try to conserve water by offering water to guests, which they can either accept or deny.

E. Waldo Ward & Son, Inc. – In 1891, Edwin Waldo Ward Sr. came to Sierra Madre, California to start his own marmalade company. As soon as he created the right recipe he started the E. Waldo Ward & Son. The year was 1918. Today, they still manufacture gourmet jams, jellies, marmalades and other food productions in the tradition of their ancestors. They are Sierra Madre’s oldest business in operation.

For several years E. Waldo Ward & Son, Inc. has maintained a policy of environmental stewardship. They have several large recycling containers which are designed to capture comingled recyclables derived from their site. Currently they are recycling at a 75% rate which is not only good for the environment, but on their pocketbook as well. A majority of these recycled materials are glass, plastics, and paper which have a substantial effect on diversion efforts.

Sierra Madre Community Nursery School - The Sierra Madre Community Nursery School features Christine Lenches-Hinkel and Lisa Lewis, who are volunteer parents at the co-operative Sierra Madre Community Nursery School. Their continuing effort to create a community of environmental stewards in pre-school children deserves recognition from the Los Angeles Regional Agency. Lisa Lewis took the lead in educating parents of the school as well as other community members on the advantages of composting and on ways families can be a bit more eco-friendly in their own homes. She coordinated a Los Angeles County composting workshop at the Sierra Madre Community Nursery School as well as a “Families Helping Families Go Green” workshop moderated by Christine with Waste Less Living. Christine Lenches-Hinkel is the owner and founder of Waste Less Living that specializes in zero-waste party and composting services. Waste Less Living not only offers compostable tableware like plates, cups and utensils made from sugar and corn but also arranges for the pick-up and removal of the discarded waste items and food scraps generated from various types of events. She is committed to educating parents, teachers and the public at large about the benefits of composting, the need for choosing renewable resources over petroleum based products and the environmental impacts associated with landfills. First and foremost, Waste Less Living’s mission is to improve the health and quality of our environment through sustainable lifestyle habits beginning with the practice of reducing waste!

Sierra Madre Elementary School - The Sierra Madre Elementary School features Susan Hoskins, who is a volunteer parent whose child attends Sierra Madre Elementary School. Her selfless work as lead of the “Sierra Madre School’s Green Team” has contributed to source reduction, recycling, and an enormous amount of education to our school age children in the topic of environmental stewardship. The “Green Team” has just scheduled the first “Waste Less” school dance, and has accomplished a Bottles & Cans recycling program, “Cancel Catalogs for Earth Day” drive, a zero-waste auction fundraiser, and hosted a free E-Waste collection event in early May.

Sierra Madre Mailbox & Postal - Sierra Madre Mailbox & Postal participates in the Green Earth recycling program designed to help reduce pollution and they also developed protocols to reduce excess bubble wrap and “peanuts” that are used in packaging. Through the vigilant efforts of owner Armen Khourdajian, residents and businesses are encouraged to bring their packaging materials to Mailbox and Postal for reuse.

SMEAC - The Sierra Madre Environmental Action Council was formed in 1971. The Council consists of a general membership plus an annually selected Board of Directors. The group has been very active in the community, educating the public on all topics concerning environmental stewardship with a newsletter and articles in local papers. The small but dedicated group of volunteers organizes clean-up days for the community’s treasured Bailey Canyon Park, ensuring that green waste is not disposed of in a landfill. Each year SMEAC organizes and conducts, on one of the trails above Bailey Canyon Park, a nature awareness program for all third grade students in Sierra Madre.

LARA, a consortium of member cities in Los Angeles County, was formed by environmentally conscious recycling advocates from its member cities. In 2004, the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) approved the formation of LARA as a regional agency whose mission is to assist members in meeting and exceeding the 50% waste diversion mandates of State Assembly Bill 939.

For additional information regarding the Los Angeles Regional Agency, the annual Environmental Stewardship awards or this year’s recipients contact James Carlson at 626-355-7135.