• monthly community meetings supporting members to embrace eco-solutions (since Jan.'06)

• coordinated monthly (or twice-monthly) free organic vegetable gardening classes, to increase community reskilling in growing food
  (since June 08)

• actively cultivating implementation of the Transition movement in Los Angeles (since autumn 2008)

• ECM members appear often as speakers for other groups around the Southern California area.

• added a Medicinal/Culinary Herb Garden and a Citrus Garden to the Community Garden
  (spring 09). added tabletop raised beds so that elderly and limited-mobility gardeners could join in the fun (summer 09).

• created Harvest Westchester, a local fruit harvesting program which enables food sharing
  (spring 09)

• won the Energy Oscar in the Education category, awarded by California Interfaith Power and Light (Dec 2008)
  

• Held a public series exploring "Life After Oil" focusing on What We Can Do about peak oil and global warming. This included a day-long seminar which drew participants from as far away as Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, and Laguna Beach (Sep 2008)

• Hosted Southern California's first-ever official Transition Training (Dec 2008)

• In December 2008, we released a book about the Environmental Change-Makers group which tells how we got all this stuff done!

• group ordering of bareroot fruit trees brought 21 new trees to our local foodshed (fall 2008)

• ECM formally voiced concerns regarding the issues of peak oil, global warming, and biocapacity in the comments period of several major Environmental Impact Reports in the area (LAX expansion, LMU Master Plan) (2008)

• hosted celebrity speakers Ed Begley, Jr. (Mar 07); Dave Wann, author of Affluenza (Feb 08); Owen Dell, author of Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies (Apr 09).

• ECM joined with HNP in creating an edible landscaping Community Garden on HNP grounds (June 2008).  In its first growing season (summer 2008), the Garden raised over 300 pounds of vegetables for local homeless and impoverished families via the LAX Food Pantry, meanwhile raising local awareness of edible landscaping.

• designed and coordinated the installation of a Rainwater Harvesting demonstration garden on HNP grounds (Oct 2008).

• ECM was the initiating group for Transition ideas in many parts of Los Angeles.  helped found Transition Los Angeles, nurturing similar groups in many other neighborhoods.

• PR, MF, FS, and HNP have now set up their composters.  PR, FS, MF have begun growing vegetables in their home gardens.  JW now uses canvas bags.  JM, JP switched from conventional cars to Priuses.  PR, FS, JP, MF, JW shop the local farmer's market.  PR now mulches her garden with what used to be hauled away as green waste.  KD is taking action about styrofoam in local restaurants, and JA is fighting pollution at the Port of Los Angeles.

• FS, MW persuaded HNP to become a Stryo-free zone.  HNP now uses 30-100% recycled paper in their copier.  HNP's facilities now include full recycling and composting, thanks to signage and setup by Girl Scout Troop 918. 

• JW created an environmental outreach to SJP, a large local parish, and now writes an environmental column in their newsletter (circulation 800 local families).  PR has been working with local faith communities to encourage environmental action. 

• When Girl Scout Troop 245 created a composting workshop, ECM helped with publicity, bringing more composters, worm bins and know-how to our local neighborhood. (2007)

• ECM activities have caused environmental-action articles to appear in the local newspaper on an ongoing basis.  We've received press coverage in numerous community and regional papers.

• Created two Earth Care Fairs for the local public (Oct.06 and Oct.07)

• JP represented ECM at Culver City's Green Summit, and participated in design charettes for their Sustainable Community Plan.  At the California Resource Recovery Association's annual conference, JP showcased ECM's community-based successes for organizers from across the state.

• Participated in Loyola Marymount University's Bellarmine Forum on Environmental Responsibility (Nov.06) and Santa Monica College's EcoFabulous event (Apr 07).

• participated in Focus the Nation, a national "teach-in" day about global warming solutions at Loyola Marymount University (Jan 2008)

You must be the change
you wish to see in the world.  

-Gandhi

About the activities of
the Environmental Change-Makers

"Five Transition Groups"
Our participation in the Transition movement

HopeDance Magazine, January 2009

"Environmental Change-Makers March in Westchester"
The Step-It-Up March
IndyMedia, April 2007

• Recognized by the City of Los Angeles and Councilman Bill Rosendahl for our "great work for the environment of the Westchester community, the City of Los Angeles, and the entire planet." (Mar. 07)

• Recognized by Urban Farming for "outstanding commitment to enhance your community" (June 08)

• ECM is considered to be among the "climate change planners, thinkers, movers and shakers in the LA area" by the Union of Concerned Scientists (Sep 07).  In Summer 06 we participated in the UCS effort to pass the California Global Warming Solutions Act.  ECM was an active body of voices in persuading a local Representative to vote for AB32.  (Jul-Aug'06).  ECM is now working with UCS on AB493 .  See our Campaigns page for more details.

• ECM supported the L.A. County Board of Supervisors' motion to consider the banning of Styrofoam in Los Angeles County. (June 2007) 

• Joined the Union of Concerned Scientists and the American Lung Association in approaching local Assembly persons about legislation which could help mitigate global warming.  (Mar.07)

• Participated in the Step It Up campaign (1300+ actions across the nation) to tell Congress "Step It Up - Cut Carbon 80% by 2050."  ECM coordinated a march down Sepulveda Blvd within sight of the LAX airport flightpath. (April 07)

• Created a forum about possibilities for transportation in Los Angeles, post-automobiles.  This included a screening of the movie "Contested Streets", followed by a community discussion.  Representatives of LA Councilman Bill Rosendahl's office and California State Assemblyman Curren Price's office participated. (Sep 2007)

• In Nov 2007, the Environmental Change-Makers made their television debut on USC's IMPACT cable tv.  The program is about local foods, and follows JP through farmer's market.  Portions of our November ECM meeting were filmed.

• JP assisted AOL's social news website, Propeller.com, with creation of an online video series on Sustainability. (Early 2008, no longer posted online)  

• JP & PR were featured on KPFK radio (July 2007)