We were honored to partner with Accelerate Resilience L.A. (ARLA) for our 44th event, CicLAvia—Mid City meets Pico Union! Along with other amazing local organizations, we shared the vision of climate resilience in Los Angeles.
Andy Lipkis, Executive Director of ARLA, kicked off our press conference by saying, “This is the time to come together and plan for a more climate resilient L.A. Coming to CicLAvia is an act of resilience- for our health, recreation, and climate future.” With this theme in mind, here are Climate Resilience Tips from each partner to inspire you to take action in your day-to-day life!
Lynne Thompson, the 2021-2022 Los Angeles Poet Laureate, ended our press conference with her poem, Raffia, from her book, Beg No Pardon. She read, “Everything is family, everything is connected.” This tied in seamlessly with the theme of CicLAvia she described as being about, “ … people coming together for something really important for our city.”
Below are the list of our partners and the tips they provided for our social media campaign ahead of event day.
Dashboard.Earth - Solving the climate crisis takes actively making small changes for the better! Focus on local actions you can take in your own home, yard, and community. You’re not alone, there are many great resources (like our app) that can help.
Food Forward - Reduce your food waste by meal planning and learning how to preserve perishable produce. Food waste is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, as it releases methane gas in landfills when it breaks down.
CityPlants - Plant trees and other greenery in your community. You can participate in tree planting events. Plants benefit the environment, they absorb carbon dioxide, reduce the urban heat island effect, and provide habitat for wildlife.
Koreatown Youth + Community Center - Be aware of your energy usage. Turn off lights and unplug electronics when not in use. Energy use is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances when possible.
LA Compost - Set up a small compost bin to collect your food scraps, and yard waste, instead of throwing it away. Composting turns organic waste into nutrient-rich soil which can help plants better withstand extreme weather events.
LA Waterkeeper - Reduce your water usage and promote sustainable water management practices. Take shorter showers, use drought-tolerant plants in landscaping, and fix water leaks.
TreePeople - Replace high water-use lawns and plants with native, drought tolerant plants in your home. Native plants require less water and maintenance and help improve soil health, reduce erosion, and provide wildlife habitats.
Maroon Arts & Culture - Shift your perspective on climate change from a future problem to an urgent issue that we must address now. Take the initiative to learn about how marginalized communities in America are currently being impacted by climate change.
sin cesar - Read different books and literature to broaden your perspective on how to achieve sustainable climate resiliency. Create poetry, zines, DIY publications, and organize gatherings to share with others about the importance of climate resiliency!
CicLAvia participants also got the opportunity to complete an activity passport by visiting the partnered organizations along the route. Then participants received a free tote bag, after a quick visit to the CicLAvia info booth with their completed passport. Below is a description of what each partner demonstrated at their respective booths.
The Accelerate Resilience L.A. stage at our Arlington Heights Hub had a list of performers and artists throughout the day. While the dublab DJs and The Sycons (Solar DJs) brought the tunes, our friends over at Maroon Arts & Culture, sin cesar, and Street Poets performed spoken word and literary readings for passersby to enjoy.
Food Forward provided locally grown citrus slices for CicLAvia participants to try.
LA Compost taught participants everything we need to know about composting and gave out free samples of compost to take home.
The editors of sin cesar had a meet and greet as well as informed the public on the submission process for their upcoming climate themed-issue.
Koreatown Youth + Community Center had a station to create seed bombs with native plants and shared info on their free shade street tree program.
Our friends over at TreePeople provided demonstrations on how to care for trees and allow them to thrive in the community.
CityPlants collaborated with LA Waterkeeper, TreePeople, and Dashboard.Earth for an interactive activity with information on the benefits of trees as well as resources on how to care for them.
LA Waterkeeper brought some fun to the route with a shower bucket challenge, which informed those on water conservation in your home.
Love was in the air at the Dashboard.Earth booth as participants had the opportunity to marry a tree! They also promoted their app which had a nifty guide on climate action in Los Angeles.
Thank you to ARLA and all of our climate resilient partners for their hard work and dedication to making not only CicLAvia a better place, but all of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas.
We hope that you left the event more informed and ready to tackle climate change in your house and community. For more information on climate action, community programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit any of the partner organizations' websites linked throughout the blog.
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