NEARLY 5,000 LOS ANGELES KIDS CLEANUP DOCKWEILER STATE BEACH, FORM HUMAN MOSAIC CALLING TO “SUSTAIN LIFE”

PLAYA DEL REY, CA — Confirming their commitment to protecting marine life, 5,000 area students and their teachers participated at the Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup and formed an aerial artwork in celebration of Kids Ocean Day. The event was hosted by the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education, the California Coastal Commission, the City of Los Angeles, Keep Los Angeles Beautiful, and Whole Foods Market.

The day’s activities began with a program kick-off involving dignitaries, including: Michael Klubock of the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education; Sara Wan of the California Coastal Commission; Cynthia M. Ruiz of the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works and Keep Los Angeles Beautiful; City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation Director Enrique Zaldivar; Whole Foods Market marketing supervisor Lena Pereira; and actress and environmentalist Wendie Malick (Just Shoot Me!, Fraiser, Baywatch).

Students picked up trash at the beach, and capped the day by forming a human mosaic that depicted the ocean and spelled “Sustain Life.” The message made the connection between the health of oceans and human life, and also reflected the United Nations’ Millenium Development Goal to ensure environmental sustainability.

Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education’s executive director Michael Klubock said, “The 5,000 kids here today were connected to the beaches and oceans by their participation at Kids Ocean Day. Through our program’s efforts, they learned how their actions make a very powerful impact on the world.” He added, “Through our aerial artwork, the kids were also provided a moment to share this connection with the world. They definitely made a statement about their commitment to the environment.”

"The children who participated today are sending us a message," said Bonnie Neely, Chair of the California Coastal Commission. "Ocean life is under threat from so many sources. The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a tangible reminder of the ocean's vulnerability. It is up to all of us to help sustain life in the ocean - life on earth depends on it."

Kids Ocean Day benefited from a recent Community Giving Day by Whole Foods Market, where five percent of sales went to selected non-profit organizations. Funds raised were used to pay for school buses that brought participants to Dockweiler State Beach. Lena Pereira, Whole Foods Market marketing supervisor said, “Everyone at Whole Foods Market would like to thank our customers for helping us make our Community Giving Day on May 5th such a success. Without them, we would not have been able to raise more than $24,000 for Kids Ocean Day, a cause we all believe in and support."

Kids Ocean Day is celebrated at six other locations along the California coast, extending from Humboldt County to San Diego. The event honors World Ocean Day that will be celebrated globally on June 8th.

The Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education coordinates Kids Ocean Day for the Los Angeles region by giving presentations year round at the schools and organizing the annual culminating event at the beach.

Founded in 1991, the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education has presented the Adopt-A-Beach School Assembly to more than 576,000 children and nearly 70,000 have participated in the annual clean-up.

For more information, please visit:
www.malibufoundation.org
or
www.kidsoceanday.org

About the California Coastal Commission

The California Coastal Commission is the statewide coordinator of the Kids’ Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup, the year-round Adopt-A-Beach program, and Coastal Cleanup Day. All of these programs are funded by the generous support of the Whale Tail License Plate Fund. Over 189,000 plates have been sold since 1996, raising nearly $15.7 million dollars for marine education and protection. For more information about the California Coastal Commission’s programs and how to buy a Whale Tail Plate, call (800) COAST-4U or visit www.coastforyou.org.

About the City of Los Angeles Stormwater Program

The Watershed Protection Division, founded in 1990, is part of the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, and is responsible for the development and implementation of stormwater pollution abatement projects under its Stormwater Program within the City. The Stormwater Program has two major elements — pollution abatement and flood control and its mission is to protect the beneficial uses of receiving waters while complying with all flood control and pollution abatement regulations. Storwmater pollution prevention is a team effort; visit www.facebook.com/LAStormwaterProgram.

About the Board of Public Works

The five-commissioner Board of Public Works manages the Department of Public Works, the City’s third largest municipal division focused on the essential needs of residents for a better quality of life and environmental protection. With a $559 million operating budget, the department awards more than $500 million in public service contracts annually that provide for the construction, renovation, and operation of public programs and services including: municipal buildings and treatment facilities; streets, street lights, and urban forest; bridges and sidewalks; sewers and storm drains; integrated solid waste management and recycling; graffiti removal and beautification grants. The Board is committed to the delivery of quality customer service, to help neighborhoods thrive and benefit from healthier living and working environments. For more information, visit www.lacity.org/bpw.

About Keep Los Angeles Beautiful

Keep Los Angeles Beautiful (KLAB) is the Los Angeles city affiliate of Keep America Beautiful (KAB). The program promotes education, personal responsibility, public-private partnerships and volunteer actions to make Los Angeles the cleanest and greenest big city in America.

About the Aerial Art

John Quigley, world-recognized aerial artist, creating the image. Visit him at www.spectralq.com and www.oceanday.net.