Water conservation
As part of a statewide campaign to promote water/energy efficiency, West Basin Municipal Water District and Flex Your Power have teamed up to give away 40 water efficient washers and dryers to residents throughout California.
West Basin Municipal Water District and Flex Your Power will present the high-efficient clothes washer and dryer to Cornucopia, a leading nonprofit environmental group in Malibu on Sunday at the Farmers’ Market, which is located 23555 Civic Center Way. West Basin will work with Cornucopia to install the washer and dryer at an Environmental Showcase Home in Malibu.
Beginning at noon, Malibu Shuttle will provide free shuttle services from the Farmers’ Market to the Environmental Showcase Home where residents can get a firsthand look at water saving devices, native gardens and the first subsurface wastewater infiltration system.
Also featured at the Farmers’ Market will be the latest in water-saving devices and information on how residents can get involved in conserving water and energy while saving money.
Noted author to talk on “The Great Gatsby”
Malibu’s One Book, One City program will host noted author and critic Carolyn See on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Malibu Library, located at 23519 W. Civic Center Way. Her talk is titled, “Gatsby-Too Cool for Words.” See is a book reviewer for The Washington Post and is on the board of PEN Center USA West.
Celebrate Earth Day
Heal the Bay and the City of Compton are organizing a massive cleanup of Compton Creek on Saturday at 9 a.m. behind the Crystal Park Casino. In conjunction with the annual Earth Day festivities, Heal the Bay and volunteers are cleaning up the notoriously polluted Compton Creek, which flows alongside the 110 and 105 freeways, and pours into the L.A. River. Participating in the event will be the Army National Guard, MTA workers and students from the Compton School District. Marjorie Shipp, a board member of the Compton Unified School District, is offering a $200 prize to the school that brings the most volunteers.
Educator of the month
Duke’s Malibu announced its recent honorees for its Educator of the Month program, which recognizes educators in Malibu and the North Conejo Valley area. Each winner receives a $50 gift certificate.
The March honorees were Dr. Jerry Longer from Indian Hills High School, Dee Dee Cooper from Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School, Pamela Held from Webster Elementary School, Bob Robbins from A.E. Wright Middle School, Ini Nelson from Lindero Canyon Middle School, Brian Crumb from Medea Creek Middle School and Janis Tonooka from Juan Cabrillo Elementary School.
Beach cleanup
Malibu Creek will host a stream and beach clean up, along with removal of non-native plants and trail rehabilitation on April 24 as part of the California State Parks Foundation’s Earth Day 2004 Restoration & Cleanup event.
Volunteers are asked to meet at Malibu Lagoon at 9 a.m., and the project will end at 12 p.m.. Participants are advised to bring a hat, sunscreen, water gloves and work clothes. For more information, contact Lindsey Templeton at 818.880.0368.
The Malibu Times writer signs his book
Author David Wallace will be signing books in the Borders Bookstore booth at the UCLA Festival of Books 4 p.m.-4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Protecting energy ratepayers
Attorney General Bill Lockyer called for reforms of the legal and regulatory framework that governs California’s wholesale electricity market in a press release on Tuesday.
Lockyer released a report to Congress, the state Legislature, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and state and federal regulators that concludes an oversight and enforcement system failure during the energy crisis of 2000-01 worsened the crisis’ effects and undermined ratepayers’ ability to obtain redress for price gouging.
The report analyzes the energy crisis from the attorney general’s law enforcement perspective. It does not address whether the deregulation of California’s electricity market should be continued or abandoned, saying only that the state’s initial effort “has failed to fulfill its promise of cheap and reliable power.”
The report can be viewed on the Attorney General’s Web site at www.ag.ca.gov/publications/energywhitepaper.pdf.