How To Compost In LA. And Other Headlines

Earth Day may be over, but that doesn’t mean we should stop talking about ways we can do better for our planet, especially in a region where climate change drastically impacts quality of life.

Create change by composting

I don’t have to show you how much droughts, wildfires and air pollution in the Southland affect you and your loved ones. You’ve seen it. You’ve experienced it.

California has always been a leader when it comes to recycling, but there’s still so much more left to do. Our landfills are the third-largest source of methane.

That’s a huge issue and it can sometimes feel too big for us to create change. But we can. Here's one thing to consider: composting.

Composting organic material is a state mandate that went into effect in January 2022. Residents and businesses are now required to separate “green waste,” like yard clippings, shrubs, weeds and food scraps from other trash — and cities and counties are supposed to offer a way to collect it.

Yes, food scraps need to be put into a separate bin, y’all. Food-soiled paper products can be tossed in too.

It's happening here. "Organics recycling” is the city’s program to jumpstart composting at home. It started as a pilot program in 2018 and has since expanded to 750,000 single-family households. The biggest challenge now is getting renters and property managers on board.

Well, Brian De Los Santos and LAist Climate Emergency Reporter Erin Stone will tell you about how one very large residential complex in L.A. is trying to make the compost plan work for thousands of residents. Read more about “organics recycling” in Erin’s article from earlier this year and get some tips on how to get started composting and do it odor and mess-free. Also listen to the latest episode of the podcast to get the 411 on how "organics recycling" is working in L.A.

As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

How To LA

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More News

(After you stop hitting snooze)

• Schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District are off today in honor of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. The Board adopted a resolution in 2021 to make this an official holiday and has provided some educational resources here.
• Rules on rent increase caps can be confusing, and you may be wondering how much your rent can actually go up right now. My colleague David Wagner has a guide to help you navigate the laws in different parts of L.A. County. 
• A recent student survey found that University of California campus authorities aren’t responding in a sufficient matter when sexual violence survivors come forth for resources and support. My colleague Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has more on the study’s findings. 
• Two-and-a-half months after the Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd Jr., Pasadena police fatally shot a 32-year-old Black man named Anthony McClain as he ran away from a traffic stop. Now, there’s a new report that breaks down 27 policy and procedure recommendations for the Pasadena Police Department. 
• We had an extremely wet winter. Does that mean we might see more cases of the West Nile Virus? My colleague Jacob Margolis reported on what factors come into play. 
• Bolsa Chica State Beach and Crystal Cove State Park are both now fully open earlier than expected after major pounding surf and flooding damage. My colleague Jill Replogle has more on what could happen in the future as climate change causes more costly destruction. 
• Did you know stepping on a flower’s seed before it had a chance to grow and transition could ruin a generation of new flowers? My colleague Mariana Dale gives more insight as to why it’s so important to be respectful to nature’s colorful plants and not “doom the bloom.”
• Looking for some fun this week? We have some ideas for you! Have you ever watched a president sing and act in a play? OK, maybe not, but you can definitely watch someone portray Barack Obama in 44 - The Unofficial, Unsanctioned, Obama Musical at The Bourbon Room throughout May. Where are my L.A. Chargers fans at? There will be giveaways, meet-and-greets and music at the Chargers’ draft party at the Westfield Century City Atrium on Thursday. Also, for H.P. Lovecraft horror lovers out there, make sure you attend The Dunwich Horror film screening at the Los Feliz Theatre tonight. Check out our list for more fun things to do this week.
  

Wait! One More Thing...

The Top Three Tea-Sipping Trends

(Courtesy Ryan Laux)

THREE — A large dragon prop caught on fire at Disneyland during a show 

If you saw #Disneyland trending on Twitter this weekend, you might have seen something that looks like it was expected, but really wasn’t. During the Fantasmic! Nighttime water and fireworks show held on Rivers of America, instead of breathing out fire through its mouth, Maleficent's 45-foot-tall animatronic dragon became engulfed in flames. No one was harmed.

TWO —  Coachella brings back artists to the stage for the first time in a long time 

For the first time in over seven years, Blink-182 reunited and performed at Coachella in place of Frank Ocean, who dropped out. Not only did Blink-182 surprise audiences, Zendaya, who has also not performed on stage since 2015, sang the Emmy-nominated hit “All of Us” from her show Euphoria with Labrinth.

ONE — Wildflowers from space 

I can’t stop talking enough about wildflowers, my friends. And after our record-breaking rainfall, our wildflowers have been blooming at an astronomical pace. Speaking of “astronomical,” did you know you could actually see wildflowers from space? Here’s another view of the California hillsides as satellites see them.