Beach and river cleanups set for Earth Day

Friends of the Los Angeles River will hold an annual cleanup event that traditionally attracts thousands of participants. Image: lawaterkeeper/Instagram

LOS ANGELES – Gatherings will take place across the Southland this weekend and Monday to mark Earth Day, the annual event demonstrating support for environmental protection.

This weekend, Friends of the Los Angeles River will hold an annual cleanup event that traditionally attracts thousands of participants who volunteer to pick up trash, take part in habitat-restoration projects and nature walks. The two-day event will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve and at noon Sunday at Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park.

The city of Hawthorne will hold its Earth Day Celebration at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hawthorne Memorial Park, 3901 W. El Segundo Blvd. The event will features local service providers offering paper shredding, e-waste collection, compost giveaways, a raffle, and food and eco-friendly goodies from local vendors.

A Los Angeles Waterkeeper cleanup event at the L.A. River will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday at North Atwater Park, 3900 Chevy Chase Drive. Volunteers will help clear away debris left in the aftermath of a rainy winter.

Panorama City will hold its community cleanup at 9 a.m. Saturday at Casa Esperanza, 14705 Blythe St. City Councilmember Imelda Padilla, along with Valley-based community organizations and city partners, will be on hand.

The Department of Parks and Recreation is celebrating Earth Day with an event at two locations. At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, there will be a panel discussion with environmental experts, followed by a screening of the documentary “Common Ground” with free popcorn at both Whittier Narrows Recreation Area Picnic Area, 1210 Lerma Road, and Kenneth Hahn State Park Recreation Area, 4100 S. La Cienega Blvd.

Saturday sees a beach cleanup along Santa Monica Beach at noon at Crescent Bay Park, 2000 Ocean Ave.

Monday, LA Metro is offering free rides across Metrolink’s rail system throughout Southern California in honor of Earth Day.

At 10 a.m. Monday, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and other city officials will flip a ceremonial switch to turn on solar canopies that were recently installed on top of the two parking structures at Long Beach Airport.

For Earth Day, at 3 p.m. Monday, L.A. County Library will host an Author Talk featuring Board of Supervisors Chair Lindsey Horvath and Rosanna Xia, environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times. West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.

And at 7:30 p.m. Monday, the Santa Monica Pier’s solar-powered Ferris wheel will “go green” by displaying, in lights, a 90-foot-tall spinning globe, along with a variety of green and blue colors, patterns and icons. Pacific Park, 380 Santa Monica Pier. (CNS)