By our very name, the Environmental Change-Makers group is about ACTION - in our personal lives, in our local community, affecting the culture, affecting the world.  Here are some of our victories, big and little - we celebrate them all!

• monthly community meetings supporting members to embrace eco-solutions (since Jan.'06)

• PR, MF, FS, and HNP have now set up their composters.  PR, FS, MF have begun growing vegetables in their home gardens.  JW now uses canvas bags.  JM, JP switched from conventional cars to Priuses.  PR, FS, JP, MF, JW shop the local farmer's market.  PR now mulches her garden with what used to be hauled away as green waste.  KD is taking action about styrofoam in local restaurants, and JA is fighting pollution at the Port of Los Angeles.

• FS, MW persuaded HNP to become a Stryo-free zone.  HNP now uses 30-100% recycled paper in their copier.  HNP's facilities now include full recycling and composting, thanks to signage and setup by Girl Scout Troop 918. 

• HNP is now creating an edible landscaping community garden on their grounds, which will raise vegetables and citrus to benefit local homeless and impoverished families via the LAX Food Pantry.  ECM members are an integral part of the initial community garden team.

• JW created an environmental outreach to SJP, a large local parish, and now writes an environmental column in their newsletter.  PR has been working with local faith communities to encourage environmental action.  JW is developing a Spanish language version of ECM presentations.

• When Girl Scout Troop 245 created a composting workshop, ECM helped with publicity, bringing more composters, worm bins and know-how to our local neighborhood.

• ECM activities have caused several environmental-action articles to appear in the local newspaper on an ongoing basis.

• Created two Earth Care Fairs for the local public (Oct.06 and Oct.07)

• JP represented ECM at Culver City's Green Summit, and participated in design charettes for their Sustainable Community Plan.  At the California Resource Recovery Association's annual conference, JP showcased ECM's community-based successes for organizers from across the state.

• Participated in Loyola Marymount University's Bellarmine Forum on Environmental Responsibility (Nov.06) and Santa Monica College's EcoFabulous event (Apr 07).

• ECM will participate in Focus the Nation, a national "teach-in" day about global warming solutions. We'll appear on Jan. 31, 2008 at Loyola Marymount University.

• ECM is considered to be among the "climate change planners, thinkers, movers and shakers in the LA area" by the Union of Concerned Scientists (Sep 07).  In Summer 06 we participated in the UCS effort to pass the California Global Warming Solutions Act.  ECM was an active body of voices in persuading a local Representative to vote for AB32.  (Jul-Aug'06).  ECM is now working with UCS on AB493 .  See our Campaigns page for more details.

• ECM has been an active body of voices supporting Loyola Marymount University's recycling program , particularly when it was in jeopardy of substantial phase-back (Dec'06-Jan'07)  Read LMU's response here.

• ECM expressed their support of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors' motion to consider the banning of Styrofoam in Los Angeles County. (June 2007) 

• Recognized by the City of Los Angeles and Councilman Bill Rosendahl for our "great work for the environment of the Westchester community, the City of Los Angeles, and the entire planet." (Mar. 07)

• Joined the Union of Concerned Scientists and the American Lung Association in approaching local Assembly persons about legislation which could help mitigate global warming.  (Mar.07)

• When an L.A. County employee declared in a public presentation that global warming isn't human caused, ECM spoke up and alerted supervisors that their representative was broadcasting false information.  The supervisors responded, and are now monitoring that employee. (Nov 2007)

• Participated in the Step It Up campaign (1300+ actions across the nation) to tell Congress "Step It Up - Cut Carbon 80% by 2050."  ECM coordinated a march down Sepulveda Blvd within sight of the LAX airport flightpath. See press coverage (Apr.07)

• The Environmental Change-Makers were guests on KPFK radio in July 2007.

• Created a forum about possibilities for transportation in Los Angeles, post-automobiles.  This included a screening of the movie "Contested Streets", followed by a community discussion.  Representatives of LA Councilman Bill Rosendahl's office and California State Assemblyman Curren Price's office participated. (Sep 2007)

• In Nov 2007, the Environmental Change-Makers made their television debut on USC's IMPACT cable tv.  The program is about local foods, and follows JP through farmer's market.  Portions of our November ECM meeting were filmed. The show should air in mid 2008.

• JP is assisting AOL's social news website, Propeller.com, with creation of an online video series on Sustainability.  Filming is scheduled for December 2007, to air in January 2008.

• Out of a field of 4,641 applicants, ECM has been chosen to be a Top 100 finalist in the Case Foundation Make-It-Your-Own grants.  The top 20 finalists will be announced in Feb 2008.