Venice Boardwalk Recycling Bins Press Conference – June 12

Location(s)

Where: Venice Boardwalk
(Ocean Front Walk) at Windward Ave, Venice 90291When: Thursday, June 12,
2008 2:30pmWho (confirmed):

• Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, 11th District
• Mike Newhouse President of Venice Neighborhood Council
• Tracy Roden, VP of Communications and Marketing, Chrysalis Enterprises
• Bureau of Sanitation

Who (invited):

• Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
• Councilmember Greig Smith, 12th District
• Jon Kirk Mukri, General Manager of Department of Recreation and Parks
• Commission President Cynthia Ruiz, Board of Public Works
• Commissioner Paula Daniels, Board of Public Works

About the Project:

Councilmember Bill Rosendahl's office has worked with the localVenice Neighborhood Council to bring 12 new recycling bins to the publicright of way on the Venice Boardwalk. This project will divert tons ofmaterial from landfills, help keep litter out of the ocean, and enhancethe visibility of Los Angeles' commitment to recycling.

Funded by the Bureau of Sanitation, these public "Blue Bins" arepart of a citywide strategy to implement LA's Zero Waste Plan bymaking recycling more accessible and convenient. The recycling binswill accept all recyclable materials, not just beverage containers.

Chrysalis Enterprise, a non-profit organization that helps homelessindividuals attain self sufficiency through employment, will maintainthe bins and collect the recyclables with no ongoing cost to the City. Chrysalis will use proceeds from the sale of the recyclable materials tocover operating costs and expand their social services.

The Venice Boardwalk, operated by the Department of Recreation andParks, is the City's #1 tourist attraction,drawing over 3 millionvisitors last summer. As the first large scale recycling effort in thepublic right of way, this project will be a pilot to evaluate expandingrecycling opportunities in public spaces across Los Angeles.

"These bins will not only have the benefit of diverting tons of recyclables from our landfills and oceans. Just as importantly, this program is a fantastic example of a Neighborhood Council and City Councilmember working with other city entities and a non-profit tocooperatively, efficiently and effectively solve an important localchallenge. I envision this as not only an example of the cooperation wecontinue to work towards in Venice, but as a model for similarcollaborative efforts throughout the City." - Mike Newhouse, VNC President