LSA’s Green Team Keeping Busy

The LSA Green Team and staff across all the California offices have been keeping busy recently, with staff participating in major events such as the sixth annual Clean Air Day, coastal cleanups, and reaching new milestones in participation companywide.

The LSA Green Team encouraged LSA staff to participate in the sixth annual Clean Air Day on October 4 and were happy to see both Green Team members and other LSA staff across California participate. As noted on the Clean Air Day website, California suffers from some of the worst air quality in the country. While this is not an issue that can be solved in 1 day, an impact can still be made, and that’s what LSA staff set out to do.

Several LSA staff took the pledge on the cleanairday.org website to help clean the air, including Senior Noise Specialist JT Stephens and biologists Bethany Dengler-Germain, Aly Schmidt, and Steve Foreman. Aly and Steve cut emissions daily by carpooling together to the Point Richmond office. Bethany was especially active, encouraging other LSA employees by email and during the bi-monthly Green Team meetings to carpool, increase composting and gardening, and buy local. She also visited a great local biodynamic farm with her daughter and learned about making their own compost, utilizing livestock grazing to avoid gas-powered lawnmowers and air pollution, and tips to grow organic fruits and vegetables.

Other than those who took the pledge, many staff across LSA’s offices did their part throughout the months of September and October. Office Manager Ameara Martinez organized the Point Richmond office anniversary lunch using compostable cutlery and focused on composting and recycling in the staff kitchen. Marketing Coordinator Christine Golus switched to shampoo and conditioner bars to avoid unrecyclable plastic bottles, a great change that does not require any interruptions to daily routine.

Outside of the wonderful Clean Air Day efforts made by LSA staff, the Green Team was very happy to see a new milestone reached companywide for participation in the Environmental Stewardship Dashboard, with over 50 actions submitted by LSA employees. These actions include personal efforts to clean up the environment and live more sustainably. Notably, Senior Biologist John Kunna participated in the Emeryville 2023 Coastal Cleanup. John got out and picked up trash on the coast with many others, using the Cleanswell app to keep track of the amount and type of waste picked up. According to the City of Emeryville, 120 volunteers participated, picking up 595 pounds of trash, including over 320 cigarette butts and several thousand tiny pieces of Styrofoam.

Whether it’s an event or changes you make at home, LSA employees continue to show there are plenty of ways to help make an impact!