Earth Day Birthday Caps Green Celebration Week

An Earth Day "birthday" celebration closed the city's first official honoring of Earth Week.

City staff and members of the community were recognized Thursday for their efforts to green the workplace and instill environmental awareness in Manhattan Beach schools.

The following "eco heroes" received certificates of honor for the city-created categories indicated:

• John Anderson—recycler/waste reducer
• Andrew Berg—tree hugger
• Keith Darling—energy saver
• Detective John Loy—recycler
• Mike Murphy—alternative commuter
• Angela Soo—water saver
• Sylvana Tamura—water saver

The Manhattan Beach Fire Department "Green Team"—including Brian Yount, Jeff Rice, Tom Desmond, Tim O'Brien, Matt Simpkins, Dave Shenbaunm, James Falls, Tim Viscelli and Erick Strong—also received special recognition. Local nonprofit Grades of Green; Adam Gerard, a Patch student columnist and student member of the Environmental Task Force; and David Ibarra of the Parks and Recreation Department were also honored for their efforts to green the community.

The city kicked off its Earth Week celebrations with the 18th annual Earth Day Festival at Polliwog Park on April 17. The festivities, organized by VOICE and the Parks and Recreation Department, were attended by nearly 10,000 people from throughout the South Bay and featured live music, alternative-fuel vehicles and green vendors.

The week officially ended with the closing meeting of the first term of the city's Environmental Task Force.