The Bull Magazine Spring/Summer 2022

A letter from the editor

Do you recall when the pandemic first hit a couple of years ago? During the first few months, when most people were staying home and traffic was almost non-existent, what I remember most vividly are the clear blue skies.

But, what we also have to keep in mind is that we should not consider ourselves fortunate to have spent our days and nights breathing fresher, cleaner air. That is a natural right that every human and animal on our planet should be afforded.

Now that we are looking at polluted skies again in Los Angeles, that memory has become an inspiration.

In this climate issue, get ready to flip through the environment-themed stories and photos crafted by our fantastic team of reporters and photographers.

Starting the magazine with some shade is Pamela Kalidasan’s story on the connection between tree planting and urban cooling.

Next, on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles, activists are photographed rallying for climate action.

Taking us from Downtown to the neighborhood of Arleta, Desiree Chloe Genabe reports on how city dwellers are looking to shift their ways to being more sustainable by

creating a collective backyard farm that was once a 5,500 square-foot lot.

In Ginina Pulcinella’ beach cleanup photo essay, she shows us how one organization takes action to keep the shore free from litter.

Next, Fabiola Carrizosa chronicles past equine wildfire evacuations and the creation of a Bell Canyon volunteer firefighting crew.

An Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana showcases different community and environmental organizations.

The deathly fascinating topic of green burials is up next and we learn about alternative green death options.

Bala Subramaniyan’s photo essay displays the fascinating use of sheep to graze for fire mitigation.

For our final story, Sebastian Gontes’ feature of a San Fernando Valley zero-waste refill shop may make you think twice before putting this magazine straight into the recycling bin.

Make sure to visit us at thebullmag.com to view additional photo essays and multimedia pieces.

Raquel G. Frohlich

Front and back cover photo illustrations by Ginina Pulcinella and Raquel G. Frohlich. Sun illustration by Vincent Denoga.

Raquel G. Frohlich

Editor-in-Chief

Bala Subramaniyan

Managing Editor

Ginina Pulcinella

Photo Editor

Vincent Denoga

Social Media Editor

Pamela Kalidasan Reporter & Photographer

Sebastian Gontes Reporter

Desiree Chloe Genabe Reporter

Jill Connelly Adviser

Fabiola Carrizosa Reporter

Jeff Favre Adviser

Keepin’

There are many areas in the urban landscape of Los Angeles that lack adequate shady outdoor spaces for people to find refuge from the scorching Southern California heat.

As temperatures consistently rise to record-breaking highs, the number of heat related deaths is likely to increase.

That’s why TreePeople distribute planting resources in several neighborhoods across Los Angeles. One of these places is within the heart of the Valley where volunteers gathered in March for a Calles Verdes (Green Streets in Spanish) tree planting event on Fourth Street in San Fernando.

Men and women in green TreePeople shirts, along with a slew of volunteers, planted about 35 trees known for increasing shade.

After digging, rearranging and plopping the tree saplings in place and carrying buckets of water to finalize their planting, volunteers continued to walk down the sidewalk under the unforgiving sun to find the next planting spot.

TreePeople’s CEO Cindy Montañez said that planting trees is vital to saving people’s lives.

“Because trees function like an air conditioner, where they allow cool air from the soil to go up into the air, the leaves and branches help maintain cooler temperatures and protect people,” Montañez said. “What we have found is that more people die during extreme heat than any other weather related disaster combined. And that’s why we as TreePeople have made it a priority to plant as many trees as we possibly can.”

It gets worse for communities where there are more concrete and buildings than soil and trees. Tempera-

Story by Pamela Kalidasan. Photos by Pamela Kalidasan and Raquel G. Frohlich.

LEFT - Art Salter, a volunteer supervisor, massages the soil of a tree that is being planted during a demonstration at a Calles Verdes tree planting event organized by TreePeople in San Fernando, Calif., on Saturday, March 26, 2022. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

it cool in the city

Tree canopies provide needed shade in urban landscapes for Angelenos to escape the heat

tures can easily rise higher, not only because of the sun, but because of the heat that is trapped inside due to the ozone barrier.

Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles (ARLA) reported that temperatures can get as high as 120 degrees, and if things continue like this, temperatures ranging from 90-95 degrees could become the norm. The people who are affected the most by heat-stress related illnesses include the elderly, Black, Latino and low-income communities.

Co-founder of the Los Angeles Urban Cooling Collaborative (LAUCC) Edith de Guzman said that she was working with TreePeople when she began finding how tree canopies can be used to mitigate the heat trapped in urban residential areas.

“This is an issue that impacts low income communities and communities of color, because those are the spaces where more heating is retained,” Guzman said. “So there’s less shade and there’s less ability to get out of the heat into air-conditioned cold spaces.”

To prevent this, TreePeople and the LAUCC have concluded that trees need to be grown in areas where there are fewer canopies. Trees are the catalyst in filtering air and water, and they provide shade and beauty to communities that lack resources.

Senior Manager of Community Forestry Eileen Garcia has planted more than 1,400 trees in Huntington Park and in other areas around South and East Los Angeles. She said that trees were always an integral part of her life growing up where her grandparents who had immigrated planted trees in their backyard, and kids talked fondly about it.

“I don’t think I realized how important and how beautiful [these trees] were to me until I started kindergarten,” Garcia said. “There were some kids who were like, ‘Whoa, you live in the jungle house.’ And that’s the first

Volunteer Beto Gonzales (right) speaks with CEO Cindy Montañez (center) about a tree planting he is working on at a Calles Verdes tree planting event organized by TreePeople in San Fernando, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

time it made me stop and really look at the gardens that my grandparents created, versus what was happening in the city around me.”

Garcia also said it’s not a coincidence that she’s working with TreePeople to spread the word on how roots need to grow from a solid foundation, starting with connecting locals about this issue.

“And I don’t think it’s a coincidence now that I work on trucks, and that I plant trees and that it’s important to me. I understand in my heart the importance of having nature, especially as a child. It decreases stress as an adult,” Garcia said.

Providing space for trees has more positives compared to negatives. According to the President of Applied Climatologist Inc. Laurence Kalkstein said urban canopy can reduce high temperatures by three degrees, which may mean the difference between life and death for some people.

Kalkstein mentioned that although humidity has increased, it doesn’t ne-

gate the positive impact trees can have toward saving lives.

“There’s one negative of tree planting, evapotranspiration, which increases when it gets warmer," he said. "It is the movement of liquid water into a gaseous state through the stalemates of leaves of trees [adding] water vapor to the atmosphere and [increasing] humidity. The benefits of cooling the temperature using trees outweigh the negative of increasing the humidity.”

Besides planting trees, adding solar-reflective roofing or painting surfaces white can also reduce indoor temperatures and can be effective in reducing health risks and protecting people.

3MM expert Tim Hebrink said if 25 percent of the population install coolroofs, which have granules that reflect sunlight and heat, it will be effective in mitigating the issue.

“If you can apply our film to enough roofs, the temperature of the entire city will go down by a degree or two. Everybody’s air conditioning use goes down,”

Hebrink said.

Other solutions include people proactively looking after their community, such as monitoring their older neighbors or allowing people to go inside air-conditioned buildings when there is a powerful heat-wave.

TreePeople continues to plan more initiatives to grow more trees in several communities. TreePeople San Fernando Valley Community Organizer Cindy Villegas said that she understands the benefits trees have and wants more people to realize what they mean to a community.

“For me, walking on a street that doesn’t have any trees definitely feels unfair, as opposed to walking on the street that has shade,” Villegas said. “It’s just aesthetically pleasing and really beautifying. I think that cities like San Fernando that are much smaller are built to be walkable streets. By planting trees, it allows those streets to feel safer and greener.”

Volunteers plant a tree during a Calles Verdes tree planting event organized by TreePeople in San Fernando, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Joseph Canton (left), a volunteer, transports stakes to stabilize newly planted trees during a Calles Verdes tree planting event organized by TreePeople in San Fernando, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Volunteer supervisors Art Salter (center) and Rafael Molina (R) demonstrate the process of planting a tree during a Calles Verdes tree planting event organized by TreePeople in San Fernando, Calif. Photo by Pamela Kalidasan.

For me, walking on a street that doesn't have any trees definitely feels unfair, as opposed to walking on the street that has shade.

Cindy Villegas

TreePeople San Fernando Valley Community Organizer

The hiking trail at Coldwater Canyon Park in Los Angeles, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. The offices of TreePeople are located near the park. Photo by Pamela Kalidasan.

Striking for climate justice

Protestors march on First Street during the Global Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles.

Photo by Ginina Pulcinella.

Sim Marcel Bilal protests outside City National Bank during the Global Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles on Friday, March 25, 2022.

Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Students, educators and climate activists from across Los Angeles held a Global Climate Strike Downtown on Friday, March 25, 2022. The event was organized by Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles.

Students from various grade levels skipped classes to attend the rally. Protesters and speakers demanded that banks and politicians stop funding climate chaos.

Guest speakers and activists gave speeches in front of City Hall. Activists marched in the streets near the Civic Center during the second half of the event, concluding at City National Bank.

Story by Fabiola Carrizosa.

Photos by Ginina Pulcinella and Raquel G. Frohlich.

Former Pierce College student Cameron Levin holds a sign at the Global Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Ginina Pulcinella.

Pangea Eve adjusts an Extinction Rebellion flag during the Global Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Cosmo Callaway (center) hands out stickers during the Global Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

(L to R) Angelea Hayes and Rebekah Daniel hold signs at the Global Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Ginina Pulcinella.

SOWing the path to sustainability

Tucked in the corner of a small neighborhood in Arleta is the embodiment of nature.

Across the lot, the sun shines a bright yellow against the flowers, emphasizing its color and beauty, while the harmonious chirps of birds complement the lovely mix of fragrances brought upon by the plants and herbs.

The Shift Our Ways (SOW) Collective Backyard Farm is a non-profit that revolves around regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices. They strive to create an eco-friendly environment through community-based services that make sustainability “inclusive, accessible, and attractive.”

It's a place for the community to get together, share their passions and do something positive for their neighborhood.

Stephanie Gomez is one of the co-founders of this women-owned, women-led environment.

“We started with just four of us out here, and it's really nice to see that number grow and to see that people really believe in what we do and want to be part of it,” Gomez said.

The idea for SOW was pitched by Gomez in early 2020. She knew about an empty 5,500 square-foot lot and believed that something beneficial could come out of it.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the idea became a priority. The co-owners realized that they had the resources to grow food despite being in a food desert—an area where people struggle to afford fresh, quality, healthy food.

A backyard farm educates the local community in eco-friendly practices through gardening

Story by Desiree Chloe Genabe. Photos by Raquel G. Frohlich.

(L to R) Co-founders Madison Jaschke, Haley Feng and Stephanie Gomez at the SOW Collective in Arleta, Calif., on Saturday, April 16, 2022. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Volunteers pull weeds and spread mulch during a farm beautification day at the SOW Collective in Arleta, Calif., on Saturday, March 12, 2022. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Organic garden coach Erin Riley explained the importance of growing produce. Riley owns Hope Gardens, a landscaping company that specializes in growing edible plants and regenerative gardens.

“There is the issue with food sovereignty, where if you don’t have access to food, that really impedes your life,” Riley said. “So many communities, even grocery stores, don’t have access to fresh food, so being able to take control of your own life and the future of your community is important.”

The backyard farm was SOW’s first community initiative. The farm was assembled using second-hand and reclaimed materials that were donated from the community.

When Gomez and her fellow co-owners were filling their cars with manure at Lopez Canyon, they met serendipitously with Steve List, an educator from Sylmar High School. List donated garden bed supplies from the high school to SOW.

The farm contains 11 garden beds growing fruits, vegetables, greens, herbs and flowers. SOW uses sustainable practices to care for their garden,

such as the no-till method, drip irrigation, composting and mulching.

“Our goal is to be as sustainable, as frugal, as resourceful as possible, using the resources that we have around us,” Gomez said.

SOW is also partnered with LA Compost as a co-op. In the back of their farm stands a compost bin where the community can drop off food scraps. With the right sources and supervision, these food scraps will be used to make compost within three months.

Through their farm and co-op, they hope to teach communities to be more environmentally friendly.

Since starting, SOW was able to open a garden at John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills with JFK’s Global Leadership & Environmental Action Magnet (GLEAM), JFK Eco Club and JFK Vegan Club.

Students have learned the importance of food, composting and food waste. In addition, they have learned about the importance of water usage and how they could be sustainable with their gardens.

Back at the farm, SOW holds monthly workshops with experts who special-

ize in gardens and sustainability for the community.

“We call it our eco-club, because we want to make sure people don’t feel like they need to know about farming and gardening to be part of this space,” Gomez said.

Volunteers are welcomed every weekend no matter their skill level or experience. Erin Webbs is a frequent volunteer who goes to SOW at least two times a month.

“Working and connecting with people my age and learning about the ground and soil is very beneficial, and you can have that knowledge forever and pass it down to family,” Webbs said. “This is not something that you learn at school, so when you have an opportunity you should jump on it.”

As SOW continues to blossom, Gomez is hopeful for the future of their collective.

“I think of SOW as a model for regenerative agriculture — us being a model in schools and being a model at other lots,” Gomez said. “We would like to grow more SOW collectives and continue to share what we know about composting, food and agriculture.”

Volunteers work during a farm beautification day at the SOW Collective in Arleta, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Erin Webbs (left), a volunteer, and Madison Jaschke (right), a co-founder, during a farm beautification day at the SOW Collective in Arleta, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Madison Jaschke, a co-founder of the SOW Collective, repots lemon balm during a farm beautification day in Arleta, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Emma Trejo plays with mulch that is being spread by volunteers during a farm beautification day at the SOW Collective in Arleta, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Trevor Witt (left), a volunteer, and Stephanie Gomez (right), a co-founder, working during a farm beautification day at the SOW Collective in Arleta, Calif.

Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Beach

It was a blustery Earth Day at Venice Beach where volunteers braved whipping sands to pick up trash.

The event was orchestrated by the Ecological Servants Project, an environmental non-profit. They organize volunteers for activities that include neighborhood cleanups, removing invasive plants from the ecosystem and conservation of coastal wetlands.

They provided trash-picking tools and bags, and when volunteers were done collecting garbage, they returned to basecamp where hot beignets were served fresh from a deep-fryer.

Project founder Jason Josyln and co-founder Robert Trumper traveled to Venice that morning from San Diego where the group also operates. Joslyn explained how the volunteers find each other on internet forums and create small groups to become eco-servants in their communities.

“Unification is what we’ve been working toward,” Joslyn said. “You can’t rely on the government. It’s your planet.”

Volunteers pick up trash at the Ecological Servants Project’s Earth Day Venice Beach Cleanup on Friday, April 22, 2022.

Jessica Smit (L) and Daniel Chung (R) bag trash on Ocean Front Walk at the Ecological Servants Project’s Earth Day Venice Beach Cleanup.

Reacher grabber tools are used for picking up trash at the Ecological Servants Project’s Earth Day Venice Beach Cleanup.

Angelica Garcia grabs trash in the sand with a reacher grabber and puts it in a bag at the Ecological Servants Project’s Earth Day Venice Beach Cleanup.

Tai Waller cuts dough for beignets at the Ecological Servants Project’s Earth Day Venice Beach Cleanup.

Story and photos by Ginina Pulcinella.

The canyon Crew

Story by Fabiola Carrizosa.

Photos by Bala Subramaniyan.

Mia, a former show horse with a liver chestnut coat and a sweetness in her eyes, is the boss mare of the stables at a peaceful equestrian center in Bell Canyon, the opulent Ventura County community.

But the German Hanoverian’s quiet retirement was thrown into chaos on Nov. 8, 2018, when a nearby fire and its renegade embers blew in with a fury from the surrounding hills and threatened her livelihood and home.

Being deep in a canyon, Mia lived in the safest part of the community, and many animals from the adjacent hillsides were walked down by their owners to the equestrian grounds.

Seven miles away from Bell Canyon,

Mia was brought to the Pierce College Equestrian Center, a safe haven for San Fernando Valley horses.

Mia, along with more than 50 other horses from Bell Canyon and adjacent communities, are survivors of the 2018 Woolsey Fire that ravaged the hills and destroyed homes along the Los Angeles and Ventura County boundaries. While no horses or property from Bell Canyon Equestrian Center were casualties, the fire changed their lives forever, because now the community must always be prepared for the next wildfire.

“They are so beautiful, they are so powerful, they are so fragile, and they are 100% at our will,” said Lisa Riccomini, the president of Bell Canyon Eques-

Community rallies to protect horses and homes

trian Center and professor at California State University, Northridge. “If we don’t know what we are doing, they are lost. The responsibility is great.”

Riccomini said that evacuations stress horses physically and emotionally.

“It takes time to settle back in,” Riccomini said. “It takes a few days to adjust. They don’t know where they are. It smells weird. It smells burnt and it smells strong for weeks.”

Vice President of Bell Canyon Equestrian Center Ashley Forchelli was also there during the evacuation. At the time, Forchelli was working with Cubby, a Dutch Warmblood with a copper bay coat, who had arrived two days earlier.

“I was so nervous,” Forchelli said. “I

had to evacuate Cubby, and it all went really smooth. That is when I knew I was keeping him forever.”

Evacuating horses is a difficult task when they are endangered by a fire, in part, because many people don’t own a trailer, which is expensive.

According to Pierce College Equine Sciences professor Heidi Paul, “The owners start to panic, and the horses pick that up.”

Paul said that horses’ instincts tell them to do the opposite of what they should do in times of danger.

“They are not like dogs,” Paul said. “They are not even like children. They have a different mentality.”

(L to R) Ashley Forchelli with Cubby, Dakota Hokanson, and Lisa Riccomini with Mia at Bell Canyon Equestrian Center in Bell Canyon, Calif., on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

The Bell Canyon Fire Crew

According to the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control, preparing horses for an emergency event requires that there be a neighborhood assistance network.

After the Woolsey Fire, the community of Bell Canyon realized that the Los Angeles Fire Department was too far away to assist the remote enclave in a timely matter. The residents realized that they had to take control.

The Bell Canyon Fire Crew was created to help put out fires quickly. Consisting of about 20 locals, these volunteer firefighters bring personal skills to the wildfire simulation drills.

Volunteer Varhm Sukyas, a resident of Bell Canyon, said that the fire crew meets every two-to-three weeks to practice different scenarios and drills.

Varhm’s wife, Narine Sukyas, added that each has a role in the drills, so that in a real-life situation they know who drives each apparatus.

Equipped with uniforms, tools,

walkie-talkies and three fire trucks, the Bell Canyon Volunteer Fire Crew drove to vacant spots, set up hoses and put out a hypothetical fire. They communicate to apply proper size hoses and water pressure. After the drills, they have an after-action review, followed by a cleaning and drying of hoses.

“We all live here, so we have that commonality,” said Chief of the Bell Canyon Fire Crew Garret Clancy. “I know a lot more people because of this.”

Stables tend to be along the hillsides of the San Fernando Valley, so wildfire control is imperative, but the resources are spread thin.

On the same day as the Woolsey Fire, the deadly Paradise Fire redirected almost all of the Southern California firefighters, and they were pulled from Bell Canyon. They went to Northern California to control that fire, plus one additional flare-up in Ventura County.

“By Saturday, when we were in here, the trucks were from Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Indian Reservations,”

Clancy said. “That’s a sign that there is nobody around if they have to pull people from other states. There is an issue with hiring.”

(L to R) Larry Little and Chris Becker participate in a fire drill as part of a volunteer fire fighting crew in Bell Canyon, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

Still frame from a video showing the Woolsey Fire flames coming down from the hillside, threatening the equestrian center on Nov. 8, 2018. Courtesy of Garret Clancy.

Boris Donia, a volunteer firefighter, participates in a fire drill in Bell Canyon, Calif. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

Volunteer firefighters Chris Shubeck (L) and Vahrm Sukyas (R) finish the fire drill in Bell Canyon, Calif. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

Larry Little (right), a volunteer firefighter, helps other volunteers clean the water hoses after the fire drill in Bell Canyon, Calif. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

The Equestrian Community’s Role

Bell Canyon is an equestrian community, one that has grown stronger in recent years.

“During Covid, horseback riding in general has just exploded,” Forchelli said. “We have a waitlist of kids for our riding school. People are moving in here because we are one of the few equestrian communities left. Having enough places to go to, like Pierce College, is so critical. Maintaining those spaces to give people a place to go to is so important.”

Pierce College has a unique role in horse evacuations in the Valley. Still, there is a push to generate money in other ways with that land.

“We love Pierce College,” Riccomini said. “We would love to find ways to partner with them. In the last 10 years there has been controversy over the use of the equestrian center. What would be a better use of that space?”

Both wildfires and the rise of the equestrian community appear to be here to stay.

“They are a part of our history, and they are a part of our future,” Riccomini said. “Bell Canyon would love to continue to build partnerships with Pierce College.”

President

Lisa Riccomini with her horse Mia at Bell Canyon Equestrian Center in Bell Canyon, Calif., on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

They are so beautiful, they are so powerful, they are so fragile, and they are 100% at our will.

Lisa Riccomini

of Bell Canyon Equestrian Center

Restaurant Review: Beleaf Cafe

Fast food chains across the globe provide limited vegan options. But the search for a delicious and quick vegan meal with numerous options can end here.

The guilt-tripping taste of junk food is near nonexistent after a bite at the 100% plant-based restaurant Beleaf Cafe in Canoga Park.

Beleaf Cafe is a plant-based restaurant located in the center of the food court at the Westfield Topanga & The Village. The restaurant offers one other location at the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles.

There are large, mouthwatering, eye-catching photos of their food items on the exterior wall. To the left, above the cashier, the menu is presented on a widescreen monitor, accentuated with bright colors.

The shades of green plastered throughout the exterior also comple-

ment their message of being plantbased and sustainable.

The menu features classic fast food cuisine, such as burgers, sandwiches, nachos, tacos, wings and french fries—with locally sourced ingredients, making it healthy and environmentally friendly.

The prices are a little more than your typical fast food restaurant, but for food that is vegan, it is pretty reasonable, with the average meal’s price around $11.

The Beleaf Burger has an uncanny resemblance to a classic hamburger. The bun is slightly crunchy on the outside with a soft interior. The Impossible patty has a savory and juicy taste.

The condiments and vegetables tie it together, creating a delicious, compact meal.

The Nacho Grande has a unique blend of flavors that complement each

other nicely. The taco mix, in particular, adds a rich flavor to the nachos, which are nicely accompanied with juicy cucumber and tomato slices. The chips manage to stay crunchy and avoid getting soggy with its toppings, even the ones at the bottom.

Customers also have the option of adding vegan cheese to any of the items for an extra $1. On the Beleaf Burger, the cheese melts in your mouth and has an identical taste to American cheese.

The portions of food are large enough to feed two people.

In addition to being environmentally friendly with locally sourced ingredients, all of the to-go containers are plant fiber, which will turn into soil within 90 days, making it compostable.

With its tasty, favorable and healthy ingredients, Beleaf Cafe brings justice to plant-based food.

Review by Desiree Chloe Genabe. Photos by Bala Subramaniyan.

The Beleaf Burger outside the restaurant at the Westfield Topanga & The Village in Canoga Park, Calif., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

The Nacho Grande at the Westfield Topanga & The Village in Canoga Park, Calif., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

Earth day celebration in Tarzana

Free, earth-friendly items, including shade and fruit trees from CityPlants, reusable water bottles from LADWP and succulents in colorful painted pots from LA Recreation and Parks, were given to the community of Tarzana during the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 30, 2022.

The event was organized by the Tarzana Neighborhood Council, West Valley Warner Center Chamber of Commerce and Councilmember Bob Blumenfield.

With music from the School of Rock playing in the background, kids cheerfully bounced from one fun exhibit to the next—face painting, animal interactions at the Critter Squad Wildlife Defenders, and plant pot painting.

Preschool teacher and event volunteer Nilou Beigi (center) helps children paint pots at the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana, Calif. They were able to take home a plant in their newly painted pots. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Story by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Photos by Ginina Pulcinella and Raquel G. Frohlich.

Tarzana Recreation and Parks Director Michon Rickman places a succulent into a painted pot to give out at the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

LEFT - Cody Hidalgo (front), an employee at the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, assists Nasir Nassiri (back) with picking a tree from CityPlants to adopt at the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana, Calif. Nassiri decided to adopt an avocado tree, and it will be planted alongside the fruit trees already growing in his home, including pomegranate, cherry, guava, peaches and cherimoya. Photo by

BOTTOM LEFT - A composting device is on display at the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana, Calif. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

BOTTOM RIGHT - LA Sanitation Environmental Specialist Gerry Villalobos (Right) educates on the process of composting to attendees at the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana, Calif. Photo by Ginina Pulcinella.

TOP - Children interact with animals brought by the Critter Squad Wildlife Defenders at the 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tarzana, Calif. Photo by Ginina Pulcinella.

Raquel G. Frohlich.

Climate Glossary

anthropocene

An unofficial term for the period of time in which humanity has affected Earth’s climate. Anthropo— means “human” and -cene refers to geological periods.

climate change

A long-term change in the earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature.

climate justice

A term that frames climate change as a social and political issue rather than just an environmental one.

climate overshoot

A period of time in which global temperatures go above a 1.5° C (or 2.7° F) increase and then cools back down to below that amount. It would cause problems for the environment, including flooding and wildfire.

ecoanxiety

Anxiety caused by a dread of environmental perils, especially climate change, and a feeling of helplessness over the potential consequences for living now and even more so for later generations.

ecolinguistics

A field of research that studies the effect of language on environment and the effect of the environment on language. This includes investigating issues such as the loss of languages due to people becoming climate refugees by climate change.

frontline communities

The communities that experience climate change first and often see the worst effects. These communities have higher exposure, are more sensitive, and they are less able to adapt to the impacts of climate change for a variety of reasons.

global warming

An increase in the Earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect.

ozone

A colorless gas that consists of three atoms of oxygen and readily reacts with many other substances. In the upper atmosphere, it protects the Earth from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. In the lower atmosphere, it is an air pollutant with harmful effects on human health. Ozone depletion, which is a gradual thinning of Earth’s ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, can be caused by the release of certain chemical compounds from industry and other human activities and increases the amount of ultraviolet radiation that reaches Earth’s surface, which increases the risk of health problems.

urban heat island effect

An effect that occurs when higher air temperatures persist in urban areas as a result of heat absorbed and emitted by buildings and asphalt, tending to make cities warmer than outlying areas.

Information researched from GlobalChange.gov, Dictionary.com and Britannica.com

From Dust You came,

and to Dust You Shall Return

Green burials offer a chance for people to leave an environmentally friendly mark on the Earth

Story and photos by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Shalom’s ancestry has gone through three last names, but his present-day choice brings a new meaning to the family tree while still staying true to its roots.

His father changed it to “Rich” from the original, Dziedzic, which in Polish culture refers to land that is passed from generation to generation.

While he didn’t reclaim Dziedzic, his new moniker, Shalom Dreampeace Compost, reflects his family’s history and his growing respect for the environment, which includes planning for a green burial.

“Passing land from one generation to the other, that could be Dziedzic, but also it could be Compost—keeping the Earth alive for future generations,” he said. “Compost is a hard name to be true to, to live in harmony with the planet Earth. Why I chose the name Compost, it was to leave Earth a richer place for me having lived here.”

A green, or natural, burial, is one that has a minimal damaging impact on the environment. Mortuary worker health, carbon footprints and preservation or restoration of the surrounding environment are also taken into consideration.

Compost, a retired senior programmer of property tax for Santa Cruz County, first learned of the possibility of green burials when he had some acquaintances, including three rabbis, over to watch a documentary about a spiritual music festival. They started talking about green burials and he immediately began researching the topic.

Compost’s current plans are to be buried at Soquel Cemetery in Santa Cruz, which is classified as an Historic Hybrid Cemetery by New Hampshire Funeral

Shalom Dreampeace Compost in Encino, Calif., on Sunday, April 10, 2022. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Resources, Education and Advocacy (NHFREA).

“Maybe it’s selfish of me to say I want a piece of land that is 3 feet by 6 feet for all of eternity. I’m trying to figure out how to do this to be as kind as I can to other generations,” he said.

According to a 2021 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Report by the National Funeral Directors Association, 55.7% of people would be interested in exploring green funeral options because of their potential environmental benefits.

Executive Director of NHFREA Lee Webster said how for the past 15 years she has been fielding phone calls on the subject. Almost no one expressed interest in the first year, but now it’s talked about frequently.

“Given climate change, more and more people are starting to go, ‘OK, I know you only die once, so it’s only one part of your footprint. But it’s a big part of your footprint and it’s the last one,’” Webster said. “People are starting to pay attention to that, to say they don’t want to go out in a way that continues to add to problems with carbon sequestration and all that kind of stuff. They want the thing that makes the most sense environmentally.”

Christopher Corning, an English professor at Pierce College, initially

came across the concept of green burials in the early 2000s.

At first unaware that there were options other than being cremated or preserved with formaldehyde and placed in a casket, he now has considered the process of a tree urn, which is a biodegradable vessel that combines cremains, seeds and soil to grow a tree.

“As a non-religious person, I feel like my way of connecting to the universe or something higher or something spiritual is going out into nature,” Corning said. “It seems to me very symbolic when I think of this idea of ‘I’m passing, but something is remaining.’ Why not let it be a tree?”

Now, there is a wide variety of green burial options available, including mushroom coffins, water cremation, tree urns, sea burials, artificial reef balls and natural organic reduction. While all are moving away from conventional burials, some are not as environmentally friendly as advertised.

That’s because the first step for some of these processes, such as artificial reef balls, is to cremate the body, which Webster explained can be damaging to the environment.

“We’re talking about the release of mercury and other heavy metals up into the air and down into our waterways,” she said. “We’re talking about

pharmaceutical contamination for crematory operators. The final piece is the cremated remains themselves, which are up to 2,000 times too high a pH level to be put anywhere near plants at all, so this whole process is just dangerous.”

Among the many forms of green burial, Webster, who is also the former president and vice chair of education for the Green Burial Council, highlights the simplest process.

“The only one that really makes sense is direct body to earth burial, because it’s one step, complete,” Webster said. “You don’t have to do anything more, and nature does what needs to be done to decompose that body naturally and efficiently, including the bones, over time. That’s why we call it green burial, because it is honestly the greenest process of all.”

With this direct body-to-earth process, the decomposition time of a body varies widely depending on many factors, including cause of death, the state of the body, the condition of the soil, weather conditions and whether a biodegradable shroud or casket is used.

Conventional burial practices today, including the process of arterial embalming with extremely toxic chemicals, began during the Civil War,

Webster explained. Abraham Lincoln, who passed a law requiring anyone on the battlefield who was doing embalming to be licensed, was a proponent of embalming and had the first person who died in the Civil War embalmed. This was done to bring the bodies of soldiers in hot conditions home to their families.

Wilbert Haas, who was a member of a family of concrete and asphalt magnates, widely marketed the use of underground concrete vaults for use in burials, and cemeteries began requiring them.

“Where we are with green burial is to eliminate Wilbert Haas’ invention and say no to Abraham Lincoln. Not easy to do,” Webster said.

Cemeteries can still offer green or natural burial options without pursuing green certification.

At Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Simi Valley, Calif., the decision to construct a natural burial site was brought about by requests from clients in the local Jewish community who were interested in the opportunity to be buried naturally.

“There’s kind of a thought in Judaism, and other religions as well, that you return to the earth from where you came.” said Randy Schwab, the general manager at Mount Sinai. “That’s why this is appealing to a lot of the public—you are literally returning to the earth.”

What separates this space from the rest of the cemetery is that no concrete vaults will be used underground and no non-biodegradable caskets will be used, such as those with metal pieces. What is aboveground will also be different. They are working with landscape

architects and designers to grow drought-tolerant, native California plants that fit into the landscape.

“We’re designing it because aesthetically and ecologically we believe that there should be an opportunity for people who care about this to have their wishes honored,” Schwab said. “This is a big experiment. We think it’s a worthwhile thing to try, and if it’s successful, then we’ll roll it out in other places."

Not only do green burials allow the deceased to leave an environmentally-friendly mark on the Earth, but loved ones have a chance to find comfort in the process as well.

“Families and friends carry the body in and lower it into the grave. They fill the grave. They perform their own ceremonies around this, they direct themselves,” Webster said. “This is a very family directed event. Once people experience that one time, they go, ‘I thought I was here for the environment. I’m really here for my family.’ It’s a very powerful thing.”

Corning, who developed an appreciation and fondness for nature while growing up in a small town in Central Illinois, finds it important to consider the generations that will come after him.

“It would be nice if grandkids I never met climbed on the tree that is growing where my remains are located,” Corning said. “Having that process or a place where someone can go and experience nature, it makes the connection more alive. Humanity needs to reconnect to nature, and this is one symbolic way in which we could do that.”

RIGHT - A waterfall at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Simi Valley, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

LEFT - Samples of different grasses are grown at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in Simi Valley, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The cemetery is experimenting to see which one is the most drought tolerant and which one will give the most natural appearance to use for the natural burial area being constructed. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Nature’s little helpers

Grazing sheep mitigate the spread of wildfire

Cities across California partner with sheep and goat owners to put into practice a more sustainable way to prevent wildfires across the state.

One such business is Cuyama Lamb, LLC. The company uses sheep to graze for fire mitigation as well as integrated crop management and ecological restoration.

Anthony Graham manages around 100 sheep as they graze the dry vegetation in Elings Park in Santa Barbara. The sheep spend about a day working

on one acre of land

Dry vegetation and rising temperatures are two of the primary causes of wildfires in California. Using goats or sheep to remove the dry vegetation in the area is an easier and more climate-friendly process.

By using the animals in place of lawnmowers, they are able to consume flammable grasses, which add potential fuel to fires, and they do not emit carbon the way machine-based lawnmowers do.

Using sheep as lawnmowers means

they leave natural fertilizer behind as they eat.

Animal grazing is increasing as a popular fire prevention method because it is a sustainable practice and reduces cost.

Private companies and government agencies contract their services to clear land for fire mitigation in areas that are difficult for humans to reach.

Anthony Graham moves the sheep at Elings Park in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Story and photos by Bala Subramaniyan.

Sheep graze at Elings Park in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Sheep eat from a feeder at Elings Park in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Sheep graze at Elings Park in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Sheep at Elings Park in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Refillable & available

Zero-waste store provides homegoods and personal care products for conscious consumers

Story by Sebastian Gontes.

Photos by Bala Subramaniyan and Ginina Pulcinella.

Laura Yochum, owner of Prostainable, cleans the counter at the Prostainable store in Woodland

Hills, Calif., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Photo by Ginina Pulcinella.

Laura Yochum, a former corporate hotshot, began to notice how much plastic she was accumulating after her frequent backpackinging trips. She took a good look at her garage and pulled out every disposable piece of plastic.

Now, she has taken her commitment to reducing waste in her life to the local community.

That commitment came to fruition with Prostainable, a refill center and homegoods store located in Woodland Hills and Granada Hills.

“I realized we don’t need all these things, we can survive with very little, and it started making me realize the waste we were accumulating,” she said. “So I took an assessment of my house and was extremely overwhelmed.”

After realizing how much plastic she had, she took a pause, left her corporate job and became committed to reducing waste.

This led to the beginning of Prostainable. It began as a farmers’ market booth only operating on weekends. She was trying to find out what the community wanted and what products they wanted to use.

Yochum’s booth was growing in popularity when COVID-19 struck.

“I had about 12 products, and then the pandemic shut us down completely,” she said. “We weren’t allowed to

come back because we weren’t food, we weren’t an item that people needed to survive, although shampoo is very important.”

The farmers’ market booth shutting down did not stunt Prostainable’s pop-

could run this,” she said. “I am great at this—product development is my background, education, sales, all of it. So I said I would try it, I always wanted to have my own business. But to be able to establish the first in the Valley, I’m really proud of that.”

Prostainable Woodland Hills was born in July 2021 and became one of the first refill shops in the San Fernando Valley.

Prostainable was created with the mission of making customers feel good about living in a sustainable home.

Robyne Leif, a regular customer, has followed the store from the previous location in Topanga and will continue to shop here as long as they remain.

“I like everything because it’s natural, they’re friendly, their product is awesome,” Leif said.

ularity, because people were willing to travel to get their refills.

“It forced me to open a tiny store in Woodland Hills,” she said, adding that the original space was only 100 square feet. “We were only open on weekends.”

She said it was too small and the new store had lines of customers trailing out the door.

Yochum was ready to go all in on her eco-friendly project.

“I told my partner I could do this, I

Prostainable has a variety of household essentials, including shampoo, dish soap and multi-surface cleaning powder.

Everything is either made by Yochum or manufactured elsewhere. All items are vegan and organic, except for a face wash that has honey, but it is supplied by a local farmer.

Victoria Therim, a first-time customer, appreciates the sustainable containers.

“I think it’s a novel way of being

I realized we don’t need all these things, we can survive with very little.

Laura Yochum Owner of Prostainable

The Prostainable refill shop in Granada Hills, Calif., on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

biologically responsible but also in repackaging ways that aren’t typical,” Therim said. “Like a bar for shampoo or a bar for conditioner, it’s not the norm.”

Prostainable aims for no waste, no plastic, no single use items at all, so if something is spilled in the store, don’t ask for a paper towel.

All packaging is done by recycled bags, boxes and anything donated by customers. There are no packaging peanuts or bubble wrap, nothing that goes straight to the bin.

Anne-Marie Bonneau, author of the book “The Zero-Waste Chef,” said these businesses help the trend toward a zero-waste lifestyle.

“The idea of bringing your own refillable container is already better than constantly buying more one use plastics, because that piles up in the landfills, or worse, it trickles into the ocean,” Bonneau said.

With this zero-waste mentality, Yochum said her company has helped other businesses become more sustainable.

“We pack online orders using 100% reusable material,” she said. “Our customers donate grocery bags and paper. Also, from the shipments that we receive, we keep the boxes, the paper, the filling. We use a water base craft tape (which is more eco-friendly than regular tape).”

People were coming from far areas to the Woodland Hills store and it gave Yochum the idea for a new location.

“I used to drive to other refill shops, and I just realized that the Valley is not a small place,” she said.

Yochum added a Granada Hills store, which was a crowdfunded project and was the creation of the supporters that she has built since her farmers’ market booth.

Yochum hopes to spread her message of reusing, reducing and recycling.

“Individually, I’m not going to save the planet, but many of us can help a lot,” she said. “If my stores are one of the stores doing this, then we are part of the bigger solution.”

Mariana Castro (right), an employee, explains the products to Kait McKinney at the Prostainable refill shop in Granada Hills, Calif., on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.

Mariana Castro refills a bottle at the Prostainable refill shop in Granada Hills, Calif., on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan.