MALIBU—On September 14, Malibu City Council member Laura Rosenthal accepted the Beacon Spotlight Award on behalf of the city of Malibu.
The Institute for Local Government (IGL) gave the award to the city to recognize Malibu’s outstanding achievements to address climate change, promote energy innovation and create more sustainable communities.
The award was given at an event hosted in collaboration with the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative.
This year, the IGL honored the city of Malibu’s individual achievements to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adopt sustainability practices. According to the IGL, Malibu was one of the first cities in the state to adopt progressive regulation that protects wildlife and reduces waste and litter by banning the use of certain materials.
Banned materials include:
- Smoking on city beaches (2004)
- Expanded polystyrene foam for food packaging (2005) updated to add packaging materials and other non-compostable or recyclable food-ware (2016)
- Plastic shopping bags (2018)
The city of Malibu has taken a stand against the use of anti-coagulant rodenticides and other toxins that bioaccumulate in the food chain, causing harm to pets and predators that call the Santa Monica Mountains home, like mountain lions and owls.
A statement from the IGL’s website reads: “Despite limited resources, cities and counties across the state have found cost efficient, innovative solutions that reflect the unique characteristics of their communities. The Institute’s Climate Action programs, services and resources help local leaders understand, apply and track the results of these innovative practices, demonstrating how California communities are setting an example for the state, nation and the world.”
To read more about sustainability practices in local California counties, visit http://www.ca-ilg.org/.
