• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact Us
Saturday, April 1, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
The Capistrano Dispatch
No Result
View All Result

Planting the Future: San Juan Celebrates Earth Day

by Capo Dispatch
June 19, 2020 4:59PM
in EYE ON SJC, News
Planting the Future: San Juan Celebrates Earth Day

Congressman Mike Levin helps Ecology Center Executive Director Evan Marks plant an olive tree on Earth Day, April 22. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Shawn Raymundo

The San Juan Capistrano community got into the Earth Day spirit on Monday, April 22, as the Capistrano Unified School District and local organizations took steps toward a more sustainable future.

San Juan Hills High School kicked off the day by officially introducing its new solar panel system in the student parking lot. Converting San Juan High to solar power is estimated to provide the school with an energy cost savings of $8 million over the system’s 25-year lifespan.

As part of an $18 million solar panel project, which the district’s Board of Trustees approved in December 2017, Monday’s unveiling marked the first of six new solar panel systems being installed at CUSD high schools and the CUSD Education Center.

The district had been encouraged to make the switch to solar in 2016, when a coalition of students from four CUSD high schools had petitioned for solar panels on every high school campus. The group, Solar Students, comprised students from San Juan Hills High, Dana Hills High, San Clemente High and Tesoro High.

Later in the day, The Ecology Center welcomed a handful of students from Kinoshita Elementary School and Del Obispo Elementary School to plant several citrus trees, helping to build the center’s ecological food forest.

“I love working with children, as they are the future,” said Executive Director Evan Marks.

While giving Congressman Mike Levin a tour of The Ecology Center on Earth Day, Executive Director Evan Marks explains what the organization has planned for the farm’s future. Photo: Shawn Raymundo
Congressman Mike Levin helps Ecology Center Executive Director Evan Marks plant an olive tree on Earth Day, April 22. Photo: Shawn Raymundo
A class of third-grade students from Del Obispo Elementary School pose with a tree they helped plant at The Ecology Center on Earth Day. Photo: Kat Reynolds of The Ecology Center
An aerial view of San Juan Hills High School’s new solar panel system, which the Capistrano Unified School District officially unveiled on Earth Day, April 22. Photo: Courtesy of Steven Georges and the Capistrano Unified School District
Kindergartners from Kinoshita Elementary School plant a citrus tree on Earth Day. Photo: Kat Reynolds of The Ecology Center
Members of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby show off the reusable food containers they brought to Bravo California Fresh in San Juan. The group used Earth Day to bring awareness to the need to use more reusable containers and reduce plastic waste. Photo: Shawn Raymundo

Because The Ecology Center had an Earth Day celebration over the weekend, Marks said they wanted to use Earth Day to actually focus on the work.

“Today was really a way to progress the vision of The Ecology Center, which is to build a model for regenerative agriculture and a place where the community can be nourished and be inspired,” Marks said.

While the center currently offers U-Pick Strawberries days on the weekends, in the future, Marks said he envisions the community being able to come and also pick fresh apples and citrus fruits from the trees.

Congressman Mike Levin, who’s from San Juan and represents California’s 49th District—it encompasses many South County cities—stopped by the center for a guided tour in honor of Earth Day.

During the tour, Levin was able to pick some fresh strawberries to bring home to his family, but not before first being put to work, as the Congressman helped Marks plant an olive tree.

“This is an amazing facility. I hope all of the families of South County come and enjoy our sustainable community that’s been built here,” Levin said. “I’m really grateful for the tour today, and it’s particularly important on Earth Day to remember the importance of sustainable agriculture.”

Levin said he also plans to come back to visit the tree he helped plant, as well as return with his wife and two kids so they, too, can learn about sustainable agriculture.

And to cap off Earth Day, some members of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby gathered at Bravo’s California Fresh off Rancho Viejo Road, where they brought their own food containers to take home leftovers.

The gathering was organized to raise awareness to reduce waste and encourage the use of more recyclables and reusable products, according to Group Leader Larry Kramer, who credited the idea to fellow member Frank Larkin.

Larkin stressed that the idea was in no way meant to be a critique of the Bravo restaurant chain.

As a former restaurant owner, Larkin said he understands a restaurant’s expenses when it comes to providing to-go containers that he knows will likely wind up being tossed out instead of reused.

“People won’t reuse them; they’ll just throw them in the trash,” he said.

Larkin said he would like to see restaurants begin encouraging patrons to bring their own containers, either through an incentive program in which customers can receive discounts or by offering re-usable containers that the customers can purchase and bring back for future visits.

Holding up his glass container, Larkin said, “Once people get in the habit, they’ll carry one like this in their car.”

Editor’s note: A photo has been removed from this gallery after The Capistrano Dispatch learned it was doctored.

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
Tags: Capistrano Unified School Districtcitizens' climate lobbyDana Hills High SchoolEarth DayFeaturedmike levinOrange CountySan Clemente High SchoolSan Juan CapistranoSan Juan Hills High Schoolsolar panelsSolar StudentsTesoro High SchoolThe Ecology Center
ShareTweetPin

Capo Dispatch

Related Posts

River Street Marketplace Announces Slate of Food, Retail Tenants

River Street Marketplace Announces Slate of Food, Retail Tenants

March 31, 2023
Net Energy Metering Program to Change April 14

Net Energy Metering Program to Change April 14

March 31, 2023
Adoptable Pet of the Week: Matcha

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Matcha

March 31, 2023
At the Movies: ‘A Good Person’ Isn’t Necessarily a Good Movie

At the Movies: ‘A Good Person’ Isn’t Necessarily a Good Movie

March 31, 2023
Next Post
Roundup: Vandenburg Wins County Shortboard Title, San Juan Hills Softball Holds On For Playoff Spot

Roundup: Vandenburg Wins County Shortboard Title, San Juan Hills Softball Holds On For Playoff Spot

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

The Dispatch Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get The Dispatch delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
  • San Clemente Times
  • Dana Point Times
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye On SJC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit A Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SJC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Dana Point Times
    • San Clemente Times
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SJC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit A Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Announcements
    • Submit An Announcement
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Guide
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Inside/Outside Home
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
  • SJC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.