The conference was a success!

Thank you to all the 6,000 teens and their teachers who came out to the 2009 Environmental Youth Conference! We hope you found the conference fun and educational. Kudos to Jordan Howard, our keynote speaker, the seven workshop panelists, and the volunteer celebrities led by Tyrese Gibson and Rob Dyrdek for the awesome job!

Check back for more photos later. Meanwhile, here are some. Please post your comments on this blog, or find us on Facebook under "Million Trees LA."

Let's all get our green on today. Start Local, Impact Global!

Boyle Heights gets 54 new trees at East LA Day of Service

Hundreds of volunteers young and old joined Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today in greening Mission Road in Boyle Heights. All converged at the newly-opened Million Trees LA (MTLA) Tree Center and Environmental Facility at 850 N. Mission Rd. to kick-off the Community Day of Service activities in East LA.

Fifty-four 24-inch box trees, all California-friendly, were planted by volunteers along the industrial area of Mission Road between Cesar Chavez and the 5 Freeway. Residents also picked up bags of free mulch and adopted fruit trees for planting on their private properties.

The MTLA Tree Center and Environmental Facility will be the site of Million Trees LA's environmental workshops, tree adoptions and mulch pick-up for the East LA area. The parcel is also home to an air treatment facility owned and operated by the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation.

More photos from this event at http://tinyurl.com/muauj7.
To learn about events at this new facility, visit www.milliontreesla.org.

Mark your calendars! NOVEMBER 4, 2009

Save the Date! The 2009 Environmental Youth Conference (EYC) is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4th at the LA Convention Center.

The timing of this year's EYC is critical. We are having it in November so that we can solicit all your input about how to address climate change, and submit it to the Los Angeles delegation who will attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December. Be heard and truly see how your local efforts translate globally.

Keep checking back for more developments on the EYC!

THE COOLEST, GREENEST YOUTH EVENT

More than 5,000 attendees flocked to the Los Angeles Convention Center on December 13th to be part of the 2008 Environmental Youth Conference. It was a very excited crowd that welcomed Mayor Villaraigosa and a string of green celebrities including Will.I.Am and Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas; event hosts Olesya Rulin and David Henrie of the Disney Channel; "High School Musical" superstar Vanessa Hudgens; Tyrese; Alyson Stoner of "Camp Rock"; Bobb'e J. Thompson; and Tyler James Thompson of "Everybody Hates Chris".

The keynote speech was given by 14-year-old Alec Loorz, already an environmental youth leader trained by Al Gore himself to give the "An Inconvenient Truth" presentation. Alec suggested simple things stressed to an engaged crowed that "now is the time" to act on global warming. "Now is the time" for the youth to make a difference. "Now is the time" to address our growing environmental concerns.

Mayor Villaraigosa added, "L.A.s youth know that if we don't act now to help our environment, no one will!"

GET YOUR GREEN ON at the 2008 Environmental Youth Conference

Come with your school. Bring your friends! Be part of the largest youth environmental event in the west! All Los Angeles residents ages 12 to 21 are invited to this green education event for the youth and by the youth. Come with your school, church or neighborhood group, and learn all about environmentalism through tree plantings, green jobs, and buying eco-friendly. Surprise guests will highlight this fun-filled learning experience.