• Extra Large
• Large
• Normal
• Small

PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, in partnership with Retail Marketing Services (RMS), Inc.'s CRV CONNX community recycling program, will host a New Year, New Use Recycling Drive on Friday, Jan. 2 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at El Dorado Nature Center (7550 E. Spring St.). Proceeds generated from the recycling drive will be donated to Food Finders Inc. to help support food distribution sites in Long Beach.

"This is a great opportunity for community members to donate those leftover CRV cans and bottles from their holiday celebrations, and in turn, help people who are facing food insecurity in our city," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "We encourage folks to start the new year off right by contributing to the recycling drive and supporting a good cause."

Community members are encouraged to collect eligible California Redemption Value (CRV) redemption items, such as bottles, cans, boxes and pouches made of aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metals, and drop off the items at the El Dorado Nature Center on Jan. 2. Patrons are welcome to bring their donation items in garbage bags, cardboard boxes or reusable tote bags.

Items collected during the drive will be recycled at a CalRecycle facility, and monies generated will be donated through the CRV CONNX program to Food Finders Inc. to help support local food distribution sites in Long Beach. During the drive, community members will also have an opportunity to learn from CRV CONNX Recycling Ambassadors about proper recycling habits in effort to enhance recycling compliance, and El Dorado Nature Center staff will offer education-based activities for participants. The recycling drive will take place in the parking lot near the Opossum Patch picnic site. Parking fees will be waived for participants of the recycling drive.

The New Year, New Use Recycling drive supports PRM's environmental sustainability goals outlined in its Parks Make Long Beach Strategic Plan and is funded by a CalRecycle workforce development grant received by RMS, Inc.

"CRV CONNX transforms recycling into a meaningful way for residents to give back," said Britany Hernandez, CRV Ambassador. "In partnership with the Dorado Nature Center, we are creating a strong community effort that combines environmental stewardship with local support. Every eligible CRV donation supports Food Finders, helping provide meals to those in need while keeping Long Beach clean and green."

The El Dorado Nature Center is a 105-acre wildlife habitat with two lakes, a stream, two miles of dirt walking trail and a quarter-mile paved access trail through meadow and forested areas. The Center also includes interactive, hands-on exhibits in the museum, a gift shop, educational programs, special events and volunteer opportunities.

RMS, Inc. is a California corporation operating as a certified Collection Program owned by the California Grocers Association and has been providing services to retail operators, municipalities and other businesses for over 30 years.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine visit LBParks.org and follow @LongBeachParks on Facebook, X and Instagram.

For more news, pictures, videos and announcements of what's happening in Long Beach, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.