KCAL9/KCBS2 is proud of its continuing relationship with the Wyland Foundation to promote environmental stewardship and recognize people making a difference on behalf of our planet throughout Earth Month (April 1-30, 2013). Get involved in one of the following ways:

1) Take the Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation

Last year, residents who took the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation saved water, money and our nation’s most valuable resources. Simply visit mywaterpledge.com, enter the name of your city and make a commitment to use resources more wisely. By doing so, you help other people in your community win eco-friendly prizes like a Toyota Prius c hybrid, Rain Bird custom-designed irrigation systems, and shopping sprees at Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores.

Residents across southern California, led by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, are competing throughout the month of April to see whose city can pledge to conserve the most water. The Wyland Foundation, Toyota, and KCBS2/KCAL9, along with the US EPA’s WaterSense program, Rain Bird, the US Forest Service, CH2M Hill, and the National League of Cities are hosting the competition at mywaterpledge.com to bring residents from every city together to focus on water conservation and pollution reduction in a friendly competition.

The Mayor’s challenge encourages residents to make an online pledge, anytime between April 1-30, to use resources more wisely. In an effort to demonstrate the huge difference individuals can make by working together, the competition applies an individual’s pledge towards their city’s total water savings and pollution reduction over the following year. The city with the highest percentage of participating residents will be recognized for its efforts. This year five national categories include 5,000-29,999, 30,000-99,999, 100,00-299,999 and 600,000 and over.

Participating residents from cities with the highest percentage of people that make pledges qualify to win up to $50,000 in eco-friendly prizes, including a Toyota Prius c hybrid, custom-designed lawn irrigation systems, and hundreds of gift cards for Lowe’s Home Improvement stores.

Last year, people from more than 1,000 cities across the nation took the pledge. In addition to Los Angeles, other leaders taking the challenge include the mayors of Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, Columbus, and Tucson.

To register free for the pledge, visit the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation online at mywaterpledge.com

2) Meet Southern California’s Earth Month Heroes

Get acquainted with people in Southern California who are making our world a better place. These heroes were selected during a public nomination process for their outstanding contributions to our environment. Each hero will receive a grant for the environmental charity of their choice. Since beginning the program with KCAL9 / KCBS2 and Toyota in 2011, the Wyland Foundation has given away over $25,000 in grants and awards to support our best and brightest.

KCBS2/KCAL9, the Wyland Foundation and Toyota are proud to recognize these individuals who are committed to sustainability and have gone out of their way to make the earth a better place. To thank these Earth Month heroes, $500 will be donated on their behalf to the local environmental charity of their choice.

Grand Prize Winner

Captain Charles Moore, Algalita Marine Research Institute

A third generation resident of Long Beach, California, Captain Charles Moore grew up in and on the Pacific Ocean. Oceanographic Research Vessel Algalita and its Captain found their true calling after a 1997 yacht race to Hawaii. On his return voyage, Captain Moore veered from the usual sea route and saw an ocean he had never known. “Every time I came on deck to survey the horizon I saw a soap bottle, bottle cap or a shard of plastic waste bobbing by. Here I was in the middle of the ocean and there was nowhere I could go to avoid the plastic.” Ever since, Captain Moore has dedicated his time and resources to understanding and remediating the ocean’s plastic load. To date, Captain Moore has conducted ocean and coastal sampling for plastic fragments through more than 40,000 miles of the North Pacific Ocean, across 22 degrees of latitude and 70 degrees of longitude.

Liz Crosson, Executive Director, Los Angeles Waterkeeper

Liz defends southern California’s aquatic and coastal ecosystems from pollution and degradation as the executive director of Santa Monica Baykeeper. Liz joined Baykeeper after being intimately involved in Baykeeper’s litigation and enforcement program as an associate attorney with Lawyers for Clean Water, Inc. She’s been involved in community outreach and organizing, organizational development, and environmental litigation striving to protect water quality, endangered species, and coastal and forest ecosystems for several non-profits in Oregon and California.

Jeff Duclos, Hermosa Beach City Council

A former member of the Board of Directors of the Surfrider Foundation, before joining City government, Jeff led the effort to get the city to institute a “Pesticide Free Zone” within the Green Belt. For his work in eliminating an unnecessary health risk in one of the city’s most heavily used open space areas, he was named recipient of VOICE’s (Volunteers and Organizations Improving the Communities Environment) 1999 Environmental Hero Award. He is also the recipient of the Surfrider Foundation’s 2006 Board of Directors Award for his many years of distinguished service in protecting our coastal environment.

Leila Volkmann, St. Mary’s School, Aliso Viejo

Leila Volkmann has a pure passion for the environment. As a middle school science teacher, she values the integration of the arts and sciences and recently organized local field studies for seventh graders to conduct scientific investigations near Aliso Creek in Orange County. Using this microcosm, students observed pollution in the area and reflected on the many possible negative effects on the creek’s wildlife. From there, Leila encourages her students to share their growing awareness and knowledge through original artistic presentations. She is being recognized for her creative approach to inspiring a new generation about environmental conservation.

3) Discover the Wyland Foundation

Founded by environmental artist Wyland, the Wyland Foundation is actively engaged in teaching millions of people around the country about caring for our ocean, rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. Take a walk through the foundation’s famous clean water mobile learning center April 21 at Downtown Disney or request this one-of-a-kind educational experience be sent to your child’s school. Discover more at www.wylandfoundation.org

4) Check the KCBS/KCAL events calendar for other eco-friendly events happening throughout Earth Month.