We are fortunate to call Santa Clarita home. Our neighborhoods are dotted with majestic oak trees, blooming flowers and lush landscaping. Look further out and you can admire the thousands of acres of preserved open space, which will be enjoyed by generations to come. From the miles of trails to the wonderfully maintained parks in our City, our residents enjoy hiking, biking and afternoons spent sitting and playing in the shade with their families. Living in Santa Clarita truly is a breath of fresh air!

I am proud of the commitment we’ve all made to preserve the natural beauty of Santa Clarita, which is why my fellow Councilmembers and I want to invite you to take part in the Earth Arbor Day Festival at Central Park. This year’s festivities take place on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Not only is this event an opportunity to learn more about your role in helping care for our environment, it is also a great way to teach your children new skills when it comes to recycling, composting, water conservation and much more. One of the things that I am excited for this year at the Earth Arbor Day Festival, presented by SCV Water, is that the entire festival will be a “zero-waste zone.” This means that you will only find recycling and compost bins instead of trash cans, and volunteers will be on site to help guide you as to which items are compostable and which can be recycled, leading to an event that does not generate any trash or waste!

In addition, I invite you to join us in celebrating the City’s 28^th consecutive “Tree City USA” award from the National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters. This award recognizes the steps the City and its residents take to effectively manage public tree resources and implement a program that protects trees in our community. To celebrate, the festival is offering 1,000 free trees to the public and free bags of mulch so that you can help us plant new trees in Santa Clarita!

Don’t miss the festival favorite – the cArt aRt contest! See ordinary trash carts that have been transformed into works of art using creativity, paint, art supplies and recycled items, and vote for your favorite entry!

Throughout the weekend you can also attend the KHTS Santa Clarita Home and Garden Show, as well as the Emergency Expo and KHTS Arts and Crafts Fair, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All events are free and you will be able to visit with more than 400 vendors, most of whom are local, to learn more about solar energy, home improvement projects, gardening and much more.

If you’re like me, you’ll want to make it a point to visit the Emergency Expo on Saturday to talk to emergency responders and get more information on how to prepare yourself and your family should a natural disaster strike our City. If the recent earthquakes, fires and mudslides have taught us anything, it is always be prepared for the unexpected.

All in all, these events this weekend give us an opportunity to come together with our neighbors and not only contribute to the beauty of Santa Clarita, but also enjoy everything that living here has to offer. You can find more information online at GreenSantaClarita.com. I hope to see you there!