Restoring the Beauty of the Communities SCE Serves

From trash cleanup to graffiti removal, Edison International volunteers gather for a day of service to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Stories : Giving Back
Stories : Giving Back

Restoring the Beauty of the Communities SCE Serves

From trash cleanup to graffiti removal, Edison International volunteers gather for a day of service to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.
Contributors
Photo Credit: Shulie Tornel and Erika Potter

The biggest threat to the nearly 200 species of birds, including several endangered species, in Upper Newport Bay in Newport Beach is the trash that flows there through the storm drain system. It is unsightly and dangerous to the 13 different habitats and 21 distinct plant communities supporting life at the estuary.

Edison International employees and their families, along with other groups of volunteers, spent a beautiful Saturday morning knee-deep in the wetlands of the Newport Beach estuary at a cleanup hosted by the nonprofit Inside the Outdoors Foundation.

The scheduled cleanup of the Upper Newport Bay estuary was planned as part of a day of service for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday two weeks earlier.
Heavy rainstorms across California delayed the event but also provided a perfect opportunity to put volunteers to work immediately after the storm drain system brought an array of trash and debris into the estuary.

Edison International has been a longstanding partner of
Inside the Outdoors Foundation since 2017, providing over $60,000 to support the “Traveling Scientist” program, which gives 5th through 12th graders access to ecological education experiences and locally relevant environmental lessons such as renewable power and resources, conservation and clean air.

Upper Newport Bay has 13 different habitats and 21 distinct plant communities and is home to nearly 200 species of birds, including several endangered species.
Tina Cervantes, SCE project management specialist, and her son help restore Upper Newport Bay, home to nearly 200 species of birds, including several endangered species. Photo Credit: Shulie Tornel

Black tarp covered some areas of underwater habitats in the estuary, full of propagating native plants, as well as areas sectioned off by PVC pipes to protect birds’ nests and eggs. Teams of dedicated volunteers carefully navigated the uneven, muddy terrain to help restore the beauty of the bay by removing over 70 bags of trash and recyclables, including pallets, furniture parts, storage boxes and a street sign.

While volunteers in Orange County helped restore one of the few remaining undeveloped wetlands on the California coast, a number of Edison employees also recently pitched in to help remove graffiti in another part of Southern California Edison's service area. Since 2016, Edison has partnered with the nonprofit Compton Initiative, contributing a total of $35,000 to host volunteer beautification activities to help restore the Compton neighborhoods by painting homes, schools, churches and communal spaces, as well as painting murals.

Here is a photo essay highlighting the recent events:

UPPER NEWPORT BAY

After the recent California rainstorms brought in an array of trash and debris, (left to right) Kyle Straub, SCE Energy Advisor Nicole Straub and Engineering Sr. Project Manager Nolan Kelleher got to work immediately to help restore the beauty of the Upper Newport Bay.
After the recent California rainstorms brought in an array of trash and debris, (left to right) Kyle Straub, SCE Energy Advisor Nicole Straub and Engineering Sr. Project Manager Nolan Kelleher got to work immediately to help restore the beauty of the Upper Newport Bay. Photo Credit: Shulie Tornel
Karen Klepack, SCE government relations senior manager, returns to properly dispose bags of tennis balls, plastic bottles, bottle caps and a ukelele.
Karen Klepack, SCE government relations senior manager, returns to properly dispose bags of tennis balls, plastic bottles, bottle caps and a ukelele. Photo Credit: Shulie Tornel
Volunteers removed over 70 bags of trash and recyclables, including pallets, furniture parts, storage boxes and a street sign.
Volunteers removed over 70 bags of trash and recyclables, including pallets, furniture parts, storage boxes and a street sign. Photo Credit: Shulie Tornel
Brooke Austin, SCE Air Ops Tech, and Jason Lowry, SCE Helicopter Pilot, find a deserted storage box as they clean up trash.
Brooke Austin, SCE Air Ops Tech, and Jason Lowry, SCE Helicopter Pilot, find a deserted storage box while they clean up trash. Photo Credit: Shulie Tornel

COMPTON INITIATIVE

Edison employees partner with the Compton Initiative’s #JustDoGood movement in beautification activities to help restore the city by painting communal spaces and murals.
Edison International employees partner with the Compton Initiative’s #JustDoGood movement to help restore the city by painting communal spaces and murals. Photo Credit: Erika Potter
Volunteers of all ages pitched in to help with graffiti removal.
Edison International volunteers of all ages pitched in to help remove graffiti with the Compton Initiative. Photo Credit: Erika Potter

For more about Edison's philanthropic efforts, visit edison.com/community.