Climate Action and Sustainability

Sustainability Workshops

View our virtual workshops on Instagram TV and Facebook. 

Email us at sustainability@longbeach.gov to sign up for email notifications of upcoming workshops or to arrange an in-person workshop at your school or organization. Please specificy if you would like to be notified of Native Plant Workshops, Edible Garden Workshops, or both. 

Check out our virtual workshop playlist on Facebook to view all virtual sustainability workshop videos. 

Upcoming Workshops:

 Arrange Your Own Fall Centerpiece, Saturday October 29, 2022, 11AM-12:30PM. 

Join us for a fall-themed native plant arrangement workshop lead by Blanca Diaz, Urban Nature Field Specialist with the Office of Sustainability. We will learn the value of protecting native habitats and encouraging the growth of native plants while making a sweet fall arrangement to decorate any space.

All supplies will be provided. Please be aware that space is limited and will be first come, first served. If you have any questions or would like more information, please call the Michelle Obama Library at 562-570-1047. 

Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, 5780 Atlantic Ave. 90805

Native Plant Workshops

Previous Workshops

Exploring Natives and Pollinators
In this short video we share the importance of native plant habitat and the fauna that depend on them. We talk about butterflies, birds and we even take a quick glance at what is an understory. Watch the video on Facebook and Instagram TV. 

Getting to Know Encelia Californica
Join us this spring as we explore our Coastal Sage Scrub habitat in a new series, Getting to Know Your Natives. We will highlight one plant in each workshop, including planting tips, basic botany, relationship building, and simple ways to incorporate them into your moments of joy. This March, join us as we get to know California Bush Sunflower or Encelia Californica. Watch the video on Facebook and InstagramTV.

Fall Planting Basics
Fall is here and we are excited to share with you some of the native plants you can grow. We will talk annual wildflowers, purchasing native plants, and we will demonstrate a planting of mugwort up at Longview Point! We hope these basics will encourage you to incorporate natives into your landscaping or garden. Watch the video on Facebook and Instagram TV. 

What Makes a Naturalist
In this workshop we explore all the different ways you can be a naturalist and how you can learn from the plants around you. Watch the video on Facebook or Instagram TV.

Native Plant Seed Saving Basics
Learn the basics of saving native plant seeds, including seed collecting, cleaning and storing. Watch the workshop video on Facebook or Instagram TV.

Native Plant Diversity in Urban Settings
In this three-part conversation with special guest Timothy Jones, we discuss connecting to the land in urban settings and we explore different ways we can encourage our youth to venture outdoors and become stewards of the land. Watch the videos on Facebook or Instagram TV. 

Native Plant Container Gardening
Explore the possibilities of growing and tending to native plants in containers with the digital Native Plant Container Gardening workshop. Watch the video on Facebook or Instagram TV. 

Native Plant Propagation
View the digital Native Plant Propagation workshop video on Facebook or Instagram TV and learn how to propagate native plants through divisions, rhizomes, and planting seeds.

Edible Garden Workshops

Previous Workshops

Fall Planting Basics 

Edible Garden: Garden Wreath-Making

Learn basic tips to help you transition to a fall garden! Whether you are growing in containers or raised beds, or just beginning your gardening journey, this workshop will give you some great tips on what to plant and how to make your crops successful for harvest. Watch the workshop on Facebook and Instagram TV.

DIY Worm Compost Bin 
Learn about one of nature's decomposition processes and make friends with...worms! This vermicomposting workshop will teach you how to make your own worm composting bin and how to use it to reduce waste and create nutrients for your garden from your food scraps. Watch the workshop on Facebook and Instagram TV.

Upcycled Potato Planter Box
Learn how we built a vertical potato planter box from reclaimed materials and discover how to build your own on. Watch the video on Facebook and Instagram TV.

Regrowing and Planting Potatoes
View the workshop on regrowing and planting potatoes on Facebook and Instagram TV to learn how to regrow your own potatoes in a space-saving potato planter box. 

Summer Planting Basics
View the Summer Planting Basics workshop on Facebook and Instagram TV to learn about the basic steps to starting a summer garden, from selecting and planting  heat-loving plants, to harvesting. 

ReGROWceries
View the ReGROWceries workshop on Facebook and Instagram TV to learn how to use seeds and roots like potatoes, ginger, and carrots to regrow your groceries. 

Upcycled Planters
View the Upcycled Planters workshop on Facebook and Instagram TV to learn how to make planters out of recycled materials. In this online garden class we focus on aluminum cans and plastic bottles. If you will be following along you will need plastic bottle or aluminum can, knife, hammer and nail, potting soil, and seeds or plant (optional).