LA made smog and pollution into household words. No longer. Its citizens have said enough, and are putting their backs -- as well as their words -- into the effort to recover the Edens they have lost.

TreePeople, founded by Andy Lipkis, is leading the campaign to plant one million trees in the next decade. As one of the largest environmental educators in the United States, TreePeople has initiated numerous large-scale public and youth education programs, resulting in millions of people caring for their environment by planting trees, recycling, and preventing the pollution of stormwater.

The effects of humans on natural ecosystems are extensive in this metropolis: native habitat is scarce, wildlife mov ement is obstructed, surface and groundwater quality are impaired, and ocean water quality is affected. Friends of the LA River and the Rivers & Mountains Conservancy are recl aiming the Los Angeles River. They are determined to see the return of steelhead trout in their lifetimes. Citizens in the watershed are engaged in creating more public space. Amigos de la Rios has been a central player in linking the people of 16 cities together via a park network called the Emerald Necklace.

To everyones surprise, Los Angeles is discovering mass transit. Darrell Clarke, Executive Director of Friends of the Expo Line has spent nearly two decades convincing the city to begin building an alternative to L.A.'s world-record traffic: a fast, comfortable, safe, high-capacity light rail transit line from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The Expo Line represents the first eas t-west light rail-line in Los Angeles in 50 years.

Girls Today Women Tomorrow brings together profession women who mentor the girls of Boyle Heights, teaching them about n utrition, exercise, leadership skills and civic involvement. The community-based program also provides college scholarships in a neighborhood where the drop-out rate is close to 50%.

Los Angeles is even planning Grand Avenue, a 26-acre downtown park thanks to the philanthrop ic generosity and vision of Eli Broad. Broad says, "I think if you'll look at the history of great cities you will not f ind one that does not have a vibrant center where all people from all communities could gather."

Other green projects are being promoted by the city's 24/7 Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, who understands that environmental justice, public health and quality-of-life are all integral as Los Angeles ci tizens dream a different city.

Want to know how you can help? Here are some principal contacts from the LA segment of Edens Lost & Found:

Tree People
Andy Lipkis CEO
12601 Mulholland Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
hgoldberg@treep eople.org
818-623-4848

Friends of Expo Line
Darrell Clarke Co-Chair
Friends 4 Expo Transit
P.O. Box 913
Santa Monica, CA 90406
darrell@dclarke.org
310-210-9813

Friends of t he LA River
Lewis McAdams
323-660-6683

The River Project
Melanie Winter, Director
11950 Ventura Blvd., Suite 9
Studio City, CA 91604
818-980-9660
Winter@TheRiverProject.org

Ed Begley, Jr.
fan@edbegley.com

Stella Beltran
1026 N. Lawrence Avenue
Rosemead, CA
626-571-0399

A migos de los Rios
Claire Robinson Director
3244 Santa Anita Avenue
Altadena, CA 91001
626-676-5027
claire@amigosdelosrios.org

Rivers & Mountains Conservancy
Belinda Faustinos Executive Officer
SG & LA Rivers & Mts Conservancy
900 South Fremont Ave Annex, 2nd Floor
Alhambra, CA 91803
bfaustinos@rmc.ca.gov
626-458- 4315

Harry's Berries
2064 Olga Street
Oxnard, CA 93030
Telephone: (805) 659-4568
Fax: (805) 985-0828

Santa Monica Farmer's Market

Girls Today Women Tomorr ow
Michele Deane Executive Director
2130 East First Street Suite 305
Los Angeles, CA 90033
mdeane@gtwt.org
323-526-3039

Cindy Montanez Assembly Woman
CA Legislature
120 North Maclay Ave Suite E
San Fernando, CA 91340
assemblymember.montanz@assembly.ca.gov
818-838-3939