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Biologist urges Montebello to step up sustainability efforts, flags outdated 'Go Green' resources
Summary
A visiting biologist urged the Montebello City Council to expand sustainability programs, update city online resources, and promote water- and biodiversity-friendly practices at a public presentation.
At the Feb. 19 council meeting, Dr. Ryan Ellingson, a biologist and high-school science teacher, gave a public presentation on climate change, biodiversity loss and local steps Montebello could take to increase sustainability and resilience.
Ellingson reviewed global temperature trends and plastic pollution, said impacts are already affecting human health, food systems and migration, and urged local action. "All of the problems from this are more expensive than the solutions, at least right now," he told the council, arguing that investments now would be less costly than future damages.
Turning to local opportunities, Ellingson noted Montebello’s Go Green web pages and said parts of the site appear outdated or missing links; he suggested small, visible municipal steps to model sustainable behavior. He proposed measures such as installing or reactivating drinking-water refill stations, promoting LA County’s BeeWaterwise lawn‑removal rebates and publicizing them to residents, and expanding native-plant landscaping to reduce water use and support pollinators.
Ellingson also observed that Montebello’s landscape shows a historical oil-industry presence with many old and idle wells and that the city seal and public messaging could be updated to reflect current sustainability priorities. He urged the council to lead by example, including a modest personal pledge (for example, to avoid disposable water bottles at meetings) to normalize small changes.
Council members thanked Ellingson for the presentation and noted shared interest in resilience and sustainability. One council member said the presentation was “insightful,” and another offered examples of local cleantech expertise.
Ending: The presentation did not result in immediate policy changes, but council members invited staff to consider Ellingson’s suggestions and noted opportunities to incorporate some items into outreach or the city’s sustainability plans.
