Photo by Susan Borden

Yesterday was kind of an exciting day on Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Blvd. Informational tables were set up, the red carpet rolled out, and press people with their fancy cameras stood by. Eric Garcetti even stopped by to celebrate. But this was no Hollywood awards ceremony – this was a red carpet unveiling of the new solar-powered trash compactor, Big Belly.

It seems odd to have such hub-bub over a trash can, but this has been years of work for Echo Park resident and Trash Abatement Program (TAP) leader Ida Talalla, who as worked tirelessly on projects and community cleanups to keep Echo Park clean. This trash compactor, which was paid for by city grants, will help relieve the busy corner from the overflowing trash cans that plague our neighborhood – it can hold four times more trash than normal bins. Especially since down the road, Echo Park Lake is getting a multi-million dollar renovation, and the hope is that less trash will make its way into the lake waters.

Ida commented on The Eastsider LA article recently, saying:

Echo Park TAP feels that this project has been sufficiently tested elsewhere as well as received strong support from within and outside the community to be effective in the effort to stop trash from entering area storm drains….

Litter is not simply only a visual blight but a polluter with far reaching consequences, often not seen in the immediate vicinity. Inland trash ends up on beaches and the ocean. BigBelly Solar is here to assist us meet the challenges. Echo Park TAP will keep the community appraised of its efforts to reduce the impact of trash in the community and the newly replanted Lotus bed.

She also mentioned there would be a “Shelter Clean volunteer” for one year who will service the units, keeping the outside of it clean and the inside replaced with biodegradable bags.

Ida Talalla herself! Photo by Susan Borden

Kudos Ida, thank you for the hard work in keeping Echo Park clean!