Celebrate Earth Day 2021 In Laguna Niguel: Trash Into Treasure

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — Have you ever built something with your kids, using nothing but found items and imagination? That is what the Child Creativity Lab (“CCL”) Materials Kits are all about. After a year of closure, the CCL and YMCA of Orange County are hosting a recycled materials collection drive to recognize Earth Day 2021.

The YMCA fitness centers in Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo and Newport Mesa collect materials starting on Earth day, Thursday to Sunday.

"The collected materials will be reused in CCL’s creative kits and educational workshops designed to mesh creativity, STEAM, design thinking and reuse," a spokesperson for CCL says.

CCL’s kits and materials support STEM education in Orange County schools, nonprofit organizations serving children, community maker space programs, and educators and families.

Tracey Hill, CCL’s chief executive officer, spoke on the event.

“Child Creativity Lab’s mission is to foster the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, innovators and leaders through unique hands-on creativity exploration programs,” Hill said. “This collection drive enables the residents of Orange County to help us continue to supply needed educational materials that have become even more important as schools and nonprofits have adapted to distance learning. And, by donating items that can be upcycled, individuals will be helping the environment by reducing landfill waste.”

CCL will accept a wide variety of new or cleaned/rinsed materials that would otherwise be recycled or find their way into a landfill at three YMCA locations.

Donations will be accepted on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

• Laguna Niguel Family YMCA, 29831 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel, (949) 495-9622
• Mission Viejo Family YMCA, 27341 Trabuco Circle, Mission Viejo, (949) 859-9622
• Newport-Mesa Family YMCA, 2300 University Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 642-9990

Some of the most urgently needed items include:

• plastic bottle caps
• disposable plastic forks and spoons
• sports drink bottles
• pill bottles with labels removed
• plastic container lids
• clean straws
• Legos
• small plastic parts
• wine corks.

A complete list of items CCL accepts can be found here.

Getting Back To Where We Were...

Prior to COVID-19, CCL’s STEAM + CREATIVITY programming had reached nearly 25,000 youth, 70 percent of whom were from underserved communities.

CCL conducted 134 Creativity Challenge Workshops at Title I Schools and community organizations across Orange County, and volunteers dedicated over 3,400 hours to encourage creativity amongst the youth in their communities.

Additionally, 17,800 pounds of waste was diverted from landfills and used as the content for STEAM-based Challenge “tool kits.”

When California schools began to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic, CCL adapted its curriculum and programming to a virtual model by utilizing YouTube and social media.

It also donated STEAM Challenge Kits and fabric for face masks to childcare locations for the children of essential workers and first responders. By modifying its programs and volunteer activities to comply with recommended safety guidelines, CCL has continued fulfilling its mission to inspire and foster creativity, serving as a valuable resource to the community during the pandemic.

For more information about CCL’s programs and team-building volunteer opportunities for community groups, organizations and corporations, please visit www.childcreativitylab.org.