In April 2026, LARC participated in Earth Day events across Los Angeles County— these were hosted in the cities of Glendale, Pico Rivera, Burbank, Culver City, Calabasas, and Beverly Hills. During each Earth Day event, families and nearby residents explored tables featuring anything from petting zoos to new street redesign plans. LARC has tabled at similar events in previous years, and this engagement has always been a great way to bring public awareness to extreme heat.

The LARC table contains a few eye-catching features. The first is the map “What Does Extreme Heat Look Like Across LA?”, which visualizes the distribution of daily emergency room visits due to extreme heat across LA County. LARC staff ask individuals to place a pin on where they live to evaluate how at-risk they are for heat-related illnesses. This has begun conversations about the urban heat island effect, the importance of tree canopies, and necessary resources for heat-vulnerable communities.

LARC also offers flyers “Cool Down Your Home”, with tips on staying cool while saving energy, and “Stay Safe During Extreme Heat”, featuring symptoms of heat-related illnesses. (Both are available on LARC’s Heat Campaign page under Print and Social Media Content.) LARC also distributes heat “swag” or merch at various events— these include fold-up fans, insulated water bottles, sun umbrellas, collapsible dog bowels, bucket hats, and ice sleeves! Finally, the kids (and some adults) love the make-a-fan activity, where they can design their own paper fans to take home.

Calabasas Earth Day - 04/18/26

Culver City El Rincon Earth Day - 04/25/26

Burbank Earth Day - 04/25/26 (Credit: City of Burbank)

The in-person engagement is incredibly valuable— LARC has gotten testimonials about difficulties with A/C units, concerns about loved ones in extreme heat, and personal experiences with heat-related illnesses. In Pico Rivera, a mother, who once experienced severe symptoms from a heat-related illness at a water park, took our heat resources to prevent another incident. Later that day, a transit agency employee told LARC staff about an Easter event in Bell Gardens that got cut short because three kids experienced heat-related illnesses. In Culver City El Rincon, a man who was once unhoused said he got heat stroke all the time in Malibu. These conversations highlight the severity and prevalence of heat-related illnesses.

The action-oriented resources offered at LARC’s tabling events provide hope. The LARC team constantly sees people take flyers for their loved ones. In Glendale, a woman took a flyer to give to her son, who works outside in the heat and has suffered from a heat stroke. In-person interaction means everyone can exchange tips to cool down during extreme heat events. In Calabasas, one man was adamant about his cooling technique: waking up at 5 am, opening all of his windows to cool the house, and closing all the blinds in the morning or afternoon. Finally, the kids love reading heat awareness tips and chatting with LARC staff. They are always engaged in drawing on their fans, collaborating with their families to come up with eco-friendly ideas to write on them.

Below are some amazing designs made by our LA communities to take home and cool down!