Keep Topanga Wild
Keep our skies dark:
Topanga is one of the last remaining areas in Los Angeles County still blessed with starry skies and we aim to keep it that way. Aside from reducing our ability to stargaze, light pollution is harmful (and often deadly) to our sensitive nocturnal wildlife that rely on night stars to guide their migrations. As humans are part of nature too, our own circadian rhythms can also be adversely affected. Plus it’s wasteful of our natural resources.
- Here are 5 principles to guide responsible outdoor lighting.
- Visit the DarkSky.org website for approved lighting models and more.
- More information here, here, and a beautifully illustrated poster here.
Keep our food poison free:
If you’ve lived in Topanga long enough, you’ve surely encountered pesky critters at home or in the garden. As frustrating as this can be, poison is not the solution. Poisons indirectly harm other wildlife (nearly every link in the food chain) plus roaming pets and curious children.
Despite the banning of many of these poisons, some pest control companies still use them, so it is important to carefully vet the company you work with. You can find a list of approved companies at Poison Free Malibu and Poison Free Topanga, which offer alternative options that focus on repelling, excluding, and deterring pests.
Two of our favorite local pest control companies can be found here:
- https://humanepestpro.com/
- https://treeofliferodentcontrol.com/
Poison can also factor into how we manage pests and weeds in our gardens, so please consider alternatives to harmful pesticides such as Round-Up that can poison our soil for generations to come. Did you know you can call your local Master Gardener hotline to get free tips? Info here.
Keep our pathways open:
Not too long ago, Topanga was a community without fences. Dogs roamed free, kids took hidden trails through neighbors yards to get to school, and wild animals could move freely through our canyon. These modern times have brought so much change-- good and bad-- but the added fences, traffic, and obstructions have certainly challenged our wildlife. Thankfully there are still ways to make our properties a bit more considerate for the needs of our wildlings:
- We recommend fencing only where necessary, leaving some space for wildlife to pass through. There is nothing more beautiful than spotting deer sleeping in your yard!
- In working with your landscape, consider adding some native plants and trees. These natives have evolved over millennia to be in perfect harmony with our ecosystem and there are many benefits as a result. Native plants have much deeper root systems which help prevent soil erosion (Hello yearly landslides! We’re looking at you!) and provide crucial food for our native pollinators. Did you know bats are night-time pollinators that will travel miles for native nectars? A healthy bat population means less mosquitos in your yard!
- On the ground, we recommend limiting artificial grass, concrete, and weed cloth as they can damage the fertile topsoil below.
Keep our creeks clear & toxin free:
We are all on septic systems (and many of us have some form of grey water systems too) so that means anything you put down your drain leeches into our groundwater. From there it makes its way into our beloved creek and is eventually carried out to Topanga Beach. By choosing biodegradable, natural products in your kitchen, bathroom and garden, we can help reduce these toxins. We have considered this when selecting all of our products in store, and would love to help you find make a switch!
