LADWP Hosts Third Annual `Run for a Green LA' in Griffith Park; Energy Efficiency, Solar Power, Tree Planting and Green Power Highlighted.

Assignment Desks/City Desks

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 27, 2002

Unique Event Attracts 5,000 Runners, Includes Three Types of Races

and Features Family-Friendly Displays, Entertainment and Prizes

About 5,000 runners, including about 2,500 middle and high school students from the organization, Students Run LA, are participating today (Oct. 27) in the LADWP Third Annual "Run for a Green LA" at Griffith Park. The morning-long event includes three types of races (5K/10K, 7.8-mile trail run and Kiddie Fun Run) for runners of all ages and serves as an official warm-up to the Los Angeles Marathon.

The event features an environmental festival for the entire family with more than 35 environmental displays, live entertainment, food and prizes. Run for a Green LA also includes cash prizes for the top finishers in the 5K, 10K and Trail Run.

Prizes will be awarded to the top men and women finishers in each age bracket. In addition, the Sponsor of the Year is the Los Angeles Zoo. The Zoo is also hosting a major event today to celebrate Halloween, "Boo at the Zoo."

"The Run for a Green LA is a wonderful event which brings together so many runners and families from throughout the city to celebrate health and fitness and to promote awareness of LADWP's Green LA environmental programs," said City Councilmember Tom LaBonge.

"The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power takes its role as a community leader very seriously," said David Wiggs, LADWP general manager. "We are proud to host this run and festival. This event is co-sponsored by more than 20 corporations, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. We hope to sponsor this event for many years to come."

"The Run for a Green LA demonstrates that support for the Green LA Programs is not only good for the environment and for the health of our children and families, but can also be fun as well," said Angelina Galiteva, LADWP executive director of Green LA.

Galiteva added that the major purpose of the run event is to encourage and promote customer participation in the LADWP Green LA programs.

"The Run event is unique because it offers three different main venues - a 5K/10K Run, the beautiful 7.8 mile trail run which also features vistas of the city including a wonderful view of the Hollywood sign. And also the event features the Kiddie Fun Run," said Steve Matsuda, Run for a Green LA race director and the LADWP assistant director of efficiency solutions.

Exhibits at the festival include information about the Green LA programs including Energy Efficiency and the Consumer Rebate Program for the purchase of Energy Star-qualified products; Solar Incentive Program that helps reduce the cost of a system by more than half; Trees for a Green LA that provides up to seven free shade trees if customers attend a two-hour informative workshop; Green Power, where customers can choose to help bring new clean renewable energy to the city; and Electric Transportation that provides information on zero emission vehicles. Several types of electric vehicles are utilized at the event - shuttle buses, sports utility vehicle, pick-up truck and automobiles.

Also, exhibits include a 1950's era police car sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Department. The Police Department Reserve Officers is also displaying an electric vehicle they are using as a fundraising activity. Organizations ranging from the Sierra Club, Heal the Bay and the American Heart Association to the YMCA, LA Sports and Fitness Magazine and the Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting booths.

Co-sponsors of the Run include the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Zoo, the LA Marathon, Loyola-Marymount University, Los Angeles World Airports, 3M, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage, the Los Angeles Dodgers, UCLA, KFWB, KWTV ("The Wave" Radio) and LA Sports and Fitness Magazine.

LADWP customers can receive detailed information about all the Green LA programs, by logging on to www.GreenLA.com or calling 1-800-GreenLA.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power serves more than 3.8 million people in Los Angeles and was established almost 100 years ago to provide the water and electric needs to the city's businesses and residents. LADWP is a recognized local and national leader in sponsoring programs to enhance the success of the Los Angeles youth, especially in school educational partnership activities.