The Port of Long Beach on Tuesday debuted “Soleil the Sea Lion Explores the Green Port,” a new children’s book highlighting the Port’s environmental achievements and ongoing commitment to sustainable operations.
Coinciding with Read Across America Week, the book was introduced to students during an assembly at Birney Elementary School in Long Beach. Copies will be available in elementary and K-8 school libraries across the Long Beach Unified School District.
Developed through the Port’s Communications and Community Relations Division, the story is aimed at a third-grade audience and follows a fictional sea lion named Soleil who wants to meet friends also living in the ocean. When the Port of Long Beach enacts several measures to enhance water and air quality as the nation’s first Green Port, Soleil develops friendships with marine mammals, birds, and other sea creatures, gradually returning to the harbor.
“Through the eyes of Soleil the Sea Lion, young readers can learn how far we’ve come in fulfilling our Green Port promise of a cleaner harbor through air, water, and habitat restoration programs,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “The next generation of Long Beach residents – the children attending our schools – will benefit from the hard work we’re doing today to achieve our goal of zero-emissions operations.”
“One of the tenets of our Green Port Policy is to educate the community about the Port’s mission,” said Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Frank Colonna. “This book is a fun and effective way to share our environmental success story with our younger residents and their families.”
“Read Across America Week reminds us that reading can open doors to our communities, lifelong learning, and other opportunities,” said LBUSD Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker. “With all of the educational partnerships we have with the Port, we are proud to help launch this book.”
The return of marine life depicted in the book is based on comprehensive biological studies that measure the harbor’s health. A recent San Pedro Bay ports complex-wide study identified 1,000 species of fish, birds, invertebrates, and marine mammals, a 60% increase since 2000.
The Port’s commitment to sustainable operations and environmental stewardship also includes the Clean Truck Program, shore power for ships, cleaner fuels, and additional measures to significantly improve air and water quality.
Since 2005, the Port has helped reduce pollution from diesel particulate matter by 90%, nitrogen oxides by 68%, and sulfur oxides by 98%, all while cargo traffic has increased 44%.
“Soleil the Sea Lion Explores the Green Port” was written by Port Media Relations Manager Art Marroquin and illustrated by Long Beach artist Michelle Dinh. The Port produced an initial 2,500 copies of the book for local schools and community events. Additional copies will be printed in Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog, and plans are underway to create online and audio versions.
At the moment, the book’s distribution is limited to Port events and LBUSD libraries. Additional opportunities for obtaining copies will be announced soon.
In recognition of the book’s launch, the Port is sponsoring the LBUSD Bookmark Contest, a districtwide art competition that incorporates the themes of reading and environmental responsibility in honor of Earth Day. About 60,000 students from pre-kindergarten to high school seniors have an opportunity to design a bookmark with the theme “Our Power, Our Planet.” The contest is now open, and the submission deadline is April 2. Winners from each grade will be announced on April 20. For more information, students and parents are advised to ask their campus librarians.
For more information about the Port’s education outreach programs, visit www.polb.com/education.
