This month Thomas Small and Goran Eriksson both turn 1 year old.

Beginning with Tuesday evening’s 7 o’clock City Council meeting, Messrs. Eriksson and Small will be rounding out their first year on the Council.

However, each gentleman played such a remarkably effective policy and leadership role that no one ever thought of either as a political rookie.

Tomorrow’s meeting will mark one of the signal occasions of the year – the first reading of the ban on polystyrene by Culver City restaurants.

This monumental advance – proposed by the Ballona Creek Renaissance to rid the environment of shards of Styrofoam — is vigorously endorsed by both men and their three Council colleagues.

A Culver City-based international businessman, Mr. Eriksson has seen a broader picture from the start of this process last August.

Speaking to the newspaper over the weekend from sunny Cabo San Lucas, where he was holidaying, Mr. Eriksson said that “there is so much more to this ordinance than the polystyrene ban.

“An important part of the success of this (almost official) policy is that we are getting more trash receptacles and (recycle) collection along Ballona Creek.
“Those developments really make me happy, especially about what goes on along the Creek.”

(To be continued)