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 Your eco-questions answered:
Questions:
- Do you know anyone in the Portland area with a blog like yours that includes a calendar? Thanks! Jamie
- I decided to start a green lifestyle blog for the residents in D.C. I decided on a variation of Green Hill Girl or Green DC Girl. And then I came across your website and realized how similar the name would sound. As a courtesy, I am writing to ask if you would be okay with me having a blog with a name so similar to yours. Juli
- I was thinking of floating this idea by you of me starting a blog called greenbostonboy or something when I move back in the fall to provide the resources you do to Bostonians.... I don't know if you have thought about franchising that s*** or not.... Jordan
Answer: Start writing your green blog already! Yes, be green Portland girl, green DC girl, green Boston boy -- and the like.
I started green LA girl a couple of years ago (before I started blogging at Emerald City), and get e-mails on about a weekly basis either asking me if I know a blog "just like green LA girl" but in their city -- and / or asking me if they can use a variation on green LA girl.
My answer is always "No" and "Do it!" respectively.
Eco blogs are popping up all over the place, but few of them focus on a specific city, and none -- as far as I know -- sport a local green calendar. Yet everyone wants local eco info!
Why do people want local enviro blogs? Because most of the eco advice and info we get is so abstract. Don't put electronics into the landfill, we're told. It'll leach chemicals! But where exactly CAN we dispose of it properly?
The answer to that is much harder to find. And a local blog is usually the easiest way to get that info. However, as far as I know, no one has as of yet created a green [insert place] [boy/girl] blog after writing about one. Why the hesitance, I have no idea.
Maybe to encourage this, I should put together a list of locally focused enviro blogs that really make going green easier for people specifically living in that place. That way, I'll have something to refer to any time I'm asked these questions again. Anyone have recommendations for this list?
Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.
 Zucchini never tasted so sweet -- because by zucchini, I mean zucchini chocolate chip cookies! (PDF)
That recipe I got from "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life," a yearlong memoir of sorts by Barbara Kingsolver that documents her family's life of trying to eat as locally as possible in southern Appalachia.
And they ate good food! Barbara brags about how she got kids to eat zucchini with these cookies: "They asked for seconds. Ha!" Of course, that's not exactly surprising when you consider that the butter, honey, brown sugar and chocolate chips outweighed the locally grown zucchini content by about 3 to 1....
 Why did Barbara decide to eat local? The same reasons lots of other people are trying to eat more locally these days. Basically, people are developing a distaste for pesticide-ridden tomatoes that were shipped here via fossil fuels from thousands of miles away and taste anything but fresh and yummy. People also don't like their tax dollars going to farm subsidies that support big farm corporations growing genetically modified corn, which is then used to produce high-fructose corn syrup that gets sold to us in soda and fast food, making us fat and sick.
So the reasons to eat local are rather doom and gloom, but the book itself is fun and tasty. After all, Barbara is not a purist like Alisa and James of 100-Mile Diet fame, who promptly lost 15 pounds when they started their super-strict diet. Barbara's family grows and gets local everything they possibly can, but makes some exceptions for things like organic fair trade coffee and of course, chocolate chips.
The work sounds rather arduous at times. I mean, this family tends a rather large farm-garden, as well as a small flock of poultry. That said, Barbara's take is that it's enjoyable work that lets her enjoy the outdoors and develop a useful hobby while connecting her with community and family. Plus, there's a certain hilarity and satisfaction in getting her turkeys to mate and produce little turkeys naturally -- apparently no easy feat!
I found "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" inspiring, even though I'm not exactly inspired to keep a chicken coop on my apartment balcony. We just live in very different places, Barbara and I. Barbara does a lot of farming and canning and jamming, which is cool if you enjoy it, but not as necessary for Angelenos who can get fresh local produce at the farmers market year-round.
That said, I tried a rather lax 100-mile diet awhile back and have pretty much stuck to it since! Tomatoes are yummier fresh from the farmers market.
As for gardening: The only things I've grown successfully in my balcony garden so far are herbs, but I have high hopes for next spring.... In the meantime, check out Jenn and Nat's urban lawn garden in Santa Monica for inspiration.
 What I really need to work on now are my cooking skills. I'm great at salads and sandwiches and, um, bowls of cereal that I can just add soy milk to, but not so much at anything else. Sure, the zucchini cookies turned out, but then it's pretty hard to make a dense combo of sugar, honey and chocolate chips taste bad.
My eggs in a nest (PDF) were passable but not spectacular (left); my veggie frittata (PDF) barely edible. The Asian veggie rolls (PDF) turned out pretty well, though -- perhaps because there wasn't too much actual cooking involved. I need a local cooking class.
But I'm a proud member of the local eating movement. Join me!
Thanks to Lisa for sharing the book with me.
Photos by Siel
 >> Ten Emerald City readers will get a $50 discount to Opportunity Green, a green business-focused conference on Nov. 17 that will give you a crash course on combining environmentalism with profitable business. The discount is available to the first 10 to register using this code: emeraldcity.
>> An environmental report from the Wall Street Journal covers home energy audits, hybrid cars -- and the gap between eco-talk and eco-action among consumers.
 >> Flexcar merges with Zipcar! The two car-sharing companies join forces. Unfortunately, Zipcar isn't in L.A. yet, so the merger doesn't mean much of a change for Flexcar members here (including me).
>> Vote for your favorite ecospot. Which of these semifinalists in Current TV's ":60 Seconds to Save the Earth" contest is the most inspiring and relevant to addressing global warming?
 I know Halloween isn't until tomorrow, but most of the parties happened last weekend, so the holiday already feels over.
Last night, I took some of my own green Halloween tips! My friend Desdemona threw a pumpkin-carving party, so I put on an organic T-shirt, scooped up my farmers market pumpkin, and took the Big Blue Bus No. 2 down to her place in Venice.
 There we drank wine and carved merrily! To the right is me with my wine-inspired creation.
The bus has been kind to me this Halloween in general. On Saturday, the 704 dropped me off at a party in West Hollywood, from where Hannah and I carpooled to a party in Hollywood.
I met Ugly Betty! I also ran into a "Clockwork Orange" dude at each party.
Halloween is fun car-free, though I do wonder if it would've been kind of awkward if I'd dressed up....
 I actually planned to try out Euro Taxi this weekend, but someone always gave me a ride home. Thanks, friends!
How did you get to your Halloween festivities? If you're working tomorrow, celebrate at your desk by sending a Grist eco-Halloween e-card.
 Your eco-questions answered:
Question: I posted today my anxiety about moving to L.A. because of air quality, and one of my readers suggested I contact you. I am a moron when it comes to science, and if we agree to move to L.A., I want to find the areas with the clearest air and water. Any suggestions? Emily
Answer: Luckily for you, the LA Weekly put together a super scary -- if handy and informative -- map that color codes cancer risk in L.A. and vicinity (PDF). As expected, the threat is greatest for people living near the Ports of L.A. and Long Beach, where "1 in 200 residents are expected to get cancer because of the dirty air." Wow.
So my first suggestion: Don't move near the ports.
Beyond that: In general, the wealthier a community, the less polluted it is. Sadly, those with the least power to fight back often get shafted again by rich companies and the public policies they influence.
Thus, "stationary toxic and polluting sites are also concentrated in areas where large numbers of poor and communities of color live," as environmental groups point out (PDF). Even the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program notes that pollution places a "disparate burden on minority and/or low-income communities."
So beyond just running away from these areas, we need to push for tighter air quality regulations from our elected officials and our environmental agencies. On a brighter note, plans to clean up our ports are gaining momentum.
Want to get more involved in the environmental justice movement? Communities for a Better Environment is a nonprofit that works on grassroots organizing, community-based research and legal assistance in low-income communities of color in California’s most densely populated neighborhoods.
Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.
Photo by Ben Amstutz via Flickr
 Bad news is funnier read all in a row --
>> The Polluted Olympic games. Athletes in Beijing can get "a super-sized dose of ozone and fine particulates, which can make respiration more difficult and reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the muscles."
>> Yet China's reliance on coal keeps growing "China mined a record 2.4 billion tons of coal in 2006, up 8.1% from a year earlier." And this year, China became a net coal importer for the first time.
>> BP settles three enviro-related lawsuits for $303.5 million, $50 million, and $20 million, out of the $1.6 billion the company's set aside to settle lawsuits. How green does BP's Helios House sound now?
>> Orangutans and other cute monkeys threatened! "Almost one in three species of primates is facing extinction, a survey by scientists shows. Bushmeat hunting, illegal trade in animals and habitat loss are the biggest threats and have left 29% of primate species in danger of being wiped out." (via grist)
Photo by Kevin Dooley via Flickr
 Your eco-questions answered:
Question: So, I would like to put the lead-free presents under a lead-free Christmas tree. I can get a real tree. Any idea where to get lead-free lights? -- Miun
Answer: Is it really holiday prep time already? Last week I saw these holiday CFL bulbs on sale at Walgreens and thought of you, Miun --
Lead isn't so much a concern in light bulbs so much as energy efficiency and mercury content (in CFLs). Which is to say -- LED (light emitting diodes) lights address both those concerns, so my short answer is: Choose LEDs for your holiday lighting needs!
 To start, LEDs contain no mercury. They also use 1/50th of the electricity of conventional bulbs and last 20 to 30 years, according to the Christian Science Monitor. LEDs produce twice as much light as a regular 60-watt bulb and are much harder to break, according to LiveScience.
Yes, LEDs cost a bit more upfront, but because of the bulbs' energy savings and longevity, they're more cost-effective than traditional bulbs. Over five years, energy costs on traditional bulbs will run you $142, compared with $31 for LEDs. Make the investment, and your LED lights will become gifts that keep giving for many holidays to come.
Many are jumping on the LED band wagon. Last year, California's state holiday tree at the Capitol was lighted with 6,500 LED bulbs. This year, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is converting to all LEDs for its Light Festival.
So now it's easier than ever to find LEDs, sold at Ikea, ACE Hardware and other familiar stores, and also widely available on the Internet.
 While you're at it, sign up for green power with the DWP and make sure your now hopefully much smaller holiday energy needs are all met by renewable energy sources.
Lastly -- Don't know what to do with those old "regular" light bulbs? Turn them into holiday tree ornaments!
Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.
Top photo by Siel, photo of LED lights by Derek K. Miller via Flickr, and photo of light bulb ornament courtesy of 3R Living
 >> U.S. colleges are getting more sustainable! According to the College Sustainability Report Card by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, the University of California gets a B-plus and USC a C-plus (PDFs).
>> The Sierra Club is even more impressed with the UC. The University of California system makes it on the list of 10 "Cool Schools."
>> Berkeley considers financing plan for home solar panels. The City Council is set to vote Nov. 6 "on a plan for the city to finance the cost of solar panels for property owners who agree to pay it back with a 20-year assessment on their property. Over two decades, the taxes would be the same or less than what property owners would save on their electric bills, officials say."
Image courtesy of the Sierra Club
 How I get around town, or a roundup of posts from this week's eco-topic: De-car-ing. Be car-free and happy.
* A nice walk: Think walking is slow? What do you do when you run out of (soy) milk? I can walk two blocks to Co-opportunity or five blocks to Whole Foods.
* Bike me: Travel via bike and you'll be able to predict your arrival time within five to 10 minutes. There's the social factor too. With Critical Mass, Midnight Ridazz, C.I.C.L.E., and L.A. County Bicycle Coalition events (among others), biking friends are there for your meeting.
* Bus love: A bus novice? Just get to know one good line around you. A day pass ($5 for Metro, $3 for the Big Blue Bus) can cover all your errand-running needs!
* Green Taxis: For late nights out, I have Euro Taxi of Santa Monica's number in my cellphone to get me home. The company has four biodiesel and four compressed natural gas cabs out of 24 cabs in the fleet.
* Flexcar and the joys of semi-car ownership: I don't have my own car anymore. But I have access to a car whenever I need it. I've got Flexcar, which is like a regular car rental -- except you can rent by the half hour, instantly. And If I know I need a car for a full day, I just walk over to Enterprise and rent a car for $30 a day or less.
* Rail: Rail is so quiet and calm and clean! Plus, Metro rail costs just $1.25 a ride -- the same as a bus ride. Unfortunately, I don't have any rail lines near me -- yet.
Photo by Siel
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.
Rail is so quiet and calm and clean! I went down to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach yesterday via the Blue Line and ended up getting a lot of reading done because I didn't have to deal with all the starts and stops and lurches and bumps I do on buses. Plus, Metro rail costs just $1.25 a ride -- the same as a bus ride.
Unfortunately, aside from yesterday, I never get to take rail. It's nowhere near me! I see L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa take the subway, I watch laughing kids swing on subway poles, and I read all manner of subway stories -- but I almost never get to actually ride it.
Which is why I've been going to all these Metro meetings for the Expo, Red, and Purple lines. If all of them happen, my neighborhood will suddenly become a rail-heavy area -- although by "suddenly" I mean the next decade or so....
One snafu with the Blue Line: Something was happening between the Imperial and Compton stations -- construction maybe. We all had to get off at Imperial, get on special shuttles that took us to Compton, then climb back onto the Blue Line. That lengthened my trip quite a bit; it took about an hour and a half to get from downtown L.A. to Long Beach, compared with the usual hour.
The shuttle situation was very well organized, though, with people smoothly directing passengers on and off the orange buses, all labeled "600 Special" -- which I think will make a great title for a NaNoWriMo novel --
Photo by Siel
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.
No, I don't have my own car anymore. But I have access to a car whenever I need it.
How? Through Flexcar. Basically, Flexcar is like a regular car rental except you can rent by the half hour; rates are $5 to $10 per hour. You can also book online or by phone without ever dealing with someone trying to put you in a bigger car or get you to buy more insurance. Oh, insurance and gas are included in the rental price.
 All you have to do is sign up to become a member! You'll then get a wallet-sized membership card. After that, all you have to do is make an instantaneous reservation (I've gone online at 6:30 to book a car starting 6:30), wave your card in front of the car to unlock it, take the car key out of the glove compartment and start driving!
Flexcar is really popular with households trying to get rid of their second cars, but it works pretty damn well for me too. In fact, I wouldn't have gotten rid of my car if I didn't have Flexcar. Emergencies are rare, but it's best to be prepared for them.
That said, $5 to $10 an hour can add up. If I know I need a car for a full day -- which happens every couple of months or so -- I just walk over to Enterprise and rent a car for $30 a day or less.
If you plan ahead better than I do: There's the eco-friendly Bio-Beetle rental service too, with locations near LAX, Santa Monica and Pasadena. The cars run on biodiesel, and daily prices begin at $49.99. I haven't tried them yet, but I will soon and report back --
But Flexcar is essential for all short and last-minute trips.
Last week, the L.A. City Council Transportation Committee considered on-street parking options for car-sharing programs such as Flexcar. Did anyone go to the meeting? What happened?
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.
Honestly, I don't use cabs that often. I just don't need to, between the walking and biking and riding the bus. The one exception: when I come home from a bar or party -- usually one I took a bus to -- late at night.
Even then, usually a friend is going my way and can drop me off. That's how I got home from Hal's Bar and Grill last weekend. But if I know I'm going to be out past 11 p.m., I carry cab fare.
And honestly again -- In a cabbing situation, I've always been near a major street where I can flag down a taxi. I figure it's more eco to hail a cab that's already there than to call a faraway cab to drive over and pick me up.
 That said, for the time when I need to call a cab, I have Euro Taxi of Santa Monica's number in my cellphone. The company has four biodiesel and four compressed natural gas-fueled cabs out of 24 cabs in the fleet, said Don Alexander, owner and general manager of Euro Taxi, whom I had a little chat with at the AltCarExpo.
Don urged me to specifically request an eco-friendly taxi when I call, noted that EuroTaxi offers a $28 flat rate to LAX, and said he hopes to build up his eco-friendly fleet.
No, I haven't tried Euro Taxi's service yet, but my friend Summer has. Her take: "It was the cleanest and most pleasant taxi I’d ever been in."
 Got more money and want to travel in style? Ecolimo offers everything from Priuses and other hybrids to biodiesel and CNG cars. From what I can tell, though, the rates are quite a bit more expensive, with the lowest Santa Monica-to-LAX rate pegged at $85. Perhaps an option to consider if you're going to the Oscars?
Relatedly: For a brief moment in downtown L.A., we had a pedicab service called Green Machine run by one Eric Green. Unfortunately, the operation got shut down by the Transportation Department -- hopefully just temporarily -- before I got a chance to try it. Anyone know the latest about the service?
Euro Taxi. 310.828.4200; Eco Limo. 800.432.6546
Top photo by Summer Bowen
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.
My friends fall into two basic camps: The super-fit, adventurous kind who don't think twice about hopping on a bike to get from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. for a Farmlab event, and the kind who think twice, lock up their bikes, and look to carpool.
Actually, I have a third kind who big up green travel but pretty much just drive everywhere. Hi Hannah!
But I digress, because really, I'm talking about me :P This series is about how I de-car, after all. To get downtown, I take the No. 10 Big Blue Bus, which picks me up a couple of blocks from my place in Santa Monica, shoots me down the 10 Freeway, and drops me off in downtown L.A. half an hour later.
Why more Santa Monicans don't take this option is beyond me (though really, the line is quite popular), because as everyone knows, traffic is a nightmare in downtown L.A. Sure, the bus has to deal with a lot of this traffic too -- but it doesn't have to deal with parking, which also sucks and is expensive to boot. Factor in the "looking for parking then walking from parking lot to destination" time, and the bus versus car travel time is about equal.
These days I go downtown only once in a while -- usually to switch to the Dash F to get to USC. But I lived in Miracle Mile and worked in the Bunker Hill area back in the day, and I took the Metro 720 rapid down Wilshire. I liked my road-rage-free commute then too.
Any of you live in Miracle Mile? What really killed me about living there: The parking sucked! Yes, I had permit parking, but it still sucked. Some nights, I'd seriously consider not going out because I didn't want to lose my parking spot. Other nights, I'd have to park six blocks away at 2:30 a.m.
 When we think of cars, we often think of freedom to go where we want, when we want. Certainly that's how cars are marketed to us. But in many ways, I found my car restricted my freedoms. The car kept me from spending a good chunk of my money on other stuff, from sleeping in late on street-cleaning day, and even from a stress-free evening out without worrying about finding parking and a designated driver.
Enter the bus. I use the Metro and the Big Blue Bus system about equally, with the help of Metro tokens and the Little Blue Card, respectively. Luckily, I live right between two Metro rapid lines -- the 720 and the 704, which runs down Santa Monica Boulevard.
A bus novice? Just get to know one good line around you. The 720 alone takes me everywhere from the L.A. County Museum of Art to BCD Tofu House for yummy Korean food to Niketown for tennis shoe recycling. A day pass ($5 for Metro, $3 for Big Blue Bus) can cover all your errand-running needs! You can get Metro Trip Planner right on your cellphone too.
 And yes, the bus fuels my social life. Last Friday, I took the Big Blue Bus 2 to meet a couple of friends at Hal's Bar and Grill in Venice (photo left; I'm not actually twice as big as my friends in real life). Convenient, easy, cheap -- and I could drink as much as I wanted.
Of course, getting back home via bus is trickier; if you're out until the bars close, bus service is sparse or nonexistent. If I know I'm staying out past 11 p.m., I don't count on the bus. Usually, I carpool with someone going my way, but with all the money I save by not owning a car, I always have cab money. Next post: greening your cab ride.
Top photo courtesy of MetroRiderLA; other photos by Siel
>> The yumminess of local, organic food. An interview with Alice Waters: "When you spend time buying tasty things you hardly have to cook them. You just slice a little piece of fig and some fresh cheese, and, voilà!"
 >> On the other end of the scale: How corn turns into fast food. "King Corn," a documentary that follows two buddies from Yale who move to the heartland, plant corn, then follow it through the food system, opens today at Laemmle's Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.
>> An idle car is a stinky playground. Make a LEaP (Lowering Emissions and Particulates) is a new website created by automotive and heavy-duty supplier Webasto to combat the "lack of societal understanding of how unnecessary idling affects the degradation of our global environment." According to Make a LEaP, 10 seconds of idling can take more gas than turning off the engine and restarting it, and excessive idling can damage engine components.
>> A special section on cars, many concerning green car tech, in the N.Y. Times. "10 Web Sites That Avoid Hybrid Hype" looks like a good place to start.
Come, ye weary, bruised and broken cellphones and GPS systems -- and earn your owners some money.
Throw not your old gadgets into the landfill. Instead, first try getting a little cash for them, via Second Rotation. Search for your gadget, answer a few simple yes or no questions (i.e. "Powers on successfully?"), and find out how much it's worth. If the price sounds good to you, mail it in -- free! -- and get your cash.
If you're trying to sell an old cellphone, you have a couple of other options: Money via Cell for Cash or gift certificates via RipMobile.
Of course, your gadget might be worth nothing on these sites. If so, some companies -- Sprint, for example -- have buyback programs that let you trade in old stuff for credit toward new stuff.
Old cellphones in particular are easy to put toward a good cause, even if they don't get you any money. Most cellphone companies have their own charity-related program set up -- and many accept any phone (i.e. Verizon will take an AT&T or Sprint phone) for donation. Step into one of their stores to drop it off.
Don't want to step out of your house? Collective Good lets you donate your phone to a cause of your choice -- and many offer free shipping!
More on recycling bigger electronic items later.
 >> Electric car costs $130,000 to manufacture, sells for $35,000 (other articles say $45,000). California's Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate lets the all-electric Phoenix Motorcars sell ZEV credits to car companies that aren't able to produce the required number of ZEVs. That money reduces the price of Phoenix Sports Utility Trucks, which will be available for fleet purchase in 2008.
>> Tom Hanks loves his electric car enough to make a MySpace video about it. Looks like this is the first short video in a series.
>> A bike-friendly culture in Portland. Portland residents spend 15% of their income on transportation, compared with 19% nationally. This 30-minute film by StreetFilms shows how the city made that happen: Bike-specific crossing signals, bike boulevard network, complete streets, and lots of bike parking (1.5 car parking spots = 13 bike parking spots). (via grist)
>> We got water -- We just need to use it right, says Dorothy Green, founder of Heal the Bay. Top of the list: "Stop hosing down the driveway."
 Weekends at Emerald City start Thursday! Enjoy it, greenly. Like to plan ahead? Check out the Emerald City calendar to find out about all the green events around town.
Thursday, Oct. 25
Santa Monica Industrial Workshop (free) - Lincoln Middle School, 1501 California Ave., Santa Monica. 6 p.m. Discuss the Expo Line, the areas around rail stations, including Bergamot Station, and other industrial areas at this city of Santa Monica workshop, which will focus on principles to guide future development and opportunities to improve the way we get around the city.
Expo Phase 2 Informational Meeting (free) - Vista del Mar Child and Family Services Gymnasium, 3200 Motor Ave., Los Angeles. 6:30 p.m. Bring the Expo Line all the way to Santa Monica! Metro is holding public meetings this month to go over the results and recommendations of its initial screening results for Phase 2 (the Culver City to Santa Monica portion) of the Expo project.
Studio City Green Drinks (free, pay for own drinks) - The Sapphire, 11938 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. 7 p.m. Green Drinks has no agenda or theme. The event is simply composed of the people who attend. All you have to do is show up ready to hang out and meet a few like-minded people over drinks.
Amelia Saltzman, author of "The Santa Monica Farmers' Cookbook" (free) - MLK Jr. Auditorium, Santa Monica Main Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. 7 p.m. Amelia Saltsman will demonstrate sustainable decorating ideas and delicious food from her book, "The Santa Monica Farmers' Cookbook."
Friday, Oct 26
AB 32—California's Climate Change Law and What It Says About our Values and Society (free) - Farmlab, 1745 N. Spring Street , No. 4, Los Angeles. Noon. When California adopted the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), it sent a statement heard around the world. The question is, what was the statement? Join an exploration of AB 32 — what the law calls for and what it says about policy, values and the fight against climate change.
Saturday, Oct 27
We LEED the Way: Sustainability and Architecture of the Library (free) - North entrance courtyard, Santa Monica Main Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. 10:30 a.m. Join the special highlights tour of the environmentally friendly Santa Monica Main Public Library.
Eat, Live, Learn Green (PDF) - Depot Walk, 501 W. Maple Ave., Orange. 11 a.m. Enjoy a free gourmet, organic meal and a tour of Orange County's first all-solar community. The event is hosted by Olson Homes and Green Truck, a mobile lunch service that provides organic meals. Both companies want to help raise awareness about more eco-friendly lifestyle choices.
HALAween Coffeehouse Fundraiser ($30) - Echo Park United Methodist Church Basement Coffeehouse, 1226 N. Alvarado, Los Angeles. 8 p.m. The Hunger Action L.A. fundraiser will raise money to help fund HALA's work ending hunger and promoting healthy eating. There will be fair trade coffee, chocolate and other refreshments, as well as a costume contest with a cash prize (costume not required for those who don't want to participate in the contest).
Sunday, Oct. 28
Environmental Justice and Public Health (free) - Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. 1:30 p.m. The second of three symposia sessions that are part of the exhibit "Just Space(s)," with the goal to draw together disparate methodologies from multiple disciplines and to explore the specific role of each perspective in making injustice visible, creating just spaces and moving from injustice to justice.
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.
If you're driving from, through or to the Westside at any point, chances are you will get to your destination half an hour early or late. Yep -- traffic has gotten so crazy and unpredictable that there's pretty much no way to avoid wasting either your own or other people's time if you choose to drive.
Enter the bicycle. Travel via bike and you'll be able to predict your arrival time within 5 to 10 minutes.
I'm not a hard-core biker. I'm pretty wimpy, actually. I don't ride fast, and I don't ride anywhere or anytime that seems scary -- however subjective that designation might be. The farthest I've ever biked is to Green Drinks in Culver City a couple of times -- and that was only with other cycling friends. Still, I bike everywhere in my neighborhood in Santa Monica -- as well as most of Venice.
Live in any semi-dense area, and dealing with parking -- both finding it and paying for it -- becomes a real hassle. With a bike, I can just lock up at a meter and go. So I bike to the post office, the LEED certified library, Third Street Promenade, Main Street, and the like. And the farmers market is now easier to work than ever, since I got my bike basket.
There's the social factor too. With Critical Mass, Midnight Ridazz, C.I.C.L.E., and LA County Bicycle Coalition events (among others), biking friends are there for your meeting.
 Getting a bike is not too hard or expensive. A bunch are on sale on Craigslist any day, and DIY bike-activist shops like Bikerowave and Bicycle Kitchen will help you fix up whatever you buy into the cycling machine of your choice at a cut-rate price.
I'll admit, though, that I paid a few hundred for my pink townie at Helen's Cycles -- I wanted the bike I wanted, and I wanted to buy it from people who could guide me to the bike of my dreams. Which is to say: If you buy your bike new, don't buy it from Wal-Mart. Go to a real bike shop.
Last week, I finally got a bike pump and oily stuff to keep my bike running smoothly from Helen's Cycles. When I stopped by, the people at the shop gave me a little tuneup, complete with putting little protector thingies on my basket so it doesn't scratch my bike frame, for free!
Photos by Siel
Technorati Profile
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing
Yes, I'm an impatient person. That's why I love walking.
Think walking's slow? What do you do when you run out of (soy) milk? I can walk two blocks to Co-opportunity or five blocks to Whole Foods. I guess I could walk one block to Rite-Aid, but their stuff isn't as yummy -- or as free of pesticides and hormones.
That's why, when I started my de-car-ing project, I began by moving to Santa Monica. I know, I know -- many of you will say you can't afford to live in Santa Monica. But -- in response -- did you factor in the fact that by moving, you'd no longer incur the costs of car ownership?
Walkable neighborhoods often have higher rents, yes -- but usually, those are more than balanced out by the fact that they ARE walkable. If you can't get rid of your car altogether, you will at least be likely to have lower insurance rates -- and spend less money on gas.
And it's not just groceries that are near me. Within five blocks or so, I have two Indian restaurants (one vegetarian and one veggie friendly), two Thai restaurants, a bagel shop with wifi, eco-friendly restaurants (Rustic Canyon, Wilshire, Melisse), a bunch of coffeehouses (Tazzina, Cafe Zella, and 18th St. Coffee Shop), a bunch of bars (Bodega Wine Bar, Gaslite, the Parlor, BB's, O'Brien's), and all sorts of other important stuff, i.e. emergency rooms and hospitals.
Check out how walkable your 'hood is via WalkScore. It's not a perfect app, but it gives you a basic sense of how walk-friendly your neighborhood is. My ZIP Code's score: 91 out of 100!
Is your neighborhood not up to par? Then ogle the other neighborhoods you're thinking about moving to. Bought a house in the suburbs and can't move? Can't help you, sucker. Just kidding, sort of.... Wait for the other de-car-ing posts.
 >> Take out the lead to fight crime?. Economist Jessica Wolpaw Reyes "found that the rise and fall of lead-exposure rates seemed to match the arc of violent crime, but with a 20-year lag — just long enough for children exposed to the highest levels of lead in 1973 to reach their most violence-prone years in the early ’90s, when crime rates hit their peak."
>> Thus a reminder to make sure toys are unleaded. The latest: Winnie-the-Pooh Play Sets and Bendable Dinosaur Toys.
>> Heroes of the Environment: Time magazine highlights the "most innovative and influential protectors of the planet."
>> Looks like no one wants new coal power plants: ranchers, farmers, retired homeowners, ski resort operators, religious groups -- and even self-described non-environmentalists are uniting against coal plants. No new coal plants is one of Step It Up's three goals.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
 Bad news is funnier read all in a row --
Happy enviro-headlines hitting my Bloglines today. Perhaps you can see why I'm getting a bit burned out on the doom-and-gloom messaging --
States of Emergency:
>> In California: "More evacuations and new fires" and "Windblown soot, gas and dust pose threats." "Dark gray plumes carry soot particles that can worsen preexisting medical conditions such as lung disease, emphysema, asthma and heart disease." Almost as scary: Bush to visit fire-ravaged areas.
>> In Georgia: Gov. Sonny Perdue declares a state of emergency because of the drought. Perdue "called on President Bush to recognize that the historic drought had created a disaster for 85 counties." (via grist)
Threats of unrest and economic collapse:
>> Steep decline in oil production brings risk of war and unrest, new study says. "The German-based Energy Watch Group will release its study in London today saying that global oil production peaked in 2006" and that "extreme shortages of fossil fuels will lead to wars and social breakdown." (via grist)
>> The Future Is Drying Up. Writes Jon Gertner for the N.Y. Times: "As one prominent Western water official described the possible future to me, if some of the Southwest’s largest reservoirs empty out, the region would experience an apocalypse, 'an Armageddon.'"
>> Delay Now, Pay Dearly Later. "The United States is facing hundreds of billions of dollars in weather-related damage in coming years if it does not act urgently on climate change, the first-ever comprehensive economic assessment of the problem has found." (via grist)
>> Inch by Inch, Great Lakes Shrink, and Cargo Carriers Face Losses. "Water levels in the Great Lakes are falling.... And for every inch of water that the lakes lose, the ships that ferry bulk materials across them must lighten their loads by 270 tons — or 540,000 pounds — or risk running aground." (via grist)
General scary stuff:
>> Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere Increasing. "Carbon dioxide emissions were 35% higher in 2006 than in 1990, a much faster growth rate than anticipated."
>> Oceans Are Soaking Up Less CO2, Research Shows. "If the oceans soak up less CO2, it means CO2 levels in the atmosphere will rise much faster and the climate could warm more rapidly, the researchers said in a statement."
>> Rising seas threaten 21 mega-cities. "Of the 33 cities predicted to have at least 8 million people by 2015, at least 21 are highly vulnerable, says the Worldwatch Institute." (via grist)
Does all of that incite you into action, or depress you into catatonia?
Photo by Sam Kim via Flickr
 What is your tolerance for doom and gloom documentaries about the environment?
Because I've reached mine. I reached it like six months ago -- and hit the wall so hard I still haven't seen "The 11th Hour," even though I could've gone to some free screenings.
Yes, I know -- "The 11th Hour" covers important stuff. But here's a partial list of enviro- and social justice-oriented films I have watched since "An Inconvenient Truth": "Who Killed the Electric Car?" "Sicko," "The Breast Cancer Diaries," "Crude Impact," "The Corporation," etc. etc.
And that's just the films -- I read a lot of books too, and of course, newspapers and blogs. At a certain point, you have to start thinking about your own sanity.
Which is why I wonder why I keep seeing -- more and more docus about the environment that lead with the doom and gloom message. Whose idea was it, for example, to call CNN's new two-part docu "Planet in Peril"?
I want to make clear that I agree the issues highlighted in "Planet in Peril" are important. I'm just tired of this eco-docu format: heavy doom and gloom for 1.5 hours, then ray of hope for the last 10 minutes. I haven't seen all of "Planet in Peril" (you can watch a 20-minute excerpt here), but I'm actually afraid to turn it on. Topics covered: climate change, deforestation, species loss and overpopulation. Fun!
Then again, maybe the show WILL be fun. Starre of Eco-Chick rues that all the hosts are male, but is psyched that they're all hot. GreenStrides's pumped that the show'll air in HD.
"Planet in Peril" airs on CNN tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 23, and Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 9 to 11 p.m. (ET/PT).
In the meantime, the next post here will be about all the fun doom and gloom messages hitting my bloglines.
 Your eco-questions answered:
Question: I own a house in Eagle Rock, a house on a hill, with a pool. It has a killer view and a killer heating bill. My fiance and I were interested in "eco-ing up" our backyard i.e. solar panels, salt water, etc... but we have no referrals or references. If you have any idea how or who to speak with regarding solar panels for our pool, please let me know. I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Karena
Answer: I'm a bit jealous of your pool and your view -- but I guess I already have a naturally solar-heated salt water body -- as in the beach -- near me. :)
And you weren't kidding about the killer heating bill! Jason from Low Impact Living, a Web portal of sorts that helps people eco-up their homes, tells me, "An average pool can use $1,000 to $1,500 of natural gas per year to heat if a pool thermal cover is used. Without a cover, gas costs can rise to over $3,000."
In contrast, "A solar pool heating system will probably cost about $2,000 to $3,000 installed, and will provide about 75% of the energy needed to heat the pool," Jason says. "This means that it will pay for itself in about three years."
So, to get started: Your best bet for locally relevant, up-to-date eco info is Low Impact Living, a website that starts you off by measuring your home's carbon footprint, then recommends the best green changes to make, then hooks you up with eco-products and service providers to realize those green dreams.
But skipping straight to getting your solar power system set up: Find your green service providers here. Just plug in your ZIP Code to get a list of companies -- along with customer ratings (though not too many ratings are up as of yet). You might check out this dude's firsthand experience with installing solar panels to get an idea of what to expect.
Then for the salt water part: Too much chlorine can cause health problems -- which I'm guessing is the reason you want to switch over to salt water. Low Impact Living doesn't have a list of salt water pool experts set up yet, but they did do a little research for you: Local pool companies that can get you started include HydroBlue Pool & Spa Service, Avanti Pools, and Aquatic Pool Works.
Looking forward to the solar-heated, salt water pool party.
Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.
Photo by Ashley Bristowe via Flickr
Stopped by the demonstration in front of Toyota Santa Monica on Wednesday to see a good group of activists holding signs and handing out fliers.
 The goal: To get the self-described eco-friendly Toyota to embrace California's fuel-efficiency standards instead of fighting them as part of the Assn. of International Automobile Manufacturers.
Many of the cars going by honked in support -- which made me wonder whether a lot of people actually are aware of Toyota's role in this lawsuit against California, or if they just generally support higher fuel-efficiency standards overall.
De-car-ing: Biked!
Photos by Siel
 This week's eco-topic: De-car-ing.
Tell fellow Angelenos you don't own a car, and you'll have them look back at you like you're 1) a strange hippie enviro-weirdo, or 2) really pitifully poor.
Actually, that's not true. I've been carless since the beginning of the year, and my social life hasn't suffered for it. Yet so few people de-car because they're afraid that'll turn them into a social pariah.
Thus, this week's topic. I'll show you how I fight traffic less, enjoy the city more and avoid being designated driver -- all while having fun out and about.
Technically, I still own a car. But it's been on permanent loan since January, when my friend Larry and I worked out a deal. Considering the fact that it's been more than 10 months, maybe I should really think about selling the car permanently.
Update: A roundup of the week's de-car-ing posts here!
 So Step It Up -- a big grass-roots enviro day of action -- happens Nov. 3. You in?
People across the U.S. are putting together all manner of events, but all with the same goal: to make Congress 1) cut carbon 80% by 2050, 2) create green jobs, and 3) prevent new coal-fired power plants.
Why the focus on Congress? Personal action is great, but we have to get the government to take action too. The unofficial motto of Step It Up, according to Bill McKibben's new book "Fight Global Warming Now": "Screw in a lightbulb, and then screw in a new federal energy law."
We're less than two weeks away from Step It Up -- so chances are, if you haven't already started organizing an event, you're not planning to start one now. That's not a critique -- I'm not personally organizing one either. My birthday's Nov. 1, and planning for that PLUS a big event Nov. 3 is just not feasible for me.
But I'll definitely be taking part in Step It Up! Here's a three-step guide to getting involved:
1. Pick an event. My plan is to hit the Global Warming Rally in front of the Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Blvd., mainly because the event is close to me and easily accessible via Metro 720.
A few other events are planned for the L.A.-area too: An as-of-yet bare-bones initiative in Venice, a picnic in Griffith Park and a sign display in Pasadena. If you're closer to those, get involved there!
2. Invite political leaders. Just plug in your ZIP Code here, select your chosen event, then send a message to your elected officials via e-mail, phone or letter inviting them to your Step It Up event.
3. Get involved in your event. To be honest, the Global Warming Rally I plan to attend doesn't sound terribly unique at the moment. Ingrid, the organizer, says the event will have a cellphone and ink cartridge recycling fundraiser (good, but not anything new), a speaker from a green company (Bo-rr-ing --), and perhaps a free screening of a new movie by by Morgan Spurlock about overconsumption.
But hey, participants can make any event more interesting! One idea I have: A dessert potluck, with each dish made with locally grown or produced ingredients. Anyone who wants to can bring yummy cookies or cupcakes or whatever, connecting larger policy issues with local agriculture and slow food initiatives -- while giving participants and passersby something delish to nibble on.
Who's with me? Anyone else want to Step It Up and start baking?
Priuses have made a name for Toyota as a green car company, but Toyota's joined the major auto companies to sue the state of California, lobbying against tougher emissions standards.
Toyota's a member of Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, which is suing to stop California's law to reduce global warming pollution. AAM's basically arguing that only the federal government can raise fuel efficiency standards -- and thus suing California, which passed AB 1493, a mandate that automakers reduce the overall CO2 output of their vehicles by model year 2009.
So today, a lil demonstration's happening in front of Toyota Santa Monica. The Freedom from Oil Campaign, Plug in America, and allies are calling on Toyota to become a leader in breaking our addiction to oil.
When: Today, October 22, 2007, at noon.
Where: Toyota Santa Monica, 801 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica
See you in a few hours --
Update: Pictures from the demonstration
Live Earth may have gotten more attention with its star power, but Step It Up was the biggest grass-roots environmental demonstration this year -- and it's coming back Nov. 3!
New to Step It Up? The first one happened in April, when people all across the U.S. put together enviro actions in their neighborhoods -- with the goal to urge Congress to "Cut Carbon 80% by 2050." Each of the more than 1,400 events was unique -- from a canoeing trip down a river that should've been frozen with the sign "We'd rather be skiing," to a packed Los Lobos concert in Salt Lake City.
Now, Step It Up 2 is coming up in 14 days. On top of the "Cut Carbon 80% by 2050" goal, Step It Up has added two new ones: Green Jobs Now (5 million green jobs conserving 20% of our energy by 2015) and No New Coal (a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants).
Organized by Bill McKibben, author of "Deep Economy" (a great read) and other enviro activists, Step It Up 2 is looking for more grassroots readers. As Bill wrote in the L.A. Times: "On Nov. 3, we're staging another series of gatherings across the country, this time aimed squarely at politicians, trying to see if there are some Al-Gores-in-waiting out there, ready to actually lead on this issue."
 Bill, along with the Step It Up team, has even written a book to help you get started on your eco-activist way. Titled "Fight Global Warming Now: The Handbook for Taking Action in Your Community," this new DIY book offers all sorts of savvy tips for enviro-activism, from encouraging a looser, more democratic structure for organizing to harnessing the potentials of the Internet.
After all, as Bill notes, "You can announce that you're organizing an 'Earth Day rally with speakers' only a few times before it completely loses its freshness, excitement, motivational power, and fun."
Putting together a successful Step It Up event is quite simple: First, learn a bit about global warming (if you haven't already), but don't stress out about learning EVERYTHING! We can't all be scientists doing firsthand research, and we don't need to be one in order to act as a knowledgeable and involved citizen and activist.
Second, plan an event. Think big or small, but mostly think fun. Potlucks, bike activities, farmers market-related events -- anything is fair game.
Some events are already planned for the L.A. area, but we could have more -- or at least have more fun components to the ones already planned! Let me know if you're planning to start a new action.
My next post will be about what event I'll be attending, as well as other fun actions that will be happening near me Nov. 3.
Update: What I'm doing Nov. 3.
Your eco-questions answered:
Question: My office is looking to put together an eco-friendly gift basket as our holiday gift to clients. Any suggestions on what should go in the basket? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Sara
 Answer: Let me start with the lazy girl's guide: just buy entire gift baskets. There are some yummy ones out there, if your company is willing to drop some real money.
The most expensive: Imagine from Therapy in a Box -- all eco-friendly and fair trade -- is yours for $250 (left). Or you could pull the same stuff together for yourself for under $100.
 More reasonable are the pretty Mandala gift baskets -- also fair trade, and put together by a woman-owned business in Santa Monica! These, however, are a bit too touchy feely for my taste, what with the Yak Milk soap and scented pillow sachets -- but I don't know your clients.
 Global Exchange has a Chocolate Lover's and an Office Gang basket. Here, the contents look super yummy, but the baskets themselves are kind of crunchy looking (though if you want to see REALLY crunchy, check this out).
 So: Some sleeker ideas. Start with pretty silver bowls -- made of recycled plastic wrappers -- for a nice base. And to put in it, some fun stuff to consider:
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Your eco-questions answered: 
