Green Weekend: First ever Venice critical mass, etc | Emerald City

Weekends at Emerald City start on 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, Nov. 29
Parkland meeting: LA Citywide Community Needs Assessment (free) - Ramona Hall Community Center, 4580 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. 6:30 p.m. Put in your two cents on the future protection and expansion of Los Angeles' 15,000 acres of existing parkland. This LA Department of Recreation and Parks meeting will include a presentation and an interactive work session. Refreshments will be provided.

Net Impact hosts Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of the US Green Building Council (free; RSVP requested) - LaKretz Hall Auditorium, UCLA, Los Angeles. 7 p.m. Rick of the US Green Building Council, whose LEED building certification program is transforming the green real estate marketplace, will be interviewed by Green Real Estate Authority Charles Lockwood in UCLA's first LEED Certified building, LaKretz Hall.

Friday, Nov. 30
6th Annual USGBC-LA/LACCD Sustainability Conference ($5 students, $30 regular) - Biltmore Bowl, Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, 506 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. This educational conference will continue the dialogue about the importance of finding solutions to challenges affecting green building and sustainability in today's world. Speakers include Mike Massey, Executive Director of the Piping Industry Progress and Education Fund, who will offer his perspective on the important role that organized labor plays in promoting green building strategies.

First ever Venice Critical Mass (free) - Meet at Windward Circle, Venice. 6:30pm. Organizers promise "a relaxed ride through the chill ass streets of West LA - get ready for AWEZUM."

Saturday, Dec. 1
Parkland meeting: LA Citywide Community Needs Assessment (free) - Lincoln Park Recreation Center, 353501 Valley Blvd., Los Angeles. 10 a.m. Put in your two cents on the future protection and expansion of Los Angeles' 15,000 acres of existing parkland. This LA Department of Recreation and Parks meeting will include a presentation and an interactive work session. Refreshments will be provided.

How to Have an Eco-Friendly Holiday Season ($15) - All Shades of Green, 3038 Rowena Ave., Los Angeles. 10:30 a.m. A workshop in Silverlake with Sustainability Coach Deborah Tull. Pre-registration required by calling 323-665-7454.

Holiday Toys and Mittens Ride (free; toy donations encouraged) - REI Arcadia parking lot, 214 N. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia. 10:30 a.m. Bicycle through charming Arcadia and Monrovia neighborhoods to gather toys and warm articles of clothing from local businesses that currently are collecting winter items for Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services, San Gabriel Valley's child welfare organization. There'll be holiday music, cheer, and free yummy baked goods from Scratch Cookies and Bakery, and post-ride pizza and lasagna from Zelo Cornmeal Crust Pizza.

3rd Annual Fair Trade and Conscious Gifts Holiday Bazaar (free) - Geneva Room, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3300 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Shop from a large selection of affordable, sweatshop-free arts and crafts made by artisans internationally and locally, including wallets and purses from Afghanistan, locally made jewelry and tote-bags, and fair trade coffee and honey. Confirmed vendors include Garment Worker Center, Pacifica Radio Archives, Afghan Women's Mission, Frank Dorrell, and local artists Azadeh Ghafari and Sonali Kolhatkar. Extras: Complimentary refreshments while you shop.

ReVisions Live Billboard Art Painting (free) - Eco-LogicalART, 4829 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Artists will start painting 20 original art pieces on huge recycled billboards. By Jan 12, 2008, the billboards will go on display across Los Angeles. Come watch it happen-- Early.

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007
International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition ($550 - $950) - Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim. Mingle and hear from business, policy, industry, and academic leaders from around the world who are interested in exploring and understanding the technical, policy and market challenges of electric transportation technologies. The event continues until Dec. 5, 2007.