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 Do you take the Big Blue Bus to the Santa Monica Farmers' Market? I sure don't. Instead, I bike there pretty much every Wednesday. And I actually don't know ANYONE who takes the farmers market shuttle to the market.
Maybe that's why we're going to discuss the possible discontinuation of service to the farmers markets at the next Big Blue Bus community meeting:
When: Thursday, Jan. 3, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: Fairview Library, 2101 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica.
Other topics up for discussion at that meeting: upcoming changes to the Sunset Ride service, and potential changes to Line 6 and Line 7 service.
If you're affected by any of those lines, make sure you show up to put in your 2 cents. Because Jan. 8, the Santa Monica City Council will hear from the Big Blue Bus -- and the public -- at its regular meeting at the Santa Monica City Hall, 1685 Main St., starting at 6:45 p.m. On the agenda: possible cancellation of the farmers market ride services in February.
Can't make it to the BBB or the City Council meeting? Then e-mail your comments to Bus-Info@BigBlueBus.com or write Big Blue Bus, 1660 7th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401, Attn: Dan Dawson.
If you have questions about any of this, contact Dan Dawson, customer relations manager, at (310) 458-1975, Ext. 5831 or Dan.Dawson@smgov.net.
Photo by Siel
 Bypass the drunk driving problem -- your own or that of others on the road -- and get to and from your New Year's Eve party on Metro for FREE!
From 9 pm tonight until 2 am on New Year's Day, all rides on Metro -- both bus and rail -- are free. Metro rail will even run all night, every 20 minutes.
So start off the new year NOT with a DUI but with a new de-car-ing habit.
If you must drive, carpool and don't get drunk. If you find a friend who drove to the party has been drinking, take advantage of AAA's free "Tipsy Tow" service, offered between 6 pm tonight until 11:59 pm on New Year's Day. Call 800.400.4AAA, ask for the "Tipsy Tow" service, and get your friend a free tow home (up to 7 miles). (via LAist).
Photo courtesy of MetroRiderLA
>> Parks get contaminated by ammonium, which can subtly alter ecosystems. Yellowstone, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain National Parks, plus six other parks, have air that's increasingly contaminated with ammonium, possibly originating in concentrated animal feeding operations, says a report from the National Park Service.
>> Wal-Mart sold portable gas cans not compliant with Cali's clean-air regulations FOUR times in recent years, then settled for a mere $250K with the California Air Resources Board.
>> Radars taken out by global warming.
"The Pentagon is closing down three of the 20 NORAD (North American
Aerospace Defense Command) early-warning radar sites in northern Alaska
because the ground they’re built on in some cases is literally
crumbling into the Arctic Ocean as a result of erosion caused by waves
on ice-free waters."
Every Sunday, help me turn fugly old stuff into stylish green stuff. Or at least try to.
You may think your mama gives you the worst holiday gifts, but you're wrong.
This year, my mama got me hi-rise granny undies -- in a 3-pack, no less. In pastel colors.
They are a lot like the undies Bridget Jones wears, except these have no slimming properties. They are just very large for no particular reason.
While I understand that the model in the photo still looks hot, I think we can agree that the hotness is not due to the granny undies.
Most of my pants don't even go that high. They are not super-low-rise pants. They are just not granny sweatpants.
No, these panties are not eco-friendly whatsoever. But that is the least of my complaints.
Lest you think that this year's gift from my mama was an anomaly, lemme show you what I got from her last year:
My mama gives me things I never knew even existed. Is there an entire subculture of people out there who enjoy wearing cheap blue knitted socks with the head of a girl with blond pigtails on it?
If you look at the pic carefully, you'll see these socks are for girls ages 9 - 11.
Last year, I was 28.
What is the meaning of these "gifts"? Be careful what you don't ask
for? It's the lack of thought that counts? Develop a very large ass
while shrinking feet?
No, it's not a money issue. My mama always includes a check for a few hundred bucks with her gifts. The check, perhaps, is the real gift. Koreans often give cash gifts.
It's not a passive-aggressive thing to show her dislike of me. My mama's a rather blithely social person who is rather desperate for approval and company, especially from her daughters.
My best guesses: Maybe she just has very bad taste. Yet I'm not sure how bad taste account for socks meant for pre-teens. Or maybe, since the money's the real gift, she sees occasions like birthdays and holidays as opportunities to unload unfortunate gifts she's amassed....
The undies, being brand new, will hopefully find a new home via Freecycle. What I need advice about are the socks. Is there some way to recycle and salvage these into something new and useful? Let me add that the blond heads are synthetically glued, not sewn, on --
Lastly: Here's a guide to eco-friendly panties.
Photos by Siel
This week's eco-topic: Recycle
Unbeknownst to many Californians, throwing spent batteries into the trash is illegal. No, I'm not just talking about car batteries, which most people know better than to dump into a black bin. I'm not just talking about rechargeable batteries either, though these too shouldn't be black-binned.
I'm talking about those simple alkaline household batteries that go into flashlights, some clocks, and even walkmen, for those still stuck in the 80s. Throw one of those in the trash, and you're breaking the law. Since Feb. 9, 2006, those AA - D batteries have been technically considered hazardous waste. That said, little has been done to let people know about this new categorization -- let alone tell people how they could go about actually disposing of these batteries properly.
Enter Jiffy Lube. Yes, Jiffy Lube. Via a partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Jiffy Lube's putting white battery recycling containers into 28 of its locations in LA County. All AA, AAA, C cells, D cells and button batteries (hearing aid and watch batteries), to be picked up by the DPW and recycled.
Certainly, it's not as if people had NO options before this recent Jiffy Lube dealio; we have permanent drop-off facilities for household hazardous waste in the city. However, we have just SIX of these in the city of LA (although there are more in the county, including one in Santa Monica)-- all open rather sporadic hours. Adding 28 Jiffy Lube locations to that meager six is a huge improvement.
A few other businesses also offer battery recycling help. Amoeba Hollywood has a Big Green Box where you can throw in not just old batteries, but small electronics and CFL bulbs as well. Co-opportunity, a Santa Monica grocery store that has a little battery collection container up front, is the recycling service I end up using most frequently. Whole Foods too has little recycling boxes (they can be hard to find sometimes; ask for help if necessary) where you can throw in batteries, cell phones, and other little hazardous recyclables.
If none of those options are nearby, you can always try searching by zip code on Earth911.org. The search function's spotty for batteries though; I looked up "alkaline batteries" and turned up locations that only recycle cell phone batteries. Read carefully before heading over.
Which is to say that, while I love that businesses are meeting a recycling need, the way we deal with hazardous waste in the LA area is very half-ass and hodgepodge. I mean, the HARDEST way to recycle batteries is by getting to one of the difficult-to-find city hazardous waste centers during their limited biz hours....
I guess that's a good argument for buying rechargeable batteries. Those will eventually need to be recycled too, but much less frequently --
Update, 2/8/08: The City of Santa Monica has an expanded list of battery collection locations.
Photo by David Jones via Flickr
>> Animal birth control: Successfully prescribed to Hollywood pigeons, but denied to Santa Monica squirrels, about 45 of which were "trapped, euthanized and fed to hawks"! Eek! Did you know that if "county inspectors count about two to three ground squirrels visible at any one time per acre of property, they can cite a homeowner, business or municipality"? My apt complex is so getting cited -- They're cute, but we have what seems like a half dozen in a small 4-apartment complex. What will happen to Nutta?
>> Audubon Society's recruiting members from minority neighborhoods. Says John Flicker, president of the society: "Most conservation organizations are run these days by white 50-something guys like me, and I'm hoping the next generation looks different."
>> Michael Pollan's back with "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto."
"Pollan isn't just asking us to consider changing the way we eat. He's
asking us to join a movement that's 'renovating our food system in the
name of health . . . in the very broadest sense of that word.'" I plan
to read it -- right after I finally read "An Omnivore's Dilemma."
Earlier: Eating cookies while reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle."
>> Raw milk advocates fight back. California dairies say a new standard on raw milk would put them out of business, and sue to stop enforcement.
Photo by John X via Flickr
Your eco-questions answered:
Question:
Siel, I'm curious about recycling newspaper. Where I work we seem to amass a lot of yesterday's newspapers. I use as much as I can as packing mat'l for shipping, (much better than styro beads, peanuts, and bubble wrap), but I've got stacks of the stuff left over. I can't find anyplace that buys it, and I don't want to see it go in a landfill....
My workplace is, 7th between Olive and Grand. It's an old bldg. ca.1917, it's not full of tenants, and to the owner it's a really just cash cow. The only advantage is cheap rent. I wonder if another bldg. nearby, that has a recycling program would let me drop it off there? James Bean [via comments, here and here]
Answer:While I first suggested taking the newspaper home for recycling, I'm now wondering: Since you seem to be somewhat familiar with the owner, why not set up a recycling program at your workplace? That way, you'll bypass the hauling of newspaper problem altogether. AND your workplace might start recycling more than just newspaper.
If that proves difficult, I'd definitely try to make friends with your neighboring businesses. Unfortunately, the last time I worked in downtown was in 2001, so I can't really help you out with that directly -- but you might make new friends!
In case you decide you want to combine your biking workout with your recycling activism and make a bit of money while you're at it: After your comment, one Darren from Active Recycling Co. emailed me to say that his company "buys newspaper, cardboard, office paper, and other recyclable papers and metals (i.e. iron, copper, aluminum, and brass) at VERY HIGH PRICES." However, locations are in East LA, South Central, and the Valley -- all a bit of a trek.
I'll let you know of any drop-off locations I hear of closer to where you work. If others of you know one, please let me know. Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.
Photo by caleb condit via Flickr
Your eco-questions answered:
Question: Dear Siel, I came across your blog and found it very informative about local "green" happenings. I am involved in starting a new [eco-business] in Los Angeles area. I was hoping to see if you can be helpful in guiding me to get involved socially in local green business scene. Thanks, Khurram
Answer: You're in luck, Khurram, because LA green business people really love socializing -- or networking, as they call it. Some events and organizations where you can shmooze eco-style:
 * Green Business Networking: This monthly event's has the noble goal of "serving our city's green business community by providing the owners and decision makers of socially- and environmentally-consciousness businesses a time and place for connecting, sharing, deal-making and networking."
Described in a less flowery manner, basically GBN's a place anyone with 10 bucks an interest in the green biz can go to meet the like-minded. Inside, there's free wine, free organic snacks, and lots of mingling and swapping of business cards.
The networking event happens at the Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica on the second Tues. of each month -- meaning the next one happens Jan. 8. Downside: GNB starts at 6 pm, when most working stiffs are stuck in traffic, and ends ridiculously early at 9 pm. I don't like that curfew.
 * Sustainable Business Council. A nonprofit that was founded just last year by some green biz execs, SBC's goal is to "serve LA-area “businesses and individuals working with sustainable products, services and processes.”
Events happen sporadically every two to three months or so. They usually have a $20 cover that includes drinks and snacks, showcase a panel on a specific sustainable topic, allow for shmoozing before and after the panel, have a few green companies tabling to promote their products or services, and draw a good crowd. The September fashion event was a nice time; check the website -- or this blog -- to hear about future events.
* Los Angeles Green Drinks: While not specifically business-oriented, many a green biz person's made connections at these low key social events. GD happens at each of four LA-area locations once a month. Come, drink, make connections, and make friends. And say hello -- I'm at the west side GD most months.
Then there are a couple orgs that I know exist, but don't seem to be doing much right now. That said, maybe they will in the future:
Happy networking!
Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.
Bad news is funnier read all in a row:
>> On this day, Dec. 28, in 1973,
The Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Nixon. Today, the act's constantly in the news -- because political pressures have watered it down.
>> Just last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service admitted to being "inappropriately influenced"
by political pressure and reversed seven rulings that denied endangered
species -- including the white-tailed prairie dog (right) -- increased
protection.
>> Yesterday, the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Interior Department to get documents about allegedly politically-influenced decisions made about other endangered species.
>> Read the entire Endangered Species Act here.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
>> The new alternative fuel: Human fat?! An engineer and sailor from New Zealand, along with 2 of his crew members, got 2.5 gallons of fat liposucked out of their bodies to use as fuel to circumnavigate the globe in world-record time. Mostly, however, the boat'll be fueled by biodiesel.
>> Muscle car aficionados unlikely to suffer from the new 35 mpg standard. "Putting aside the question of whether anyone needs that kind of power, you can argue the 35 mpg standard will make all cars - including high-performance vehicles - better. Some of the first things Detroit will do to boost fuel efficiency are reduce weight, improve aerodynamics and reduce parasitic loads by replacing engine-driven components like power-steering pumps with electric parts. That's a sure-fire recipe for better performance even if horsepower figures decline significantly."
Earlier: 35 mpg by 2020 might mean just 33.2 mpg for Detroit.
>> Green hotels in California, reviewed. Along with Santa Monica's own Ambrose, The Orchard Garden in San Francisco, Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in Napa Valley, and Cedar House Sport Hotel in Truckee get some ink. Earlier: Green hotels in the LA area.
>> The ultimate R&R: A green burial. "If nothing else, penny-pinching baby boomers might be willing to embrace the economic good sense of natural burial, which is thought to cost one half to one-third the price of a regular burial." (via Utne)
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Do you take the Big Blue Bus to the Santa Monica Farmers' Market? I sure don't. Instead, I bike there pretty much every Wednesday. And I actually don't know ANYONE who takes the farmers market shuttle to the market. 
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