|
|
« January 2008 |
Main
| March 2008 »
A guest post from Katie Ricketts, community / market organizer at Southland Farmers' Market Association.
Oh
February. You amaze me. Really, for being smack-dab in the dead of
winter, the surplus of incredible produce you bring is truly
remarkable. All month we've been enjoying carrots in buttery yellows
and deep purples, munching on snap peas and checking the oven to see
how our roasted golden beets, parsnips, butternut squash, turnips, and
potatoes are doing. De-lish.
But
then, THEN you hearken in the best treat of all. For the last three
weeks we've seen a few here, and few there but this past week... oh
wow. Strawberries have hit the market -- and they are better than ever.
Teasing and reminding us of the sweet stone-fruit summer to come,
February varieties are texturally different than their summer
counterparts, a bit crunchier but no less sweet. Perfectly suited to
keep their shape and flavor in your spinach and arugula salad and ready
to stand up to a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal, I picked up a pack from
Jaime Farms... and I'm sad to say that the majority didn't make it all
the way to my fridge.
____
Spinach & Arugula Salad with Sherry- Honey Vinaigrette and Farmers' Market Cheese
-
Handful of spinach leaves (remove most of the stem and wash very well -- spinach is very sandy!)
- Handful of arugula (same directions as the spinach)
- Around a pint of strawberries (tops removed and cut into bit sized pieces)
- Some great soft, rich cheese
- Handful of walnuts, pecans, or other seeds
Dressing: Adjust all to taste
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 garlic clove (preferably ground with a mortal pestle) mixed with 1/4 tsp sea salt.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
You can get most of the ingredients at the Santa Monica Wednesday Market:
-
Cheese: Pick from one of many cheese vendors. I would go for a soft, rich cheese similar to goat or cheve.
- Honey: Energy Bee Farms / Pacific Honey.
Don't know what honey to pick out?
As a point of reference, note that the avocado honey has the most
robust flavor while wildflower and orange blossom are both delicate
and extremely sweet.
- Strawberries (winter varieties): Jaime Farms and Tamai Farms
- Spinach: Tamai Farms and Rutiz Family Farms
- Arugula: McGrath Family Farms and Coleman Farms
- Walnuts/Pecans: The Kennedy's have a variety of nuts and dried fruit year round, and Dave Eakin has pecans in the shell! I never knew pecans could taste so fresh, crisp, and flavorful.
To healthy and sustainable eating!
Like to plan ahead? Check out the Emerald City calendar to find out about all the green events around town.
Friday, Feb. 29
Los Angeles Critical Mass
(free) - Check website for closest location. Start times vary by
location (between 5:30 and 7 pm). This monthly bicycle ride
"celebrating the joy and virtues of bicycling" is open to all. Just
show up with a bike.
Saturday, Mar 1
Santa Monica citywide transportation workshop
(free) - Santa Monica High School Cafeteria, 601 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. 9:30 am - 3 pm. This community meeting invites all to talk about how
can we get people to make less trips on their car. Refreshments and
secure bike parking will be provided.
L.A. Bicycle Master Plan meeting
(free) - Banning's Landing Community Center, 100 E. Water St., Wilmington. 10 am - 12 pm. The City of L.A. wants you to put your two cents in
at the public workshops for the Bicycle Master Plan, which provides a
guide to develop a citywide bicycle transportation system.
Greenopia book signing (free) - Menemsha, 12524 Ventura Blvd, Studio City. 2 pm. Greenopia Founder Gay Browne sign books at the eco-conscious boutique Menemsha in an event featuring guest designers and a raffle for two promotional gift bags filled with apparel by Del Forte Denim and Loomstate, a pair of Tom’s Shoes, Pacifica Perfume, and designer tees.
C.I.C.L.E./LA Post Carbon Screening: 'What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire' ($5) - Armory Center of the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. 7 pm - 10 pm. L.A. Post Carbon and C.I.C.L.E. host a social and informative evening of film and discussion. Bring some food and drink to share.
Your eco questions answered.
Question: I'm contemplating a grad-school move to Los Angeles later this year (I currently live in Chicago) and was searching for tips on how to live sustainably in LA.
So my specific question for you revolves around the extreme lack of information online about green apartments in L.A.
It's a tall order, I know, but I feel like there have to be a few blogs or classified listings out there related to eco-friendly apartment living. More specifically-- I'll be in grad school, so money will be scarce and I certainly won't be in a position to buy a place. Have you heard of any sort of classified list like this that I might check out? Laura
Answer: No, I haven't found any green apartments classified list. Why? There aren't a whole lot of green apartments in L.A. While L.A.'s embraced green building of late, that embrace has so far been reserved mostly for bigger office buildings and homes -- and lately, condos and lofts (for sale, not rent). Sadly, we have more eco-mansions in L.A. than we do eco-apartments.
My guess is that there are a few eco-minded landlords out there who've made some efforts to green their units -- perhaps by adding solar panels or opting for drought-resistant lawns. My landlord, for example, painted my apartment with low-VOC paints and installed CFL bulbs in some of the lighting fixtures before I moved in. However, these are small-scale changes that often aren't even touted on an apartment listing. As far as I know, there are no apartment complexes that are LEED-certified in L.A.
That said: It seems to me that what you really seek to do is lead a green life in L.A. And while a LEED-certified apartment could help with that, I suggest first focusing your green attentions on the big L.A. issue many people moving from cities with great transit systems don't consider: Transportation.
L.A. is not a cute compact city; it's a huge, sprawling, relatively low-density metropolis. If you don't choose wisely, you could end up spewing tons of CO2 every day you drive over to classes at Sci-Arc. In fact, the Wall Street Journal, recently published an article titled Eco-Paradox: Green Homes, Gas-Guzzling Commutes. My point is that you might do better -- environmentally, financially, and personally -- by picking a conventional apartment near campus than commuting from a random green apartment you happen to locate in Brentwood or Manhattan Beach.
Treehugger's guide to greening your rental agrees with me; the first tip is "Choose well": "The location of your home can have a huge impact on your ability to live sustainably, so think hard about your lifestyle when you are looking for your next rental property."
Your best green option might be living downtown, within walking distance from the campus. That photo up top's taken from the roof of one downtown L.A. apartment -- All the cool kids are renting down there, I hear. If other Sci-Arc kids know of other neighborhoods that allow for easy eco-friendly travel to campus, please do share in the comments.
Once you're settled in, you can try slowly working down Treehugger's list of tips for greening your rental. Lastly, you might want to get involved with Ride-Arc, a monthly social bike ride with an architectural theme, started by some Sci-Arc grads.
Photo by Topheroo via Flickr
>> California sued the The U.S. Forest Service over plans to pave roads and allow oil drilling in more than 500,000 acres of our largest national forests where many endangered species live.
>> The U.S. Forest Service's overseer Mark Rey avoids jail for by finally turning in a court-ordered environmental analysis of a fish-killing flame retardant -- 2 1/2 years late. (via grist)
>> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency dismissed an outspoken scientist in the face of industry pressure. Industry lobbyists claimed Toxicologist Deborah Rice, who chaired a panel that made decisions about the safety of flame retardants, was biased.
>> The car-sharing company Zipcar's making environmentalists angry with poor service, high prices, and markups on more eco-friendly cars. Zipcar merged with and took over Flexcar a few months ago -- and promptly yanked most of the cars out of the L.A. area.
>> Afraid you might have eaten some of the scary factory-farmed meat that recently got recalled? The list of places that bought the tainted meat's now available. Find out if your favorite eateries are on it (PDF).
>> Agriculture Secretary Edward T. Schafer claimed that current meat inspection methods are just fine,
and "rejected senators' calls to completely ban from slaughter any
cattle unable to walk" -- despite the fact that downer cows are more
likely to carry E.coli, salmonella bacteria, and mad cow disease.
Photo of Angeles National Forest by BKL via Flickr
Say bye-bye to the honor system. Today, The Metro Board voted to install 379 fare gates on all subway and some light rail stations.
The gates are intended to keep people who cheat the current honor system from getting freebie rides. Metro says the current fare evasion rate's 5 percent -- and costs the agency $5.5 million a year. The gates, according to Metro, could help recover $3-6 million a year -- in addition to saving as much as $7 million a year by reducing the need for fare inspectors whose jobs are to catch freeloaders.
To install the gating system, the Metro board approved a 10-year, $46 million lease contract -- plus $12 million for system maintenance and $10 million for station modifications -- with Cubic Transportation Systems with this hopeful statement: "Based on current forecasts, the savings enabled by the system will begin to pay for itself in the fourth year of full system operation." That projected breaking point will come six years from now, since the installation will take a couple years.
To install or not install the barrier gates has been a somewhat contentious issue with transit riders, some of whom prefer the current system for reasons ranging from a preference for the current "open" design of the subway stations to skepticism that the gates will actually save money.
Since the subway's still nowhere near me in Santa Monica, I won't have an educated opinion on the issue until 2012 or so, assuming the Subway to the Sea gets built out -- with fare gates in place.
Update: Damien Newton has details on the fare gate discussion at the Metro Board meeting.
Photo by FredCamino
Move over, Subway! Lunch on-the-go's gotten a bit more eco in Culver City with Skratch Restaurant, a cute spot specializing in fresh, healthy take-out.
Here you can pick from a bunch of different vegetarian or meat options -- like Blackened Creole Chicken Caesar -- then decide whether to get it as a baguette sandwich, spinach wrap, or salad. Get it to go in a recycled paper bag -- or take a seat and enjoy your meal at the sunny counter inside or the shaded tables outside.
Many of the ingredients are organic or local -- though not all are. The chicken, for example, is hormone-free and free-range -- but the pork is conventionally raised. The produce is almost all organic and locally grown -- although the greens are not organic. For those trying to order the most eco meal, the friendly staff's happy to answer any eco-related questions you might have.
Skratch currently just serves lunch, but plans to open for breakfast starting March 10. Granola and bagels -- with no-sugar-added natural fruit smears -- will be on the menu. Unfortunately, the Illy's coffee won't be organic -- though perhaps if enough eco-minded customers demand it, Skratch will be convinced to start brewing an organic option --
Skratch Restaurant. 3867 Hughes Ave., Culver City. (310) 558-3400. Mon - Fri, 11:30 am - 8:00 pm.
Even Hummer drivers in L.A. will take notice of Earth Day this year -- because a chunk of Wilshire Blvd.'s going to shut down in green celebration. On April 22, the section of Wilshire between Western and Harvard will close to traffic, and an Earth Day festival will take over the street.
The FREE Wilshire Center Earth Day -- Car Free Day will feature a bike raffle, reusable grocery bag giveaways, and live music -- including a set by Michael Franti. Visitors can check out 100 exhibit booths and three stages (one each for music, environmental exhibits, and programs for children). Local schools are encouraged to bring out the students on a field trip to this event.
L.A. City Council approved the motion for this event with a strong de-car-ing message: “The City of Los Angeles declares this day a Car Free Day City Wide to encourage greater-than-normal usage of mass transit." It's unclear as of yet what route the Metro 720 and 920 Wilshire buses will take to get around the road block, but they'll be your best bets for getting to the event free of traffic and parking hassles.
 >> The L.A. City Council votes for a cleaner Port of Los Angeles. As part of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's clean-truck program, the L.A. Harbor Department will impose a $35 fee on most loaded containers going through the harbor. That money will subsidize the purchase of less-polluting trucks for haulers. The council also endorsed a Board of Harbor Commissioners ban on all diesel trucks built before 1989 from the port starting Oct. 1, which will be expanded in 2012 to include diesel trucks built before 2007.
>> California can't set tougher standards on emissions from ships without a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a federal appeals court. The EPA recently rejected California's bid to set tougher standards on car emissions.
>> Plans for a public bike path along the L.A. River is opposed by NBC Universal, whose execs say "they are not opposed to a bike path on their property -- they just don't want it to run along the river." NBC Universal has recently been trying hard to brand itself as a green company.
>> Check out what all eight alternatives for connecting the Metro rail system downtown would look like. You can put in your two cents on this project, called the Regional Connector Transit Corridor study, here.
>> A photography exhibit that showcases the Metro. The opening reception for “Concentric Circles: Metro L.A. Revealed" happens Sat., March 1, 7 pm - 11 pm, at Beady Minces Gallery, 1311 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. (via APLA)
>> A new blog by Emerald City contributor Damien Newton called Streetsblog LA aims to cover all things transportation in LA.
>> Eight of the U.S.'s largest water providers -- including our own Metropolitan Water District of Southern California -- formed of a coalition called Water Utility Climate Alliance to develop strategies on dealing with climate change. (via grist)
>> National parks are full of scary contaminants. Fish in eight parks are so contaminated they aren't fit for human consumption. (via grist)
>> Daylight savings time doesn't save energy. Researchers found that "Having the entire state switch to daylight-saving time each year, rather than stay on standard time, costs Indiana households an additional $8.6 million in electricity bills." (via grist)
Photo by Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
Can't afford to go green? Environmentalism's seen by some as a rich, elitist group -- what with the $100K electric sports car Tesla and the $1,799 eco-ish Macbook Air getting a whole lot of attention. But many of our urban environmental problems, such as industry pollution, strike the poor and underprivileged the hardest.
In fact, the growing environmental justice movement is getting more vocal, showing that you don't have to be able to afford a Prius to be an environmentalist. And a lot of great enviro-justice work is happening right in L.A. The latest Utne article in its series on the new green justice movement highlights the work of Manuel Pastor, director of USC’s Program for Environmental and Regional Equity. Pastor used to run "toxic tours," taking people on bus trips through the most polluted areas of L.A.
Why is environmental justice important? Take a look at this handy map the LA Weekly put together (PDF), which color-codes cancer risk in L.A. and vicinity. 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."
In general, the poorer a community, the more 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. As the Utne article points out: "As stories about global warming, sustainable energy, and climate change make headlines, the fact that some neighborhoods, particularly low-income and minority communities, are disproportionately toxic and poorly regulated has, until recently, been all but ignored."
But the number of environmental justice activists is growing and getting louder. Of course, this means some growing pains for the environmental movement at large. Most recently, a number of Californian environmental justice groups launched a campaign against carbon emissions cap-and-trade programs, over concerns that such programs would impact negatively the communities that are already disadvantaged. Many established environmental groups are not against cap-and-trade programs, as these carbon reduction programs are most politically feasible than carbon fees.
Still, the environmental movement's already showing a willingness to pay closer attention to environmental justice concerns. The Sierra Club, for example, released a statement concurring with some of what the environmental justice groups said: "We share many of the concerns of the EJ groups regarding pollution trading, like possible hot spots, loopholes and windfall profits."
Want to get involved in the environmental justice movement? Communities for a Better Environment, a nonprofit working for environmental, social, and economic justice, might be a good place to start. You can find many other groups by looking at the list of signatories on the California Environmental Justice Movement’s Declaration on Use of Carbon Trading Schemes to Address Climate Change.
Photo by Ben Amstutz via Flickr
 Santa Monica will likely see fewer plastic bags floating around its streets and beaches soon. Last night, the Santa Monica City Council voted to draft an ordinance banning one-use plastic and biodegradable plastic-like bags in city businesses.
All retail locations in Santa Monica, regardless of type or size, will have to go plastic bag free and offer reusable bags for sale instead. The ban would apply only to the plastic bags given out at point-of-sale, not the flimsier bags found in the produce or bulk sections of supermarkets. Paper bags -- which the staff pointed out is not a significant source of marine pollution -- will still be allowed -- but the city council asked its staff to come back with recommendations on charging a fee on these bags.
The plastic bag ban had more or less unanimous support from both the members of the City Council and the community members who spoke at the meeting. Many spoke about marine pollution caused by plastic bags -- from getting tangled in them while surfing to seeing the eyesore crated by them on the beaches.
In contrast to the plastic bag ban, the paper bag tax raised a number of questions and concerns including outright opposition from Council member Robert Holbrook, who said "I just think they out to be free." Some felt that the paper bag tax should not be charged for food take-out, fast food places, or grocery deliveries -- businesses where reusable bags are not an easy solution. In addition, questions remained as to what the minimum charge per paper bag would be, and where the money would go.
Staff recommendations regarding those questions -- as well as a drafted ordinance for a plastic bag ban -- will come back to the City Council. Once the plastic ban is drafted and passed, businesses will likely have at least a 6-month transition period before the ordinance is allowed to take effect.
Santa Monica's anti-plastic bag ordinance will be much stricter than the one passed by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors last month, which called for a voluntary effort. You can watch the City Council proceedings here, or read the staff recommendations for the ordinance here.
Photo courtesy of envirowoman
 >> Buy offset, drive Hummer in carpool lane. California senator Jim Battin's proposed SB 1374 aims to do with offsets what skeptical environmentalists are afraid offsets might encourage: Assuage eco-guilt while delaying eco-action. Battin's gotten defensive -- piping in on an LAist post about his bill.
>> Governor Schwarzenegger made the Hummer popular -- and plans to offset his SUV-chauffered, private jetsetting habit instead of changing his habits.
>> BTW, L.A.'s transportation chief Jaime de la Vega drives a Hummer.
>> There was "no legal or technical justification" to turn down California's bid to set tougher standards for vehicle emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's staff. Earlier: The fight for California's tougher car emissions standards.
>> LAX pollution will get a closer look, since the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners agreed Monday to study the effect of airport pollution on communities around LAX: Westchester, El Segundo, Inglewood and Lennox.
>> 7+Fig Sidewalk gets a solar BigBelly trash compactor. Kind of cool, but what I'd really like to see is more recycling bins on city streets.
>> Downtown DASH nixes one shuttle, gets a new route. In three to four months, The City Hall Shuttle will be eliminated, but a new route will carry passengers to Little Tokyo, Central City East and the Flower Market.
>> California avocado farmers are hit with water restrictions. Some are "stumping" trees and blaming city residents who water grassy lawns. Others are smartly putting in low- and reduced-flow devices and installing moisture sensors. I'm left wondering why more farmers didn't do the latter, earlier; the farmers had ample warning from the Metropolitan Water District that the restrictions would be coming.
>> A laundry footprint quiz. Take Sierra Club's 10-question quiz to find out how green your laundry habit is. I scored an 80 out of 100. You? (via Planet Green) Earlier: Green laundry detergent rankings and Green Cleaning week.
>> Wal-mart seeks your greening advice, via an online suggestion box inviting those with greening solutions to help with Wal-Mart's greening challenges. A company called Cleantech's helping Wal-Mart to "assess ideas and business plans."
Photo by Damian Dovarganes / AP
Vegans and meat-lovers unite! At Cooks Double Dutch in Culver City, you can order a PETA-friendly Tempeh Reuben sandwich while your ethical omnivore friend nibbles on a Homemade Free Range Beef Burger.
I opted for a Homemade Vegan Burger with a side of sweet potato fries -- yummy. This cute diner's all about local, organic, and sustainable eats -- down to the organic ketchup and mustard. Plus, there are vegan options for everything from mac and cheese to chocolate raspberry torte.
So I couldn't resist dessert: A peach-blueberry cobbler that was fruitily decadent and rich without being cloyingly too sweet.
The colorful restaurant was teeming with regulars when I dropped by close to 3 p.m. Table service is brisk and friendly, and a self-serve beverage corner carries only natural soda.
Or you can choose from over two dozen different wines, many of which are organic. Beer lovers can find their favorite organic brews here too. Unfortunately, Cook's Double Dutch is only open for lunch -- so you'll need to get your drink on early.
Cooks Double Dutch. 9806 Washington Blvd. Culver City. (310) 280-0991. Mon - Fri, 11.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.
Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times
>> California's adding more biofuel stations -- specifically those for E85, an alternative fuel made of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. At the moment, only 3 public E85 stations exist in the state.
>> Virgin Airlines flew the first plane that ran on biofuels. The plane was only partly-powered by biofuels -- and environmentalists weren't all that impressed.
>> Biofuels aren't unanimously enviro-friendly. Tom Philpott of Grist points out that biofuels are losing steam in Europe, even though they're gaining popularity in the U.S. His biofuel skepticism is aimed mostly at virgin biofuels made from corn, soy and palm -- not the second-hand stuff like biodiesel made from used veggie oil collected from restaurants.
>> The cleanest green laundry detergent of them all. Grist put seven eco-friendly laundry detergents through a ketchup, balsamic vinaigrette, blueberries, and red wine test. Seventh Generation Free & Clear came out on top. Earlier: Green cleaning week.
>> An online Encyclopedia of Life will attempt to catalog every species on the planet. The first 30,000 pages will go online Thursday, thanks to the work of an international team of scientists, and the other 1.77 million pages will hopefully go up within a decade. (via NY Times)
>> The Svalbard Global Seed Vault will store 4.5 million seeds in case something horrible happens to the world's food crops. The opening ceremony was held in Norway today. (via grist)
Your eco-questions answered:
 Question: If traditional cleaning products (ie: 409) are so bad for the environment, what should I do with them if I want to throw them out and start over with green ones? Should I dump them, or is that just as bad for the environment? Should I just use them until they are gone and then buy green ones next time I need new cleaning supplies? -- Kelly
Answer: Ah -- This is the small but tough conundrum we environmentalists heart stressing about! My sister in St. Louis has been wondering about the same thing.
First, let's rule out dumping them -- that's definitely not a good solution. The real question is: Should I take the remaining cleaning products to the local hazardous waste facility, or use up the remainder before getting green products?
There is no "correct" answer to this, because basically, you're choosing between producing more gratuitous waste (in the form of empty bottles and the products within them) and landfilling it (albeit slightly more safely), vs. putting some harmful chemicals more directly into the environment.
Grist's eco-advice giver Umbra, for example, votes for NOT using up the toxic cleaning products -- but then confusingly says small amounts can be dumped down the drain (um, if you're gonna do that, why not get a little use out of the stuff first?) or that larger amounts can be given away (perhaps philanthropic, but doesn't actually take the toxic stuff out of circulation).
 My general advice to people is to use the remainder of the products -- then use the empty bottles to make your own cleaning products. This way, you can at least assuage some of your eco-guilt by reducing and reusing a bit.
The other reason I advise this is that most people just don't take their old cleaning products to the hazardous waste facility. YOU might, but few, except the most eco-committed, do. And I figure, if that stuff's going to be entering the environment anyway, we may as well use it to clean things up a bit first.
Of course, other mitigating individual circumstances enter into the equation too. If you're suffering from allergies, asthma, or other health problems, I suggest you get thee to your nearest hazmat facility ASAP. Your old cleaning products might be exacerbating -- or even causing -- these health issues. Or if you have kids or pets that might get into the stuff, again, go the hazmat route.
Most of all, whatever you decide to do with the remaining un-green products you have, the bigger issue here is what you plan to do next! Focus on the green steps you are taking in the future. The green cleaning you'll be doing in the years to come is the thing to focus on. Give yourself a green pat on the back.
Earlier: Green Cleaning week
Top photo by Beatrice Murch via Flickr; bottom photo by Jasmin Malik Chua
>> Freeway-like one-way roads vs. smart neighborhood design. L.A. Time's Road Sage Steve Hymon looks at the paradox between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's mandate to speed up traffic on Pico and Olympic, and the smart features of modern urban planning, which "includes having streets with room for mass transit and generous sidewalks."
>> Connecting rail in the downtown area's a complicated task. Put in your two cents at the Metro Regional Connector Transit Corridor Study public meetings, which start tomorrow.
>> Green your electronic use with eco-advice from Alex Pham of the L.A. Times, who:
>> Earlier: Energy Week -- which covered unplugging gadgets and picking out greener electronics among other topics. We also had Recycle Week here -- which covered e-waste, among other things.
>> Ecoenvelopes: Reusable, re-sealable envelopes. Now you and your snail mail pen pal can keep sending the same envelope back and forth. (via Re-Nest)
 Another reason to ditch the bottled water habit: L.A. tap water tastes good! In fact it's so yummy it won "best municipal water" at the 18th annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting over the weekend.
So seriously -- get rid of those bottles of plastic water in your workplace and at home. You'll drink yummier, safer water -- and save a bunch of money while you're at it. The city of L.A. stopped buying bottled water back in 2005, thanks to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's executive order after the media reported that the city spent nearly $90,000 of good old taxpayer money on the habit. That cash drain alone is a good reason for every workplace to switch to tap water.
Need more de-plasticking motivation? Check out "Take Back the Tap", a campaign by Food and Water Watch encouraging all to love tap water. Why? "Bottled water generally is no cleaner, or safer, or healthier than tap water. In fact, the federal government requires far more rigorous and frequent safety testing and monitoring of municipal drinking water." You can easily check out the safety of L.A.'s tap water on the L.A. Department of Water and Power's website.
Beyond safety and cost, there are the community and human rights issues. If we don't work to support and preserve good, clean running water in our 'hoods, we're contributing to a culture that makes drinking water an expensive commodity instead of a basic human right. We've all heard the news about countries where, due to contamination and pollution, clean water has become scarce, making the only drinkable water the bottled kind that's trucked in. I for one really don't want to move toward that kind of situation.
About those remaining bottles of water you might have in the house right now: Since you have them, use them to contribute to Environmental Working Group's research project. Send in your bottled water labels, and you'll get a little gift.
Plus, students can enter the "I Heart Tap Water" student video contest. Make a 1-to-2-minute video that encourages college students and campuses to kick the bottled water habit and take back the tap. The winner gets $1,500. Deadline: April 14.
Image courtesy of Food and Water Watch
Your eco-questions, answered.
 Question: My partner and I have a longstanding argument going on energy efficient light bulbs. I love them and he hates them. I can sacrifice a bit to save the electricity but he can't get past the blue cast they send over the room. Do you know where I can find an energy efficient lightbulb that has a warm cast to the light? Thanks, Mike in the Mountains
Answer: It's true -- All CFLs are not created equal, and some work and look much better than others. Making things even more difficult, not everyone agrees on what constitutes good lighting -- so finding the "best" CFL is an inherently subjective endeavor.
The easiest way to select one with a glow that matches your style is by checking out reviews from the people who've done the evaluating for you. Three to get you started:
- Popular Mechanics tested seven CFLs (PDF) against an incandescent light bulb to find that “the new fluorescent bulbs aren't just better for both your wallet and the environment, they produce better light.”
- Grist tested four CFLs, taking into account everything from aesthetics to price to eco-friendliness of the packaging. The winner here was the Philips soft-white.
- The NY Times tested 21 bulbs, including 14 CFLs, and put together a comparison chart of their six favorite energy-efficient bulbs in a handy chart (see left column on this page). The testers' descriptions here are especially colorful. Luckily for you, many of these six are described as "warm."
Don't have time to read through the reviews? Then I recommend you start with the The N:Vision Soft White bulbs, which was well-liked by both the Popular Science and the NY Times. I hope that helps you and your partner find the warm glow you were looking for --
Earlier: Get CFL bulbs already.
Photo by Adam via Flickr
 Can't afford the $25-for-a-couple-hours workshops at All Shades of Green in Silver Lake? Try the 6-week Sustainable Works Green Living Workshop program for the same price.
Each week, you'll get some help greening a different area of your life. The materials fee ($25 for Santa Monica residents, $50 for L.A. residents) -- waived for those who can't afford it -- gets you a workbook, a resource guide, and a whole bunch of eco swag from water-saving tools to reusable bags. The dates are:
- Saturdays 1 pm -2:30 pm, starting March 1. Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Ave., Santa Monica.
- Tuesdays 8 pm - 9:30 pm, starting March 4. Patagonia, 2936 Main St., Santa Monica
- Wednesdays 7 pm - 8:30 pm, starting March 5. Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica.
Spaces is limited, so sign up now by calling (310) 458-8716 x1 or e-mailing roth_barent@smc.edu.
Photo courtesy of Sustainable Works
We had greening tips for the workplace all week -- and now I've put them all in a handy roundup so you can start implementing them come Monday!
 >> Green the commute! Simple way of greening your worklife: Get out of the car and bike, walk, or take public transportation instead. Everyone's doing it!
>> Eco-friendly business cards. Looking for business cards printed with soy ink on 100% post consumer waste recycled paper whitened with non-chlorine bleach? This post lists your best options.
>> Office Depot's green catalog. If Office Depot's your workplace's vendor, getting your office to go greener may be as simple as getting your office manager to take a look at the catalog before simply hitting the usual reorder button.
 >> Simple paper-saving tips. Oscar Madrigal of New Economics for Women has had some great successes reducing paper consumption office-wide -- and encourages you to try these methods too.
>> De-bottling the workplace. Here are all the why and hows for ditching the bottled water habit in the workplace.
>> Office eco-audits and certifications. Find out how you can figure out your business' carbon footprint, get help reducing it, and get recognition for those greening efforts.
>> Green consultants and guides. Need help greening the office? Find out about the green consultants who can come in and help -- or guides that help you help yourself.
>> 'Greening Your Office': Pocket guide for an eco-workplace. A new pocket-sized, 96-page booklet came out just last month, with advice to help make your workplace an eco-friendly one.
 >> Getting a green team together. Ellen Kasemeier-Herbert of Jupiter Images in South Pasadena shares her tips on creating a successful green office team. It wasn't hard at all, Ellen says -- All it took was a few emails and some water cooler chatter about green issues.
And some good green news:
>> City of L.A. to buy green. On Tuesday, the L.A. City Council approved an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing statement and program, committing the city to opting for eco-friendly products whenever possible.
Previous weekly green topics: de-car-ing, energy, bring your own, recycle, green clean
Top photo by brianhendrix, bottom photo by Eszter Hargittai, both via Flickr
This week's eco-topic: Green workplace
 Your eco-questions answered:
Question: I am trying to do a few things around the office to make it "greener." My office is in Riverside, CA; my boss is not concerned at all about being green. But -- I order all supplies, and stock everything so I have a small chance to make a difference.
We go through a large amount of water bottles a day. I started to recycle, but because she will not pay for a recycle bin (if you know how to get a free one in Riverside county please point me in the proper direction) I have to store and take them myself off the clock. I have considered glass cups and a filtered water pitcher instead -- I am concerned the waste from buying a water pitcher and filters is much too -- any ideas on what to offer?
I have already switched to mugs for the coffee, and we use Panache coffee made by the coffee bean international, I remember reading somewhere that they are not fair trade certified, but pay fair trade -- is that correct? Any office ideas would be helpful. -- Melissa
Answer: Kudos to you for going so far as to institute a personal bottle recycling program! To save the planet as well as your time and energy, definitely ditch the water bottles and switch to a filter system -- especially since your office is already set up with coffee mugs, which will work just as well for filtered tap water.
Responsible Purchasing Network's guide to water bottles (PDF) outlines the main financial, environmental, health, and political reasons to take back the tap -- and also gives you some examples of cities that have banned bottled water purchases for its employees. Guess what -- L.A.'s one of those cities, thanks to a 2005 executive order from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa after the media reported that the city had spent nearly $90,000 on the plasticky stuff.
If you're concerned about the plastic waste from those replaceable Brita filters (though these are still a big enviro-step up from bottled water), consider the ceramic filter, which requires less maintenance, generally holds more water, and is popular with environmentalists.
As for your Pachama coffee: The website's under construction, but Pachama belongs to Coffee Bean International, which does offer some fair trade and organic certified coffees. Look for the fair trade and organic logos on your coffee packages to make sure you're getting the good stuff.
Photo by Joe Philipson via Flickr
 >> The WSJ reports on an Eco-Paradox: Green Homes, Gas-Guzzling Commutes. This is closely related to the eco-paradox of eco-mansions in general. (via Jetson Green)
>> Bigger homes: More comfort, or more trouble? A Bethesda, Md., couple moved from a near-6,000 square foot home into a 370 square feet RV -- and found they liked the smaller space. Now, they're considering a new home half the size of the original one. (via Unclutterer)
>> Eco-realtors: Helpfully green, or just using "a cursory knowledge of green building
as a marketing ploy in a tough market."? Research the eco-realtor
before hiring -- or just research the house: "some consumers say that
when it comes to environmentally friendly homes, it's easy enough to do
research on their own." (via Jetson Green)
Photo of Wired LivingHome courtesy of Wired
This week's eco-topic: Green workplace
Greening the office can seem daunting when you feel like you're the only person who cares. But Ellen Kasemeier-Herbert, who works at a stock photo agency called Jupiter Images in South Pasadena, says getting a "Green Committee" together in her office wasn't hard at all. All it took was a few emails and some water cooler chatter about green issues.
"If one person's interested in an office, other people are interested," Ellen says. In fact, it seems eco-conscious people were brought together by their individual eco-related pet peeves! Ellen's own was the unnecessary plastic trash liners in paper recycling bins. Another person was peeved by all the junk mail that came in the office -- most of it addressed to people who didn't even work there anymore. Another person was bugged by styrofoam cups, another by the paper towels.
So the group got talking, and started talking to the operations manager, who got permission from the headquarters to create a Green Committee. An email went around asking for a representative from each department -- and people joined in. Now the team boasts about 15 members (out of 70 or so employees), its own logo, and a mission statement:
We are committed to a sustainable future and to improving the social, economic and environmental well being of the community. Through our actions, we hope to inspire others to adopt practices that reduce energy usage and waste in order to create a cleaner, safer place to live and work.
Many of the committee's actions are those any company could easily replicate: replace disposable cups with reusable ones, reduce junk mail, save energy by turning off computers and lights when not needed, switch to green products (energy-efficient bulbs, rechargeable batteries, eco-friendly bathroom supplies), and put that now-ubiquitous eco-signature -- "Please consider the environment before printing this email" -- at the bottom of company emails.
A more unique idea is the "red bin" policy that effectively resolved Ellen's trash liner pet peeve. Now, a few red bins with liners are placed around the office for non-paper trash; all other trash bins are used just for paper -- and no longer have trash liners.
Jupiter Images is, however, pursuing some green ideas that may be rather difficult -- and perhaps less necessary -- to implement at other workplaces. For example, the Green Committee plans to start a composting system because the office has a little yard-garden attached to it. Most workplaces don't have this luxury. Jupiter Images' office also has a washer and dryer -- making it easier to switch to reusable kitchen towels since they can easily be laundered.
Other greening projects -- like a recycling program for CDs -- may not be as important for workplaces that don't go through a lot of CDs. And some Green Committee projects -- like having people bring in wine corks to send in for recycling -- are not work related at all.
Still, most of these ideas can be adapted to any workplace. "We haven't done anything super special," Ellen says, emphasizing that the greening was a team effort, not just her own. "Just get people to be aware -- That's all we've done. It's easy to change a light bulb. And once you start thinking, it doesn't stop."
How can workplaces make green teams a success? Anything that saves the company money's an easy sell, Ellen says. Of course, changes will require adjustments. People were initially upset when the disposable cups disappeared, Ellen says. "But then people got used to it."
Most importantly, remain flexible and remember not to get too militant about the green mission. "You've got to be enthusiastic, but you've got to be respectful of people, and you've got to get buy-in from everybody," Ellen advises. "We don't want to make work for anyone, and we don't want to make anyone do our jobs."
Got a green team at your workplace? Share your group's tips in the comments.
Top photo by Eszter Hargittai via Flickr
>> Get the life cycle assessment of any product.
Well, a rough calculation, at least. I tried to do one for my wine
glass -- apparently, it'll put 47.2 kgs of CO2 emissions in the
environment over its lifetime! (via Treehugger)
>> Author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" Michael Pollan visits Portland, inspires haiku-esque poems. Taking Pollan's "Eat Food.
Not Too Much.
Mostly Plants" instructive as the basis for a new poetic form, Portland peeps came up with their own 2-word, 3-word, 2-word stanzas. Sample: "Sweet beet
/ Dye my mouth
/ Winter red."
>> Redesign the historic L.A. Jail greenly, get a free trip to Greenbuild 2008. That's the L.A. chapter's challenge for the U.S. Green Building Council Natural Talent 2008 Design Competition,
which challenges you to consider "integrated design, sustainability,
innovation, and social consciousness." The local winner will compete
for a national award at Greenbuild 2008 happening November in Boston.
>> Fish get unnaturally feminine. Chemicals from wastewater are getting into oceans and making male fish produce more estrogen. Some boy fish are developing eggs! "Although some of these contaminants may be in urban runoff, the main source appears to be the 1 billion gallons of partially treated sewage that flows into the ocean every day from the region's four major sewage outfalls."
>> Remember how those big corps made the news by demanding to be eco-regulated? Turns out some are working behind the scenes to unwalk their green talk. Most take un-eco action surreptitiously by getting behind organizations that resist the green movement.
>> Missy Higgins goes green. During a green tour, she talks to guy from the National Center for Atmospheric Research, travels in a Prius, and learns about composting at Mountain View Montessori School.
This week's eco-topic: Green workplace
Stuffing one-side used paper into the manual feed tray worked for reducing my own paper use in the office, but what about convincing others to reduce and reuse too? Oscar Madrigal, who works at New Economics for Women, has had some great successes reducing paper consumption office-wide. Here, he shares his best paper-saving tips:
___
Put Xs on one side of used paper and pile the sheets into a noticeable stack to let people know they can be reused for office memos and meeting agendas.
Opt -- and encourage others to opt for -- double sided copies. I've been to workshops and conferences with environmental organizations that don't double side copies of things. Don't get called out -- Hit the double sided option on the copy machine.
Turn old letterhead into scratch pads. Minute Print, the company that printed our stationary, would take our old letterhead and make scratch pads of out of them for us to use around the office for notes.
Donate annual old annual reports and brochures to local arts organizations, or to a school teacher. For many companies and nonprofits, annual reports have great pictures of people. Kids can use them to make a collage; it's a great way to recycle."
Convince people to bring their own cups/mugs/bottles for water/coffee/tea. This helped to reduce the consumption of paper cups we use.
Other fun green workplace tips:
BYO flatware. I bring my own utensils to work for lunch time, so as to limit the amount of plastic forks and knives I use. A couple people caught on with this. A friend of mine was able to convince an employer to just buy a couple of sets of metal utensils for the lunch room.
Take public transit to happy hour and fun activities. At my old job, we took a trip to Pershing Square to go ice skating as an office activity after work one year. I and some other co-workers convinced everyone to take public transit to Pershing Square. For many, it was their first trip on the Red Line.
___
Got your own easy-to-implement green tips for the workplace? Share them in the comments.
Photo by Cathy Ma via Flickr
This week's eco-topic: Green workplace
Your eco-questions answered:
Question: My work is working (no so hard) on trying to "green" the office. I am wondering if there are any consultants who will come in and assist with greening an office building, and/or guides which you might recommend.
Especially helpful are guides which stress the money-saving options, and how to best take advantage of those. If it doesn't save money, it probably won't fly. -- Cassandra
 Answer: If your office is in Santa Monica, the simple solution's to take advantage of Sustainable Works Business Greening Program, FREE to Santa Monica businesses. This city-funded program will send a green expert to do an on-site assessment, give targeted recommendations, then work with businesses to prioritize and implement the recommendations they choose. Afterwards, the now-green business can apply for Santa Monica Green Business Certification to proudly tout its enviro-consciousness.
Not in Santa Monica? Then contact your city council member to ask that your city fund this Business Greening Program. Basically, any L.A.-area city can get Sustainable Works' services -- but the city needs to first pay up.
Outside city-funded programs, finding a greening consultant is almost too easy these days. Why? Anyone can call themselves a greening consultant. After all, there's no national greening consultant test or qualification system. The trick now is identifying the reputable green consultants and organizations are out there to get the good eco-advice you're looking for.
A good place to start might be with an eco-audit of your workplace from a trusted organization. As I've talked about before, eco-auditors can analyze which aspects of the business have the biggest footprint, as well as what eco-initiatives to undertake to get the most footprint-shrinkage per dollar.
You might also consider a responsible purchasing consultant to help your business spend its money wisely. Responsible Purchasing Network, a project of New American Dream, offers consulting services and has worked with many businesses and government offices to help them green their workplace. In fact, if you work for the state or local government, you can apply to get pro bono assistance from RPN! Get your proposals in by March 10.
As for greening guides: RPN also provides FREE online guides to help green your office purchases. In addition, there's the "Greening the Office" booklet I recently reviewed. Despite some of its shortcomings, this pocket guide will get you started on making your workplace eco-friendly.
Top photo by brianhendrix
 Like to plan ahead? Check out the Emerald City calendar to find out about all the green events around town.
Sat. Feb. 23
The Green Resolutions Ride (free) -- At the park next to Silverlake Recreation Center, 1850 W. Silver Lake Dr., Los Angeles. 10 am. Join C.I.C.L.E. and friends to explore the Silver Lake and Los Feliz neighborhoods by bicycle in search of green and sustainable living ideas on our Urban Expeditions "Green Resolutions Ride." Stops includethe Silver Lake Farmers Market, the Eco-Home, and the Bicycle Kitchen.
Passion for the Planet! A Complete Guide to Going Green in LA ($25) -- All Shades of Green, 3038 Rowena Ave, Los Angeles. 10 am. With Sustainability Coach Deborah Tull, learn what you can do today to green your home, business and lifestyle that will make a difference (and fit within your schedule and financial capacity). Call (323) 665-7454 to register.
Resolution in the Bag: Cause for Creativity ($20 per bag; $15 for members) -- Santa Monica Museum of Art, Bergamot Station G1, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Eliminate Plastic Bags While Making Your Own Art! The underground collective Hit+Run will conduct a live silk-screening party where participants make one-of-a-kind silk-screened cotton bags to use instead of plastic.
Sun. Feb 24
Thinking Outside the Bike Lane: An Exercise in Communal Co-Designing -- Self-Help Graphics, 3802 East Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles. 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Frustrated by L.A.'s bike route signage (or lack thereof)? Then weigh in on a new bike signage system system that will reflect the needs and desires of real L.A. cyclists and will be flexible enough to be modified and expanded over time.
"Golden Age of Hollywood" Ride -- Corner of Coronado and Silverlake, 2522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. 1 pm - 4 pm. Dress up as your favorite Hollywood icon and explore the roots of Hollywood in Silverlake. Plan to mingle after the ride, when snacks and light refreshments will be available. Rain cancels the event.
 >> The League of Conservation Voters released its National Environmental Scorecard. Clinton scores 73% for the year (87% lifetime); Obama 67% (86% lifetime). McCain scored 0% (24% lifetime).
>> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency just released its 2006 Toxics Release Inventory. The amount of total toxic chemicals released in the country went down a little, but mercury releases went up 17%. (via grist)
>> Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other municipal leaders unveiled a solar energy initiative by the Department of Water and Power as part of an overall jobs strategy. "The DWP is launching the program to comply with a state law that directs retail energy suppliers to increase their reliance on solar power."
>> SoCal schools are concerned about the federal lunch program, which gets some meat from the Chino factory whose beef was recalled earlier this month. Earlier: Demand school lunches, minus childhood obesity.
>> A dolphin dies near a sonar site, with blood and other fluid in its ears and ear canals. However, it's still unclear if it died from exposure to Navy exercises. Earlier: The Navy watches out for whales.
>> Damien of Street Heat L.A. reports on an L.A. Bicycle Master Plan meeting: Lots of discussion, lots of disagreements. Two more meetings remain -- Get your two cents in.
>> USC had its first farmers' market on campus yesterday, thanks to the efforts of campus group Environment First. (via LAist) The event apparently had some snafus -- students weren't able to use campus "discretionary dollars" and had to pay cash, and the last-minute location change due to the weather wasn't well publicized -- but attracted locavorian fans. Environment First aims to hold the event one Thursday a month.
This week's eco-topic: Green workplace 
Simple way of greening your worklife: Get out of the car and bike, walk, or take public transportation instead. Everyone's doing it! And bicycling newbies can find all the simple details about commuting by bike in "Biking to Work," another new pocket-sized, short booklet from Chelsea Green Publishing.
These quick 96 pages cover the whats, whys and hows: Why you should bike (stay in shape, live longer, save money), what type of bike to buy and where to get one that fits your budget, what gear to invest in, and how to pick a bike route. The guide even gives some basic bike maintenance tips!
 Though I've had my bike for a while, reading "Biking to Work made me think maybe I should invest in some new gear -- namely gloves to keep my hands from freezing and to protect them if I fall. Right now, I'm listening to the rain and wind outside and wondering why I haven't gotten them already!
| |
A guest post from Katie Ricketts, community / market organizer at Southland Farmers' Market Association.
