Starting tomorrow, June 22, all my green L.A. lifestyle blogging will happen on my own website, green LA girl.
Though Emerald City will no longer be updated, LATimes.com will always have fresh, green, Pulitzer Prize-winning news reporting from L.A. and beyond on its Environment page. And a new blog called Greenspace, written by the LA Times' environmental reporters, will launch Thursday.
When: Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 2 p.m. Where: Private home in Simi Valley; RSVP to judibikel@aol.com for address Cost: Free -- with RSVP and swappables (read on).
Twenty-five jammers and canners will gather over coffee and tea, each bringing to the table at least four 1-pint containers of canned or frozen jam, jelly, preserves or chutney -- along with a small tasting sample and a copy of the recipe to swap with other members. Serious jammers can take eight pints to the party, to leave with eight pints.
Of course, your jam and its recipe must have some connection to slow food -- whether it's made of local, organic ingredients or created from a family recipe. For eco-preserve-making inspiration, check out Jill Davis Doughtie of Eye Level Pasadena's photo-illustrated preserve-making process, starting out with Pasadena farmers market strawberries and apricots.
Both Slow Food L.A. members and nonmembers are invited -- but again, don't forget to RSVP to judibikel@aol.com or you might be wandering around Simi Valley for a very long time.
If you're inspired to bike after reading Kathryn Pope's post debunking the idea of cars as safety devices -- but are still kind of scared about biking the traffic-clogged streets of L.A. -- take an urban biking class with C.I.C.L.E. to ease yourself into the cycling culture.
C.I.C.L.E.'s "Bikes in the City" Education Program helps everyone -- from those who haven't yet learned to ride a bike to already-comfortable cyclists interested in safer riding techniques. Upcoming classes include:
Learn to Ride (for adults), happening Saturday, June 28 at 9 a.m. (already full!)
Can You Handle It?: Beginning Bike Handling Skills Workshop, happening Saturday, July 26, 9 a.m.
Handle it Better!: Intermediate Bike Handling Skills Workshop, happening Saturday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m.
All classes cost $15 and will be held in Northeast L.A.; pre-register for specific details by contacting info@CICLE.org or (323) 478-0060.
Although individual cyclists can pick up and practice lots of bike safety skills, our cities, too, can do much to make make bicycling safer and more fun for urbanites. And this weekend, city mayors at the 76th U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami will be considering a few de-car-ing resolutions, including "ensuring bicycling is integrated into national transportation, climate, energy and health policy initiatives" and "support for public transportation in light of increasing fuel costs" (PDF of proposed resolutions here).
L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Beverly Hills' Mayor Barry Brucker are among the attendees, along with other SoCal mayors. Check to see if your mayor's on the roster, then contact him/her and urge them to sign these resolutions.
Work in Hollywood? Take a break right now and head over to the new Hollywood Lemon Grove Farmers' Market, which opened 9 a.m. today at 4959 Lemon Grove Ave.
Get there before noon and enter a free raffle to win a basket of market-fresh produce. If you have kids, take them along; Network for a Healthy California is hosting a "Power Play" event for children at 11 a.m. The market will be open until 1 p.m.
If you're in the building biz, this is a good time to get involved with the U.S. Green Building Council, since L.A., Pasadena, Santa Monica and many other SoCal cities have all passed green building ordinances. Whether or not you've passed your LEED AP exam, you can stop by the free "Kick Off Summer & Get Involved" event, organized by the L.A. Chapter of USGBC:
When: Wednesday, June 18, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Where: Knoll Showroom, 214 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200, Santa Monica Cost: Free! RSVP before June 16 to krobinson@usgbc-la.org with "RSVP Knoll" in the subject line.
Go network over food and drinks, and find out more about USGBC's L.A. chapter while you're at it. For more generalized green biz networking, check out this list of eco-shmoozing events.
Inspired by the green building event? Then put that energy to use by putting together a green project, design or idea and submitting it to the Lifecycle Building Challenge (via Inhabitat). Just come up with an innovative way "for reducing to conserve construction and demolition materials and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by designing buildings for adaptability and disassembly."
The contest's open and free to all! If you're one of the six winners, you'll get free passes to eco events like West Coast Green and EPA Lifecycle Construction Conference, as well as opportunities to present and promote your work. Get your submission in by the July 31 deadline.
Love Korean BBQ? Missed the Great L.A. River Cleanup? Here's your second chance -- a big clean up of the Glendale narrows section of the L.A. River's happening this Saturday morning. You're invited to join in the cleaning fun -- then nosh on Korean BBQ afterwards.
When: Saturday, June 14, 8:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Griffith Park Recreation Center, 3401 Riverside Dr., Los Angeles
Cost: Free. Just show up with a hat, sunscreen and drinking water.
In addition to cleaning up the river, the event's intended to bring together an ethnically and culturally diverse group of volunteers "for a day of hands-on environmental stewardship and cross-cultural connection," according to Heal the Bay's press release. The Glendale Narrows is a community hub, Heal the Bay says: "Only if all communities work together will we be able to restore and revitalize California’s natural settings."
The NAACP, Pacific American Volunteer Assn., and Anahuak Soccer Assn. have all signed on! More than 2,000 people are expected to participate -- including L.A. City Council president Eric Garcetti and leaders from the involved organizations.
Everyone -- of any experience level -- is invited. Rub elbows with your neighbors and maybe pick up a few words in another language (clean-up instructions will be provided in English, Spanish, and Korean) during the BBQ.
Avoid higher water utility prices and get a bit more self sufficient by taking the "Introduction to Landscape Rainwater Harvesting" with Joe Linton this weekend. The workshop'll give you an overview of L.A. water issues, take you on a tour of the eco-village's own storm water harvesting landscape features, and get you directly involved in building a terraced swale to detain and infiltrate storm water.
The workshop will take place at L.A. Eco-Village, 117 Bimini Place, Los Angeles this Saturday, June 14, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Make a reservation by contacting (213) 738-1254 or crsp@igc.org, then show up with the $35 workshop fee and your own brown bag lunch.
For a less hands-on experience, attend Sustainable Business Council's panel discussion, titled "Water Wise: Get into the Flow." This event will connect water conservation to money -- not just saving money on your water bill, but on making money as an entrepreneur. The 5-person panel (plus moderator) is made up of business people working in the water conservation sector.
The panel takes place at Livingreen, 10000 Culver Blvd., Culver City, on Tuesday, June 17, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. [Update: This event's been postponed. Check the SBC website for new details.] Cover's $20 -- a tax-deductible donation that includes food and drinks. RSVP online.
Summer's almost here, so get some sun! Besides enjoying the beach, maybe this is the summer you'll start harnessing some of the solar energy for your home -- especially since Californians have lots of rebates and financing options available for home solar systems.
If you're fuzzy on the short- and long-term costs and benefits of installing solar panels, a sun-powered event happening on Monday can help. Titled "Solar by the Numbers: 2008 Financing Options for Home Solar Systems," this informative panel will illuminate "new ways to finance the installation of solar electric and solar thermal systems ... -- options that weren’t available even a year ago."
When: Monday, June 16 at 7 p.m. Where: Santa Monica Main Library, Multi-Purpose Room (2nd floor), 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica Cost: Free; reserve a space by calling (310) 458-4992
The event's put together by Solar Santa Monica, part of Santa Monica’s Office of Energy and Green Building Programs, so the panel discussion will be most relevant to Santa Monica residents, as well as solar manufacturers and installers, financiers, and real estate investors who do work in Santa Monica.
Speakers include Gary Groff of New Resource Bank, one of Solar Santa Monica’s financial partners; Nat Kreamer of Sun Run, a company that provides solar electricity through a guaranteed power purchase agreement; and Maurice “Mo” Rousso of Helio Micro Utility Inc., which offers renewable energy financial products.
If you do sign up to get state rebates for installing solar power, make sure you really do take action within 12 months. The San Francisco Business Times reported earlier this month that "More than one in eight homeowners and businesses that signed up for lucrative state solar power rebates have dropped out without installing a system, leaving $9 million in "stranded" incentives trapped in the California Solar Initiative program." This means new people who sign up -- and actually install a solar system -- will qualify only for smaller rebates. Be a good neighbor; keep the solar promises you make.
>> Too many Californians are not actually installing solar systems after signing up to get rebates. "More than one in eight homeowners and businesses that signed up for lucrative state solar power rebates have dropped out without installing a system, leaving $9 million in "stranded" incentives trapped in the California Solar Initiative program." This means new people who sign up -- and actually install a solar system -- will qualify only for smaller rebates. (via Treehugger)
The Rangers -- a collective of artists, writers, architects and urban designers who explore L.A. and work to help others do likewise -- are back with the Summer 2008 Malibu Public Beaches Safaris -- free educational tours that will show you exactly what beaches are there for your surfing, swimming and sunbathing pleasure -- and how to find, park, walk, picnic and play there.
When: Pick from one of five safaris in west and east Malibu:
East Malibu: Sat., June 14, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sun., July 27, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Sun., Aug 3, 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
West Malibu: Sun., June 15, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sat., Aug 2, 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with RSVP by e-mailing info@laurbanrangers.org with tour date, name and number of people.
Can't make time for a Safari? You can still explore Malibu beaches on your own with this handy Malibu Public Beaches guide (PDF) provided by the Rangers. Enjoy the beaches that belong to you!
>> A Q&A about the subway to the sea, written by Steve Hymon of Bottleneck Blog. Summary of his post: The route for the subway hasn't been picked yet, the money isn't there, and assuming those obstacles are overcome, it'll still be 2 years until the line starts getting built.
>> Summer excursions, car-free! That's the next live Web chat topic with Metro Board Chair Pam O'Connor, happening noon to 1 p.m. on June 18 at metro.net/chat. According to Metro's press release, "Chair O'Connor will also be available to discuss the potential half cent sales tax dedicated to Los Angeles County transit projects and other transportation issues."
>> L.A.'s Bike Advisory Committee comments on the City’s Bike Master Plan. Top item on the BAC's comments: "Identify why many policies and recommendations in the previous bicycle master plan have not been implemented." The BAC's action comes after much critique from the bicycling community about BAC's inaction and ineffectiveness -- perhaps a contributing factor as to why not much has been done with the previous master plan.
>> Yet another reason why nuclear energy's unpopular: "Under current plans, the casks of nuclear waste material awaiting burial at Yucca Mountain could be sent into a "chaotic melee of bouncing and rolling juggernauts" in an earthquake, according to Holtec International, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of nuclear waste storage systems.
Each week will tackle a new area of your life, from water to food to energy. 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 some useful eco swag. The dates are:
Tuesdays 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., starting June 10. Sustainable Works office, 1744 Pearl St., Santa Monica.
Wednesdays 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., starting June 11. Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica
Space is limited, and after those series, new classes won't start until the fall -- so sign up now by calling (310) 458-8716 x1 or e-mailing roth_barent@smc.edu.
Today is World Environment Day! Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, World Environment Day's now organized by the United Nations Environment Programme on June 5 each year. The day's theme this year is "Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy." Everyone -- from individuals to entire countries -- are encouraged to shrink their carbon footprints.
Unfortunately, the materials UNEP's put together are rather vague, though well-intentioned. UNEP's 80 Ways to Celebrate are full of unspecific directives (top item on the list: "Adopt a ‘green’ way of life.") and the Twelve Steps to Help You Kick the CO2 Habit too is rather vague. I would've at least linked to a carbon footprint calculator to get people started -- and I will here! Get into the theme of the day by measuring your own carbon footprint -- if you haven't done so already -- and making plans to shrink it.
As for more collective events: The main international celebrations are far, far away in New Zealand, and even the North American celebrations are all the way in the Chicago Botanic Garden. Still, we do have an L.A.-area celebration -- a free Family Art Festival at the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center -- though it's not actually happening today:
When: June 17, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Where: The Canoga Park Youth Arts Center, 7222 Remmet Ave., Canoga Park Cost: Free
UNEP invited the center, a facility of the city of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, to create "an installation of expressive projects exploring issues of climate change, environmental awareness and leadership." So students created artworks from recycled trash items! The fair on June 17 will serve as a reception for this recycled art exhibition. Refreshments will be served, and art workshops will let the audience take part in the event.
Enviro-fans of Dwell magazine: You'll be glad to know that the focus for the 3rd Annual Dwell on Design will be sustainability in the L.A. area. The conference and exhibition will showcase and discuss modern design, architecture while examining ways to encourage sustainable living in an increasingly dense city.
And you can check out the exhibition -- with more than 200 exhibitors -- for free! Just use the codes below.
When: Conference on June 5 and 6; Exhibition on June 7 and 8 (exhibition preview for conference attendees on June 6). Where: Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. Cost: Exhibition tickets cost $25 online (free with code BDODEC) or $50 at the door; conference registration costs $349 ($50 off with code GRP22SP). Register here.
The exhibition include lots of green panels that examine everything from what L.A.'s new green building codes will mean to new resource and energy efficiency innovations to sustainable interiors. Lots of panel members are also LEED-accredited professionals!
If the conference and tour aren't enough, you can sign up to take a tour of green homes in L.A. And on June 6, you can watch 16 L.A. designers produce 2D sustainable and modular dwellings, rooms and furniture in a tournament-party at MOCA. $50 gets you into the evening event, featuring an open bar and a live DJ.
Go hiking this Saturday! June 7 is National Trails Day 2008, and in celebration, nearly 1,000 outdoorsy events are happening around the country.
The day's activities aren't limited to hiking; you can go biking, horseback riding or paddling too -- though what you do may be limited a bit by the types of events that are planned in your area. Check the list of California events to find the one nearest you.
Irvine seems to have the most going on, with a hike, a bike ride, exhibits, workshops, and other activities happening over this weekend. If you'd rather get your hands dirty prettying up hiking trails, head up to San Fernando to help the USDA Forest Service with trail maintenance and construction.
National Trails Day is organized by the American Hiking Society, self-described as "the only national organization dedicated to promoting and protecting hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience."
Valley bicyclists: Want better walk-bike-rail connections in your 'hood? Then join the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition and Metro for a bike or walk tour and weigh in on a plan to improve bike and walk access to the Van Nuys Metro Orange Line Station.
When: Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Marvin Braude Constituent Services Center, Conference Room 1A., 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys Cost: Free, with a free lunch if you RSVP to Dorothy Le at Dorothy@la-bike.org or (213) 629-2142.
According to Metro, this bike-walk deal is "part of a comprehensive study of existing conditions and recommendations for improvements at transit hubs across the Los Angeles County." The Saturday tour is just the first of five. The next four will all focus on Blue Line stations:
Metro Blue Line Compton Station, Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Metro Blue Line Florence Station, Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Metro Blue Line Rosa Parks Station, Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Metro Blue Line Vernon Station, Saturday, July 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Put them in your calendars. Wondering what happens after you put in your two cents? The findings from the tours -- which are part of a study funded by a Caltrans Environmental Justice Planning Grant -- will be put together into a final report of recommendations, scheduled to be completed this fall. That report, in turn, "can be used by cities to apply for grant funds to improve access to the stations," according to Metro.
Yes, that means that Metro's using a grant to do a study to apply for more grants; actually bringing about the recommended changes that come out of these bike-walk tours will be contingent on whether or not we get these future grants...
>> L.A.'s greener than San Francisco and New York City, according to a study by think tank Brookings Institution. But Margot Roosevelt delves through the fuzzy math: "The calculations did not account for the fact that half the city's electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. Instead, Brookings used a state-wide average that included the hydroelectric and nuclear plants in Northern California. Omitted from the data are emissions from industries and commercial buildings, and from local roads apart from federal highways." Also omitted were CO2 emissions from long-distance commuters.
>> Your own private L.A. traffic island. Guerrilla gardeners are taking over unkempt public spaces, bringing greenery to urban blights. "One of a slew of DIY gardening currents, such as permaculture (design of highly sustainable ecosystems), urban homesteading, composting and free fruit movement, guerrilla gardening is a response to dwindling green space, limited land and suspicions about food sources, say experts."
>> Go species scoping in the Santa Monica Mountains. BioBlitz 2008 starts at noon to end 24 hours later! Join scientists, naturalists, and fellow Angelenos to observe and record as many species as possible in a 4-hour-shift. Register on-site at one of the stations (PDF).
And people were lining up to take pictures with the plastic bag monster, who became a bit of a celebrity!
The event brought out a big crowd to the Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Airport on a beautiful, if a little windy, day. I randomly met Jack Sahl, director of environment and resource sustainability at
Southern California Edison, an eco-initiatives person at Warner Brothers, then ran into the usual westside eco-peeps like Andy Lipkis of TreePeople.
Everything from a guitar signed by Maroon 5 to a Ford Escape Hybrid was auctioned off while people tucked in "an organic and sustainable menu" catered by Patina
Restaurant Group while sipping on local beers and "sustainable" but
not organic certified wine from Kunde Estate Winery. Amy Smart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (left), and Ingo Rademacher all took part in the ceremonies.
In general, the event itself was very eco -- aside from all the driving people did to get there (I received a free parking pass but no biking instructions; in the end I eco-cabbed it). Heal the Beach's little brochure for the dinner -- printed with soy based inks on 100% post-consumer recycled paper processed chlorine free -- bragged that the event used neither single-use serviceware nor bottled water.
Strangely, each gift bag given to attendees contained a plastic (#1) bottle of water -- something Anna Cummins, also at the party, pointed out to me. To be fair, the stuff isn't just plain water -- it's organic certified "Bone Water," (right) meaning that the concoction also includes evaporated cane juice and other juices, oils, and flavors -- as well as calcium and other "nutrients" that make the "water" taste a lot like a less-sweet but still synthetic Gatorade.
Heal the Bay's dinner brochure included a plastic warning educational page of sorts, which said this about #1 plastic: "Unfortunately, studies indicate that with repeated use, PET containers may release di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, an endocrine-disrupting compound and probable human carcinogen."
Granted, the info mainly advises against reuse of #1 plastic bottles, but in general, Heal the Bay is no fan of plastic. I mean, most disposable water bottles are made of #1 plastic, which Heal the Bay bragged about avoiding -- outside the gift bags. Plus the nonprofit's leading the fight against plastic bags.
Of course, Heal the Bay has to make a lot of compromises -- something I wrote about when the L.A. County Board of Supervisors' decision on plastic bags came down. Bone Water wasn't even the only plastic bottle issue of the night. Heal the Money must've also gotten money from FIJI water -- because that company got a page in the dinner brochure.
The entire evening was full of conundrums such as these. The Escape Hybrid -- auctioned off for $30,000+ going directly to Heal the Bay -- has better mileage than other SUVs, but it's still an SUV made by un-eco Ford. Both the Paul Mitchell and Murad products included in the gift bags have some eco-properties -- but are preserved using parabens. Even the gift bags themselves are reusable totes -- but appear to be made of pesticide-intensive conventional cotton.
I'm not saying Heal the Bay was wrong to accept these sponsorships or products, necessarily. I'm just pointing out the quandaries to say I don't envy the jobs of the people who work there. Sure, I really do have a bone to pick with this Bone Water thing -- but every environmentalist has her pet peeve, and every little compromise the nonprofit makes must bring forth a cacophony of complaints --
Junk -- a raft made with 15,000 plastic bottles -- is ready to set sail! Last week, Anna Cummins wrote about the Junk voyage's effort to call attention to the frightening plastic pollution in the oceans -- and now you're invited to the bon voyage party:
When: Sunday, June 1, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Where: Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
Meet Dr. Marcus Eriksen and Joel Paschal -- both of Algalita Marine Research Foundation -- before they set sail on their 6-week journey from Long Beach to Hawaii. Then follow their progress on the Junk blog!
It was bound to happen: We now have an Environmental Hall of Fame, which will hold its first awards ceremony next month.
While really anyone can create their own Hall of Fame (I just found the Ecology Hall of Fame and the Assault on Science Hall of Fame -- both basically on-line lists created by teensy nonprofits), the Environmental Hall of Fame is a somewhat bigger deal -- if for no other reason than the fact that its awards ceremony will mark its existence in real life, beyond the Internet.
When: June 5-7, 7 p.m. Where: Westin LAX Theater, 5400 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles Cost: $8 for general admission. Purchase tickets on-line here.
The Environmental Hall of Fame could actually be seen as part of an elaborate book promo. It came to be through the research of Allen Rubin and Catherine Corbin, two life coaches who decided to write a book that "recognizes individuals, companies and organizations that have made the most significant impact on environmental issues." Before that book, titled "The Environmental Hall of Fame, 2008 Edition," comes out this summer, the authors are recognizing the people they wrote about in this awards ceremony.
Unfortunately for those hoping to see the really big names, neither Al Gore nor Bill Clinton are expected to attend -- though organizers are hopeful that the two men will send people to participate in the ceremony on their behalf.
Santa Monica's gotten greener and greener of late -- too crunchy, perhaps -- to the point that now, we have about a biggish eco-event a day happening within the small city.
Take next week, for example. On Tuesday, we have "Smart Growth," a city-funded FREE Sustainable Santa Monica Event that centers around a presentation by Dimitris Klapsis, LEED Accredited Professional and a senior project manager with HMC Architects in Pasadena. Green building enthusiasts can stop by the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, at 6 p.m. to hear Klapsis speak.
Then on Wednesday, we have "Green is the new Black," an environmental panel and reception organized by the Yale Club of Southern California, who despite their Ivy League education, couldn't manage to find a more creative title than this tired, now-hackneyed one. They're smart enough to charge $15-$25 to cover costs for the event, however. It goes down in The Haworth Showroom at the Water Garden, 1601 Cloverfield Blvd., Santa Monica, from 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Thursday will take eco-activists back to the Santa Monica Public Library for a panel on "Running a Green Household." The FREE workshop will teach you how to make the best decisions while evaluating and purchasing products and services for your home. That happens in the Multipurpose Room of the SMPL at 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, starting at 7 p.m.
I know there's green stuff happening in other parts of the city; I keep track of them here. It just seems that most of them seem to be happening in Santa Monica. Of course, I live in Santa Monica, so perhaps I get a disproportionate amount of notices about events happening here while I never hear about others. Know 'bout an eco-event that's not on my calendar? Let me know, and I'll add it on.
Have your organic locally-grown carrot cake and eat it too! The Hollywood Farmers' Market is turning 17, and the celebrations kick off with a carrot cake cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. -- Get there early and enjoy a free piece!
When: Sunday, May 25, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Where: Hollywood Farmers' Market, at Ivar and Selma avenues between Hollywood and Sunset, Los Angeles Cost: Free!
There'll be face painting and an arts and crafts workshop for kids starting at 9. For the cooks, a chef demonstration with Pace's Sandy Gendel -- a twice-weekly farmers' market shopper -- begins at 10 a.m.
[This article is the second in a three-part series on ways individuals can work to improve conditions for cyclists and encourage cycling. That's exactly the goal of bike activism, so in essence, this is a three-part series about ways to engage in bike activism. Read the first post.]
Two weeks ago I wrote about biking as the most essential act of bike activism, and talking to others about cycling as the natural followup. After you wear out your welcome evangelizing biking to your friends and family (or convert them all), one route to expanding your activism is to volunteer for an organization.
Volunteering is simple, right? You just go to the organization you choose to volunteer for, say "Here I am," and they give you a stack of envelopes to lick. I disagree. Volunteering is a complex and often creative act. There are a variety of factors to consider in choosing for whom you volunteer, and what activities you volunteer to do.
In choosing where to volunteer, you should think about what forms of activism are the most effective for cycling. You might choose a different organization to volunteer for if you believe direct outreach to be more important than advocacy. You are also tasked with evaluating whether the organization you choose is effectively utilizing your effort.
Most importantly, you need to consider what you would like to do. We volunteer our free time and excess energy, so it is important that whatever you choose to do as a volunteer is rewarding. If not, you won't volunteer for very long, and that's no good for anyone. How much energy and time would you like to devote? If you over-commit you won't be very effective, and if you volunteer for a high-energy task when you're tired, you won't be of much help to the organization. Conversely, if you have a lot of energy to volunteer, and you get stuck licking envelopes, you'll be bored to death.
In L.A., I know of five organizations where you can volunteer to help cyclists: CICLE, the three bike repair collectives - the Bike Oven, the Bicycle Kitchen, and the Bikerowave - and the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition.
C.I.C.L.E., a.k.a. Cyclists Inciting Change Through Live Exchange, recently pulled off a spectacular event series, Bike Week Pasadena, culminating in an all-day Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo. The Expo confirmed that CICLE has the ability and opportunity to delegate to volunteers, as well as access to local government to leverage volunteer efforts. Bike Week Pasadena demonstrated an ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. If you volunteer for CICLE you can be sure that your efforts will be fully utilized.
(Ashira Siegel staffing a booth at the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo, volunteers for the Bicycle Film Festival.)
CICLE is a multi-faceted organization, so there's more than one way to contribute. They have a local outreach component, which focuses on events like Bike Week Pasadena as a means to reach demographics not always targeted by bike activists. Their news and views is the best aggregation of bike news (mixed with some original content) available, and has international reach. CICLE also produces a variety of beautiful literature to hand out to people interested in cycling.
If you're interested in volunteering, e-mail info@cicle.org.
Bike Repair Collectives -- the Bike Oven, Bikerowave, and the Bicycle Kitchen -- are not-for-profit bike shops that teach cyclists how to fix their bicycles. All three of these organizations have diverse needs. They need mechanics who will do the basic work of teaching customers bicycle repair. They also need people to help with the organizations' administrative functions: promotion, finances, records, policy, scheduling, etc.
Volunteering as a mechanic for a bike repair collective is very rewarding. Firstly, the organizations will train you in bicycle repair, so no prior bike repair experience is required, and you'll end up with expertise in bike repair. Teaching others how to fix their bikes, you are able to immediately witness the impact you've made in the community. You will be constantly sending customers out the door with newly functioning bikes and an education in bicycle repair. When someone approaches you months later whom you don't recognize, and thanks you for guiding them through a repair, it's a good feeling.
(Eric Weinstein, at the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo, volunteers for the Bikerowave.)
Volunteering on the administrative side is a chance to get your feet wet steering a dynamic volunteer organization. With the Bicycle Kitchen, you have an opportunity to be part of an organization that is having tremendous impact on the community. With Bikerowave and the Bike Oven you have extremely young organizations that are just starting to structure themselves. Both the Bike Oven and Bikerowave have more administrative work to be done than they have workers, so you can have immediate impact by taking care of a task that needs doing.
I suggest, if volunteering at a bike repair collective interests you, volunteering at the one closest to you. Since they are an unusual form of organization, it might be a good idea to go visit in person to get a sense for how they function, before firing off an e-mail offering your help.
The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is the oldest bike advocacy organization in L.A., founded in 1998. They have a variety of needs for volunteers, mostly centered around fundraisers and their bi-monthly socials or upcoming River Ride. You can find out more by visiting the volunteering section of their website.
(Bikes valet-parked at the Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo.)
Besides these five orgs, one other opportunity is the upcoming Bicycle Film Festival. Last year's festival was spectacular, and with the amazing show they put on, there must be a huge operation behind the curtains. E-mail volunteer@bicyclefilmfestival.com to pitch in for the Bicycle Film Festival when it is in L.A., July 16-19.
That's about it. A parting suggestion: when you volunteer for an organization, apply the same degree of professionalism you do to your life or career. When I was a volunteer manager of volunteers it was frustrating when people did not take it seriously. When you volunteer there are people who will be relying on you, so don't let them down. As always, remember: have fun!
Next week I'll write about more unconventional ways to go about activism (or arguably, just ways that aren't volunteering.)
Green West isn't a crunchy hippie event. It's a rather slick business conference about making green by going green. According to the organizers, the green market's a $250-billion opportunity that's "growing at exponential rates" -- which explains the exponential growth in the number of press releases I get about green products and services these days.
When: May 20-22, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day Where: South Halls (Halls J & K), Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles Cost: $70 per one day, $110 for two days, $150 for three days. Purchase tickets online.
There'll be a free welcome reception, an expo hall to wander through, a network lounge for hobnobbing, a green careers center for job seekers, sustainable cooking demos, and lots of panels happening throughout the day.
I thought the six keynote speakers featured were pretty telling of L.A.'s business priorities. On the politics and policy side we have L.A. City Councilman Eric Garcetti, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, and an L.A. Department of Water and Power representative. Of the three business speakers, two -- Planet Green and Fox -- represent TV channels, leaving my friend Gil Friend, president and CEO of sustainable consulting company Natural Logic, as the lone business keynote from outside the entertainment industry.
Missed the Great L.A. River Clean Up yesterday? Too bad -- but now that volunteers have prettied things up for you, it's the perfect time to take a grand tour of our famous but relatively unknown river. On June 8, you can join a bunch of other Angelenos to check out the L.A. River -- by bike or by car!
Be one of 2,000+ cyclists taking part in The Los Angeles River Ride on June 8, organized by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Riders at all levels are welcome; you can pick from 100-, 70-, 50-, 10-mile rides -- or a Kids' Ride.
There'll be music, food, prizes -- and like pretty much every big event happening in L.A. these days, an Eco Expo. Register to ride for $49 ($39 for LACBC members). The Kids' Ride costs just $15.
Think it's too hot to bike? Then take a car-caravan tour of the L.A. River with the nonprofit Friends of the L.A. River on June 8, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. See current and planned river restoration sites, including the Sepulveda Basin in the Valley, the Glendale Narrows across from Griffith Park, the historic Arroyo Seco confluence, the Los Angeles State Historic Park (a.k.a. the Cornfield), and the heart of downtown. At each spot you'll learn about the river's important role in the city's past, present and future.
Sign up by contacting FoLAR at mail@folar.org or (323) 223-0585. The tour costs $25 for adults ($20 for FoLAR members); children under 18 and dogs are free.
If you socialize regularly at Green Drinks with local environmentalists, note the new location for the event tonight. What used to be East Side Green Drinks, meeting at Good Luck Bar in Silver Lake every third Thursday of the month, has now mysteriously become the West Hollywood / Silver Lake Green Drinks, despite the fact that the two neighborhoods are nowhere near each other.
I think the new multi-city alliance of sorts was created simply because the organizers decided to hold tonight's Green Drinks at Cisco Home, which is far, far west of Silver Lake. However, Cisco Home -- located at 440 N. La Brea -- isn't in West Hollywood either. It's more accurately in Hollywood, though the building is actually about a block south of the area officially considered to be Hollywood.
Quibbles about the location aside, L.A. Green Drinks has really changed quite a bit since its inception a few years ago -- so much that I've, um, stopped going. That doesn't mean that the event's made a turn for the worse; Green Drinks is simply different. What used to be a relatively unstructured monthly social event at a local bar, where everyone entered for free and bought their own drinks, has now turned into sponsored events at furniture stores requiring a cover and featuring environmental speakers.
Some may love the opportunity to hear local environmentalists speak. But because of what I do, I hear environmental speakers all the time -- and am a little sad that what used to be a relaxed night of socializing's turned into yet another speaker series, with drinks on the side. Most of my friends are also very involved in the enviro-world; all of us probably complain about the change in Green Drinks' structure and venues way too much.
Still, tonight's speaker sounds interesting: It's Tom O'Leary, the Communications and Development Specialist, from Forest Ethics. Here are the details for those who want to hear O'Leary:
When: Tonight, Thurs., May 15, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Where: Cisco Home, 440 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles Cost: $5 donation
I'll be elsewhere. In the meantime, some friends and I are thinking of starting a structure-free Green Drinks Santa Monica. Want to be kept in the loop? E-mail me.
For diehard environmentalists who only date people with low carbon footprints, there's now Green Speed Dating -- happening on Father's Day of all days, giving the event a slightly Freudian aspect...
When: Sunday, June 15, 6:15 p.m. - 9 p.m. Where:The Hideout, 112 W. Channel Rd., Santa Monica Cost: $20 donation to Developing Communities
Basically, you'll meet 20 people of the opposite gender (so don't plunk down the money if you're gay or you'll be sadly disappointed) in quick succession and note the people you'd like to see again on a sheet. Free appetizers will be provided; less free drinks will be available from the bartender. Within 24 hours of the event, you'll receive your mutual matches.
The event's limited to 40 people, so if you're interested, sign up now. You must be between the ages of 25-40. Sorry, again, older people (Will I get angry lectures about how "those who come are supposed to be there" again?).
The event's a creative fundraiser for Developing Communities, a group of six volunteers who are dedicated to the development of small communities in Central America. Three of the volunteers, including Jenean Smith, one of the organizers of the Green Speed Dating event, are former Peace Corps volunteers. One of their current projects is to bring solar power to a Nicaraguan town that's off the grid.
The whole event sounds kind of fun, but the possibility of an ex showing up feels too high. When did the Westside get so small?
To be honest, everything I hear about endangered species sounds both depressing and far away, partly because the Bush administration meddles too often in Endangered Species Act-related decisions, and partly because I just don't see these species often enough (perhaps because they're endangered) to have formed a deep, personal attachment to them.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying I don't care about endangered species. I do -- but the caring feels very abstract and cerebral, as opposed to heart-felt. But this Friday is Endangered Species Day -- a day that'll hopefully engage urbanites like me to get involved in preserving the natural habitat for animals we've only seen in zoos.
To get the public involved, zoos all over California are holding special Endangered Species Day events and exhibits! Actually, make that zoos all over California except the L.A. Zoo, which isn't planning anything because it's working on a "Meet the Berenstain Bears!" weekend event.
We do have one local event happening in Pasadena though. The Folk Tree store in Pasadena's currently showing a group exhibition titled "Endangered Species," which runs until Saturday, May 17.
I actually found out about Endangered Species Day from a turtle-loving nonprofit with an unwieldy name: The Association for the Protection of the Environment and the Marine Turtle in Southern Baja (ASUPMATOMA -- based on its name in Spanish). "Throughout the world, and in particular, the Gulf of Mexico region, sea turtle populations have been severely destroyed by years of careless fishing and hunting practices, exploitation of eggs, rapid land development, pollution, and destruction of sea turtle nesting habitats," they wrote me in an e-mail, urging me to write about the plight of sea turtles.
Part of me wants to get involved with these sea creatures, while another part of me's overwhelmed by the sheer number of species that are in similar dire straits.
I know many environmentalists sometimes get overwhelmed by the magnitude of environmental problems we have in the world. Usually I manage OK, but when I get to thinking about endangered species, I feel a sense of helplessness that lies somewhere between depression and repression. I'm wondering if "adopting" one species that I can focus on might be helpful -- puffins, maybe, except these birdies aren't actually endangered (though they are "threatened"). What's your favorite endangered species?
Last September, parking spaces all over L.A. turned into temporary parks -- for a few hours. Park(ing) Day Los Angeles brought activists and artists and other open-space-loving people together to take back the city spaces usually reserved for immobilized vehicles. Some environmentalists even towed all the materials for the temporary park -- benches and trees and other fun stuff -- via bike! (You knew I'd get a bike tie-in somewhere; it's still Bike to Work Week!):
And the second Parking Day L.A.'s coming this September -- September 19, to be exact. Put it in your calendar now! Planning's already under way, with the goal "to broaden the scope of Park(ing) Day L.A. and create a successful program of events, which will help celebrate the opportunities for creating public space in Los Angeles."
Want to be one of the happy park people? Then all you have to do is go to the next Park(ing) Day LA meeting, happening Friday, May 16 at 1pm at AIA Los Angeles, 3780 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800, Los Angeles. RSVP to will@aialosangeles.org.
If you can't make this meeting, don't despair. The Park(ing) Day L.A. group plans to meet the 3rd Friday of each month. Can't make any meetings? Don't fret. Says Will Wright, one of the organizers: "Of course, if you are interested in simply creating a park on Park(ing) Day - then you don't necessarily need to attend all of the steering committee meetings. Yet, your early participation is encouraged and welcome."
Help shape the Park(ing) Day of your dreams! You have four months to design and figure out how to create your ideal urban park at a parking spot close to you.
Permaculture classes have been going on for years, but many of these are
intensive, multi-week courses for the already-converted. This month,
L.A. county's getting some beginner-level events for the
permaculture-curious.
When I think permaculture -- roughly defined as sustainable design principles that seeks to create human habitats that mimic natural systems -- the first thing that comes to mind is organic and biodynamic, get your hands dirty, old fashioned farming. But since permaculture's not only a portmanteau for permanent and agriculture but also for permanent and culture, its principles -- proponents say -- can be adapted to urban areas and systems too.
Even if you're not ready to dive in with both Birkenstocked feet, you can try dipping your toe into the permaculture pool.
A good beginner's event happens this Friday: "A Taste of Permaculture: Principles, Ethics and Zones," led by Tyrone Fay of Earthcare Design Solutions, a pro-permaculture organization. Stop by to get an overview of permaculture this Friday, May 16, 7 pm, at the L.A. Eco-Village, 117 Bimini Place, Los Angeles. The cost of the workshop's $100 (sliding scale) and reservations are required; contact (213) 738-1254 or crsp@igc.org.
Those who want to do some hands-on permaculture work can sign up for an all-day series of rotating workshops on Saturday, titled "Hands-on: Soils & Gardening, orcharding, seedball"
That happens Saturday, May 17 from 8:30 am - 5 pm, also at the L.A. Eco-Village. The workshop costs $100, and pre-registration's required.
For those on the west side, put the "Santa Monica Community Permaculture Gathering" in your calendar. Intended as the first of a series of monthly meetings, this gathering's hoped "to begin to build a community of local citizens interested in bringing about real sustainable change in the neighborhoods that we live in," according to Sean Jennings, the organizer.
"My hope is that this meeting will be permaculture in action," says Jennings. "That means we will be meeting our neighbors, discussing problems and possible solutions, and identifying action that we can take as a community and actually make it happen."
The gathering happens on May 20 at 7 pm at the Santa Monica Main Library, Community Meeting Room, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. For more info, email Jennings at swjennings@gmail.com.
Photo of people studying urban permaculture in Santa Cruz by matt bennett via Flickr
