|
|
>> The second Westside Permaculture Gathering will be an "Intro to Permaculture" primer, put together by community permaculturists, as well as a local potluck. All are invited to the free event: Monday, June 23, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Contact Sean Jennings at swjennings@gmail.com with questions.
>> At the "ReGreen: Green Home Improvement" event, everyone from homeowners to design professionals can find out about the ReGreen program -- "best practice guidelines and targeted educational resources for sustainable residential improvement projects" developed by the American Society of Interior Designers' Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council. The free event happens Tuesday, June 24., from 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Room of the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. RSVP to gbrc@globalgreen.org are appreciated but not required.
>> Hear the authors of the Homegrown Evolution blog, Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen (interviewed here), at an L.A. Eco-Village event titled "The Urban Homestead: A Talk, Slide Show and Book-Signing." The event happens Thursday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m., at the L.A. Eco-Village, 117 Bimini Place, Los Angeles. Suggested donation's $5; RSVP to crsp@igc.org.
>> Join artist Jane Tsong and curator Donna Conwell for a conversation at the Farmlab Public Salon, " 'Everything is Alive' and Other Street Projects." "Everything is Still Alive" is an art project in which native California poppies were planted on patches of exposed earth in the L.A. area: "where the poppies survive, orange blossoms reveal the disparate patterns of land management." The free event takes place Friday, June 27 at noon at Farmlab, 1745 N. Spring Street #4, Los Angeles.
For more eco-themed events happening in the L.A. area, check out the Emerald City green calendar.
Photos courtesy Jane Tsong via Farmlab
Smokey Bear's back with a new series of public service advertisements that encourage you to "Get Your Smokey On" by practicing fire safety habits. Odd feature of the main TV spot: Smokey gender morphs!
A girl metamorphoses into Smokey -- who warns some boys about forest fires in a girly voice -- before turning back into a girl. Then Smokey with a boy's voice comes on to say the usual "Only you can prevent wildfires" line.
I'm guessing the point of the ad is that everyone (women included!) can do like Smokey and educate others about forest fires. I don't remember this gender-morphing happening in the past though -- and Smokey really has a long past, having been around since 1944. Anyone remember a past campaign when Smokey was female?
We've certainly had a lot of fires in SoCal of late, so Smokey's advice, if not new, remains relevant. If you're bored at work, Smokey Bear's website features a vault with posters, as well as radio and TV spots since the '40s.
>> 21 (Eco)Visualizations for Energy Consumption Awareness. Check out these visuals, applications, and devices that can motivate you to conserve by making you see more clearly the environmental impacts of your (or our collective) actions. Above is one of the 21: the USA National GAS Temperature Map (h/t groby)
>> Re-visualizing trees. Artist Rob Kesseler's created strange but pretty electron microscope images of tree bits for his exhibition "Canopy" at Kew Gardens, London. According to New Scientist, "Kesseler's images are intended to show trees on a scale you have never seen before, through artistic manipulation of high-powered microscope technology."
>> Local enviro-group TreePeople will launch a comprehensive California Wildfire Restoration Initiative that will help restore forests that won’t recover on their own. The initiative will include a volunteer mobilization campaign; about 7,500 volunteers are needed to help cover about 10,000 acres over a period of 3-5 years. The effort will be funded by a $1 million grant from the Boeing Co.
>> Girl drives under speed limit, sees 14% gain in fuel efficiency. Writes Karina at Tiny Choices: "I will add ... I did my best to drive the speed limit but I was generally driving within 5 miles of the speed limit, and that there were at least 1 or 2 trips that were a little faster than originally planned because I was in a big hurry."
>> A biodiesel boat trying to circle the globe in record time bumped into an unknown object and is now "limping across the Pacific," reports Wired's Autopia. "Earthrace was on pace to beat the record, set in 1998 by Cable & Wireless Adventurer, by 15 days before the collision. With that kind of cushion, Earthrace might still pull it off, but only if nothing else goes wrong."
>> A new report, Stop Trashing the Climate shows that aiming for zero waste by reducing waste and encouraging the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra "is one of the fastest, cheapest, and most effective strategies available for combating climate change." Get involved with L.A.'s Zero Waste Plan!
>> Dwell on Design begins today! The exhibition portion doesn't start until Saturday, so you still have time to use the coupon code for free admission and see what the event's all about.
Image courtesy of gasbuddy.com
 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."
 >> Upset about the felling of ficus trees, Santa Monica's Treesavers group plans an all night "Save Our Trees" protest tonight at City Hall. Among the things the group's asking for: A Tree Commission. (via LAist) Earlier: 23 ficus trees are chopped down in Santa Monica.
>> The Santa Monica Community Permaculture Gathering happens tonight at 7 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room at the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica.
>> Missed the Great L.A. River Cleanup? Volunteer vicariously via Mark Mauer's photo essay in LA Daily. "First pick out dozens of plastic bags, then when that gets too frustrating, switch to digging out some huge piece of trash." Now that Mark's cleaned it up for you, take a tour of the spiffed-up river!
>> The White House interfered with the Environmental Protection Agency's decision over California's bid to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in vehicles, says Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Frank O'Donnell provides links to documents in question in his Grist post.
>> The U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) raised its tree planting goal to 7 billion trees by late 2009, up from the previous goal of 1 billion trees in 2007. Like our city's own Million Trees L.A. program, UNEP lets people register their newly planted trees online. Also like L.A.'s program, UNEP "does not check that all seedlings or saplings are actually planted or survive." Earlier: I never wanted to be a tree killer.
>> Our noise may be causing ecological tragedies. Man-made noise -- a.k.a. anthrophony -- intrudes on "the information flow in the jungle," affecting the population of some species by changing the soundscape. "Cities have long had noise ordinances," writes Clive Thompson in Wired." "Wilderness areas could benefit from tighter protections as well." Earlier: Those loud leaf blowers.
>> Beware the Easy-Off Oven Cleaner. Wired explains the ingredients in the scary stuff: "One of the most commonly abused inhalants, butane poses severe health risks. But that's not a worry here: Huffing fumes from the other ingredients would almost certainly kill you first."
Image from Santa Monica Treesavers
>> High gas prices are here to stay. Get used to 'em.
>> $4 a gallon really isn't that high of a price for gasoline. "American gasoline is also dirt-cheap compared with gas in other countries. British motorists are currently paying about $8.38 per gallon for gasoline. In Norway, a major oil exporter, drivers are paying $8.73. "
>> Hydrogen cars won't make a difference for 40 years, despite Schwarzenegger's efforts to create a "hydrogen highway."
>> Wind power's potential. "A stunning new report just issued by the Bush administration finds that for under 2 cents a day per household, Americans could get 300 gigawatts of wind by 2030."
>> Harrison Ford waxes his chest hair as a metaphor for the clear-cutting of rain forests. Yes, it's true. ViroPop has it on video.
>> After a long battle between the city and treehugging activists, 23 ficus trees are chopped down in Santa Monica. "Efforts [by members of Santa Monica Treesavers] to have 153 ficus trees declared landmarks failed in February and two courts ruled that the group's lawsuit did not comply with the statute of limitations." Earlier: Will starve for ficus trees: Santa Monica tree fight rages on and in L.A., ficus trees get felled with no big outcry.
Photo by Gregg Moscoe
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
Last minute eco-Mother's Day gifts:
>> Get your fair trade flowers from Ten Thousand Villages Pasadena, or from the Fair Trade LA booth at the Santa Monica Festival today.
>> Go shopping with your mom at eco-boutique Regeneration in Eagle Rock. Mothers get a 15% discount until May 15.
>> Give your mom a night of eco-pampering by getting mom-and-daughter tickets to "Beauty and Sustainability: An Eco-Evening of Networking, Pampering and Discovery," happening Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 to 10 pm in Beverly Hills.
>> If you're reading this Monday and your gift's gonna be late anyway, check out my list of eco Mother's Day gifts for any budget.
In other news:
>> The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area could get bigger. In what comes as a surprise, at least to me, President Bush signed legislation ordering the Interior Department to consider making additions to the protected area. Many obstacles -- including the high cost of land -- still remain.
>> How science-for-hire helps keep toxic chemicals legal. Read Newsweek's review of David Michaels' new book, "Doubt Is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health": "'Product-defense firms' have sprung up to spin the science and manufacture doubt—proudly. One boasted on its Web site of persuading the Food and Drug Administration to let an unnamed drug stay on the market for '10 additional years of sales' before the FDA banned it for harming people." (via enviroblog)
>> Dell says it'll reduce packaging waste, after bloggers call the company on it. A similar incident happened with the iPhone way back when: A girl put up a YouTube video about her 300+ page paper iPhone bill, prompting iPhone to make some quick changes.
>> New(ish) misleading excuse from anti-environmentalists: "It'll hurt the poor." That's what one guy getting money from Exxon claims will happen if polar bears are declared an endangered species.
Photo of fair trade rose courtesy of TransFair USA
 >> Free eco-themed Mother's Day e-cards from Grist. Earlier: Eco Mother's Day gifts for any budget.
>> Get your locally-grown, pesticide-free succulent arrangements from succulentla. Replace part of your lawn with them, and you'll save water for years to come. Remember: water rates are expected to go up and up ...
>> The Regional Connector project, which will link the Blue, Expo and Gold rail lines, has narrowed down the alternatives to two options: one above ground and one below. Eric Richardson of blogdowntown has the details.
>> Oil companies agreed to pay $423 million to settle MTBE contamination lawsuits, "brought by water suppliers and users in California and 19 other states over groundwater contaminated with the gasoline additive." However, six oil companies -- including Exxon -- did not agree to settle. More legal fights to come.
>> Beauty and the beak: Beauty the eagle got its beak shot off, giving her a handicap akin to having "only one chopstick to eat," according to one biologist. A team of volunteers is working to attach an artificial beak to Beauty. Earlier: Fake flipper for a turtle named Allison.
Yes, you can de-gift, re-gift, DIY-gift, or make a simple gift donation in your mother's name to a good enviro-charity. But for those who want to send something a little more tangible, here are some cute new green gifts to consider:
 A FREE eco-friendly Mother's Day e-card -- that benefits women's heart health to boot. While I still think a thoughtful paper card -- with post-consumer recycled content, of course -- trumps most e-cards, the Toast To Mom e-cards, created by Clos du Bois, have a cause behind them. For each card sent, Clos du Bois will donate $1 to WomenHeart, a nonprofit that educates and advocates for American women living with heart disease. Cost: FREE -- plus a $1 donation.
 Solar-powered glowing flower pot decorations. The Rainforest Site has these cool Glow-in-the-Dark Flower Pot Stickers, made with hand-blown glass and seeded with phosphorescent crystals that store solar energy then glow gently in the dark. Plus, the Rainforest Site will plant a tree with every order. Cost: 3 for $19.95, plus a tree planted on your behalf.
A traditional flower arrangement -- eco-style. Don't buy the pesticide-ridden conventional flowers, many of which have lost most of their scent. Opt for Veriflora or organic certified flowers instead. Organic Style's bouquets begin at a reasonable $39.95
An eco-friendly pampering kit (right). The Lil' Lula bag from Lula Organics includes paraben-free body shampoo and soap, along with a natural wooden brush, pumice foot scrubber and both a lavender mist and lavender bag. Everything comes in a stylish striped reusable tote bag. Cost: $55
 An organic wine-pear-pistachio basket. Here's the gift I'd really want to get if I were a mama. Actually, here's a gift I'd like to get, period: The Ceago Sauvignon Blanc Presentation from Organic Style. Organic pistachios, organic pears, and a yummy bottle of 2006 Ceago Sauvignon Blanc, a biodynamic AND organic certified wine by Stellar. Cost: $69.95.
A ticket to the "Celebrate the Farmers' Market" reception and dinner, happening Sunday, May 18 from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. Support the Santa Monica Farmers' Market while enjoying a gourmet meal created with farmers' market ingredients by famous local chefs like Josiah Citrin of Melisse and Neal Fraser of Grace and BLD. Proceeds of the event, which also includes a silent auction and raffle, will benefit the Southland Farmers' Market Assn., a nonprofit organization representing the interests of growers in California certified farmers' markets. Reserve your tickets -- which are available only in advance -- by calling (310) 455-0181 or emailing howell@sfma.net. Cost: $125 per person.
 Gorgeous organic, locally-grown lilies in an eco-friendly reusable bag of Ugly Betty fame. Local floral company Wisteria Lane Flower Shop's offering an arrangement of Oriental lilies, delivered in a tote bag made of repurposed juice boxes. Betty of Ugly Betty is constantly carrying around this tote, so this gift may prove especially popular with moms who're fans of the show. Plus, 10% of the sales price will be donated to Good Shepherd Shelter and Beyond Shelter, two Los Angeles-based shelters for battered and needy women. Cost: $130 with coupon code WL0408.
Images courtesy of Toast To Mom, Lula Organics, Organic Style, and Wisteria Lane
 >> Wondering why food prices are so high? The Washington Post has put together a series on the Global Food Crisis -- a more apt name for which would be a Global Food PRICE crisis, as Michael Tobis points out. For a shorter primer, read Tom Philpott's quick rundown in Grist.
>> "Factory farms pose unacceptable risks to public health, the environment and animal welfare," according to a two-year study released by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production.
>> Should organic standards for food serve as the organic standards for shampoos and lotions too? That, essentially, is the debate over which Organic Consumers Assn. and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps have sued a whole bunch of personal-care product companies. The OCA and Dr. Bronner's feel only products that meet USDA's organic food regulations should be able to use the word "organic" on their packaging. Other companies argue personal-care products shouldn't be held to the same standards as food.
>> U-See-LA Without a Car: UCLA students get a de-car-ing map! (PDF) It's a 6-page guide to popular L.A. destinations, from the Rose Bowl to the Santa Monica Pier. Thanks to reader April for the tip.
>> You know about MillionTreesLA -- and the many critiques surrounding it -- but did you know New York had a similar program? MillionTreesNYC also gives away trees, but the standards appear to be stricter than ours: "individuals and families are limited to adopting one tree per household and required to register their new tree at milliontreesnyc.org."
>> ReShirt Cutting Contest: Revamp your old T-shirt to win a 30-minute style consultation with Barbra Horowitz and a $300 Greenloop Gift Certificate. Unleash your imagination within very strict eco-friendly guidelines. Not only must you reuse a T-shirt you already own, the redesign process must be limited to cutting and tying. No dyeing, silkscreening or sewing.
Photo by Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press
 Love loquats? Then join this year's Nocturnal Fruit Forage -- put together by the Fallen Fruit collective in honor of the Loquat.
Fruit growing on branches overhanging public property -- like sidewalks -- is free for the taking in Los Angeles. The Fallen Fruit collective -- a collaborative project by David Burns, Matias Viegener & Austin Young -- encourages and helps more Angelenos to take advantage of the city's fruitful bounty by providing free fruit maps of city neighborhoods, advocating for more fruit tree plantings, and putting together fruit jam-making or fruit foraging events, such as this loquat-specific one.
When: Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Where: The triangle park at Edgecliffe and Sunset in Silver Lake, Los Angeles
Cost: Free
RSVP: info@fallenfruit.org
Why a nocturnal walk? According to Fallen Fruit's website, "We like to do these walks at night because it heightens people's senses; most of us associate fruit with sunshine in the country, not urban darkness."
All loquat eaters are invited to forage! Bring just a a flashlight and a bag, and go home fruitified.
 So many beaches and parks, only one Earth Day. If you like to get your hands dirty, then get up early join fellow environmentalists to clean up our parks and beaches this Saturday, April 19. You've got three locations to pick from:
- Heal the Bay will have its own “Nothin' But Sand” Beach Cleanup. Show up to work from 10 a.m. to noon, just south of the pier near the Ainsworth lifeguard tower in Redondo Beach.
- Help restore a watershed at Rio de Los Angeles Park by pitching in at Earth Day at Rio. You'll clean up the park, plant trees, and even distribute free trees at this kid-friendly event. The fun happens from 9 a.m. to noon at Rio de Los Angeles Park, 1900 San Fernando Rd., Los Angeles.
Remember to wear sunscreen!Thanks for making our beaches and parks pretty before Earth Day rolls around on April 22.
Image courtesy of calparks.org
Get your hands dirty in preparation for Earth Day! Join thousands of Cali residents from all over the state to pretty up the parks in your own communities on Saturday, April 19.
The 11th annual California State Parks Foundation’s Earth Day 2008 Restoration & Cleanup event invites all to "help restore the beauty of California’s treasured state parks." Volunteers will plant trees and community gardens, repair fences and boardwalks, restore trails and wildlife habitats, and remove trash and debris.
A bizzaro aspect of this event is that Chevron's an associate sponsor. I hope the irony of an oil company known for polluting California's own land and waterways -- and fighting tooth and nail so as not to have to pay to clean it up -- trying to align itself with a cleanup event done for free by volunteers, isn't lost on anyone.
In any case -- Let not the involvement of Chevron sully your eco-experience. You might consider taking alternative transportation to the park, keeping your money away from the oil companies. Unfortunately, the Cali State Parks Foundation provides only driving directions.... Hmmm....
Two separate events are planned for L.A. County, so check out the details and pick between the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve or Malibu Creek State Park. Remember to sign up; space is limited!
Orange and San Bernadino counties have their own sites too. See you in the park --
>> Plant a tree by watching "Desperate Housewives" online? ABC's come out with a new widget promoting its shows that you can embed on your blog, your iGoogle page, or other webpage of yours. And between now and the end of April, ABC and the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree for every video watched.
>> Plant a Billion Trees.
The Nature Conservancy's new project has the goal of raise reforesting
2.5 million acres of land in the Atlantic Forest. Each tree costs a
buck. (via groovy green)
>> Did you know each state has its own arbor day? Today's Washington state's.
>> A "Hello I'm here" beep for hybrids? A bill that could force otherwise silent hybrids to audibly alert people they're nearby will be introduced in congress today. "While the organization is not aware of people being struck by cars they couldn't hear, [National Federation of the Blind] President Marc Maurer has said he fears it's only a matter of time."
>> How to take back the streets from cars. The NY Times suggests everything from the Woonerf to bicycle boulevards. (via kottke)
Make art, create forest. Make your own large mixed-media tree sculpture at the Arbor Ardor event, happening at the Santa Monica Museum of Art tomorrow. Your tree sculpture will be part of a larger collaborative piece that will serve as an "artistic illustration of what can happen when you put trees in an area," according to Asuka Hisa, SMMoA Director of Education.
When: Sat., April 5, 1 pm - 4 pm
Where: Bergamot Station G1, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica
Cost: $15 non-members; $10 SMMoA members
All ages welcome! Assistants will be on hand to help realize your tree project. The afternoon will also be peppered with presentations from three green groups:
- Tree Planting Essentials, by TreePeople, 1 pm
- How to Make a Junker Garden, by Farmlab, 2 pm (top photo: Farmlab's Junker Car)
- Sustainability Ideas and Strategies, by the City of Santa Monica Environmental Programs Division, 3 pm
RSVP's requested but not required: Call Hisa at (310) 586-6488 x118, or email asuka.hisa@smmoa.org. Arbor Ardor's part of SMMoA's Cause for Creativity, an ongoing series of workshops that combine art making with social activism.
 De-junk-mailing's becoming big business! Suddenly, the Internet's full of companies that want to get rid of your junk mail for you -- for a small fee.
However, having cleaned up my own mailbox without spending any money -- and having just written about the free ProQuo service -- I'm now wondering why anyone would willingly fork over money for a service they can get free. Of course, ProQuo just launched in Oct., while most of these for-free services launched -- a few months before that.
Still, some of these offer unique services. I've listed them from best to worst, according to my personal opinion based on the info offered on their websites. If you've used any of these services, pipe in with comments about your experience.
 41pounds.org. $41 covers you for five years; a third of that money goes to community and environmental organizations. The fee covers you even if you move, as long as it's within four years of subscribing.
 GreenDimes. $20 covers you for about a year (read on for details on the "about" part); you'll also get 10 trees planted on your behalf. Green Dimes says it'll monitor your account every month to make sure you say off the lists -- but then recommends you pay an extra $10 "after the 1st year if your junk mail returns or anytime you move." The moving part I get, but I don't understand why junk mail would return if GreenDimes is indeed monitoring mailing lists.
 Stop Junk Mail $19.95 covers you for a year; $1 of that fee goes to American Forests. However, the fee only covers you for a single year -- and probably not if you move.
CatalogEnd.com. $17 covers you for a year, sort of (read on), and the planting of one tree; 5% - 10% of CatalogEnd's profits (read: $0 if the company does not turn a profit) go to environment related charities. The fees don't end at $17: For lists that require your signature to get your name removed, this company will send you UNSTAMPED postcards (other companies usually send pre-stamped postcards) so you'll still be paying postage. In addition, if you want your name taken off more than 150 lists, you'll have to pay an additional 10 cents per list. You'll also have to pay $10 if you change addresses within the year.
My conclusion's that 41pounds.org and Green Dimes services might be worth considering -- the former because it covers you for about 5 years and could actually save you some hassles if you're planning to move, the latter because even without the junk mail reduction dealio, getting 10 trees planted for $20 is pretty sweet.
However, for most people, the free ProQuo will yield the same results for a few minutes more time.
If you really want to go the DIY route, here's the four-step plan I used to clean up my mail box. The advice remains the same, except now, it's free to get off the Direct Marketing Association's list online -- though you'll still need a valid credit card for identification purposes.
Roses are red, but soak up a whole lot of water while growing to form pretty blooms -- which perhaps made it appropriate to launch a campaign on Valentine's Day to protect a lake from international flower vendors that are both polluting and siphoning off lake water.
However, this campaign launch happened at the Wilshire restaurant in Santa Monica. The lake under question is Lake Naivasha in Kenya, East Africa. Which, for me, brought up this obvious question: Why is a campaign to protect a lake in Kenya happening at a ritzy restaurant in Santa Monica? What will motivate L.A. westsiders to get into this particular water issue, when we have water shortages and drought concerns happening right here?
Well, part of what The Food and Water Watch and The Council of Canadians -- the organizations behind this campaign -- are trying to point out is the fact that water issues far away are related to the consumer choices made right here. After all, most of the flowers grown using Lake Naivasha's resources are exported to Europe and the U.S. If we buy up these flowers without thinking, we're contributing to the continued environmental degradation in Kenya. Isn't global trade great?
At the launch lunch earlier today, Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food and Water Watch, talked passionately about the plight of Lake Naivasha, the third largest lake in Africa. The flower industry that's sprung up around Lake Naivasha pushes indigenous people off their tribal lands, pollutes the lake with pesticides, siphons off lake water needed by wildlife, and blatantly ignores workers' rights issues. That industry currently produces 25% of the roses sold in Europe.
Hauter said Lake Naivasha's waters are receding; the lake's likely to turn into a "sticky pond" in five years if changes aren't instituted. This means that whatever economic benefits Kenya is seeing from this flower trade is only temporary -- while the environmental degradation of Lake Naivasha will be long-lasting.
Maude Barlow, board president of Food and Water Watch, talked about the "virtual water trade" -- using local water resources to produce goods that gets exported. For example, Europe protects its own waters via tough environmental laws, thereby discouraging water-intensive industries such as that for flowers. However, European countries have no problem importing flowers from other countries that are basically draining their own natural resources for some short term cash.
In fact, even the U.S. exports a third of its water, said Barlow, mainly in the form of cheap corn and ethanol -- both products that are heavily subsidized by the federal government! Meanwhile, much of the U.S. is stressed about having enough water to support its population's needs!
What's a flower lover to do? While most of the U.S. flower imports come from Peru, Colombia, Equador, the same socio-environmental issues seen around Lake Naivasha apply to the farms in the countries we import from.
So I talked to Barlow after the talk, specifically asking her if fair trade flowers might be a viable option. After all, a couple farms in Kenya provide fair trade certified flowers for the U.S. And these farms not only address many labor issues, but also incorporate stricter environmental laws -- many aimed at conserving water.
Barlow said that she felt a sustainable flower industry around Lake Naivasha would only be possible AFTER a successful effort to restore the lake to its previous condition. We then talked about local flowers as an option -- but even with those, Barlow was concerned about the water use in California. After all, we have a desert-like climate. Is growing flowers a wise use of our limited freshwater resources?
Barlow said, somewhat ruefully, that she didn't sent flowers to her mom this year. She's now learned so much about water that she's basically unable to buy flowers. I mean, how can one buy water-intensive flowers for aesthetic purposes with the knowledge that people around the world are dying because they don't have access to clean water?
Of course, we can then ask: How dare we eat when others are starving? How dare we engage in any sort of frivolous activity -- listening to music, or blogging, say -- when people are dying in Darfur? Figuring out what's permissible or allowable in the land of plenty's very difficult with the knowledge that others don't even have their basic needs met. Should flowers be considered an environmentally destructive frivolity that all environmentalists should give up? Or should environmentalists go for more socio-eco ethical flower options, supporting more sustainable methods while boycotting the destructive practices?
As a girl who rarely buys flowers, I guess the conundrum isn't one that's so personal for me. Still, I'm not sure a complete boycott of all flowers is the right answer -- though it may be right for you. What I am sure of is that "conventional" flowers should be avoided. After all, you don't know where they came from, and you don't know what went into producing them.
If you buy flowers, make sure they fit into one of these four socio-enviro conscious options. And if you forgot to buy your loved one flowers this Valentine's Day -- Well, you have what I wrote above to use as your excuse.
Image courtesy of Food and Water Watch
 Think socio-eco friendly flowers are expensive? Not if you take advantage of the Valentine's Day special happening at Pasadena's Ten Thousand Villages tomorrow. The deal: A dozen fair trade certified roses for just $25 on Valentine's Day!
In fact, you can even get the roses free -- because 10KV's offering a free rose for every $10 you spend in the store. Go nuts and spend $120 in fairly-traded, eco-friendly gifts at the store, and you won't have to shell out a penny for your dozen roses.
 Best of all, if you buy the roses, ALL of that money will go to Fair Trade LA, a local group "committed to proactive, ideal/realistic solutions in a global movement for social and environmental justice." For each rose you get free, FTLA will get a buck from 10KV.
This special deal ONLY happens tomorrow, Feb. 14. Like Organic Rush, 10KV's one of those stores I'd be in all the time if it were closer to me. I got my gorgeous red bamboo fruit bowl (below) there. The store also has a great selection of affordable jewelry, purses, household items, and of course, fair trade chocolates and coffee.
 If you can't make it over there, here's another eco-flower special: A dozen certified organic roses from a local company for $89 -- tax and delivery included! Call Wisteria Lane Organic Floral Design at 888.345.6101 with promotional code WP0208 to receive the discount.
Ten Thousand Villages Pasadena. 496 S. Lake Ave. Pasadena. (626) 229-9892.
 The bad news: Conventional flowers often aren't very lovingly grown. Heavily sprayed with toxic and chemical pesticides, these flowers are sometimes produced via exploitative labor. The good news: Socio-eco-friendly flowers are getting easier to find every year! Get sweet-smelling ones, untainted with pesticides or exploitative labor. Your options:
Local: Hit your nearest farmers market! Make friends with your neighbors while supporting local agriculture and economy. Plus, your fresh flowers won't have accrued tons of carbon emissions from traveling halfway around the world. Bonus: You can find out directly from the seller where your flowers are from, and how they were grown.
Can't make it to the market? Get local, organic flowers at the click of a mouse from California Organic Flowers. The selection isn't wide, but the flowers are grown in Chico, Calif. and certified organic!
Organic: Why organic? Because you don't want your Valentine to be part of the problem: Roses dumped in fungicide to pass border inspections, all sorts of health hazards for people working in big flower companies, the runoff from pesticide and fertilizers used on flowers … Read Amy Stewart's Flower Confidential for more details -- or simply look for organic certified flowers when you shop. Many local flower shops have started to carry them.
Fair trade: Finally, fair-trade flowers have hit the U.S. market! Here's a way to make sure your flowers were produced by workers paid a fair wage, who also receive a fair-trade premium for community development (more details here). And while no fair-trade AND organic-certified flowers are available yet, these flowers do have to meet higher environmental guidelines regarding pesticide use. Unfortunately, you can't find them locally -- But 1-800 Flowers and samsclub.com are open 24-7 to serve your fair-trade flower needs.
 VeriFlora: While not as stringent as fair-trade certification, VeriFlora-certified flowers also meet some minimum environmental and social criteria. And many VeriFlora-certified farms in the U.S. and Canada (fair-trade certification only applies to products produced in Third World countries) have gone beyond the minimum requirements to get organic-certified too. These flowers are getting easier to find at local retail locations; Trader Joe's has VeriFlora and organic-certified tulips sometimes.
If in a pinch, you can order from Organic Style; The top photo's a bunch of VeriFlora roses offered. Some bouquets even support a charity cause. (Note: While all of Organic Bouquet flowers are VeriFlora-certified, only a few, like these White Calla lilies, are organic-certified. Be sure to read the product description if you're looking specifically for organic flowers).
 Reusable: These recycled paper flowers, made of eco-friendly materials in Thailand under fair-trade conditions -- could be the Valentine's gift that lasts year 'round.
Which option's best? That depends on so many different factors -- the water usage at farms, the mode of transport for flowers, the fair labor standards of various countries, etc. Plus, some of these criteria just can't be compared. How do you weigh the exploitation of farm workers against, say, the degradation of our environment -- and say one's more important than the other?
Trying to find the "best" option at a certain point gets to be unproductive, especially at this moment, when all of these options combined still make up only a teensy percentage of the flower market. I generally go with local, partly because I like buying from close to the source, partly because I'm at the farmers market regularly and I find it convenient. I'd go with the one that appeals to you for whatever reason, and/or is the most readily available for your situation.
Don't forget the eco-vase for the flowers. A couple pretty ones: A red recycled glass vase (right, $28) and a hand-crafted recycled copper vase ($47.99).
Photos and images courtesy of Organic Style, TransFair USA, VeriFlora and 3R Living
The freeway is the new park?! Maybe, if the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce gets its way. The group's proposing a freeway park deck, running from Bronson Avenue to Wilton Place above the 101 Freeway. The project's name: Hollywood Freeway Central Park. (via groovy green)
Why a park there? For one, it'd mean "24 acres of new green space in Hollywood, directly adjacent to a high school currently under construction." The 101 runs below street level in that area, so the park deck would create "a brief tunnel for vehicular traffic while affording a street-level park for pedestrians." Plus, of course, there'd be environmental benefits:
In addition to the many obvious benefits of creating new park space, by placing a “cap” over one of the world’s most congested freeway system, the necessary ventilation system would be required to clean the air before re-circulating it back into the environment - creating a positive improvement in the air quality in Los Angeles.
From what I can tell so far, the project has broad-based support. Mayor Villaraigosa -- as well as all four are neighborhood councils -- are behind the plan. Anyone have objections to it? Whether you're for it or against it, you can weigh in at the Community-Wide Hollywood Central Park Meeting tomorrow:
When: Saturday, Jan. 26th, 9 am - 1 pm.
Where: Selma Elementary School - Auditorium, 6611 Selma Avenue, Los Angeles
RSVP: email rsvp@hfcp.org
Villaraigosa, LA City Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, and Assemblymember Mike Feuer are all expected to represent. Oh, and there'll be free refreshments and lunch.
For more details about the plan, check out Militant Angeleno's posts; he's been following the park progress since June last year.
Image courtesy of hollywoodfreewaycentralpark.org
 With water shortages expected to occur, now is the time to make your lawn more eco-friendly and less water-intensive -- especially if you live in Santa Monica. Via the Sustainable Landscaping Grant Program, the city of Santa Monica is offering competitive grants to help you get water-efficient.
Local homeowners, apartment owners, businesses and schools can all apply to get some of this money, awarded to encourage "a move away from landscaping that drains resources like water and petroleum, and pollutes, to a landscape that reduces such impacts and mimics native flora and fauna." Revamping your lawn will save you money and energy over the long run too. According to the city, "planting Santa Monica-friendly plants and converting traditional, high-volume sprinkler irrigation systems to water-efficient systems can save up to 80% of water use and 60% of time and costs associated with maintenance."
The rules: Your landscaping plan must include water-efficient irrigation, plus one or more of the following: California native plants, water-efficient plants, storm-water management systems, graywater systems, and/or other innovative water-saving features. Get your application here, or by calling (866) 728-3229, and turn it in by March 27.
Previously: Ideas for greening your frontyard.
Photo courtesy of the city of Santa Monica
Parks: Those much-loved green spaces that -- for many Angelenos -- remain scarce. Well, the city of L.A. wants to hear what you have to say; attend one of the upcoming citywide workshops to assess community needs for recreation activities and parks!
These interactive, two-hour forums started in November, but many more are scheduled this and next month. Find the complete list of upcoming workshops here.
Can't attend? Then take a survey (PDF), or ask more questions by calling Recreation and Parks at (213) 928-9136.
Not only did Will Campbell of blogging.la recycle his own Christmas tree, he collected six more "discarded arbors from the disrepute of curbside dereliction and decomposition" and hauled those over to the recycling site at the LA Zoo too.
Wish I could do the same -- I've seen a whole bunch of trees in the alleyways of my Santa Monica neighborhood -- but as you know, I don't drive a truck. There's only so much I can haul in my little bicycle basket....
But if you've got a large vehicle and a tree you plan to recycle, maybe you'll do like Will and bring good will to your 'hood. Or, if you're trying to burn off a few calories after the holidays, just hack up the trees you see and fit them in your nearest green bin (if you're in the city of LA)!
Here's more info about recycling trees in LA and surrounding cities. You can check out each individual tree Will picked up see other discarded trees Will spotted on his Flickr photo set, which reminds me vaguely of Bill Keaggy’s series 50 Sad Chairs --
Photo courtesy of Will Campbell for blogging.la
>> Local, organic flowers at the click of a mouse. California Organic Flowers are grown in Chico, Calif. and certified organic! Get your anemone and lilies here (via Body+Soul). Organic Bouquet has a wider selection, though it doesn't have a local focus.
>> See what affordable eco-housing looks like. (3rd clip in short video) LA might be home to eco-mansions, but in Poway, Calif., there's Solara -- a new green affordable housing complex built by Community Housing Works. The waiting list's already super long.
>> Bad news: CO2 emissions will kill an additional 1,000 US citizens every year for every 1 °C rise in temperature they cause, say researchers at Stanford. Good news: This info boosts Cali's (and 15 other states') suit against the EPA to limit its own CO2 emissions from vehicles.
>> Navy must cut sonar use off California. To protect whales and other underwater mammals, a judge has ordered the Navy to "refrain from using the powerful submarine-hunting sonar within 12 miles of the coast" and to search for marine mammals in testing areas starting an hour before and during sonar use. "If any marine mammals are spotted within 2,200 yards of a ship using sonar, the Navy will have to cease its use immediately." The decision's a victory for the California Coastal Commission, the Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups.
Photo courtesy of California Organic Flowers
 Turn your toddler into a treehugger! Sign up your children ages 2 to 4 for the Nursery Nature Workshops, a four-week eco-educational series put together by the Children’s Nature Institute. What the workshops entail:
Participants will enjoy hands-on discovery, stories, crafts and walks at three of L.A.’s most beautiful natural parks. Children will learn about local flora and fauna while practicing early language, math and science skills.... The workshops are designed to nurture children's innate curiosity about nature and give parents a chance to bond with their children in peaceful, natural settings.
The next session starts next week! Parents and kids will meet from 10 a.m. to noon one day a week for four weeks at one of three locations (the same series will be held at each location): Franklin Canyon Park north of Beverly Hills, Temescal Canyon Park in Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon Park in Pasadena.
The workshops cost $60 for the first child ($50 for Children's Nature Institute members) and $30 for each additional child. Reservations are required; call (310) 860-9484.
If you and your kid have your schedules full with playdates this month, a second session is scheduled to begin Feb. 4. I kind of want to go on these little walks myself, but I don't think I can handle hanging out with toddlers for that long.
This week's eco-topic: Recycle
 Sick of seeing plastic bottles in the black bin? Wish recycling was mandatory? Well, when it comes to holiday trees, it kinda is. Leaving those newly naked trees at the curb or in a street or alley is illegal, as per L.A. Municipal Code 57.21.06!
However, it is not illegal in West Hollywood, at least for the next couple of weeks. In fact, every little city in our L.A. area has different rules, dates, times and locations for tree recycling. Can't they coordinate this stuff, at least this one time a year? L.A.'s Department of Public Works tried to -- and made this crazy chart here -- that's totally incomplete and inaccurate.
So, things being as they are, here's the info for L.A. and a few nearby cities:
Los Angeles: If you have the energy and tools to chop that tree up, then cut it into bits and throw it in your green yard trimmings container. The alternative is to take the tree to a drop-off site on Saturday, Jan. 5, and Sunday, Jan. 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In fact, L.A. residents who drop off their trees will receive tree seedlings, energy-efficient CFL bulbs, while supplies last, courtesy of the L.A. Department of Water and Power, plus mulch coupons from the Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation.
Beverly Hills: Just put the naked tree next to your trash bin on trash day. No specific dates or deadlines! It's always so simple for the rich folk.
Culver City: Drop off your trees at the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue or the Culver City Fire Drill Yard at 9255 W. Jefferson Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends of Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 13-14. There's a third location, but Culver City's flier about this program is messed up, so I can read only about two of three locations, with a little help from Google.
 Santa Monica: Take advantage of the "Park Your Tree" program. During the entire month of January, trees can be brought to four parks: Clover (25th and Ocean), Douglas (Chelsea and Wilshire), Christine Emerson Reed (Lincoln and California) and Los Amigos (5th and Hollister).
Alternatively, take your tree to the Santa Monica Transfer Station at 2401 Delaware Ave., Mon. - Fri., between 6 am and 2 pm. Make sure you do it this month, however; come Feb. 1, the parks will no longer collect trees, and the Transfer Station will start charging for tree drop-offs.
West Hollywood: If the deal is the same as last year, you should be able to put that tree -- sans decorations and base or plastic bag covering -- on the sidewalk on your regular trash day from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13.
Are the cities of L.A. County just bad at getting the word out about these programs? I don't know for certain, but those in other areas leave a lot to be desired too. I got a breathless press release from Zero Waste Communities of San Bernardino County about how it's encouraging people to recycle their trees, but the multi-city org doesn't actually offer any info to help its residents take that idea into action -- beyond a long phone list from which they can pick out their city's number and call for more info....
I'm dreaming of a unified tree recycling program for SoCal.
Images courtesy of the cities of L.A. and Santa Monica
 Do you suffer from solastalgia? Defined as a pining for a lost environment, Solastalgia is a global warming threat we should be concerned about, writes Clive Thompson for Wired. Apparently, many in Australia are already suffering from solastalgia:
Scores of Australians described their deep, wrenching sense of loss as they watch the landscape around them change. Familiar plants don't grow anymore. Gardens won't take. Birds are gone....
Will global warming bring about a worldwide depression? Clive writes that "In the modern, industrialized West, many of us have forgotten how deeply we rely on the stability of nature for our psychic well-being." The effects of global warming aren't as noticeable in L.A. as they seem to be in Australia yet, though. While the unexpected rainy, gloomy days threw me for a loop, rain in L.A. always throws me for a loop -- and now it's sun as usual....
We may all get pretty depressed, though, if California wines start disappearing -- which is a serious possibility. A couple of studies released last year warned that huge swaths of California's wine areas may disappear by 2050 if world temperatures continue to rise at their current rate." Let them drink Bordeaux?
Photo by Marin via Flickr
Going in, I thought GreenXchange Conference would be super business and money-focused. But by the end of the first day, I started wondering where the business people were. They were there, of course, but many of the speakers, panelists, and attendees seemed to be policymakers and scientists and engineers and nonprofit people -- which made for very diverse, unexpected, and interesting panels and conversations.
And perhaps the panels I picked were the least business-y of the ones offered. After all, there was an entire track of panels called "Capitalizing Green Technology." The ones I went to were in the "Air Water, and Waste: Sustainable Business and Cities" track. Some highlights:
- Travis Longcore from the USC Center for Sustainable Cities pointed to the difference between greened infrastructure (i.e. a LEED certified building) vs. green as infrastructure (i.e. a building that includes nature). "Our green buildings need to have a little nature in them as well," Travis said -- and playfully dissed rival UCLA's new LEED-certified building for including no landscaping. His point: Even if you save some water by getting rid of greenery, much more gets lost by shutting nature out of our urban environments.
- Vaughan Davies, architect and urban designer at EDAW, showed us what our coastline would look like in 2106 in the worst case scenario of global warming. He outlined some fascinating ideas for preparing for this kind of disaster, one of the most interesting being building POLAX -- a very futuristic-looking offshore sea and space p
| |
