Food truck-chasing environmentalists in Los Angeles love the Green Truck, an eco food truck that gets around town on used veggie oil, cooking up all-organic to-go meals in its solar-powered kitchen. The truck offers grass-fed beef burgers and free range chicken wraps, but Green Truck’s really known for its Mother Trucker, the eco-food truck’s signature organic veggie burger made from scratch with local, organic veggies!

The truck’s been around a few years — I’ve seen it at Designers and Agents Green Market and Wilshire Center Earth Day and Santa Monica Revel with a Cause, just to name a few times — but Green Truck’s gone even veggier recently, thanks to a deal with Gardein. With a new expanded menu featuring Gardein’s fake meats, Green Truck’s now offering meatless sliders, pita wraps, and tacos at stops all over town.

As you know, I’m not really the plastic-wrapped faux meat type; I prefer the original house-made Mother Trucker. Still, I went for the two-for-one deal offered at January’s Green Drinks at Essentia, and inhaled two cheat on meat beefless sliders. They weren’t bad!

The Gardein-curious have lots of opportunities to try free Gardein samples by following Green Truck’s whereabouts via Twitter. What’s your favorite item on Green Truck’s menu?

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>> Come out for Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Panel, Gardening on the Farm and in the City. The panel features a master gardener, chef and urban homesteader who will discuss how their gardens grow this Thu., Feb. 9 in the MLK Auditorium of the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Cost: free.

>> Come engage in a discussion on community land trusts and intentional housing communities. Learn about how housing can be made affordable and environmentally sustainable through community ownership of the land they live on. This is the first of this year’s Friends Peace Dialogue series by the American Friends Service Committee. Come out this Thu., Feb. 9 at 7 pm to 634 S. Spring St., 3rd Floor, Los Angeles. Cost: free.

>> Recycle old fabrics, deconstruct old clothes, turn something old into something new! Learn how to make scarves bags and other items from old t-shirts at a Valentine’s Day DIY Workshop, this Thu., Feb. 9 from 3:45-4:45 pm at the Santa Monica Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Cost: free.

>> CicLAvia is hosting a Valentine’s party! Bring your Valentine – or meet a new Valentine there! There will be live music and djs, speed dating (open to all orientations and genders!), auction, swag and more! Come party this Fri., Feb. 10 from 7-10 pm at Atwater Crossing, 3245 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles. Cost: free, but bring money for eats and treats.

>> Do you have a strong interested in becoming trained in home food preservation (such as canning, pressure canning, freezing, drying, pickling and fermenting)? Want to share this knowledge with the public? The University of California Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce the spring 2012 class of the LA County Master Food Preserver program. The application deadline is this Fri., Feb. 10 at 5 pm. Cost: free to apply online, $120 for the complete program (scholarships available).

>> This week’s Green Garden Academy topic is Lawn Be Gone (part I). Learn tips for safe lawn removal, choosing plants to replace lawn and plants for parkways this Sat., Feb. 11 from 10:30 am – 1:30 pm in the Multipurpose Room of the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Cost: free.

>> Join Culver City’s mayor and the Culver City Bicycle Coalition each Monday morning to explore Culver City and beyond, by bike! Meet this Mon., Feb. 13 at 8 am at Sid Kronenthal Park by the covered tables, near the community room, 3459 McManus Ave., Culver City. Cost: free.

>> Join Heal the Bay and Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District at a gathering to recognize work done thus far to build sustainability into local schools by parents and others and that will focus on considering how to ensure institutionalized sustainability in local schools. Takes place on Mon., Feb. 13 from 7-9 pm at Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, 1600 Ocean Front Walk Santa Monica. Cost: free.

>> On the second Tuesday of every month, you’re invited to the only pure networking event for owners and decision-makers of LA’s green businesses, hosted by the Green Business Network (GBN). Delicious organic snacks, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available. GBN events are recycling points, so bring any old batteries, phones, or newspapers you need recycled. Join the fun next Tue., Feb. 14 from 6-9 pm at DIRTT (Doing It Right This Time) 9014 Lindblade St. Culver City. Cost: $10 when you prepay online, $15 at the door (space permitting).

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Can a city claim green rights?  That was the hot topic of discussion at the latest LA Bioneers meeting, which brought local eco-concerned citizens together on a late Tuesday night. Why? The Santa Monica City Council just voted late last month to incorporate a “Sustainability Bill of Rights” into the city’s Sustainable City Plan.

The Bill of Rights, among other things, gives individuals more green rights — including the right to sue in the name of nature, the right to clean potable water, energy, soil, air, and the right to sustainable food.  Applaudable goals, but are they feasible?  We’ll have to wait until early fall to find out how they plan to pull it off. Fall is when the city anticipates announcing provisions and policy changes to the current Sustainable City Plan.  Financial impacts have yet to be defined.  It’s likely that implementing such goals will come at a cost.

According to Shannon Biggs of Global Exchange, an activist of green policy reform at the local level and a speaker at Tuesday’s Bioneers meeting, 140 communities in the United States have passed similar ordinances and are successfully banning actions such as “fracking”, water withdrawal, factory farming, and uranium mining. Biggs believes change must come from the grassroots level.  She delivered a call for united action when she said: “we’re often so divided in our work – I’m a food activist, I’m a forest activist…” She encourages us to find the “Rosa Parks” in each of us and stand up for our civil rights. 

For more information on similar movements, Global Exchange’s People to People Blog is a good place to start.

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Weekly green giveaways.

Today’s giveaway is for the recycling enthusiast! One lucky green LA girl reader will in an all-recycled T-shirt from Kapok!

Kapok‘s a new green clothing company that makes its clothing with 100% recycled materials. Kapok’s T-shirts are made in the U.S. with a blend of recycled cotton and recycled PET from plastic bottles — and printed with graphics printed using water- or soy-based inks. Plus, five percent of all sales are donated to conservation groups — which you can select from a group of three when you shop on Kapok’s website.

Kapok plans to develop more products — like polo shirts, sweatshirts, and board shorts — which will all be made from 100% recycled materials.

But for now, there’s just the T-shirts — and you can win one of them! Comment by Friday, Feb. 10 — specifying the size you’d prefer — to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Saturday, Feb. 11 (more info on freebies here). U.S. addresses only.

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Why I haven’t written about Hugo’s restaurant before, I don’t know. I like this healthy, organic-friendly dining spot so much I had my birthday dinner there a couple years ago. In fact, when I lived in West Hollywood, I dined at Hugo’s once every couple weeks — the KCRW discount the restaurant offers being an extra incentive.

If you haven’t been there yet, here’s one big reason why you should stop by the West Hollywood spot — Hugo’s has something for everyone, from a green juice concoction for those on a cleanse to Chimichurri Steak with mashed potatoes for the really hungry people.

My recommendation for eco-pescatarians: The Barramundi Nicoise Salad. Sadly, this delicious eco-friendly twist on the nicoise — the delicious barramundi the restaurant serves is sustainable — is only occasionally offered as a special. However, last I checked, the restaurant lets you add on seared barramundi to any salad — which is what I liked to order (below) when the nicoise wasn’t available.

For the raw-gans, there’s the Kelp Noodle Salad (below) — a cool healthy lunch with a tangy-sweet mango sesame dressing. If you haven’t tried the super low-cal, light kelp noodles before, get them here!

That said, Hugo’s isn’t just about light, salad-y fare. You can get some delicious organic comfort food here too. One of my favorites is a special available around the holidays: the Portabella Potato Pancake Sandwich (below)! The crispy potato pancakes — stacked with grilled portabella mushrooms, grilled onions, roasted red bell peppers, goat cheese, and fresh basil pesto — aren’t exactly low-calorie, but they are a rich and delicious treat.

The rest of the year, there’s the flavorful Tika Masala Vegetable Patties (below), made with organic sprouted mung beans and other yummies then covered in a savory Indian sauce. I also like the filling Moroccan-Style Stew and the Tres Tacos!

Green diners love that almost everything at Hugo’s is organic and local, while picky eaters love the precise labeling system of Hugo’s menu. Little symbols mark vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and organic items — and many dishes are veganizable with organic tofu or veggie patties. Of course, carnivores can rest assured that their meals are sustainable too, since Hugo’s gets Chino Valley Ranch organic veg-fed eggs, free range turkey, and other better-for-the-planet proteins.

Not all of Hugo’s dishes are wins, however. I’ve had some very bland dishes there — where taste really seemed to have been sacrificed for nutrition’s sake — and was bitterly disappointed by the restaurant’s Scharffen Berger Hot Chocolate, the description for which sounded like a rare treat (“from rare Venezuelan criollo beans and whole Tahitian vanilla”) but ended up just being a so-so hot beverage. The restaurant’s especially weak on desserts. I’m not too taken with the blandish vegan New York Style Blueberry Cheesecake — and I once tried a quinoa cake special that tasted like a big, bland, brick.

But what Hugo’s does well, it does really well. My favorite dessert at Hugo’s is the vegan Pumpkin Pie — a deliciously spicy smooth treat in a coconut and pecan crust and topped with pumpkin seed brittle (above)! And the healthier pecan-stuffed Brownie Tort (below) isn’t bad either

What’s your favorite dish at Hugo’s?

Hugo’s Restaurant. 8401 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 323.654.3993. Locations also in Studio City and Agoura Hills.

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>> Los Angeles Bioneers is hosting Shannon Biggs who will talk about her work on passing a “Sustainability Bill of Rights” ordinance in Santa Monica, which would strip personhood rights from corporations and give rights to ecosystems instead. Takes place Tue., Jan 31 at 7 pm at G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. Cost: free with RSVP to srnichols@mac.com.

>> The LA Bicycle Coalition needs volunteers to help count cars parked in the new Spring St. bike lane to provide LAPD with accurate data during the morning and afternoon commutes this Tue., Jan. 31 to Thu., Feb 2 along Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. Exact times are flexible. Cost: free. Email martin@la-bike.org to volunteer.

>> Do you home-make, home-grow, and/or forage your own food creations? If so, come trade them at the LA Food Swap, next Thu., Feb 9 from 7-9 pm at ReForm School, 3902 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: free with pre-registration. Register now as space is limited.

>> Arcona is hosting a free facial experience with their new mandarin orange brightening peel. Free champagne and brownies from Sweets for the Soul will be served. Enjoy the fun this Sat., Feb. 4 from 12-4 pm at Evolue, 357 1/2 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills. Cost: free with rsvp to info@evoluebeauty.com.

>> The LA County Bicycle Coalition is organizing 3 three different rides for various cycling abilities to the Watts Towers! All rides will reach the Watts Towers, where you’ll get the chance to take a tour if you choose. All rides take place this Sun., Feb. 5. The 49 and 37-mile rides meet at 8 am and ride at 8:30 am, leaving from Dock 52, 13555 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey. The 10-mile ride meets at 10 am and rides at 10:30 am and meets at Jesse Owens Park, 9651 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles. Cost: free.

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Honestly, I’m more of a flavored green tea girl. My favorite green teas are still Coconut Rum and Caramelized Pear, both from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea, although both have been discontinued. But for the purists and the bargain seekers who love green tea but don’t want to compromise on eco-ethical issues, here are a few to try.

Equal Exchange Organic Green Tea. When it comes to no frills green tea that’ll meet your fair trade and organic standards, you can do no better than Equal Exchange’s line. This basic green tea is as simple and direct as its ugly, 90′s-inspired packaging.

Choice Premium Japanese Green Tea. For a more sumptuous treat, go for Choice’s organic tea. This selection’s delicious — with fresh grassy notes and deeper rich aromas too.

Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Dragon Well Green Tea. Even more rich is this fair trade, organic tea from Zhena’s, described as “Authentic West lake Longjing China’s Most Prized Tea. mellow. This is as soft, smooth, and creamy as Chinese green tea can get. Enjoy.

What is your favorite green tea?

Earlier:
>> Tasty teas — that are fair trade and organic too
>> A Taste test of 4 organic rooibos teas

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Weekly green giveaways.

Today’s giveaway’s for the green-eyed green girl or guy. One lucky green LA girl reader will win a gorgeous eye duster in Glass Beach Green — from eco-friendly Californian makeup company Mendocino Minerals.

I was actually going to review this eye makeup for myself — but turns out, I’m just not a loose powder kind of girl when it comes to eye makeup. I discovered this when I tried to switch from my regular pencil eyeliner to Mendocino Mineral’s eco-friendlier powder concoction, dubbed Black Bear eyeliner. While powder eye makeup’s more versatile in theory — Black Bear, for example, can be used as a soft black, smoky eye shadow when dry and a darker eyeliner when wet — the stuff’s just tough to use in reality, at least for me. I ended up with wobbly, not-dark-enough lines, coupled with a dots and dustings of black powder all over my cheeks!

For those with steadier hand-eye coordination, Mendocino Minerals is a great green makeup company to try. The company makes use only of safer, often certified organic ingredients; each product has a comprehensive list on the website for you to pore over.

Want to wear Glass Beach Green eye duster to match your recycled glass jewelry this year? Comment by Friday, Feb. 3 to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Sat., Feb. 4 (more info on freebies here). U.S. addresses only.

Photos via Mendocino Minerals

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>> Sustainable Works’ 2012 Los Angeles Green Living Workshops are back this year! Get solutions to some of today’s greatest environmental challenges and save money in the process. The first workshop is this Wed., Jan. 25 from 7 – 8:30 pm at G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice. Cost: free for residents of Santa Monica and Los Angeles Districts 5 & 11. Register online.

>> Steve Glenn, founder and CEO of LivingHomes, gives the talk “High Design; Low Impact. Building LivingHomes” on modern, prefabricated homes that combine world-class architecture with an unparalleled commitment to healthy and sustainable construction this Wed., Jan 25 from 7-8 pm at CODA Experience Center, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., #133, Los Angeles. Cost free, though RSVP required: concierge@codaautomotive.com.

>> Find the freshest and most healthy ingredients, enjoy personally crafted foods from home cooks and local kitchens, and discover healing foods both old and new at Eat Well Market. They will feature hand-made and hand-grown foods from backyards and kitchens around LA. Join the fun Sat., Jan 29 from 12-3 pm at Camp Mariposa, 615 E. Mariposa St., Altadena. Cost: free.

>> Get a closer look at the precious resource right beneath our feet and learn about the science of soil with our experts at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles’ Sustainable Sundays this Sun., Jan. 29 from 9 am – 3:30 pm at 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: free with museum admission. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5-8 for children.

>> Los Angeles Bioneers is hosting Shannon Biggs who will talk about her work on passing a “Sustainability Bill of Rights” ordinance in Santa Monica, which would strip personhood rights from corporations and give rights to ecosystems instead. Takes place next Tue., Jan 31 at 7 pm at G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. Cost: free with RSVP to srnichols@mac.com.

>> Come learn about the money available to SoCal homeowners who make energy-saving improvements. There is currently up to $8000 available per household, with some of the rebates will expiring in March. $200 in rebates will be given away. Come for a presentation about the program with contractors available to answer questions next Tue., Jan. 31 from 6:30 – 8 pm. Cost: free.

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Weekly green giveaways.

Today’s giveaway is for the candy lover. One lucky green LA girl reader will win a YummyEarth Organic Lollipops Pack — filled with about 60 sweet organic lollipops!

The sugary treats aren’t health food, but they contain none of the gross stuff found in a lot of candy. YummyEarth makes its candy with real fruit extracts — and without artificial dyes or high fructose corn syrup.

Comment by Fri., Jan 27 to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Sat., Jan. 28 (more info on freebies here). U.S. addresses only.

And if that isn’t enough candy for you, get more chances to win free organic candy on YummyEarth’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Good luck!

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