>> 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.

0 Comments

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!

9 Comments

- Clyde Butcher photograph via Florida Arts

>> This year, learn how to save money, conserve our natural resources, make your home more energy efficient and save water with Sustainable Works  6-week Green Living Workshop. First day in the workshop series starts on Wed., Jan 18 from 7-8:30 pm at the Santa Monica Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Cost: free for Santa Monica residents, though there is a $25 suggested donation for the 6 weeks, and $50 for non-residents. Register online.

>> “Exploring Solutions for Sharps” explores sustainable solutions to waste management of household generated sharps (needles and syringes). The workshop brings academics, NGOs, governments, retailers, manufacturers, recyclers and waste management companies together to explore the problem and solutions. Takes place Wed., Jan 18 from 9am – 4pm at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Bob and Delores Hope Conference Rooms A & B, 501 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank. Cost: free with online registration.

>> Celebrate the new year and set your eco-resolutions for 2012 at the 2012 Eco-Resolutions Party hosted by LA Green Drinks, Sustainable Works this Thu., Jan 19 from 7-10 pm at Essentia, 2430 Main St., Santa Monica. Cost: $5 suggested donation.

>> Tree People is hosting a community sustainability workshop on how to plant and prune trees, capture and save water, and attract beneficial pollinators like bees and birds this Sat., Jan 21 from 9 am – 1 pm at their headquarters in Coldwater Canyon. Cost: free. Register online by Wed., Jan 18 to attend.

>> Join the opening reception and artist talk for photographer Clyde Butcher, whose work showcases spectacular images of the Florida everglades and other American wilderness areas. Reception takes place this Sat., Jan 20 from 6:30 – 9 pm and the artist talk takes place this Sun., Jan 21 at 7:30 pm at G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice. Cost: $5.

>> The City of South Gate is preparing a Bicycle Transportation Plan! As the first step, a public forum is being held to hear what the community needs are; for programs, for bike paths, for bike facilities and parking and problems currently faced by those who ride in South Gate and how to make the community safer and more bicycle friendly. Everyone is welcome, and childcare will be available. Takes place this Sat., Jan. 21 at 10 am at the South Gate Senior Center, 4855 Tweedy Blvd, South Gate.

>> Join local homeowners, community leaders and solar experts for complimentary refreshments and an exciting announcement about new funding to put solar panels on up to 3,000 residential rooftops in key markets including Los Angeles County this Sat., Jan 21 from 2-4 pm at the PermaCity Solar Showroom, 5570 West Washington Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: free with online registration.

>> Please join the CicLAvia South LA Host Committee for an exploration ride for extending CicLAvia through South LA. Free bike maintenance will be available from the Bikerowave as will a training on how to use one’s phone during a bike ride to promote public cycling efforts. Roll out this Sun., Jan 22 from 10 am – 2 pm. Meet at Augustus Hawkins Natural Park, 5790 Compton Ave., Los Angeles. The ride ends at Watts Towers. Email Tafarai@trustsouthla.org for any questions. Cost: free.

0 Comments

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, Jan. 20 — specifying the size you’d prefer — to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Saturday, Jan. 21 (more info on freebies here). U.S. addresses only.

12 Comments

>> Routed from Hardisty, Alberta to the Texas Gulf Coast, the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is set to cross the country’s largest freshwater resource, the Ogallala Aquifer, and the fragile Sandhills of Nebraska, posing devastating consequences to human health, livestock, and agriculture. Come watch the documentary Pipe Dream learn what you can do this Fri., Jan. 13 at 7:30 pm at G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice. Cost: $5. RSVP to: events@theg2gallery.com

>> Join the Seed Library of Los Angeles (SLOLA) chair David King at the Venice Learning Garden’s “New Year’s Resolutions for Seed Savers” for fun and practical tips on seed organizing, planting for seed saving, and what NOT to do when seed saving this Sat., Jan 14 from 2:30-4pm. The Venice Learning Garden is located on Walgrove Ave., just south of Venice Blvd, on the grounds of Venice High School. Cost: free or $10 for a lifetime membership with SLOLA.

>> This Future Salon LA presents Extreme Green Building and Universal Free Online Green Education. This presentation will show why and how buildings and whole communities can become completely self-sufficient in energy, food, and waste management. Mini potluck & meet-and-greet starts at 5:00 PM – please bring snacks and drinks to share! Takes place this Sun., Jan 15 from 5-9 pm at the Brewery downtown, 676 S. Ave 21 #400, Los Angeles. Cost: $5. Buy ticket here.

0 Comments

Not too long ago, Hollywood got an eco-friendly pizza joint — a family-owned Pizza Fusion franchise serving delicious pizzas with organic crusts, organic and natural meats, and lots of vegan and gluten-free options. Pizza Fusion Hollywood is no more — but the family behind the spot’s still serving delicious eco-friendly eats at the same spot under a new name and with an expanded menu.

The new spot: EVO Kitchen. The remade restaurant still boasts organic crust pizzas and retains its eco-creds — but the menu now includes more upscale entrees and unique menu items crafted by Michele Orlando, one of the co-owners of EVO (her brother and mother are the other co-owners).

Among those one-of-a-kind dishes is the Fig Tapenade — served with house-made hummus and raw veggies. Get this appetizer and you’ll be treated to a healthy tapenade treat that combines the sweet jamminess of figs with the smooth rich taste of kalamata olives.

Pescatarians won’t want to miss the Salmon Filet — a generous portion of sustainably farmed fish served with a delicious mushroom and zucchini sautee and roasted potatoes.

EVO offers many of the popular desserts — like the vegan gluten-free brownie — that were on the old Pizza Fusion menu. But for my last visit, I tried something new: the Black Cherry Float with vegan coconut sorbet, a creamilicious sweet drink that comes with an extra sidecar of natural black cherry soda.

Next time I visit, I plan to try the Breakfast Pizza — topped with breakfast favorites like organic eggs, natural bacon or sausage, and potato!

Best of all, EVO Kitchen still offers something for everyone. Vegan and gluten-free menu choices are plentiful. And picky eaters can always substitute the cheeses for the vegan Daiya cheese or the organic crust for the gluten-free crust.

EVO Kitchen. 7950 W. Sunset Blvd. #104, Los Angeles. 323.375.3390

Photo of Raw Veggies with Hummus and Fig Tapenade by Zach Behrens; all other photos by Siel

5 Comments

Image via Seafood for the Future

>> Come learn the secrets of experienced gardeners to grow your best garden yet! David King, with about 50 years of experience, will take you through the things you need to do to get your home vegetable garden started this year. Dress warm – and bring a cup if you want hot coffee or hot tea! The class takes place this Sat., Jan. 7 from 10 am – noon at the Venice Learning Garden (at Venice High School), located on Walgrove Avenue and Venice Blvd., Los Angeles. Park and enter on Walgrove Ave. Cost: $25.

>> The US Green Building Council-LA Chapter (USGBC-LA) and A Sustainable Kitchen present Everything You Want to Know about Sustainable Seafood but Did Not Know Who to Ask. This class will provide cooking lessons, Q&A and sustainability issues, and expert panel on environmental impacts of land and sea seafood farming practices and more. Class takes place this Sat., Jan. 7 from 3-5 pm at Surfas Test Kitchen, 8777 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City. Cost: $25 for USGBC-LA members, $40 for the general public. Cost of the class goes to support USGBC-LA.

0 Comments

Apparently, traveling car-free is the in thing in L.A. for 2012.

>> NRDC’s Jessica Lass gets to her Santa Monica offices by bike — and wants you to “Make biking to work your 2012 resolution.”

>> Angeleno Jenny of The Next Big Ng recently spotted Ed Begley Jr. on Metro — and hopes for more celeb sightings on public transportation.

>> All the hipsters are riding the Metro night trains to bars and clubs, according to LA Times.

What’s your de-car-ing resolution for 2012?

Photo by Fire Monkey Fish

2 Comments

Weekly green giveaways.

Today’s giveaway is for the eco-beauty seeker. One lucky green LA girl reader will win a big derma e Holiday Gift Basket to stay pretty and green in 2012!

derma e’s known for greener beauty products that soothe sensitive skin and rank well on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database. This basket of goodies includes:

>> Microdermabrasion Scrub 2 oz – worth $32.50
>> Pycnogenol® Crème 2 oz – worth $29.95
>> Pycnogenol® Eye Gel 1/2oz — worth $19.50
>> Lip Repair Crème ½ oz — worth $14.50
>> Hyaluronic Hydrating Mask 4 oz — worth $29.50

I’m especially a big fan of the Pycnogenol Eye Gel, which ranks a safe 2 on Skin Deep; the nongreasy formula works great under eye makeup.

Comment by Friday, Jan. 6 to get into the drawing, which’ll happen Saturday, Jan. 7 (more info on freebies here). U.S. addresses only.

93 Comments

>> Find out where current and planned bikeways are, with this new interactive map from the city. (via LAist)

>> L.A.’s Spring Street’s got a newish buffered green bike lane. LA Streetsblog’s got local cyclists spouting off on what they think of the new lanes.

>> Love cycling and organic groceries at Whole Foods — but don’t actually like lugging all your Whole Foods groceries home on your bike? FreshFoodBike delivers Whole Foods goodies to your home by bike: “Call, Text (310) 734-8322 or Email Us Your Order from Whole Foods 3rd & Fairfax Today!” (via LAist)

Photo by Michael Dorausch

1 Comments