>> Read my post on how only 8% of sunscreens are safe an effective — and still have nagging green questions? Ask them at Environmental Working Group’s All about sunscreen live chat today, June 2, from 11 am to noon.

>> Get to City Hall on Hunger Action Day to voice your concerns to local elected officials about budget cuts to nutrition programs. Events begin Wed., June 2 at 4 pm on the City Hall South Lawn on Spring St., between 1st and Temple.

>> Wolfgang Puck’s declared Thursday Wolfgang Puck Iced Coffee Day. Get a free organic Wolfgang Puck Culinary Iced Coffee — which I can’t drink because they’re not lactoce-intolerance-friendly — at 5 Wolfgang Puck Bistro and Wolfgang Puck Express locations on Thurs., June 3: Downtown Los Angeles (11 am – 2 pm), Costa Mesa (11 am – 2 pm), Universal City (3 pm – 6 pm), Santa Monica (3 pm – 6 pm), and Westlake Village (3 pm – 6 pm).

>> Green gallery Eco-LogicalART presents Global Sustainability: Central America to Maine, featuring “a multi-media presentation showcasing cutting-edge sustainability projects across Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.” There’ll be a live DJ, an acoustic band, giveaways, beer, sustainable food, and ice cream! The event happens Thurs., June 3 from 6 pm – 9:30 pm at Eco-Logical ART Gallery, 4829 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: $10 with a portion of proceeds donated to a featured project selected by the attendees. Earlier: Eco-LogicalArt turns old billboards into eco-art.

>> If you’re in the O.C., head over to The So Cal Green Solutions Expo to see the fastest “Green Machine” in America (above) — which runs on veggie oil and biofuel and can break 100 mph — and “Green Herbie — an electric VW. You’ll also be able to test drive greener vehicles, learn about saving money with wind power, get lessons on sustainable gardening, and browse the wares of more than 115 green exhibitors. The FREE festivities happen Sat., June 5 and Sun., June 6 from 10 am to 6 pm both days at Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

>> Celebrate World Oceans Day a day early at FusionStorm Foundation’s 1st annual fundraiser “My Ocean Planet” — to benefit Ocean Voyages Institute/Project Kaisei and its efforts to study clean up the the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — that scary vortex of plasticky trash in our ocean. You’ll get to mix and mingle with eco-conscious celebs while enjoying live music, entertainment, an open bar, auction, and raffle. The party happens Sat., June 5 from 6:30 pm – 11 pm at Malibu Lumber Yard, 3939 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu. Cost: $50.

>> After 22 years, Los Feliz’ green demonstration house Eco-Home is closing its doors — so don’t miss the last tours of Eco-Home that’ll teach you about sustainable urban living. The last two tours happen Sun., June 6 and Sun., June 27, starting at 2 pm both days Cost: $10. RSVP to 323.662.5207.

>> Weigh in on the Subway to the Sea at the Metro Westside Subway Extension meeting to discuss alignment alternatives connecting Beverly Hills and Century City. Be there Mon., June 7 from 6 pm – 8 pm at the Auditorium of Roxbury Park Community Center, 471 S. Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills. Earlier: Update on the Subway to the Sea.

Photos via Wolfgang Puck and Green Solutions Expo

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If M Cafe de Chaya had a location in Santa Monica, I’d be there every day. I enjoyed one of the most delicious organic macrobiotic meals there last month — the Miso Salmon Macro Lunch. The balanced meal comes with miso marinated organic farmed salmon, brown rice, broccolini, and cauliflower — all for $9.75. For 75 more cents, you can add an organic miso soup.

The Japanese Breakfast Bento’s a bargain too — moist black cod, served with rice, salad, and pickled vegetables for $14.

Macrobiotic dining’s what I generally refer to as “vegan, but with fish,” though I realize serious macro foodies have stricter definitions of the diet. At M Cafe, macrobiotic’s made organic and sustainable too; the restaurants also shun refined sugars.

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Hot on the heels of Green Lifestyle Film Festival, L.A.-area film and TV fans will get yet another eco-fest: The Going Green Film Festival, happening April 2 – 4 in Beverly Hills.

The goal of Going Green Film Festival’s a bit different. In addition to showcasing new green films, Going Green seeks to recognize eco-friendly television and film productions. To that end, Going Green will award ECOtainment Awards “for demonstrated exemplary efforts in eco-friendly initiatives that respect and protect the environment” — much like the Environmental Media Association’s annual EMA awards, given to TV shows and films for similar reasons.

That means the ECOtainment Award recipients won’t necessarily be green-themed films or shows; the 2010 winners are 24, The Good Wife, and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. However, most of the films screened at the three-day festival are green films. Festival attendees can watch now-famous newish eco-documentaries like Addicted to Plastic and King Corn — or pick from intriguing-sounding films like Bangladesh: Water World and Hybrid Man.

In addition, the festival will screen the 1948 classic film, The Bicycle Thief, give out additional awards to films with green themes, and hold both a welcome and closing awards presentation. Tickets to the festival cost $7.50 for individual screenings, $35 for day passes, or $375 for an all access VIP pass that includes the special events. All screenings and events will be held at Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills.

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>> Walking in Beverly Hills. NetWalks & Co | Troop 90210 invites everyone who works, lives, or plays in Beverly Hills to join its weekly morning walks. Meet up every Wednesday morning at 7:30 am at the fountain at Santa Monica and Wilshire for a brisk 1-hour walk. Earlier: Discover One Mile Radius living.

>> Running in Los Angeles. The L.A. Marathon’s sold out for the first time in its 25-year history! I ran it in 2005 — and may again in 2015. Will you be running the marathon this year?

>> Making pedestrian life pretty.An iPhone app called CitySourced lets you quickly report potholes and graffiti. Just snap a photo, tag it with a GPS location, and send the info to the city. Currently in San Jose, the L.A. version’s hoped to launch later this month. The bad news is that the city plans to fill 80,000 fewer potholes this year, due to budget shortages.

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Heard about Concord., Calif.’s money-saving — and sad and brown — Christmas tree? I took a little walk today to find a similar friend in my own ‘hood — Santa Monica’s slightly sad Christmas tree! A treehugging neighbor must have planted the scraggly yet still living tree recently.

For the rest of you — unless you went the rental or eco-reusable route — it’s time for treecycling. Don’t just set it in your alleyway at random as that’s illegal, as per L.A. Municipal Code 57.21.06! Dry trees can create a fire hazard.

Ready to part with your holiday tree? Every city in the L.A. area has its own set of rules — so follow the guidelines for your ‘hood. Remember to take off all decorations from your tree to reuse next year — That’ll also help make the chipping and mulching process go more smoothly.

Beverly Hills: Put your tree next to your trash bin on trash collection day.

Culver City: Put your tree next to your trash bin on any trash collection day before Jan 31.

Los Angeles: You’ve got 3 options:

1) Place the tree next to your green bin or the street’s curbside for collection on trash collection day,
2) Chop up the tree and put it in your green bin, or
3) Haul the tree to one of many drop off sites on Sat., Jan. 2 – Sun., Jan. 3 between 9 am – 4 pm.

Pasadena: You’ve got two options (PDF):

1) Place your tree at the curb before 7 am on your trash collection day between Jan. 4 – Jan. 15, or
2) Drop off your tree at one of two sites: Eaton Blanche Park (3100 E. Del Mar Blvd.) or Robinson Park (1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave.) between Dec. 28, 2009 – Jan. 2, 2010 from 7 am – 2 pm.

Santa Monica: You’ve got three options:

1) Drag your tree to Clover Park (25th and Ocean Park), Douglas Park (Chelsea and Wilshire), Christine Emerson Reed Park (Lincoln and California), or Los Amigos Park (5th and Hollister) any time during the month of January.
2) Drop off the tree at the City of Santa Monica Transfer Station at 2401 Delaware Ave. during 6 am – 2 pm, Mon. – Sat., or
3) Chop up your tree and put it in your green bin, if you have one.

West Hollywood: Put your tree next to your trash bin on any trash collection day on or before Jan 16.

My neighbors are apparently really happy to declare Christmas done, because the Santa Monica park near me’s already a tree graveyard!

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