>> The City of Los Angeles wants yet more studies on the effects of bag bans before taking any action — nevermind that many, many studies have already been done and many L.A. County cities AND L.A. County have already banned the plastic bag.

>> According to LAist, “Several City Council members have pledged to get the measure passed before March 31, 2012 – before the state Legislature’s spring break.” Let’s hope that really happens.

>> Heal the Bay, the local nonprofit spearheading the bag ban effort, sounds optimistic. Mark Gold, head honcho at Heal the Bay, seems to believe that the city’s call for more studies “sends a loud message to Sacramento to move forward with a statewide ban.” That statewide effort failed back in August 2011. Think it’ll happen in 2012?

>> Last but not least — Santa Monica banned the plastic bag in September, and I’ve noticed many people are either bringing their own bags or doing without at stores since that time. What’s your experience been so far?

Earlier: Styrofoam and the City: The fate of plastic bags and polystyrene in LA

Photo by Kate Ter Harr

If you didn’t make it out to this year’s LA Auto Show, you missed an incredible lineup of innovative green cars. Over 70 beauties were on display, ranging from updated old favorites to futuristic designs reminiscent of Tron. Here are some standouts broken down by category.

Hybrids/Plug-in Hybrids. Porsche had two particularly beautiful cars on display including the Cayenne S Hybrid and the Panamara S Hybrid (right). Sure, they aren’t as green as the new 2012 Prius Plug-ins, but the Porsches are a good start and not bad to look at.

However, the fast and fuel efficient BMW i8 Concept car (above) was pretty much the belle of the ball, drawing crowds of car and sustainability lovers alike.

Alternative Fuel. Honda rocked this group with their fuel cell electric FCX Clarity and Honda Civic Natural Gas which won 2012 Green Car of the Year.

Clean Diesel. Another old favorite to get a green and clean update was the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, boasting 42 highway mpg. The Audi A3 TDI features an award winning engine.

Electric. The Nissan LEAF (above) is a fun 100% electric option. And Ford now makes a totally electric Focus. The Coda had an awesome display showing the interior battery (below) that allows it to travel up to 150 miles before recharging.

40+ mpg. Eco friendly doesn’t always have to be uber expensive as demonstrated by the Chevy Cruze Eco, or if small is your thing, the Smart ForTwo — starting at $16,720 and $13,240 respectively.

Bottom line, the LA Auto Show is a fun event and the best way to see and compare all the latest innovations in vehicular greenery. Looking forward to next year’s lineup!

Photos by April Gilbert

>> Santa Monica Bike Center opens this Friday! Pedal over to Colorado Ave. and 2nd St. to check out the full service spot with bike valet, bike rentals and repairs, and even showers and lockers for members.

>> The Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station got a Bike Stop. According to Metro’s The Source, “the new unattended facility features 40 bike parking stalls, a bike repair stand and small classroom area.”

>> Metrolink’s added bike cars! These are “passenger railcars outfitted with space for at least 18 bicycles.”

>> L.A.’s got a new bike sharing program — as part of Occupy LA. Local biketivist Roadblock, who set up the program, says “If Occupy LA is to achieve some of the most important goals of the movement, people are going to have to learn to reduce their oil dependency – the very addiction that keeps our country involved in endless foreign wars.”

>> Two new studies link bikes and money. One study published in Environmental Health Perspectives says bicycling in cities can save billions, while another study by an urban planning student shows better bike infrastructure can mean increased sales for local businesses.

Couldn’t make it to the big event? Find out what you missed with this top 10 list. Inspiring themes that emerged at the conference included the use of collaborative consumption, transparency in business practices, and innovation over sacrifice. Here’s how the speakers brought those ideas to life:

1. BMW’s Manuel Satigg electrified the room with talk of the ActiveE, an all-electric car that will have a range of 100 miles and will be available next month.  Also in the works is BMW-i concept –- a concept of purpose-built vehicles including the functional all electric BMW i3-concept as well as the sexier, plug-in hybrid BMW i8-concept sports vehicle. 

2. “They’re so good at marketing what’s bad and we’re so bad at marketing what’s good.” That’s the memorable quote from Peter Shumlin, Governor of Vermont, on the need for better green marketing tools.

Shumlin, who nabbed the Green Governor of the year award, encouraged enthusiasm in the way we talk about sustainability — and advised political leaders to get the message of sustainability across to their constituents through “speaking a language they understand” — by talking about economic growth, jobs, and keeping dollars in state, in Vermont’s case. 

3. “Transparency has become the currency of trust,” said Starbucks‘ VP Ben Packard, who acknowledged that big business has lead consumers to be weary of multi-national corporations.

Packard discussed Starbucks’ goal to have 100% recyclable cups by 2015 — a goal the coffee giant tackled through a “cup summit” that got supply chain members, manufacturers, and recycling representatives to collaborate. Packard said he believes “the companies that figure out sustainability are the ones that will be around in 50 years.” On that note, I have no doubt that Starbucks will continue to increase their sustainability benchmark. 

4. Does sustainable design always come at a cost?  Designer Yves Behar of Fuse Project demonstrated otherwise with his team’s involvement in several social projects — including the One Laptop Per Child foundation’s $100 laptop, which will reach one million kids worldwide this year.  His take home message to designers is to use 360 degree thinking over linear thinking and aim to deliver the “best product to the most people for the least money.”

5. In an interview, co-founder of Getaround Jessica Scorpio (left), explained how Google’s Larry Paige challenged her and her peers at Singularity University to develop a product that would impact 1 billion people in ten years.  From this challenge, Getaround was born.  As a peer-to-peer, experience-based car sharing program, Getaround exemplifies collaborative consumption at its finest.  They’ve already launched in San Francisco and San Diego and will launch in LA next year.  Cruise around San Diego in a Tesla or rent a SUV for your next ski trip!

6. Ecovative Design‘s Gavin McIntyre — who won the Opportunity Green (OG25) Start-up Competition in 2009, revisited the conference with biodegradable packaging material made from mushroom roots and agricultural by-products such as seed husks.

7. Hannah Jones of Nike emphasized the need to to “fast track” sustainability by incorporating old and new tools, using open source coding, sharing intellectual property, and providing transparency in business practices.

8. In a panel discussion about the future of California’s Water, former California Governor, Gray Davis, David Nahai, President of David Nahai & Associates, and UC Presidential Chair & Director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Glen MacDonald agreed that conservation measures, innovation in technology, and reclaimed potable water are where we need to focus our attention in addressing water shortages in southern California.  According to them, educating citizens on the safety of reclaimed potable water will be critical in passing measures on future ballots.

9. In addition to the plethora of inspiration received through the speakers, mingling over the course of the conference I met founders of several creative eco start-ups including Smart Green Websites‘ founder Jonathan Rockett, and Andy Jolls, SVP for Consumer Marketing at Zumbox.  These two sites are worth checking out!

10. If you missed this year’s Opportunity Green, mark your calendar for next year’s! This top-notch conference for sustainable business is not to be missed by you eco-entrepreneurs and sustainable leaders.

Photos by Sarah Fonseca

When we think of children being over worked in fields, we often imagine it happening far away from here, in less developed countries. But today in America 400,000 children are migrant workers. The film, The Harvest/La Cosecha brings to light the conditions these children work in. From executive producer Eva Longoria and the producers of the Academy Award Nominated film WAR/DANCE, The Harvest follows the lives of three children working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The film will be screening on Wednesday, November 16th at 7pm at the California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities. Additionally, author and activist Eric Schlosser, migrant farm worker advocate Jose Padilla, and The Harvest’s executive producer Eva Longoria will be in attendance discussing migrant worker issues.  This event is free and open to the public, but you must RSVP.

Looking to learn from the bigwigs in sustainable business?  If so, join them November 10 and 11 at the 5th Annual Opportunity Green Conference.  With this year’s lineup of speakers, there is guaranteed to be a discussion that piques your interest and catapults your business to the next level.

For the past five years, Opportunity Green has provided a platform for business leaders to expand the envelope in sustainable corporate responsibility, ingenuity, and profitability through a host of speakers, open forums, panel discussions, and networking.  This year, we’ll hear from Starbuck’s VP of Global Responsibility, Ben Packard, on how Starbucks is continuing to chip away at their carbon footprint (let’s hope he’s convincing).  Yves Behar, Conde Nast’s 2011 Designer of the Year, will discuss the future of green product design and improved customer experience.  

Plus, local food pioneers, Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill Restaurants and Peter Van Stock of Spud.com, will discuss the business of organics, food systems, and sustainable agriculture.  Looking to launch a green tech startup?  Learn from experts on how to attract alternative means of financing.  Don’t leave yet! After a full day of breakout sessions, mingle with the best of them at the Thursday evening after party — with an open bar and taste of LA local/organic restaurant showcase.

Come back on Friday for another great lineup including a panel discussion on the future of Southern California’s Water with the former Governor of California, Gray Davis, and the Director of UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Glen Macdonald.  Hear from the President of Dwell Media on “what” and “why” the modern affluent consumer is purchasing.  Have room for more eco-entrepreneurial trade tips?  Finish off the day with a workshop on green Guerilla Marketing with Daniel Schutzsmith of Mark & Phil or Rethinking Innovation with Irwin Miller of Gensler.

Still not convinced you want to attend?  Perhaps close encounters with forward-thinking eco-conscious celebs Vincent Kartheiser of Mad Men, Don Cheadle of Crash, and Adrian Grenier of Entourage will get you out for Opportunity Green.

Register here for the two-day conference held November 10 and 11 at Los Angeles Center Studios in downtown LA.  Use discount code GreenLAGirl35 for 35% off the ticket price.

Earlier:
>> Tour de OG: 12 eco-preneurs bike 450 miles for L.A.’s Opportunity Green
>> Opportunity Green: A Very eco-conference, except the getting there

Can fashion nurture nature? Late last month I had the opportunity to attend the Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion show, which showcased some of Los Angeles’ rising fashion stars. There, a noticeable underlying theme was human connection to nature. 

Some of the clothing designs displayed images of nature (though I am not sure how eco-friendly all the fabric was) and some pieces were sourced directly from nature. One accessory designer, Sticks & Stones Accessories, actually used shed deer antlers, gathered by hand in the forests of the US and Canada! The designer’s also known to use fossilized walrus and wooly mammoth ivories, gathered by permit from Alaska, Holland and Siberia.  All of the pieces that incorporate wood, antler, fossil and vegetable ivories are hand carved, sanded and finished at their in-house studio in Portland. 

Gen Art was hosted in part by smart car, which happen to have ultra-low emissions, are 85% recyclable and are produced in a low environmental impact factory in France.  The cars at the event (like the one in the image above) were covered in prints designed by some of the featured fashion designers.

Even Gen Art’s gift bags contained some eco-friendly bonuses — like discounts on vintage clothes from Just Say Native Vintage Studio. While certain aspects of the event — like the plastic cups — could have been much more eco-conscious, this event made it clear that the fashion world, particularly amongst the trendsetters and forward-thinkers, is starting to incorporate more consideration of the human relationship with our environment. To browse through Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion featured designers, check out the event website.

The first LA Green Festival was a hit at the Los Angeles Convention Center late last month. For two days, over 300 vendors set up shop forming a temporary sustainable community, featuring multiple stages with speakers on green topics, cooking demonstrations, a green bookstore, and more.

The organic beer and wine garden sat adjacent a delicious smelling food court. However one could simply peruse the shops and get fed along the way by sample snack bars, pizza, health drinks, tea, juice, etc. It was easy to get sucked into a booth and lose a chunk of time conversing with the vendors who were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. The best part was the festival catered to newbies and aficionados alike. You could walk away with a firm grasp of the basics or a deeper understanding of how we can better our lives environmentally.

In addition to all of the great information, the festival was like one stop shopping for sustainability. Organic body care products, sustainable artwork, organic cotton clothing, and green home cleaning items were among the limitless products for purchase.

Plus, many petitions for important issues circulated — including one GMO labeling on food. The Ford Motor Company showcased their 2012 Ford Focus Electric car and gave away a $5,000 community green grant to Homegirl Cafe, which assists at risk and formerly gang involved men and women with training in culinary arts.

Although this is the first time for the festival to hit LA, this project by Green America and Global Exchange is celebrating their tenth year, so here is to another decade of Green Festivals and hoping it returns to LA soon.

>> “The Revenge of the Electric Car,” a documentary film “on the charisma and sheer audacity it takes to invent both the technology and the business models needed to jumpstart the electric car in the world market,” will premier in Santa Monica! Chris Paine, the writer and director of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” will be there to answer questions after the show on Sun., Oct. 23 at 5:30 pm at NuArt Theater, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: $10.50 per ticket.

>> Catch a special screening of “Vanishing of the Bees,” an eco-docu about the sudden die-off of honeybees narrated by Ellen Page. Part of Food Day LA, the event will kick off with refreshments on Mon., Oct. 24 at 5:45 pm, followed by the screening at The Ricardo Montalban Theater, 1615 Vine St., Los Angeles. Cost: $25. Tickets available at tix.com, keyword: montalban.

>> Get a free rain barrel simply by reserving it before the end of the day today and picking it up this Saturday — if you’re a Santa Monica resident. You actually have to pay for it first — but then can get a full rebate from the city.

>> Hate GMOs? “Hidden In Your Food: GMOs and Your Right to Know” is the topic of conversation at an eco-foodie event put together by Co-opportunity and the Non-GMO project. Best part: Free appetizers and treats, courtesy of Real Food Daily. That happens Thu., Oct. 13 from 6:30 to 9 pm tonight at Santa Monica Main Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Cost: Free.

>> Mix art and cycling at the ArtNight Ride. Organized by C.I.C.L.E., this ride will take you on a “bike tour of Pasadena’s vast collection of art galleries and museums which are open free to the public.” The 6-mile ride will have lots of breaks so participants can tour the exhibits. Meet Fri., Oct. 14 at 6 pm at Memorial Park Pasadena, on the corner of Raymond Ave. and Holly Street. Cost: Free.

>> Love EVs? Celebrate the first ever National Plug In Day in Santa Monica, where “some 200 Electric Vehicle drivers will silently stream down Main Street, two-by-two, for the country’s largest-ever plug-in parade to champion the environmental and other benefits of EVs, even as Congress is going after EV incentives.” Expected eco-celebs include actorvist Ed Begley, Jr., director of “Revenge of the Electric Car” Chris Paine and Rep. Janice Hahn — who’ll be riding her Nissan Leaf in the parade. It all begins Sun., Oct. 16 at 9:30 am with a press conference at Santa Monica City Hall, followed by the parade starting from Main Street and Pico Boulevard. Earlier: An Electric inaugural parade calls for 1 million plug-ins by 2012.