>> 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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>> 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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>>  The Green Living Workshop 101 is a condensed version of the 6 week Green Living Workshop which covers the following topics: water, energy, waste, chemicals, transportation, and shopping & food. Sustainability tools will be raffled off to help participants carry out the solutions discussed during the workshop. Workshop takes place this Sat., Dec. 3 from 10 am – 1 pm at the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. Cost: free, though please register through Eventbrite.

>>  Your banana peels, sandwich crusts, lawn clippings, and coffee grounds are precious resources that can be cycled back into the garden. Come participate in a composting lesson at the Natural History Museum by getting your hands in the mix! Workshop takes place on Sat., Dec. 3 from 1-4 pm at the Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: admission to the museum is $12 for adults, $5-8 for children.

>>  Come out to see the documentary “Tipping Point – The End of Oil”, which addresses the largest industrial project in human history – the Alberta Tar Sands.  Speakers and the q&a will address what we can do to help heal the destructive impact of this project and options for an alternative energy economy.  Takes places on Sat., Dec. 6 from 7-10:30 pm at All Saints Church, 132 North Euclid Ave., Pasadena.  Cost: $15 suggested donation.  RSVP to info@burbankgreenalliance.org.

Image retrieved from wilderutopia.com

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>> Low-income shoppers can’t afford food justice advocate’s eats. Bob Comis tells a touching tale about his experience as a vendor at the farmers market:

I had set out in farming with a mission, to offer ethically and ecologically raised meat at the lowest price possible…. But, I quickly discovered that this was a pipe dream. I couldn’t sell pork chops for less than $7.00/lb. and keep the farm going, and even at that price, my wife would still need to continue subsidizing the farm…. I had set out to make meat broadly affordable, but instead, I was selling exclusive, high-priced meat to the well-off.

Though not quite as meaty, I wrote a post about how eating locally-grown food doesn’t have to be expensive for KCET’s The Public Kitchen. Read it to get a recipe for wallet-friendly, cheese veggie quesadillas!

>> Calif.’s environmental law suspends Calif.’s climate change law. Greenwire points out that “A California court ruling suspending the implementation of the state’s landmark climate change law came with a large dose of irony”:

That’s because San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Ernest Goldsmith found that the state had failed to comply with another landmark law, one that is beloved by some of the same environmental groups that are critical of the ruling, the California Environmental Quality Act.

Essentially, a major environmental initiative is under threat because the state failed to correctly carry out the appropriate environmental analysis.

While environmental lawyers work out that snafu, pro-business groups still pushing the “environmental laws kill jobs” argument are stepping up their attack on the California Environmental Quality Act.

>> Wind and wave energies are not renewable after all. “Build enough wind farms to replace fossil fuels and we could do as much damage to the climate as greenhouse global warming,” reports New Scientist. This conclusion comes from a physicist whose findings are too complicated to summarize here. A quick look at the problem:

Using a model of global circulation, Kleidon found that the amount of energy which we can expect to harness from the wind is reduced by a factor of 100 if you take into account the depletion of free energy by wind farms. It remains theoretically possible to extract up to 70 TW globally, but doing so would have serious consequences.

Although the winds will not die, sucking that much energy out of the atmosphere in Kleidon’s model changed precipitation, turbulence and the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. The magnitude of the changes was comparable to the changes to the climate caused by doubling atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide

Confused and conflicted yet? Welcome to the wonderful world of environmentalism :)

Photo of a bison vendor at the Santa Monica Farmers Market

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Do you think corporations have too much control over our government? Annie Leonard — the narrator of the popular eco-minded short video, The Story of Stuff — thinks so, and says 85 percent of Americans think the same in her latest video, “The Story of Citizens United v. FEC.”

This video tells “the story behind the story of stuff,” according to Annie. The gist: Corporations have been given too much power — and even some very generous first amendment rights — to influence government. Yet corporations also have to have profit as their single-minded top goal — meaning other goals important to people, ranging from a clean environment to safe neighborhoods, end up getting ignored.

That makes for “a democracy in crisis,” according to Annie, who calls on viewers to take democracy back from corporations. Watch the video to hear her argument. If you believe — or even suspect — that Annie could be right, you’ll likely also enjoy moving a riveting full-length documentary about this issue, “The Corporation.”

Earlier: Film review: The Yes Men Fix the World

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Think the Environmental Policy Act protects the environment? Think again. It’s actually lawyers who protect the environment — by suing under this and other Acts.

That is just a slight exaggeration of the tone in “A Force For Nature: The Story of NRDC and The Fight to Save Our Planet.” In this memoir, John H. Adams recounts and retells the story thus far of National Resources Defense Council, the environmental nonprofit he helped found and lead. NRDC was created by lawyers who specifically wanted to sue to protect the environment — so as you can imagine, in the story “A Force of Nature” tells, lawyers are rockstars!

To be clear, I’m not discounting the huge role NRDC has played in protecting the planet. And I’m certainly not discouraging you from reading this book. In fact, if you feel a little lost when it comes to the history of environmentalism in the U.S., “A Force For Nature” will serve as an entertaining textbook. NRDC was founded in 1970, the same year that the Environmental Protection Agency was created (thereby allowing lawyers to start suing the EPA!). So the story of NRDC covers the modern environmental movement — and catches you up to the state of the planet today.

Yes, “A Force of Nature” covers a lot of environmental lawsuits. You’ll get a general sense of the long and tortuous legal process that’ll help you understand, if not appreciate, why good environmental changes often take so long to happen. Reading through the list of legal steps alone may try your patience!

Even more interesting are the stories in the book of tough negotiations that happen behind the scenes, when green nonprofits, government agencies, community interest groups, and giant businesses all come together to come to an agreement about environmental concerns. The “we’ll give you this area to pollute in if you leave alone this other area with lots of endangered species in it” type agreements described in “A Force For Nature” are often fascinating — and at times unnerving.

“A Force of Nature” also answered a big green question I’ve wondered about for a while: Why, if energy efficiency improvements [or insert some other economically beneficial green change here] save companies a lot of money as we hear about over and over in the media, don’t all companies make these green changes? Here’s how the book explains it, after NRDC learned the hard way through a partnership with none other than Dow Chemical:

If a company could make $5 million a year from a one-time investment of $3 million and reduce pollution, we assumed it would do so. But we learned that this wasn’t necessarily true. If other capital investments yielded a higher rate of return, those would be preferred. Not only did pollution prevention need to be profitable; it needed to be more profitable than any other investment being considered at the time.

Californians may especially enjoy “A Force For Nature,” since many of the environmental fights described happen in the Golden State — fighting smog in Los Angeles, decreasing sonar testing in the Pacific Ocean, hashing out a deal for the San Joaquin River Restoration Act — even creating the relatively new Marine Protected Areas.

“A Force For Nature” is co-written by John and his wife Patricia Adams with the help of George Black — but told from John’s first person point of view. At times the book can be rather overly rah-rah lawyers and too relentlessly positive — describing what seem like rather devastating losses as mere setbacks or partial successes. Then again, I suppose the history book of the modern environmental movement is still being written, pending the end result of global climate change. Catch up to what’s happened so far by reading “A Force For Nature,” out in hardcover for $24.95.

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Yesterday was like a major holiday for environmentalist in Los Angeles. First, yesterday was 10/10/10, a.k.a. a “Global Work Party” — better known as a whole bunch of events happening all around town as part of 350.org’s efforts to show national and international decisionmakers that we want action on climate change.

Secondly and serendipitously, yesterday was CicLAvia, when 7.5 miles of L.A. streets were closed off for cars to make room for cyclists, pedestrians, chalk artists, drummers, and basically everyone willing to step out of their four-wheeled vehicles! Above, you can see the two major events colliding — when a 10/10/10 related Rally to Kick Coal and Oil out of L.A. at L.A. City Hall came out to the streets, where CicLAvia cyclists were joyfully pedaling around!

But to start at the beginning: Newly a WeHo resident, I had to figure out new bus routes to get to CicLAvia — much easier now that Metro’s info’s now on Google Maps (we’re still waiting on Big Blue Bus to get rolling on this). I drew myself a little map of where I wanted to go in case I got turned around by the CicLAvia-related bus detours — and was the first one on my 10 bus!

The goal was to make it to City Hall by 12:30 when the Rally to Kick Coal and Oil out of L.A. began — but the detours made me a few minutes late. No matter — I arrived to catch the end of L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti’s speech — and then to hear Greenpeace organizer Jenny Binstock (above) rally the crowds.

After the speechifying, there was chanting (“I say No, you say Coal! No! Coal! No! Coal!”) — followed by a drumming that led the crowds off the City Hall lawn into the street, making for a very pretty photo-op especially with the cyclists circling the eco-activists. (more…)

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>> Happy World Carfree Day today! Don’t forget about the car-free community meetings this month! Both the Los Angeles Bicycle Plan meetings and Westside Subway Extension meetings are happening this and next week!

>> Get politically active at the No on Proposition 23 event, put together to make sure the oil industry-funded initiative goes down in defeat. You’ll get to enjoy local sustainable snacks, watch a mini-docu about Prop 23, hear from experts, and find out how to help fight against Prop 23. The FREE event requires an RSVP and happens Thu, Sep. 23 at 7 pm at TreePeople in Coldwater Canyon Park.

>> California Assembly Speaker Emeritus Karen Bass is holding a Green Living Workshop that’ll cover eco-friendly shopping and eating, greener cleaning, wise water use, and composting. Be there Thurs., Sep. 23 from 7 pm to 9 pm at Veterans Memorial Complex, 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City.

>> Get pretty at the Evolue beauty event, where green author Sophie Uliano will demo how to make your own Vitamin C serum. You’ll also get to enjoy complimentary hand treatments, mini manis, and makeup touch ups. The event happens Thur., Sep. 23 from 6 pm to 9 pm at Evolue, . RSVP to info@evoluebeauty.com if you’d like to take advantage of the complimentary services. Earlier: Évolué: A New green beauty boutique opens in Beverly Hills.

>> Watch Dirt! the Movie free on Fri., Sep. 24 starting at 7 pm on the Santa Monica Pier. Earlier: Review of Dirt! The Movie.

>> Architect Mark Lakeman brings City Repair — which “combines architecture, urban planning, anthropology, community development, public art, permaculture and ecological design in projects that transform public space” — to Los Angeles. Mark’s City Repair Slideshow and Potluck event happens on Fri., Sep. 24 from 7:30 to 10:30 pm at the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice. Cost: $5 – $20, sliding scale.

>> Dig In! at Median Makeover Merryment — and get a free lunch while you’re at it! This hands-on workshop will get you into cob building, planting, painting, and more. Be there on Sat., Sep. 25 from 9:30 am to 4 pm at the intersection of Dudley Ave. and Main St. in Venice.

>> Tour the L.A. River with Friends of the Los Angeles River! See the waterway up close, find out about its revitalization plans, and get a lesson on L.A. eco-history. Meet up Sun. Sep. 26, at 8 am at the River Center, 570 W Ave. 26, Los Angeles to form carpools and caravan around until 4 pm. Cost: $25. RSVP required.

>> Hear permaculture teacher Larry Santoyo and City Repair architect Mark Lakeman discuss City Repair and Permaculture, Similarities & Differences between LA & Portland. The conversation begins Tue., Sep. 28 from 7 pm – 10 pm at Project Butterfly, 821 Traction Ave. Unit #108, Los Angeles. Cost: $35.

>> Don’t forget to sign up for the Permaculture Design class from EarthFlow, taught by renowned permaculture expert Larry Santoyo. The chance to win tickets has now passed, but it’s not too late to sign up! The first class of the six weekend course happens Sat., Oct. 2 to Sun., Oct. 3, from 10 am to 6 pm both days.

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>> Watch Los Angeles sink in an oil-slicked swirl of corporate logos in Logorama, the award-winning, 16-minute animated film. McLibel and Super Size Me fans will be happy to know that the baddie’s Ronald McDonald — On the other hand, the survivors of the earthquake and bursting oil rigs happen to be Esso Girl and Big Boy…. (via Kottke)

Logorama from Human Music & Sound Design on Vimeo.

>> Yes, we have oil rigs in Los Angeles. But if we want L.A. to become less oil-dependent, we need to also get off foreign oil — which means we need to fight against Proposition 23, which would suspend California’s global warming law. Far from being solely an environmental issue, getting off oil is a national security issue too, point out Prop 23 opponents:

“America’s energy posture constitutes a serious and urgent threat to our national security, militarily, economically and diplomatically,” said retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, a private security and energy consultant volunteering his time with No on Prop 23.

>> The pro Prop 23 side’s already started fighting dirty, alleging that the anti Prop 23 side is pushing for higher gas prices for their own profit, reports the L.A. Times. Who will actually benefit if Prop 23 passes? That would be the oil companies that are funding the pro Prop 23 fight:

Two Texas-based refiners, Valero Energy Corp. and Tesoro Corp., along with Kansas-based oil giant Koch Industries, are primary backers of the proposition, which would delay the law’s curbs on carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and other planet-heating emissions until unemployment in the state dropped to 5.5% for at least a year. The jobless rate is now more than 12%.

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In 2006, California adopted a groundbreaking green plan — best known as AB 32 — to dramatically cut back on carbon emissions, committing to reduce them by 15 percent over 12 years. Just four years later, however, this plan could get derailed by dirty energy companies. This November, Californians will vote on Proposition 23 — an initiative that, if passed, would put the carbon cutting plan on hold until the state unemployment rate goes down.

Environmentalists are fighting hard to make Prop 23 go down in defeat by showing that environmental and economic goals are not mutually exclusive. After all, a commitment to clean energy’s a commitment to creating green jobs in clean energy. Catch up on the latest Prop 23 news over the long weekend — and start get involved next week if you haven’t already!

>> Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s vocally against Prop 23, the LA Times reports:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Tuesday rebuked Valero Energy Corp. and Tesoro Corp., which operate refineries in Wilmington, for bankrolling a measure that would effectively scuttle the state’s efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

“Go home, Texas oil companies,” Villaraigosa urged at a news conference…. “We won’t compromise our environmental and health standards so you can make more money,” he said.

>> On the other end of the political spectrum, Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina is pro Prop 23. In a debate with incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer earlier this week, Fiorina fumbled by saying she hadn’t taken a position on Prop 23 yet. However, earlier today, Fiorina made her decision. Reports the AP:

Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina on Friday endorsed an oil-company funded ballot initiative that seeks to indefinitely delay California’s landmark global warming law.

The California League of Conservation Voters’ blog quickly came out with a rebuttal to Fiorina’s charge that Prop 23 would save jobs:

Once again, Fiorina proves she is not only out of touch with Californians, who overwhelmingly support the state’s leadership on clean energy and climate change, but she is also out of touch with the facts, which show that AB 32 is creating the one bright spot in California’s economy and attracting the majority of the nation’s venture capital investment in clean energy technology.

>> And sadly, the pro Prop 23 campaign became $2 million richer this week. Koch Industries subsidiary oil company called Flint Hills Resources donated $1 million, while oil refiner Tesoro contributed the other $1 million, according to the Sacramento Bee. (via Triple Pundit)

>> Want to fight back? Get behind Credo Action’s Hell No on Prop. 23 campaign by joining the Rally to Stop Texas Oil tomorrow. Just show up Sep. 4 at noon at the Valero gas station at 3071 S. Robertson Blvd. in Los Angeles to rally with fellow environmentalists.

>> And stay involved with the anti Pro 23 activists by joining the No on 23 campaign. That website will keep you updated on the latest Prop 23 news and events until we go to vote in November!

Images via No on 23 and Credo Action

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