>>  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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>> 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.

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>> The Santa Monica Museum of Art is hosting the Pacific Standard Time West Bike Tour, which will take participants to four Pacific Standard Time exhibitions in Santa Monica — with a brief stop at the brand new public Bike Center in Santa Monica, where riders can get refreshments and bike tune-ups. The ride happens Sat., Oct. 22, from 1 – 4:30 pm, starting at SMMoA, located in Bergamot Station G-1, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica.

>> “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.

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>> Celebrate an early green Halloween at Trasher’s Ball tonight. This Halloween-themed Green Drinks event includes eco-cocktails, a green fashion show, a DJ, and lots more. You can even take an old T-shirt or tank for Surfrider to transform into a reusable screenprinted Trick-or-Treat bag. The fun happens Thu., Oct. 13 from 7 pm to 10 pm at Fais-Do-Do, 5253 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: $10 in advance, $20 at the door.

>> 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.

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>> Good Food Festival kicks off with free events at the Wenesday Santa Monica Farmers Market on Sep. 14! At 10 am, Lucques’ Susan Goin will give opening remarks — followed by cooking demos from local farmer-chef pairs. The festival continues Sep. 15 – 18!

>> Catch the next screening in the Good Food Festival Film Series — “THE HARVEST/LA COSECHA” — a documentary about child and migrant labor in the U.S. food system. The screening will be followed by a discussion about labor issues. Events begin Wed., Sep. 14 at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica. Cost: $7 to $11 per ticket.

>> Enjoy drinks with fellow environmentalists at the next Green Drinks, happening Thu., Sep. 15 from 7 pm to 10 pm at Mohawk Bend, 2141 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.

>> Give your no longer wanted items a new home at the Santa Monica Citywide Yard Sale. Register before Sep. 16 to sell stuff. Pre-loved shopping happens Sat., Sep. 24 from 8 am to 3 pm all over Santa Monica.

>> Parking Day LA returns — to turn parking spaces into pop-up parks all over Los Angeles. Sign up or plan to host or join a park near you on Fri., Sep. 16.

>> Take in an exhibit of photographs from The Daily Ocean blog — written by my friend Sara Bayles, who’s racking up 365 days of cleaning up Santa Monica beach. The reception happens Sep. 17 from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at 1612 Ocean Park Blvd. Cost: Free. Earlier: An interview with Sara Bayles — How to keep cool eco-activist style: Spiff up the beach.

>> Prepare for a morning on the beach on Coastal Cleanup Day, when Californians clean up their sandy shores en masse. Select a site near you and sign up for the big day, happening Sep. 17 from 9 am to noon.

>> Get on your bike for the Made in LA bike ride, organized by local bike-friendly nonprofit C.I.C.L.E. You’ll get to visit institutions that make local products — including Homeboy Industries, El Pato Factory, and the Angel City Brewery. Meet up for the 8-mile leisure tour on Sat., Sep. 17 at 1 pm at the Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St. Cost: Free.

>> Mix art and bikes at the East Hollywood ArtCycle, when galleries and other creative venues will open their doors, artists and performers display their work at a street fair along Santa Monica Blvd., and many cyclists take advantage of food, live entertainment, and the free bike vale. All that happens Sat., Sep. 17 from 2 pm to 10 pm on Santa Mnica Blvd. from Vermont to Virgil. Cost: Free.

>> Eat local and be merry at the CSA Kick Off Party at G2 Gallery, which is celebrating its new status as a drop off spot for the local CSA program. Go enjoy a live raw food demo, sample local foods, and more. The party happens Sun., Sep. 18 from 2 pm to 4 pm at G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. Cost: $5, or free if you sign up for a CSA membership.

Image via Good Food Festivals

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