Question: I’ve been driving from Hollywood to Santa Monica to take a class put on by Sustainable Works. It’s a 6 week class and jam packed with good info.

My problem is that it takes 45 mins to get there and I’m having a hard time believing that there isn’t some organization or person doing similar good work in my neighborhood. Please steer me right. I want to connect up with them and guide my neighbors towards some green solutions.

Thanks, Conrad.

Answer: My short answer: Believe it — There is no other program like Sustainable Works’ 6-week program that gets LA-area people all set up to revamp their lives the green way.

The City of LA just doesn’t fund the type of intensive, hippie-ish, city-hacker-ish programs that Santa Monica does. Lucky for you, Sustainable Works needs bodies to keep its funding from the City of Santa Monica, and will thus take LA residents in –

Of course, LA proper does have lots of little wonderful things happening. Composting workshops, if you have a lil yard space. Art-meets-activism stuff at Farmlab. Critical Mass and Bicycle Kitchen.

Beyond those, I encourage you to check out my green calendar. Which is to say you could personally cobble together a personal program akin to Sustainable Works by trying out all these various workshops and events. It’d take a lot more time and work on your part, but may be even more rewarding for you in the end.

One cool thing ’bout Hollywood: You got subway. This means that if you decide you wanna do stuff downtown — or even in Pasadena, a city that’s been making some real green strides — you’re just a short subway ride away.

Riding the train’s a good way to connect up with your neighbors, btw. Other ways to connect with eco-neighbors: Go to green restaurants, like M Cafe de Chaya, Real Food Daily, Sante La Brea, Lou on Vine and Ammo. Better yet, start a Hollywood Green Drinks at your fave bar and I promise I’ll try to make it.

The subway’s really the one main thing Hollywood has over Santa Monica — which undoubtedly, you’ve noticed, since you’re having to drive 45 mins to get to the Sustainable Works stuff. Are you using it?

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