Million Trees LA

Been seeing alot of 'Million Trees LA' banners around town and wanted to get the details and then relay it to other folk.

MillionTreesLA is a non-profit enviro-sustainability initiative, whose aim is to plant a million or so trees over the next several years, working closely with a wide variety of environmental and community based organizations to achieve that goal. You can get involved by either joining a local community group or contacting MTLA directly to see where their next planting is. They're also giving out free trees through LADWP, and in particular, are recommending the drought-resistant and native species types. You can sign up here if you want to get some cool shade cover for your pad. All you have to do to get a free tree or trees is to take an online workshop so that you know how to properly care for a tree, and the best area to plant it.

I wish I could plant a tree in my backyard...only I live in an apartment and I don't have a backyard. If I ask my landlord, I'm not sure how'd he respond if I ask him if I can plant a tree on his property. I'll ask anyway, wtf.

Here are some projected stats & benefits derived from the initiative:

-can save up to $10 mil in energy costs in LA. Planting 4 trees can save you up to 30% on summer cooling costs.
-can remove up to 2.24 million pounds of air pollutants annually in LA, and save $23 mil a year on air-pollution clean up costs.
-can capture almost 2 billion gallons of stormwater per year, which decreases both polluted stormwater and hill runoff.

One item I didn't really understand was that '40,000 trees planted in commercial parking lots and along commercial corridor streets can induce shoppers to spend 12% more for goods and services'. Whether this is because people are drawn to shop in places where there is more greenery, essentially spending the same amount of moolah they would've spent somewhere else, OR because greenery makes people buy more shit, is not clear. Could be both. People have weird reasons for buying crap, so the mere presence of more trees could incite people to buy more. Hey, there are people who spend their entire lives studying why people buy what they do...its a bit scary, really.

If you want to buy less crap, then go to this website (www.buylesscrap.org) and donate your money directly to charitable causes, instead of buying a GAP (red) shirt. I have no problem buying a product who gives a portion of the proceeds to a charitable organization IF I'm going to buy something anyway, say a bar of soap or a shopping bag. But if I don't need a GAP shirt (good God how I don't need one) then I don't see the point of buying a shirt just to have another shirt which you probably won't wear, just because they say they give a portion to charity. The shirts are ugly anyway. That's why, if you're going to green, let's say, your home furnishings, its not necessary to replace all your furniture with sustainably made ones for the sake of having eco furniture, if your current ones are in good shape and not too beat up.

Keeping America Beautiful, one corporate sponsorship at a time

Did I mention that I can't stand Keep America Beautiful and its various green-washing and corporate handholding tactics?

[photo from Rachael Adkin on Flickr]

At one point (or maybe even now) they lobbied against efforts and initiatives to increase in-store beverage recycling efforts. Part of their (crummy) argument was that it would be burdensome for the consumer to lug their water and soda bottles to the store for the pennies they would recieve for the recyclables. Truth is, any and all recycling methods, used in conjunction, actually helps to encourage people to recycle more. And since people are going to the store anyway, doesn't it make sense to just bring your recyclables to the store where you purchased it from?

A better way is reduce or have an alternative method to drink stuff from. Like not drinking bottled water and limiting or eliminating single serving non-biodegradable disposables. From now on, I'm not going to either buy any more water bottles or buy single serving plastic beverage containers.

Back to KAB. Part of their corporate sponsors include: Anheuser-Busch, Philip-Morris, Clorox Company, PepsiCo, Wrigley Jr. Co, Coca-Cola Co, Sherwin-Williams, Office Depot, Dow Chemical, etc. etc. You get the point. You can see their entire list here. Why is Whole Foods there?

Organics and fair trade tees

A recent study by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) found and reported the following in its report "White Gold: The true cost of cotton":

[photo courtesy of Don_Gato on Flickr]

-it takes 500 gallons of water to produce one cotton T-shirt
-considered the world's dirtiest crop, responsible for over $2B worth of pesticide use every
year
-the US or the US cotton industry cannot influence international policy or the policy of its trade partners
-unregulated use of pesticides on crops and forced labor of women and children is not uncommon in countries like Uzbekistan
-Uzbekistan is the world's second largest exporter of cotton to countries like Europe, China

Today's consumers are well aware of the reasons for buying organic cotton tees, but its difficult to know exactly where the cotton came from and under what labor conditions the cotton was made. Even American Apparel, who uses organic cotton in its lines, does not source all of its organic cotton from the US, which means that the source of the cotton must be under strict scrutiny. The problem is that since there is such a high premium today for organic cotton, this means that not only is there is a greater potential for fraud but cotton growers may be tempted to try to claim the organic status for the sake of commanding that higher price point. Since USDA organic standards do not include fair trade certification, then consumers might be deluded into thinking that the product they purchase has met rigorous standards in most areas. But because of the various steps taken to convert pure cotton into a t-shirt, the fact that its organic is only one part of what it means to be eco- and people- friendly.

The Organic Consumers Association is currently lobbying for a label that certifies something as being both organic & fair trade.

I totally admire those that want to buy and purchase and WEAR eco & fair trade stuff. I feel guilty that I have alot of old clothes which aren't certifiable eco or fair trade, but since I have alot of clothes, why do I need more? The current solution for me? Not to buy more shit. Or borrow from a friend.

Conserv?

Filled up at Conserv Fuel in Brentwood today. I know, I know, dependence on oil is something that eventually I should work on limiting, but since my work requires me to be pretty mobile, until I get a more energy efficient car or what not, I'm stuck, for the moment at least, to getting gas. And I figure...why not support Conserv instead of Exxon Mobil who has a huge lobby?

So I decided that I'm going to get my fuel here from now on. Granted, they only have 1 station, but I'm sure that'll change and they'll eventually have 2...or 3. The original company that owned Conserv had over 200 gas stations, under USA Gasoline. They sold USA Gasoline to some major company for over $200 million, but just decided to keep this one for themselves. They sell biodiesel, and yes, regular gas, and will be soon selling bioethanol (aka ethanol). My idea of filling up here is that since I'm going to have to fill up anyway, at least for now, shouldn't I fill up here instead of at Mobil? It's almost as if I'm choosing between the lesser of the two evils, but I think it positive to support those industries who in turn also support alternative fuel sources. That's my take. I know it's not the best option.

I'm considering getting a bicycle. If anyone is selling theirs, let me know. Preferably a woman's bike, I hate that bar in the middle on men's bikes. I don't know how men deal with that bar being there, I can't even stand it.

Conserv Fuel
11699 San Vicente Blvd
Brentwood, CA

Western Foodservice Expo Recap

Went to the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo on Saturday. Was kind of a disappointment comparing it to previous years' expos. This was was heckuva lot smaller for whatever reason, and less giving out samples. I heard some of the exhibitors grumbling how the venue would sell them bags of ice for $40! Before you could arrive hungry and leave totally stuffed. This time, whether it was due to the fact that there was not alot of nibblets to go around or that I no longer though deep fried mini corn dogs were palatable, I still left a bit hungry...but drunk hungry. Not a good combo.

I attended a seminar/mini panel discussion on the organic, local and sustainable food movement and how to incorporate these principles into your business or restaurant. On the panel was Laura Avery, from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, Michael Cimuristi, executive chef of Providence, Andrew Hunter of Wolfgang Express, and Anita Widmayer, director of Kaiser food & nutrition. The turnout was disappointing, like the expo, but alot of people who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know more about the movement were present. Essentially, the mood and tone of the discussion was that local and organic is good and a step in the right direction, but there are some difficulties in either implementation or cost involved and how these can be overcome.

I didn't really feel like eating alot of hydrogenated-infused samples, and prepackaged nuked stuff so I ended up eating either alot of fruit or drinking alot booze, none of which was organic or anything else, unfortunately. I did have some sushi, which was made by a machine. Wasn't that bad. Nope, Sara Lee ain't for me!




Among the endless rows of booths, DowAgro (wtf?) were present, showcasing their new omega-9 trans-fat free cooking oils. For some reason, I can't wrap my head around the concept of Dow making good and healthy cooking oil. Seems like a virtual and physical impossibility. I don't think I had any of what they were brewing or cooking up. The spokesperson for DowAgro seemed a little too eager to handle my questions & objections, as if he was playing defense in a hockey match.



I spied Aardvark straws among the riff raff, whose straws are totally biodegradable and made out of paper! I asked them whether they were made out of recycled paper, but they said they weren't. Nonetheless, it's a much better option than using the traditional plastic straws, which aren't biodegradable & made from petroleum. Whether it's even better than corn-starch straws, I don't know. It would seem better, just by virtue that the energy needed to make a paper straw is less than that of a corn derived straw, because of the processing involved to convert corn a polymer, whereas paper is just paper. I used it the other day and it was interesting....I didn't realize how slippery straws were until I used the paper alternatives. It's sorta like drinking through a pixie stick...just kind of weird and wet. But cool anyways.

The highlight for me definitely had to be the tofu/soy mexican food. It doesn't look like anything remotely appetizing in the picture but was delish. I must've hung around that table like 20 minutes, eating soy chicken and beef and soy tacos. They sell the stuff at Whole Foods, and for the life of me, I didn't remember their name- I was so busy munching and chowing down. Their soy chicken stuff, well, tastes like chicken, even down to the smell and texture, and their soy beef, well, ditto that too. I'm hooked. I'm kind of curious though....I'm not a fan of super processed stuff. I wonder what they do to these things to make them look, smell, and taste like meat but not derived from any meat ingredients at all?

Okra and Tomaters

I've been seeing alot of okra at the local farmer's markets lately. Figured I'd post this recipe, all vegan & vegetarian friendly, using mostly ingredients found at your local markets. Yummy, healthy, and overall, just darn good for you!

On another note, I unofficially enlisted as a volunteer at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market on Saturday, as sort of a official admin/guest relations gal to greet happy shiny market-goers. If they accept me, then I should be there this Saturday from 8am-11am.

Cajun-style Okra
[recipe courtesy of Pacific Coast Farmer's Market Assn]



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped fine
2 pounds fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium tomatoes, chopped fine



Cooking Instructions:
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and cook about two to three minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add okra and sprinkle with cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Stir-fry for another two to three minutes.Stir in tomatoes and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until okra has softened, about five to seven minutes.

Boobs and Bicycles

[photo from Days of Our Lives]
>>>I can't believe Sami and Lucas got married! And I can't believe how long its been since I've watched Days Of Our Lives.... not that I really miss it anyway. But on the filming of Sami's & Lucas's wedding, nearly everything was greenified, from the organic munchies from Ford's Filling Station to the replantable floral arrangements, the place settings and wedding cake made from organic ingredients. Carly Rooney, editor-in-chief of the Knot, gave some green wedding tips. I suppose if I wanted a green wedding I need to find someone to get married TO I suppose. Darn.


>>>It must be a sign. Or just my membership expiring. My AAA roadside assistance membership just came up for renewal. Time to switch to the BetterWorldClub! The first self-proclaimed 'environmentally friendly auto club', they offer discounts for hybrids and electric cars, eco-travel services, and the first 'auto' club to offer bicycle roadside assistance. In case your bike (or you) run out of gas. They also donate 1% of revenues to environ-cleanup and advocacy. Cheers.


>>>Came across a post by Siel that referenced a recent article in the LA Times about boob jobs and the link to suicide. Its probably not likely that in those cases, the boob job getting lead to suicides, but probably most likely that women who felt the desire to get fake titties were trying to compensate for their perceived shortcomings up top but realized that going under the knife actually made it worse. I've felt some urges to get it done myself, I won't lie. I had an epiphany and finally decided this weekend not to contemplate it further. It was an interesting coincidence and remarkable timing that Siel had brought it up though.


>>>Technology rendering some cliches obsolete & outdated? Maybe. It's now ok to judge a book by its cover. But people still do jump on bandwagons. Article from the Economist here.

AIGA Downtown Shopping Event...Go Local!

Shop and support local designers at this one day event in downtown LA.

The American Institute for Graphic Arts, aka AIGA is having a one-day marketplace event for only $10. All, if not most, of the designers are home-grown LAers who want to peddle their wares for decent prices. Who says christmas shopping can't be done in the summer?






Check out Tatico's line of 100% organic cotton baby tees (that's tees for baby) with cute little sayings.



[photo from Tatico]



You can mingle and listen to the sounds of DJ Droog on the turntables. Get two free drinks at the bar. Fill up on yummy's from Mama's Hot Tamales and other local LA downtownish food (like those bacon wrapped hot dogs that we all know about). They'll be raffling off an iphone as well. I wonder who'll be the lucky bugger to get that one.

After, poke on over to the Fashion District & Santee street. Who knows. You might find something.


SUN 12 Aug 2007 1 to 5pm
Santee Village Courtyard
716 South Los Angeles St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Green is the new Black

These days, new restaurants are opening up all over the place, promising and delivering farmer's market, local, sustainable, and seasonal produce and other items. Fraiche was one, Abode another. It's getting more and more difficult to distinguish between those establishments promoting eco because of a passion and a striving for sustainability as opposed to it just being trendy and just reciting eco-lines. Abode walks the line. It talks the talk...does it walk the walk? Hm...

[photo from EaterLA]

Recently, Leslie from the LA Times, in her article here pointed out how the manager approached her and pointed out how the decor was sustainable, from the recycled wood taken from other restaurants to the LEATHER chairs & sofas. Not only that, chef Crenn's mantra and philosophy has been "Sourcing all of her produce from local farmers, fishers and ranchers who use sustainable practices". I suppose New Zealand, Vietnam and Spain all count as local then.

Now it's great that they're striving for eco-bility, and that's all fine and dandy....but just be consistent! Having organic & local produce is GREAT, don't get me wrong, but if you're serving it alongside some seared foie gras topped with farmer's market cherries, something is not right there. (Yes, they do serve foie gras!) Yes, it's wonderful that the produce that they use does not have pesticides and is non-GMO and the beef is free-range, local, all that...but what good is organic free range force-fed and unnaturally fattened duck liver?

I might check this place out. Or not.

Abode Restaurant
1541 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica

West LA obon festival

Went to the West LA Buddhist Temple Obon Festival last weekend. Didn't post till now. Go fig.

All not very eco BUT good to go and support nonetheless. Had some chirashi rice, spring rolls, and chinese chicken salad.









Ahhh....I remember the good(?) ol' days when the parents used to dress me up in traditional japanese garb and make me wear lipstick in scorching hot summer heat. Good times. I'll have to remember to continue the tradish with my kids....if I had to suffer, damnit my kids should too!

Got a pic of these two kiddies. Too cute.







Taiko drummers. Good stuff.