| Greetings!
Thank you for receiving the monthly Sustainable Santa Monica e-Newsletter - Keeping you Informed of Santa Monica's current Events, News and Resources!
June offers some pretty amazing opportunities to get involved in our sustainable community. From the Buy Local Santa Monica launch to Workshops on Greening your Garden to Green Business Networking opportunities, you are sure to find inspiration this month!
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Buy Local!
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 Buying locally supports a Sustainable Santa Monica!!!
Buy Local Santa Monica was created by representatives of the Santa Monica business community and the City of Santa Monica to support local businesses and raise awareness of the community, economic and environmental benefits of choosing local first.
Top Eight Reasons to Buy Local:
1. It keeps dollars in Santa Monica's economy. For every $100 spent at a local business, $45 stays in the community. Spending locally ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested right here in Santa Monica.
2. It helps the environment. Buying local reduces your carbon footprint. Having a diverse range of businesses within walking or biking distance reduces the amount of driving you need to do, lessens traffic and air pollution and
helps to conserve land.
3. It keeps and creates local jobs. Studies show that locally owned businesses create more jobs in the community and often provide better wages and benefits than national chains.
4. It helps to keep us unique. Santa Monica is a city of neighborhoods, each with a town center comprised of businesses that are diverse and distinctive.
5. It nurtures our community. Many of our local businesses are committed to investing in Santa Monica, donating to charitable causes, actively getting involved in the community and helping to support local events and festivals.
6. It creates more choice. Local businesses respond to their customers and have freedom to chose the items they sell. They often carry a wider array of unique products that are locally made or produced. If you don't see what you want or need, ask!
7. It spurs entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of California's economy.
8. It's fun! Exploring Santa Monica, discovering what our 6,600+businesses have to offer, sharing advice on local gems, meeting your neighbors and new friends and getting exercise in the process....it's part of what makes Santa Monica such a great place.
Buy Local Santa Monica program partners: Pico Improvement Organization, Main Street, Montana, Bayside, CVB, Chamber, City of Santa Monica, Sustainable Works, City TV and Santa Monica Daily Press.
Buy Local Santa Monica |
| Land Use & Circulation Element (LUCE)
Community Workshops
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 On June 2nd, 2009, nearly 100 community members came together at the Santa Monica Library to discuss neighborhood conservation tools and strategies.
The City is undertaking a comprehensive update of the Land Use and Circulation Elements, and associated Zoning Ordinance. The Land Use Element and Circulation Elements are key components of Santa Monica's General Plan, and were last comprehensively updated in 1984. Much of Santa Monica's built environment and transportation network reflects the vision and goals articulated in these policy documents. It is now time to revisit these policies and frame the City's land use, urban design, and transportation vision for the next 20 years. We want you to be a part of this process so that we can build upon the City's history, challenges and opportunities and ideals of livability, sustainability, and smart growth.
The Land Use Element and Circulation Element reflects the community's goals and priorities about Santa Monica.
The Physical Environment: How our communities look, feel and function -- from the presence of sidewalks and street trees to the design of buildings and the air that we all breathe, The Economic Environment: Economic activities normally require circulation for materials, products, customers or employees -- the viability of the community's economy can be directly affected by circulation. The Social Environment: People's choices, activities and interactions with others are impacted by circulation systems -- systems should be accessible for all segments of the population, including the young, the poor, the elderly, and the disabled. City staff is attending meetings to present materials and get feedback from all types of communities in Santa Monica. If you would like to participate in this process, we will come to you! For more information on LUCE and how you can participate in Shaping the Future of Santa Monica during future workshops, please visit www.shapethefuture2025.net or call (310) 458-8341 |
Westside Permaculture Gathering
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 Join us as we revisit the Gardens of Gratitude event. What made it a
success? Where can we improve for next time? How can we help other
communities who wish to make something like this possible where they
live?
Then it will be time to look towards the future. Where are the
Westside Permies going as a group? How can we become more effective?
What project should we tackle next?
When:
Tuesday June 9th, @ 6:30pm
Where:
Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Multipurpose Room
Our group's original purpose was to create change in the neighborhoods we live in. So far we have had guest speakers give talks on rainwater harvesting, lawn removal, transition towns and more. We created the first public cob bench in Santa Monica, organized Permaculture workshops, and planted dozens of edible gardens. At the same time a new community has been forming in our city. One that is rich in relationships and abundance. One that shares that abundance with everybody. We look forward to continuing this mission while bringing our friends and neighbors along with us. Hope you will join us as well.
Like always, PLEASE bring food for potluck and your own reusable
utensils so you can enjoy the rich variety of food that people are so
kind to share.
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Green Business Networking
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Please join us by attending the only pure networking event for owners and decision-makers of LA's green economy.
Providing
the owners and decision-makers of socially and
environmentally conscious businesses a time and place for connecting,
sharing, deal-making and networking.
Delicious organic snacks provided by Whole Foods Market. Non-alcoholic beverages provided by Guayaki and Steaz. Wine provided by Parducci. Frozen delights provided by Coconut Bliss. Biocompostables provided by World Centric. The $10 door charge keeps this event sustainable.
When:
Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 6 - 9pm
Where:
The Ambrose Hotel, 1255 20th Street, Santa Monica
* Bike info - There's room on the Ambrose property for 4 bikes. Please bring your own lock.
* Bus info - Take the #2 Big Blue Bus and get off at 20th.
* Parking - public parking available at public lots on Arizona just east of the Ambrose Hotel , and on 20th one block south of the Ambrose Hotel . Please note hours of operation as there may be restrictions.
Green Business Networking's hosts are:
Greg Wendt - Enright Premier Wealth Advisors
Jeff Hayes - The Vector Group
Ferris Kawar - Sustainability Consulting
Benjamin Shakin - Sprout Business Consulting |
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Community Beach House Now Open! |
The Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State beach is open to all, no membership required.
Swim in the pool. Play a game of volleyball or beach tennis. Drop by
for a cultural event. Discover the rich history of the site. Celebrate
a special occasion against the backdrop of our sweeping ocean views.
Take in unparalleled Southern California sunsets.
Plan your day by reserving parking, pool passes and court time in
advance.
Avoid Parking Fees by riding the NEW Mini Blue Line to the beach House!
Have a great day at the beach!
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Water Allocations are Coming.
Are you Prepared?
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California's water supplies are in crisis. Santa Monica residents and businesses will be required to cut back water use. The City's wate efficiency expert will explain how water allocations will affect you, steps to start living a water wise lifestyle and funding opportunities to help you get started.
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| Green Living Workshop |
Green Living Workshops Starting in June!
Get the latest eco-info!
Save Money and Resources!
Lower your Ecological Footprint!
Workshop addresses Planetary Problems then shares Sustainable Solutions. Progress is tracked through a comprehensive Life Style Survey encouraging real sustainable change, making this a true interactive workshop.
Classes meet 1.5 hours per week for 6 weeks
New Workshops Starting:
Sunday, June 7, 2009
12:00pm -1:30pm
Church in Ocean Park
235 Hill Street, Santa Monica
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
7:00pm -8:30pm
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica
Classes have been filling up so register early!
More Info at Sustainable Works
Contact Nancy Barba
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Film Screening: Cost of Oil: Voices from Communities
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Crude Accountability and Pacific Environment are pleased to present:
The Cost of Oil: Voices from Communities Movie screening and panel discussion
Featuring:
David Gordon, Executive Director, Pacific Environment
Michelle Kinman, Deputy Director, Crude Accountability
When:
Wednesday June 24, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Where:
Laemmle's Monica 4-plex
1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica
Our addiction to oil has come at a high cost to our communities and
environment at home and abroad. As a nation we are at crossroads - we
can either continue our addiction with offshore drilling or invest in a
future built on clean, safe energy, healthy communities and a vibrant
environment.
Cost of Oil: Voices from the Artic, a movie produced independently by Stone Soup Productions, outlines the effects of offshore oil production on Alaska Native communities.
More Info and Tickets
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How To Green Your Garden: Class Series
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 This series of classes is for the Santa Monica gardener that wants to grow a beautiful and sustainable garden. Each class will walk you through a different topic to help make your garden a success and envy of your neighbors.Class Scheudle:
June 20 - Good Bugs, Healthy PlantsLearn which plants attract good bugs and how you can reduce your maintenance and chemical use in the garden.July 18 - No Sweat GardeningA "green" garden requires 60% less maintenance. Find out how and when to prune your plants, mulching and composting.September 19 - Plant Palette: Native PlantsChoosing climate-appropriate plants from our California native plant palette that offer a variety of colors, textures and fragrance.October 17 - Showers to FlowersHow to use rainwater and graywater to water your garden.Register:Online RegistrationTelephone Registration: 310.434.3400. Questions: For more information about this series, visit www.sustainablesm.org or call (310) 458-8972
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| Sustainable Santa Monica Homepage |
Learn everything you wanted to know about the various aspects of Sustainability in the City of Santa Monica, locate valuable resources and find out about happening events! Green Building (smgreen.org) and the events calendar have been incorporated into the homepage and we hope to keep it fresh over time.
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Thank you for your commitment to a Sustainable Santa Monica!
Sincerely,
Traci Reitz
www.sustainablesantamonica.org
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Santa Monica's Environmental
Programs Division is Renamed the Office of Sustainability
and the Environment - A new office of the City Manager
The move and the name
change were made to elevate and centralize the role of sustainability in the
municipal organization and allow for greater integration and coordination of
green programs and initiatives throughout the city. Sustainability has
been a City Council priority for many years and Santa Monica is nationally and
internationally recognized for its leadership in this area.
The Office of Sustainability and the
Environment may be a new name, but rest assured we still offer the same great
programs and serve as your sustainable city resource. To learn more about
our programs and policies, and find ways to participate in realizing a Sustainable
Santa Monica, visit us online.
Our website has a new name too:
www.sustainablesm.org
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