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| Sustainable Santa Monica Newsletter |
March 2010 | |
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| Greetings! |
Thank you for receiving this Newsletter-- Keeping you informed of everything Sustainable in Santa Monica, from community events, news, and resources, to business and educational opportunities!
The purpose of this Newsletter is to provide Santa Monica residents, businesses and organizations with the information and resources needed to help meet the goals of the Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan in eight target areas: Resource Conservation, Environmental and Public Health, Transportation, Economic Development, Open Space & Land Use, Housing, Community Education & Civic Participation, and Human Dignity.
You are sure to find inspiration this month as March offers some amazing ways to participate in our sustainable community!! |
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Sustainable Santa Monica Earth Day Student Poster Contest |
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ATTENTION ALL K-12 STUDENTS THAT LIVE OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN SANTA MONICA
The City of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability & the Environment, Big Blue Bus and Sustainable Works
Announce the 2010 Earth Day Student Poster Contest
Go Green. Ride Blue.
What Does Sustainable Transit Mean to You?
The purpose of the second annual Earth Day Poster Contest is to raise awareness of Santa Monica's Sustainable City Plan and this year's theme highlights one of the goal areas- sustainable transportation. As our student community and next generation leaders, we want to see your thoughts and ideas expressed through art about clean air, climate change, healthier lifestyles and sustainable transportation.
POSTERS DUE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17th!!
AWARDS
Grand Prize winners in each age category will have their poster art displayed on the outside of the Big Blue Bus in the king size ad space for one month! Runner-up winners will have their poster art displayed on the interior of the Big Blue Bus for a period of one month!
CEREMONY
All students, their families and teachers will be invited to an Earth Day Celebration on April 22, 2010 at the Santa Monica South Beach Green. Students will be recognized for their artistic contribution. Winning posters and all poster submissions will be displayed and prizes will be awarded!
Please contact Samantha Sommer with any questions, or call 310.458.8716 x 1.
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The California Sustainability Alliance Honors City of Santa Monica Sustainability Programming
GRAND PRIZE WINNER |
 
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The California Sustainability Alliance Announced the City of Santa Monica as grand prize winner of its 2009 Sustainability Showcase Awards held at the Renaissance Montura hotel in Los Angeles. Selected by an esteemed panel of industry leaders, The City of Santa Monica (The City) was recognized as the organization best exemplifying a holistic adoption of sustainability. Some of the City's sustainable efforts include:
· Purchasing 100% post-consumer recycled content copy paper for municipal operations saving an estimated 1.2 million gallons of water, 158,000 pounds of CO2 and 1,700 trees annually
· Transitioning eighty-two percent of the municipal fleet to alternative fuel and creating a 100% alternatively fueled public transit system (including liquid and compressed natural gas, biodiesel, hydrogen, and hybrid and electric vehicles); additionally, the transportation collaboration between the Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica College eliminated 1.6 million car trips within its first year of implementation
· Launching the Solar Santa Monica Program, doubling the solar capacity of the city with 139 grid connected solar projects to date, which represent 926 kilowatts of solar capacity
· Diverting more than 1 million pounds of food waste and over 137,000 pounds of hazardous waste materials from landfills in 2008 alone
· Recognizing and encouraging sustainable business through Green Building Certification and The City's own Sustainable Quality Awards
As the grand prize winner of the 2009 Sustainability Showcase, the City of Santa Monica will be featured in a video documentary showcasing its sustainable practices, and will have a grove of trees planted by Tree People, an environmental nonprofit that unites the power of trees, people and technology to grow a sustainable future for Southern California, creating a living monument to The City's contribution to California's sustainable future. Now in its second year, the Sustainability Showcase Awards recognize the successful sustainability policies, programs, practices, and technologies implemented by leading organizations.
For more information about The California Sustainability Alliance or the showcase, visit www.sustainca.org.
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2010 Sustainable Quality Awards- Finalists Announced!! |
 The Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Works and the City of Santa Monica are proud to announce this year's finalists for the Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA). For fifteen years the Sustainable Quality Awards have honored local organizations and businesses that make extraordinary contributions to our community. The SQA celebrate business' achievements in economic development, social responsibility, and stewardship of the natural environment.
This year's 2010 SQA finalists have made a commitment to leadership in sustainable business practices and are part the driving force for a sustainable Santa Monica:
Coopportunity
Gensler
Flair Cleaners
Living Homes
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Pacific Park
Sheraton Delfina
TCBY/ Starbucks
The Coffee Spot
The Doves Hair Art Team
Unitarian Universalist Community Church
West LA Print
SQA judging will take place in April and winners will be honored at the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on May 5, 2010 from 11:30am - 2pm at the Sheraton Delfina Hotel in Santa Monica, CA. Tickets for the SQA luncheon can be purchased through the Chamber at www.smchamber.com.
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Sustainable Works-- Green Living Workshop |
 Learn about the environmental problems and what you can do to help solve them!
The Green Living Workshops cover the following topics, one per week: Water, Energy, Waste, Chemicals, Transportation, and Shopping & Food.
We spend time each week learning about the problems related to each of the above topics on a global, national and local scale. Then with the help of the WorksBook, a comprehensive sustainability primer that all participants receive, we review ten related solutions. Workshops meet for six sessions at the same location and time.
Upcoming Workshops:
Choose a series that fits your schedule
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Starting Monday |
Starting Tuesday |
Starting Wednesday |
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March 1, 2010 |
March 2, 2010 |
March 3, 2010 |
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7-8:30pm |
7-8:30pm |
7-8:30pm |
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The Shores
South Tower
Conference Room
2800 Neilson Way
Santa Monica, CA 90405 |
Sustainable Works
1744 Pearl St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405 |
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Santa Monica, CA 90401 |
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LA Green Drinks- West Side |
 When: Thursday, March 4, 2010 Time: 7-10pm
Location: Check website for current location
The West Side Green Drinks location changes frequently. Please check the Green Drinks website to confirm before heading over. Green Drinks allows for anyone concerned about environmental issues to get together over a drink. Green Drinks events are very simple, informal, unstructured, and self organizing, but help connect the green network. Let's bring together the huge LA environmental community and have fun doing it! |
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Green Business Networking |
 When: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Time: 6 - 9pm
Location: The Ambrose Hotel
1255 20th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
You're invited to the only pure networking event for owners and decision-makers of LA's green businesses. We meet at Santa Monica's award-winning, sustainable Ambrose Hotel - where upscale tranquility meets affordable luxury www.ambrosehotel.com. Delicious organic snacks provided by Whole Foods Market. Wine and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available. |
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Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Garden Class |
 When: Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 6 - 9pm
Where: Hostelling International Santa Monica
1436 Second Street
Santa Monica 90401
FREE (w/ RSVP required)
RSVP with first and last name, phone number and email address to oceanfriendlygardens@surfriderwlam.org, or (310)694-8351.
This class teaches sustainable landscaping practices using principles of CPR© (Conservation, Permeability and Retention) utilizing conservation of valuable resources, permeable groundcovers, and water retention features to prevent urban runoff, while also creating wildlife habitat with native plants and designing beautiful spaces. Surfrider's OFG Program is committed to educating and activating people to create cleaner surf. Water leaving residential and other developed sites carries pollutants on its journey to the ocean. This urban runoff has become the #1 source of ocean pollution.
*$3 parking in public structure across street. Light food provided.
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Free Gardening Event |
 When: Thursday, March 11, 2010Time: 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium
Santa Monica Main Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Free Gardening Event - for apartment dwellers and homeowners alike.
Learn different techniques for sustainable gardening, and growing your
own food! Learn about California native plants, using water wisely,
utilizing your available space, and much more!
For more information see www.coopportunity.com or
contact marketing@coopportunity.com!
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City of Santa Monica Landscape Design Contest |
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 Your landscape design expertise is needed to help make 3 new demonstration gardens in Santa Monica a reality!!
The winning designs will be installed at 3200 Airport Ave across from Airport Park. The ideal gardens will feature beautiful climate-appropriate plants and sustainable landscaping elements. These garden designs will be made available to the public and local nurseries and irrigation equipment stores will sell the plants and equipment homeowners need to install the garden of their dreams. Contest ends Monday, March 15, 2010. Winners will be announced April 30, 2010.
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Santa Monica Green Building Program-- LEED Platinum Homes Open House |
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When: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Time: 10am-3pm
The City of Santa Monica has been a leader in supporting and promoting green building practices. There are six homes in the city that are either certified LEED Platinum or anticipating that achievement. To recognize this high mark of sustainability, the City invites you to tour these homes on March 20th, 2010. Each home will host an open house from 10 AM to 3 PM where the architect or owner will be present to answer questions about that sustainable features and the process they went through. Our partner in this event is the Emerging Green Builders (EGB) group of the USGBC-Los Angeles. The EGB group will provide volunteer docents to help answer questions and is also helping us put together information about the sites.
Some of the homes are completed and occupied, so please be respectful of the owners who have graciously invited you in to learn from their home. Other home sites are in different phases of construction, and you will be entering at your own risk, so please be careful.
There is no charge for tickets to this event. To RSVP, please use the Eventbrite Portal for Tickets. One week before the tour, we will email attendees with a map to the tour locations. If you are having trouble accessing the Eventbrite portal, please email brenden.mceneaney@smgov.net or call 310.458.8549 |
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TreeHugging Day II |
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 When: Saturday, March 20, 2010, 12 - 1pm
Where: Santa Monica Palisades Park at Ocean Ave. and Colorado Ave.
Just N. of the gateway to the Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica
90401
12:00 Noon- "Public Group Tree Hug" at the Children's Tree of Life in Santa Monica Palisades Park at Ocean Ave. and Colorado Ave.
12:45PM- "Palisades Park Tree Hugging March" Participants will be hugging trees along a 4- block march through the park from Colorado Ave. north to Wilshire Blvd.
1:00PM- We will conclude the march with an "Extra Big Tree Hug" at the lofty and historically landmarked Moreton Bay Fig Tree in the courtyard entrance of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel located at the N.E. corner of Ocean Ave. and Wilshire Blvd.
For More Information, please go to www.treehuggingday.com or email TreeHuggingDay@earthlink.net
*Sponsored by the Alliance for Survival* |
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Green Garden Academy |
 Presented by the Santa Monica Public Library and the Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment, The Green Garden Academy is the official school of sustainable gardening! Each class will walk participants through a different topic to help make your garden a huge success and the envy of your neighbors.
Classes are taught by Russell Ackerman, ecological landscape designer and water resource conservation expert, and will be held one Saturday each month, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Multipurpose Room at the Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. Participants can earn up to 34 total class units; 17 units are needed to graduate. Join in this fun and informative series at any time!
Compost Workshop (3 units)
Learn the ins and outs of compost, and how to build a worry free compost pile. Discover easy soil building techniques by finding out what soil you have and how to improve it.
When: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm
Where: Santa Monica Public Library, Multipurpose Room
601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica 90401
Cost: FREE and open to the public
This class is part one of a 12-part monthly series, The Green Garden Academy.
Learn more about this series at www.sustainablesm.org/landscape
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2010 Los Angeles Marathon |
 The 2010 LA Marathon takes place on March 21, 2010 and features a new Stadium to the Sea course starting at Dodger Stadium and winding its way through Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica on the way to a picturesque finish in front of the Pacific Ocean.
For more information on the 2010 LA Marathon including accommodations for the race and the Finish Line Beach Party next to the Santa Monica Pier, visit www.lamarathon.com.
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Spring 2010 SMC Environmental & Urban Issues Lecture Series |
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March 23: Solar Technologies Saving Lives in Africa and Beyond
Learn how Laura Stachel is going solar to save lives in Nigeria during this program cosponsored by our friends in psychology. Bundy 335.
March 30: Defining Global Citizenship: Energy and Environmental Consciousness
Fethiye Ozis examines common issues of sustainability as we build bridges between Turkey and the U.S. Bundy 123.
Time: 6:30pm
Where: Santa Monica College Bundy Campus (MAP)
All programs start at 6:30pm on TUESDAY nights at the Bundy campus and last at least one hour, plus a question and answer session. Limited seats may be available...first come, first served. |
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Car Free Friday! |
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 THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS "CAR-FREE FRIDAY!" More bikes on LA streets for a healthier and cleaner Los Angeles! Car-Free Friday encourages more people to ride a bike at least one day a month. Experience the greater Los Angeles area by bike and stay healthy, save money, reduce green house gas emissions and have fun! Get a friend who does not ride yet, to join you on the last Friday of the month to ride to work, to party, to shop, to eat, to hang, TO BIKE IT!!
When: Friday, March 26, 2010
Where: Everywhere, Los Angeles County |
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Last Fridays on Main Street |
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The Friday Before First Fridays Is Here At Last! On March 26th and the last Friday of every month, participating Main Street businesses will stay open late with specials and special events!!
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Earth Hour 2010 |
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 When: Saturday, March 27, 2010
Time: 8:30-9:30pm
Santa Monica City Council unanimously passed a motion that the City of Santa Monica participate in the worldwide Earth Hour 2010 by turning off all non-essential lighting for one hour at 8:30pm local time. |
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Sustainable Cinema: Food, Inc. |
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 When: Wednesday, March 31, 7:00 pm, MLK Jr. Auditorium
Where: Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing how our food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. Food, Inc. reveals surprising and often shocking truths about what we eat, how it's produced and who we have become as a nation. A discussion and Q&A with Belinda Campos, from the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, will follow the film.
Cosponsored by the Santa Monica Public Library, City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability & the Environment, and Sustainable Works |
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SAVE THE DATE!! |
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SAVE THE DATE: Gardens of Gratitude 100 Garden Challenge!! |
 Is it possible to transform a town into an edible oasis in one weekend?This April, we're attempting to plant 100 Edible Gardens in 1 Weekend on the Westside of Los Angeles. Join a Garden Crew to help plant a garden in your neighborhood, or Register to Grow a Garden to have your garden added to our map and planted with the help of our volunteers and gardening experts! In one weekend, hundreds of Angelenos will join together to grow food and community in one giant garden party!
Join us in making our town an abundant, edible paradise of fruits, berries, nuts, veggies and flowers!
April 24th & 25th, 2010
Growing Food & Community 1 Garden at a Time.
How it works is simple:
Everyone can have a garden. Grow herbs in your kitchen, a potted garden on your balcony, a fruit tree in the front yard, or replace your whole lawn with an edible food forest. We can even help supply volunteer labor and the know how. Help us meet our challenge by SIGNING UP your site today!
After you sign up we will contact you with more details!!
2) Join a Garden Crew
There are a few ways to participate and get involved with this year's event. Please click here to SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER.
For More info about the 100 Garden Challenge, go to www.gardensofgratitude.org. |
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SAVE THE DATE!! Sustainable Works Featured Non-Profit for April at the Library Alehouse |
When: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
There will be a party and a drawing for prizes. 15% of the day's sales will be donated to Sustainable Works. Mark your calendar and come out to celebrate - eat, drink and be merry while supporting Sustainable Works!
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Farmers Market Living Sustainable Tips |
 Reduce plastic use by bringing your reusable water bottle to the Farmers Market and fill up at the Water Refill Station.
- Recycle batteries at all four Farmers Markets - look for the recycling receptacle near the information booths.
- Return egg cartons and strawberry baskets to the farmers you purchased them from - they'll reuse them!
- Bring reusable canvas bags to the market to carry your purchases home
- Reduce pollution, traffic congestion and stress - Bike to the Sunday Farmers Market and use the free bike valet.
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Community Corporation of Santa Monica |
The Commitment of the Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM) to develop and manage affordable housing is a great service to the Santa Monica community. Solar Santa Monica is pleased to announce that CCSM's commitment is also sustainable. Over the past month, solar thermal systems were installed on seven CCSM properties. Using the sun to heat water will help CCSM save natural gas and money.
After setting a budget, CCSM sought assistance from Solar Santa Monica. First, the team at Solar Santa Monica analyzed the rooftops to ensure enough solar thermal panels could be installed to effectively heat water for the number of tenants at each property. Second, Solar Santa Monica analyzed the gas bills from the last 12 months to determine how many panels would be needed and the approximate savings CCSM would receive over the life of the solar system. Next, the team drafted a Request for Proposal (RFP) to be sent to Solar Santa Monica's list of Preferred Solar Contractors. It was a detailed process; here are some of the items included in the RFP:
· Systems sized to eliminate 60% of hot water gas costs for each building.
· Systems located on each building to leave maximum room for future photovoltaic arrays, and to comply with all local codes, including line-of-site provisions.
· Panel collectors listed by size, brand, and type, with maximum weight of each when filled with liquid.
· Specs on mounting and racking method and equipment, including size and quantity of thermal storage tanks.
· The number and type of pumps, automatic controls, mixing valves, solar bypass, and other included circulating equipment.
· And more: insulation of hot water pipes, earthquake straps, solar piping, permitting, warranties, and schedule.
After hosting a job-walk, and receiving bids from five contractors, CCSM chose Environmental Solar Design, Inc. to install the systems. (Environmental Solar Design has participated in the Solar Santa Monica program from its beginning.) The systems are anticipated to save CCSM $18,500 a year starting in year one, representing a 50% cut in water heating costs. "Solar thermal is a magnet for other related controls...some save both gas and water, and the building has to be looked at holistically," says Bob Ellis, President of Environmental Solar Design. "The savings result from all the changes that were made."
For questions and comments, please contact: susan.munves@solarsantamonica.com |
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Train to Become a Volunteer Solar Panel Installer |
 GRID Alternatives is a non-profit organization that installs solar electric systems for low-income homeowners in partnership with local families, volunteers, and job trainees.
To volunteer, please visit their WEBSITE and follow the simple instructions. |
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Use the IPhone to Green Your Neighborhood |
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 Want to report someone hosing off, using a leaf blower, or dumping in the storm drain? Now it's as easy as pushing a button! Use the new iphone app to report eco-violations to the City of Santa Monica. Going green has never been so easy!
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Water Savings! |
 Thanks for Saving! Even though we've had our normal amount of rain this year, we're still in a water supply shortage. But with your help we've reduced our water use 9% in Santa Monica since the crisis began in 2007. We still need to save more to reach our goal of 20%. Look below for more ways you can help.
Homeowners - rebates are available for qualified toilets, clothes washer, and irrigation products. For more information, visit www.socalwatersmart.com or call (888) 376-3314. Don't wait - these rebates are limited!
More rain predicted. Did you get a rain barrel or cistern yet? It's not too late to get up to $500 for rain harvest products and installation. Rebates available for Santa Monica residents only. Call (310) 458-8972 or visit www.sustainablesm.org/rebates. |
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Big Blue Bus Ready to Move Forward with Plans for New High Tech Bus Stops in Santa Monica |
 After gaining City Council approval at last night's meeting, the Big Blue Bus has announced it is ready to begin the next phase of its bus stop redevelopment project that will eventually replace or enhance all 360 bus stops around the city. The agency's goal is to have the first new stops in place by December 2010.The proposed new stops will include a contemporary and creative design that utilizes sustainable materials, passenger friendly maps and timetables, and improved amenities to enhance the rider experience. All stops will also be equipped with GPS-based technology to provide different kinds of real-time schedule information to waiting passengers.
"One of the most essential elements of this project is enhancing the information we provide to our customers," said Stephanie Negriff, Big Blue Bus director of transit services. "We want to give riders real-time schedule information wherever we can to help their commutes, and we also want to provide simple, stop-specific maps and timetables so that taking transit is easy."
Negriff noted that while improving technology was a key element, it was also important to make the waiting environment as welcoming as possible. Extensive sun and shade studies were done at locations throughout the city, resulting in a conceptual design that will provide passengers with the maximum shade possible during the hottest parts of the day.
Los Angeles design firm Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects (LOHA) was selected from among several top architectural firms to design the project. In addition to site surveys of the stops, they also held focus groups and outreach presentations with residents, bus riders, business groups, community organizations and city staff to determine what key attributes should be considered.
Their findings showed that the ultimate design should - in addition to providing the maximum shade possible - enhance the streetscape, allow for maximum visibility, offer easily readable transit information, and provide for the most current and future transit technologies to be implemented. In addition, the stops/shelters needed to be as impervious as possible to vandalism, adhere to ADA regulations and be cost effective to maintain. It was also imperative to include sustainability into the design to reduce energy costs.
"We have a long standing commitment to operating eco-friendly," said Negriff, "so these new shelters have to have a minimal impact on the natural environment." The agency plans to use advanced sustainable technologies and materials, and simplified construction and maintenance systems to accomplish this objective.
LOHA's Santa Monica-inspired conceptual design, called "The Blue Spots," is clean and unobtrusive, and was designed to enhance the city's ambiance. The structures will be flexible and able to adapt to various sized locations around the city.
All of the new stops will feature:
· A simplified Big Blue Bus system map
· A localized map showing areas within walking or biking distance
· A listing of all bus lines that use that stop
· A timetable and route map of lines stopping at that location
· Estimated travel times to key points along the route
· An ID number that will allow riders to access next bus arrival information via cell phone
· A shelter canopy
In addition to the above features, locations with medium and high volume rider patterns will also receive:
· Signs that broadcast real time bus arrival information
· Seating (select low volume stops may also receive seating)
· Trash and recycling containers
· Lighting that illuminates the structure and waiting area
Nearly 100 stops fit into the medium and high volume categories, including the stops on Pico Boulevard at Santa Monica College and at Lincoln Boulevard. The project has been budgeted at $6.9 million, with $3 million coming from Federal Transit Administration funds and nearly $2.5 coming from stimulus funds. The Big Blue Bus will provide the remaining funding.
The conceptual drawings of the new bus stops and shelters will go through a thorough review and comment period before the final design is selected for production. Renderings are now available for public review and comment at www.bigbluebus.com. The website also includes an online forum for feedback, and a schedule of upcoming community meetings where the new stops and other topics of interest will be discussed. | |
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Thank you for your commitment to a Sustainable Santa Monica!
Sincerely,
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Samantha Sommer
Sustainable Santa Monica
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