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| Sustainable Santa Monica Newsletter | July 2011 |
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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 July offers some amazing ways to participate in our sustainable community!! Let us all resolve to be a greener, healthier and more engaged community in Santa Monica this and every day as you take advantage of the many programs, policies and opportunities the City of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability and the Environment has to offer!
Have a safe, fun and green 4th of July!
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4th of July Parade! |
STARTS AT 9:30am
Main Street (starting in front of City Hall, ending at the beach!)
This is a great LOCAL event with participation this year from Buy Local Santa Monica businesses, BLSM committee and friends. For anyone wanting to march with the "Buy Local" group, we're meeting at 8 a.m. at 1901 Main St (corner of Pico + Main) to pick up our signs and sign our waivers. You're welcome to join us. For more info on the parade: http://www.opa-sm.org/parade.
Organized by the Ocean Park Association. Happy 4th! |
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Garden Sharing - A Winning Partnership | 
With the popularity of community gardens continually on the rise in Santa Monica, the waiting list continues to grow and outpace available plots. With no new community garden site planned in the City in the near future, staff has been looking for other opportunities to get gardeners growing and one such opportunity is the Garden Sharing Registry. The concept is simple: gardeners looking for room to grow opt-in to the registry; property owners in need of help to make the most of their available land choose a gardener from the list. Together they establish the terms of their partnership from length of time, frequency of gardening, plants to grow, and cost sharing. As an innovative way to meet community demand, this program is a win-win for the City because it encourages social interaction between the community members, addresses recreational needs, and meets sustainability goals.
To date, nine partnerships have been formed. Interested gardeners and property owners can contact the Community Recreation Division at (310) 458-8573, or go online for more information. |
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405 Closure Weekend- STAY LOCAL, PLAY LOCAL, BUY LOCAL! |  Stay and play like a local and avoid the traffic hassle when the 405 closes from the 10 to the 101 on July 16 & 17. (For more information, visit the Metro web site.) Buy Local Santa Monica and our community partners are working with local businesses to provide special offers and activities for locals and visitors who stay in town this weekend and avoid the freeways. Check back as the weekend approaches for:
- 45 things to do without the 405
- Dinner specials for $40.05
- Appetizer/drink specials for $4.05
Brand new biking and walking itineraries for car-free fun in Santa Monica, and more! |
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Santa Monica Green Business Certification Program | |
 The Green Business Certification Program is a voluntary program that encourages businesses to implement proactive actions that are good for their bottom line and the environment. The Santa Monica Green Business Certification Program is a collaboration between the City of Santa Monica, Sustainable Works, Chamber of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Santa Monica College, Small Business Development Center, to recognize businesses that meet the City of the Santa Monica's resource efficiency standards in the areas of Waste Reduction, Energy and Water Efficiency, Pollution Prevention, Sustainable Procurement, and Transportation Management. For details of the required and optional measures businesses must achieve, visit www.smgbc.org/gettingstarted.
 The Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to announce our Santa Monica Green Business recertification for 2011-2013! We are excited to continue to maintain an environmentally conscious office environment for our employees and take part in the sustainable practices that help make the City of Santa Monica such an amazing destination.
July's Green Business Feature: Hostelling International-Los Angeles/Santa Monica  WHAT: Hostelling International-Los Angeles/Santa Monica reveals an eco-friendly, high-end hostel experience two blocks from the beach. The environmentally conscious hostel features 260 beds on four floors with a member's kitchen, game room, computer center, library, laundry facilities, and movie and television room. Throughout the hostel, natural light shines inside via windows and skylights. The communal kitchen is stocked with only reusable dishes and utensils for guests to wash and sanitize after use. The colorful walls are coated with low to zero-VOC paints. Hostelling International in Santa Monica uses environmentally-friendly cleaning methods facility wide such as vinegar and peroxide based Green Seal Certified cleaners. They use a very innovative, non-toxic window cleaning method called the Ionator EXP™ which is a cleaning dispenser that converts tap water into ionized water. The ionized water can also be used as a general purpose cleaner. By participating in the SoCal Edison Express Efficiency program, vending machines have Vending Miser motion sensor devices installed -cutting energy use up to 40%. Many major appliances and office equipment such as refrigerators, vending machines and copiers are Energy StarŪ. All office paper is printed on both sides before it is recycled and contains minimum 30% post-consumer content. Visit our website for more information. WHERE: Hostelling International - Los Angeles/Santa Monica, 1436 2nd Street Santa Monica, CA 90401, Map 
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Green Garden Academy | |
July's class: Water Wise Irrigation
 WHAT: Learn how and when to water your plants, including how to program your controller. Discover the basics of water wise irrigation. Find out about irrigation systems that meet local requirements including drip irrigation, subsurface irrigation and rotary sprayheads. You'll also learn about the vital interaction between plants, soil and water. WHEN: Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 10:30pm-1:30pm WHERE: Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401, Map WHAT ELSE: Click here to register |
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Recycling & Resource Management | 
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Santa Monica College | |
WHAT: Introduction to Sustainable Landscape Maintenance
Taught in English and Spanish. Learn about the City of Santa Monica's sustainable landscaping principles, landscape and irrigation requirements, rebates and programs for landscape professions. Learn to troubleshoot common maintenance problems. Mandatory for Sustainable Landscape Maintenance Professionals Program eligibility. Ensenada en ingles y espanol. Los elementos principales de un jardin sostenible de la ciudad de Santa Monica, requerimientos de irrigacion y jardines, rebates y programas para jardineros profesionales, aprenda como solucionar problemas comunes de mantenimiento. WHEN: Tuesday, July 26 2011, 4pm-7pm
WHERE: Santa Monica College, Bundy Campus room 123, 3171 South Bundy Drive, Santa Monica, CA 90066, Map
WHAT ELSE: Free, but for professionals only. Click here for more information
WHAT: Introduction to Sustainable Landscape Design
Learn the fundamental principles of sustainable landscaping and how to incorporate these ideas into your next design. See examples of local landscapes, and explore the blueprint for their success. Find out more about Santa Monica's Sustainable Landscape Design Professionals Program and network with professionals like yourself. Mandatory for Sustainable Landscape Design Professionals Program eligibility.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 12 2011, at 4pm-7pm
WHERE: Santa Monica College, Bundy Campus room 123, 3171 South Bundy Drive, Santa Monica, CA 90066, Map
WHAT ELSE: Free, but for professionals only. Click here for more information
WHAT: Introduction to Sustainable Landscape Installation
Join us for this free hands-on series! Learn how to take a sustainable landscape design and install it. Discover all the elements of a successfully installed project, including installation of irrigation parts, plant material, and permeable hardscapes. Gain weather based irrigation controller scheduling skills. Find out more about Santa Monica's Sustainable Landscape Installation Professionals Program and network with professionals like yourself. Mandatory for Sustainable Landscape Design Professionals Program eligibility.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 19 2011, 4pm-7pm
WHERE: Santa Monica College, Bundy Campus room 123, 3171 South Bundy Drive, Santa Monica, CA 90066, Map
WHAT ELSE: Free, but for professionals only. Click here for more information
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Energy Upgrade California Launches:
Up to $4,500 Back for Los Angeles County Homeowners | 
Did you know that almost half of your home heating and air conditioning could be lost through your walls, ceiling and floors? The website is a one-stop-shop, with energy efficiency information and resources for homeowners. You can take a house "tour" to see the types of improvements you can make and the types of rebates and incentives available. You select an Energy Upgrade participating contractor, who can help determine the extent of energy loss in your home through lack of insulation, leaky windows, doors or air ducts, inefficient heating and air conditioning units and old lighting fixtures-and what you can do to fix them. They will also help you apply for all incentives and rebates you're eligible for.
Energy Upgrade California now offers homeowners up to $4,500 in rebates and incentives for home energy improvements, made by participating contractors. Increasing your home's energy efficiency can improve your home's comfort, reduce your energy costs, reduce your impact on the environment, and also create local green jobs.
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Airport Avenue Demonstration Gardens
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Whole Lotta Projects Goin' On! | |
WHAT: Our most popular Leadership Series event - a three-hour tour of public construction projects and improvements throughout the city! Our annual bus tour of public construction projects will show off a city's worth of improvements and future plans, with staff from the City Manager's Office, Community and Cultural Services and Public Works at the helm. Special tour stops this year include: See where the water comes from at the NEW Water Treatment Plant Learn more about the upcoming EXPO Line Experience how our Civic Center will be transformed by world-class facilities and two new parks!
WHEN: Saturday, July 9, 2011, 8:30am-12.30pm
WHERE: Santa Monica Main Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard, Map
WHAT ELSE: Tour bus leaves at 9 a.m. SHARP! Registration required due to limited seating. The Big Blue Charter Bus leaves the Santa Monica Main Public Library and the tour lasts approximately three hours. The library and the bus used for the tour is accessible to persons with disabilities. The Library is served by Big Blue Bus lines 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10. For more information, call 310-458-8301.
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Bike Share, a System for Santa Monica?
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USGBC-LA Branch Westside
|  Formed in January of 2010, the Westside Branch is the third to be developed from USGBC-LA.
There is a thriving and active professional population in the Westside who will participate as long as they believe Branch activities have legitimate value. The branch will focus on the provision of programs that add technical and intellectual depth to the green building process. Because the knowledge of sustainable design policy, research, methodology and products is vast, events that create networking opportunities are also priority in order to foster the collaborative exchange of ideas and information. To that end, participant diversity is critical and our goal is to engage professionals from the A/E/C and real estate/finance sectors as well as those representing legislation and public policy, academia, etc.
Connect with the Westside Branch of the United States Green Building Council in Los Angeles to network and foster the collaborative exchange of ideas related to green building in the local area. Check out our Facebook page here.
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Santa Monica Chamber Health And Fitness Festival | |
WHAT: The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce welcomes summer the healthy way at the annual Santa Monica Chamber Health & Fitness Festival. Chamber member organizations gather at the Festival to share expertise, advice, and product samples that promote a healthy and happy lifestyle for the entire Santa Monica Community. The Santa Monica Chamber Health & Fitness Festival provides valuable services, such as health screenings, demonstrations, healthy living information, and allows non-profits the opportunity to educate the community about what they do and how to get involved. This event is free to the public and draws thousands of people every year to the Third Street Promenade.
WHEN: Saturday, July 30, 2011
WHERE: Third Street Promenade, Map
WHAT ELSE: If you are interested in sponsoring the event or reserving an exhibitor table, download and fill out the following sponsorship and exhibitor forms. Questions? Please contact Magdalena Davis at events@smchamber.com or (310) 393-9825.
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What Drives Water Consumption Patterns in the City of Los Angeles? |  WHAT: Please join us in conversation with researchers from UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Civil & Environmental Engineering Department. Researchers will report their findings on the demographics and trends of LA's water consumption. They invite questions and feedback for ongoing research from roundtable participants. |
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Green Business Networking
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WHAT: On the second Tuesday of every month, you're invited to the only pure networking event for owners and decision-makers of LA's green businesses. Delicious organic snacks, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 6pm-9:30pm
WHERE: Working Village, 212 Marine street Santa Monica, CA, Map
COST: $15 at door, $10 pre-pay online
WHAT ELSE: For further event information, please contacts us at greenbusinessnetworking@gmail.com
AND: Did you know BGN events are also recycling collection points? Bring your old batteries, cell phones, clean, dry and empty plastic shopping bags, dry cleaning bags and newspaper wrappers, and we will properly dispose of them for you!
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West LA Green Drinks | |
  WHAT: Los Angeles Green Drinks is part of an international networking organization that allows for anyone concerned about environmental issues to get together over a drink. Green Drinks events are very simple, informal, unstructured, and allow for moments of serendpity. We connect the LA environmental community and have fun doing it! Join us at Mindful Nest in Santa Monica, a contemporary gallery featuring artisan, fair trade and sustainable crafts. Green Drinkers will receive 15% off in-store purchases.
WHEN: Thursday, July 7th, 2011 7pm-10pm
WHERE: Mindful Nest, 2711 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90405, Map
WHAT ELSE: $5 suggested donation. Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) if you can!
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Green Living Workshops | |
Sign up for a Green Living Workshop to learn about environmental problems and sustainable solutions, which can have a positive impact on your life and the health of the planet!
What You'll Learn
The Green Living Workshop covers the following topics, one per week:
Water | Energy | Waste | Chemicals | Transportation | Shopping & Food
Workshop meets for six sessions at the same location and time.
Learn about the problems related to each of the above topics on a global, national and local scale, then with the help of the WorksBook take action on ten related solutions.
Santa Monica Workshop Exclusive
Receive Eco-Toolkits for Workshop Completion!
Participants now earn a special Eco-Toolkit filled with goodies when all workshop requirements are met. This is in addition to the items given to participants each week of the workshop series.
$25 Suggested donation for Santa Monica residents.
$50 Suggested donation for Non-Santa Monica residents.
Choose a series from the list below that best fits your schedule.
Monday, June 6, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm 6 Monday Meetings, Starting June 6, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm: 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, NO MTG 7/14, 7/18 WHERE: Santa Monica YWCA, Map Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm 6 Wednesday Meetings, Starting June 8 2011, 7pm-8.30pm: 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/6, 7/13 WHERE: Santa Monica Public Library, Map Thursday, June 9, 2011, 7.30pm-9pm 6 Thursday Meetings, Starting 7June 9, 2011, 7.30pm-9pm: 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14 WHERE: Patagonia, Map Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm 6 Tuesday Meetings, Starting June 14, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm: 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19 WHERE: CODA, Map Click here to reserve your spot in a Green Living Workshop today!
Contact Gina Garcia with any questions
Sustainable Works supports the City of Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan
Sustainable Works is a project of Community Partners
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Business @ Sunset Mixer | |
 
WHAT: Santa Monica Chamber's monthly mixer! Hosted by a different Chamber member each month. With over 100 members at each event, it is a perfect way to network and make important business contacts. For SM Chambers and prospective members.
Join us for a night of food, drinks, and networking at TIATO Market Garden Cafe, recently named the Caterer of the Year by BizBash. With over 100 members at each event, it is a perfect way to network and make important business contacts. All attendees will receive 2 drink tickets plus complimentary tray-passed appetizers. FREE underground parking. Make sure to get your parking ticket validated by the restaurant in order to receive free parking.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at 5.30pm-7.30pm
WHERE: Tiato Market Garden Cafe, 2700 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90404, Map
ADMISSION: $15 members (in advance), $20 members (at the door, $25 prospective members)
WHAT ELSE: To purchase tickets, click here. If you are NOT a member of the Chamber, you will need to create a login/password. If you ARE a member of the Chamber, and do not remember you username/password, email membership@smchamber.com
NOTE: Prospective members may attend 2 events before joining the Chamber.
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Beach Cleanups in July | |
WHAT: Heal the Bay's monthly Nothin' But Sand cleanups are open to all. Volunteers must be 12 years old or accompanied by a parent. Bags and gloves will be provided. To help cut down on the number of bags we use for our cleanups, please bring a bucket or bag.
WHEN: Saturday July 23, 2011 at 9am-12pm
WHERE: Playa del Rey Toes Beach, 6200 Pacific Avenue, CA 90293, Map
WHAT ELSE: Register online, and please let us know If you are bringing a group of 10 or more.
Note: All cleanup volunteers must have a signed waiver form. 
WHAT: Surfrider Beach Cleanup at County Line. Beach Cleanups are the most immediate action you can take to make our coasts and ocean cleaner and healthier. They are a great way to publicly declare your concern for our local beaches to the various visitors and tourists that frequent them. By picking up trash before it enters the ocean, you prevent the cigarette butts and plastic, which often get mistaken for food, from being eaten by sea animals.
WHEN: Saturday July 9, 2011 9am-10am
WHERE: Zuma Beach, Malibu, Map
WHAT ELSE: For more information, please contact bcu@surfriderwlam.org
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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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