Learn what we can do to save our oceans

Join us Sunday to meet Anna Cummins of Algalita Marine Research and discuss lifestyle changes we can all make now to reduce the problems caused by plastic pollution in our oceans.

The Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF), in partnership with Livable Legacy will conduct the first comprehensive global study on plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. For over ten years, AMRF has been recognized as an authority on the study of plastic pollution in the North Pacific Gyre. Since Algalita’s first published paper in 1999, the organization has documented a twofold increase in the density of plastic particles in the North Pacific, as well as alarming new evidence of plastic in the food chain through ingestion by marine wildlife. There is however a lack of research and information on plastic pollution in the gyres of the North and South Atlantic, the South Pacific, or the Indian Ocean.

With two upcoming expeditions to the North and South Atlantic Gyres, and a “travel trawl” program lending research equipment to other vessels of opportunity, the 5 gyres project will collect global data on plastic marine debris, and will establish a clearinghouse for information on plastic pollution worldwide, through the 5 gyres website. The goal is to bring the issue of plastic pollution to a wider audience, and engage the public in solutions.

Mar Vista Goes Clean!!!

We did it!!! Last night the MVCC Board adopted the Green Committee proposal on clean electricity!

Whereas coal-burning power plants deliver 44% of Los Angeles DWP electricity and yet coal-burning is widely recognized as a major contributor to climate change; whereas significant federal and state funding are available in California to make clean energy solutions such as photovoltaic solar panels affordable for residents and businesses; and whereas 84 Mar Vista residents have signed the petition to repower Mar Vista with 100% clean electricity by 2018; Mar Vista hereby adopts a goal to develop a roadmap and achieve net 100% clean electricity utilization within the Mar Vista community as a whole by 2018.

Thank you for making this happen! We invite everyone interested in contributing to join us at the December 6th Green Committee meeting.

Here is our first step - make sure you have signed up for Green Power with the LADWP. For only 3 cents more per kilowatt hour you will be purchasing renewal energy. Please encourage your neighbors to do the same. House by house, block by block, this is the first step in converting Mar Vista to 100% clean energy. The more we support this program, the more that the DWP can invest in developing clean energy sources.

Check out this great article in Scientific American!

Stop burying treasures!

Why bury treasures in a landfill when they can be reused?

Meet The ReUse People and learn how deconstruction can help the environment - and save you money! Arthur Renaud, a Certified Green Building Professional and Regional Manager of The ReUse People of America, Inc. will be our guest at the MVCC Green Booth this Sunday.

For over 15 years, architects, contractors and building owners have relied on The ReUse People to keep reusable and recyclable building materials out of overburdened landfills. By de-constructing (instead of demolishing) a building, TRP is able to salvage up to 80 percent of the materials and channel them back into the marketplace through donations and sales at its network of retail outlets. These services are among the first steps in the green building process. Furthermore, tax-deductible donations of reusable materials to TRP, a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation, provide a faster payback and better return-on-investment than any other product or service offered by the green building industry.

In addition to deconstruction and building-materials salvage and sales, TRP offers deconstruction training programs and "best practices" consulting through The ReUse Institute. Together, these products and services combine exemplary environmental practices with sound economic policies, to the benefit of communities and individuals everywhere.

After they deconstruct a building, the salvaged materials are delivered to one of their regional retail-warehouses, where they are open to the public. Here you can find quality material and appliances at great prices - - And, you will be helping the environment!

Through the efforts of The ReUse Deconstructon Company (a division of TRP) and those of their TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractors, over 260,000 tons of reusable materials have been diverted from our landfills. Photos above are two homes that have been deconstructed with materials going to their LA store.

Sustainable or drought tolerant. What’s the difference?

Sarah Pugh of Outside Landscape Design will be our guest at the MVCC Green Booth this Sunday. Sarah specializes in landscape design that celebrates outdoor living in southern California. She will provide insight in how to utilize a rich plant material palette that is drought tolerant, wildlife friendly and easily maintained.

Join us as she shares the distinctions between sustainable, drought tolerant, and native plant material. See samples and learn what each means and how they differ. She will have live plants, sourcing information and landscape examples.

It began with a porch light...

We converted to CFL light bulbs several years ago and had been thrilled. They reduced our energy cost. They threw off far less heat, which was a bonus on hot summer days. Although more expensive when purchased, they last for years and ultimately saved us money. But sometimes for safety, we wanted to leave our front porch light on over night and that still seemed wasteful. Then we had an 'aha' moment. LED lightbulbs used 1/3 the power of CFL bulbs and 1/30th of incandescent bulbs. So we switched the porch light to an LED bulb....and we loved it! We noticed that there was literally no heat - you can actually wrap your hand around an LED bulb burning brightly. They light up immediately when turned on. We had become fans.

After seven years, we broke our CLF light bulb a few weeks ago and had visions of mercury poisoning dancing in our heads. Luckily, it was in an enclosed bag and I had book marked a site with safe disposal directions , so it wasn't a crisis. That convinced us - as each CFL died, we would replace it with LED. So far we have replaced 6 and we love them. We practically have a little ceremony with each new opportunity to convert.

The technology in LED light bulbs is still emerging - selection is limited and they are expensive but we will start seeing rapid progress. We have been buying the Philips Ambient LED Indoor Flood PAR30L - it is designed for recessed and track lighting. We found them at Home Depot and they are pricey - $49.97 - but the life of the bulb is 25,000 hours.

Incandescent bulbs are being banned in more parts of the world and will be phased out in California by 2018. As each bulb in your home is replaced, consider LED bulbs as an option. When it is done one at a time, the expense is more manageable. Here are some great sites with more information -

Eternaleds - great information and they also sell a very wide selection

Eartheasy - this blog posted some great information

As your old CFL bulbs burn out, you can take them to Home Depot for safe disposal.

Drop by the MVCC Green Booth on Sundays at the Farmers Market and share your thoughts with me about this!

Let's make Mar Vista the first clean electricity neighborhood in Los Angeles!

Saturday was International Day of Climate Action and Sunday was a milestone for climate action in Mar Vista!

The Mar Vista Green Committee unanimously approved a motion to make Mar Vista the first clean electricity neighborhood in Los Angeles, with a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2018. The motion must be approved by the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) in two weeks, on November 10, and you can help! Please sign the petition that will be presented to the MVCC, urging Mar Vista to make the switch to solar.

With Million Solar Roofs funding, solar electricity is now cheaper than coal-powered electricity for many homeowners with solar-friendly rooftops. Next year the LADWP will introduce "virtual net metering" along with other ways for businesses and residents in apartments and condos to go solar too! And with community support, Mar Vista can be a leader in installing solar panels on our schools, library and post office.

Read more about the national effort to Repower America with 100% clean electricity by 2018 -- and sign the petition to make Mar Vista the first clean electricity neighborhood in Los Angeles.

Join us to Celebrate the Ballona Wetlands!

Have you been introduced to the 600+ acres of the Ballona Wetlands?

Learn about their nature walks and the upcoming bike and boat tours. Ballona Wetlands presents a great opportunity to show your kids what all of our green efforts are fighting to save - in their own backyard. Drop by the MVCC Green Booth this Sunday to learn about this treasure in our community. Marcia Hanscom, Co-Director of the Ballona Institute, will be our guest to introduce you to the wildlife and plant life that they have worked so hard to protect. Watch this video to see what treasures this area protects.

After more than 25 years of citizen effort, this once impossible dream became a reality, when the State of California acquired Ballona in 2003 through a partnership with Trust for Public Land.

Now, volunteers have embarked on a restoration project to beautify the area and heal a part of the historical Ballona Wetlands which has long been ignored. Sponsored by Ballona Institute, the City of Los Angeles, L.A. City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl's office and SunBrook Partners, the Plant-In aims to get 10,000 native plants into the ground, which will restore and enhance the lagoon ecosystem, providing additional habitat for butterflies, birds, fish, crabs and many other forms of life that live in and around the Grand Canal Lagoon. The plants, grown from seed and cuttings taken from the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, were nurtured by native plant nurseries at Growing Solutions' in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Conservation Corp's Sea Lab.