FREE Green Living Workshops and Business Greening Consults!

Visit the Green Tent at the Mar Vista Farmers Market on Sunday September 4th to learn about where you can take the FREE  Sustainable Works Green Living Workshop or get a FREE business greening consult for your company!


Do you know any of the lucky 100+ that took the FREE Sustainable Works Green Living Workshop in Mar Vista?  Well, it's coming back and you have another chance - please help us spread the word! OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION are key components that can’t be ignored with the new LADWP rate plan. This is our chance to send them that message!

Normally, this course is only offered in Santa Monica and a $50 donation is requested from LA residents. Based on the incredible impact that had in our community Councilman Bill Rosendahl awarded them an LADWP grant and there will be 5 more FREE workshops held in LA. Also, for the first time ever, they will offer 20 FREE business greening consults! Our goal – and the reason for our 2010 pilot – is to get these funded by the City of LA on an ongoing basis (as it is in Santa Monica). With rates for water and power climbing, we KNOW that the increases can be offset by the simple tips you learn in these programs.

The first workshop begins tomorrow August 30^th (in the Palisades – tell your friends!) and the second begins October 5^th in Mar Vista at the SMC Bundy Campus. Pre-registration is required. To propose you business for the LA grant version of the business greening program, contact BORLIDO_SUSY@smc.edu

Each week’s class focuses on a separate aspect of greening your home and life – water, energy, waste, chemicals, transportation and shopping. The classes give you a deeper understanding of the issues and each week you leave with 10 actions that ultimately help you to – 

• divert solid waste through recycling
• become water efficient
• eliminate toxic chemicals
• minimize transportation impacts
• reduce energy use
• and learn to make better consumer choices

Please help us spread the word! Email sherri@marvista.org if you would like us to email you flyers. We are so grateful for Bill Rosendahl’s support on this - help us make sure that LA gets a very clear message that this will make a difference. 

They're Back! the Master Gardeners Return to the MVCC Green Tent!

Photo by Master Gardener  Ade Onaolapo 

Photo by Master Gardener  Ade Onaolapo 

The LA County Master Gardeners return this Sunday! The end of summer means the start of your fall and winter garden, and the UCCE/LA County Master Gardeners will be at the market with plenty of seasonal veggie seedlings, including bush beans, lettuces, kale and much more, plus tips on Fall/Winter Gardening Basics and what to plant from seed in September and October.  
                                                                         
While you're there, ask them about the Seed Library of Los Angeles - see this article in the LA Times!









Since 1978, UC Cooperative Extension's Common Ground Program has made gardening possible for many Los Angeles County residents, particularly low-income and traditionally underrepresented families. The program goals are to improve nutrition; increase access to fresh, low-cost produce; offer gardening education; build bridges between neighbors and communities; help create employment opportunities; and encourage a cleaner, greener Los Angeles. We are thrilled to have them as our guest at the booth on the 4th Sunday of every month! Families learn how to garden, grow their own food and prepare it in a healthful manner. In addition, the program trains community volunteers and Master Gardeners, who in turn, volunteer their time to community and school gardens. This is a wonderful program - you may even want to explore signing up for the Master Gardener volunteer training program!

EVOFarm Demonstrates the Marvel of Aquaponics!

Everything begins with a seed

Numerous heirloom varieties, all organic

Root structures fully submerged in organic, liquid nutrition

David Rosentein, Founder of EVOFarm, will be demonstrating the marvel of aquaponics at the Mar Vista Farmer's Market on Sunday, August 21^st from 9am - 2pm, with a micro model of an actual aquaponic farm located just bocks from the market in Mar Vista.

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a unique approach to sustainable food production that merges hydroponics (soilless food production) and aquaculture (fish farming). The fish provide the fertilizer for the plants while the plants filter the water for the fish. It’s a symbiotic relationship that demonstrates biomimicry in its truest form. Aquaponics has some of the highest yields of any food production method and uses very little water with zero waste. It is highly sustainable and exceeds organic certification standards.

EVOFarm’s Mission:

To cultivate resilient communities by producing high yields of produce that are distributed truly locally, using the latest technology, zero waste, minimal water while encompassing best practices in environmental stewardship with economic and social stability.

Join us to Costume Swap!

Photo and homemade tiger outfit by Marty's Three Girls

Trashion dress photo by Urban Woodswalker

LA Costume Swap will be at the Mar Vista Farmer's Market on Sunday, August 14th from 9am - 2pm to answer questions about the upcoming Green-o-ween event hosted by the Mar Vista Farmers Market on October 9th. Come by to learn how you can costume swap this Halloween and drop-off your costumes for swapping.

This week the MVCC Green Committee will host TWO guests and the booth for  LA Costume Swap will be located just across the street.  Find out everything from having a greener, healthier Halloween to the Trashion Contest we will hold on October 9th to information on 100 creative ways to reuse your old t-shirts.

Kids and adults will get the chance to swap new-to-them costumes, saving money and the planet by recycling gowns, witches hats, clothing accessories and superhero capes from years past…instead of buying new ones that often contain unsafe materials and end up in landfills. All costumes should be clean and gently used. We are accepting all sizes from children to adult and even pet costumes!

Even if you're unable to attend the actual swapping event in October or if you are in another state you can still donate your swapping opportunity to a needy local child, that may not be able to get a costume. For information on donating your swap opportunity contact:donate@lacostumeswap.info. Please come join us for a fun and informative day with the LA Costume Swap.

We hope to see you there!

FREE Mar Vista Screening of Vanishing of the Bees!

Join us at a FREE Mar Vista Screening of

 Vanishing of the Bees!

Join bee lovers at the August 20^th screening at the Mar Vista Library as we wear yellow and black - feel free to dress up like a beekeeper or even a bee! Come get your picture taken on HoneyLove's HUGE YELLOW CARPET!!
**Sustainable yellow carpet sponsored by bentleyprincestreet.com

2-3pm Photobooth Flashmob Outreach

          3-5pm Film Introduction & Screening                                                       

Meet Chelsea and Rob McFarland - the founders of HoneyLove 

and members of Backwards Beekeepers.

Check out what your neighbors are saying about urban beekeeping!

HoneyLove is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization with a mission to protect the honeybees and inspire and educate new urban beekeepers. Their goal is to connect with 60,000 organic beekeepers and we are working together to urge the City of Los Angeles to approve a pilot project for urban beekeeping in Mar Vista. Stop by to learn why this is so important.

"The future of beekeeping is not in one beekeeper with 60,000 hives, but rather 60,000 people with one hive." -Simon Buxton, Vanishing of the Bees