“Three R’s”: RESOURCES TO GO GREEN IN LOS ANGELES
REDUCE
Reducing is the first, most important step in going green. By reducing, we surprisingly become creators:of healthy forests and other natural resources, and of a cleaner, greener atmosphere. Buying products that are made with a sustainable process is a sure way to reduce you ecological footprint. Composting and reducing your consumption of water and electricity with products designed with this mission are some of the most significant ways you can contribute to the quality of our environment. Each individual contribution can become meaningful when it is done by many.
Ecological Footprint Quiz
Biking, Carpooling, Walking, and Public Transportation
http://la-bike.org/
http://www.cicle.org/
http://www.bicyclefixation.com/blog/bfblog.html
http://www.car-free-days.org/pledge.php
http://www.walkscore.com/
http://www.californiabikecommute.com/
http://www.commutesmart.info/
http://zimride.com//home.php
http://www.goloco.org/greetings/guest
http://www.metro.net/default.asp
Energy Conservation
http://allshadesofgreenblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/home-performance-testing.html
http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp000478.jsp
http://www.sce.com/RebatesandSavings/
http://www.energystar.gov/
http://www.findsolar.com/
http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=CA&RE=1&EE=1
Local Food/ Organic Gardening/Native Plants
http://www.tierramiguelfarm.org/
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.thewovengarden.com/
http://www.swamppink.com/about.html
http://www.theodorepayne.org/
Tree Planting
http://www.commonvision.org/
http://www.treepeople.org/
http://www.northeasttrees.org/
Green Business
http://www.silverlakechamber.com/green/
Green Building
http://www.usgbc.org/
http://www.globalgreen.org/gbrc/index.htm
Water
http://www.lastormwater.org/
http://surfriderwlam.org/
http://www.folar.org/index.html
http://www.healthebay.org/
REUSE
When we choose to use products that can be reused instead of disposed of after one use, we act imaginatively on behalf of the planet. We can resole shoes, use stainless steel water and food containers on the go, and bring our own bags to the grocery store, forgoing plastic totes in favor of doing our part. Making these small adjustments in our daily habits produces a significant difference in the amount of waste we generate.
Swapping, Trading, Buying Used
http://www.swaptree.com/WebFrmUserHomePage.aspx
http://www.freecycle.org/
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/
Plastic Bag Facts
http://www.myownbag.com/activism.html
Plastics Guide
http://www.thegreenguide.com/buying-guide/plastic-containers
Salvage Stores
http://www.yelp.com/biz/silverlake-salvage-los-angeles
RECYCLE
So much can be recycled these days! It goes way beyond tossing the newspaper in the blue bin. We can make sure food containers, plastics, and e-waste are properly disposed of, their materials re-made into something new.
Purchasing everyday products made of recycled materials is another solution to diverting waste. At ASOG we strongly support manufacturers who use materials that are collected in a great recycling effort.
Where/What to Recycle
http://earth911.com/
http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/Recycling/crm.cfm
Cell Phone Recycling
http://www.collectivegood.com/
Household Hazardous Waste
http://ladpw.org/epd/hhw/index.cfm
Making an environmental impact and balancing the planet means reinventing the way we do things:
We rethink.
We get together.
We get creative.
Echo Park Time Bank
http://www.echoparktimebank.com/echoparktimebank/Welcome.html
Fallen Fruit
L.A. Parks
Carbon Offsets
http://www.betterworldclub.com/
http://www.renewablechoice.com/
Creative Green
Urban Homesteading
http://www.homegrownevolution.com/