Green Living Workshop update week 37 2008

Tuesdays 7-8:30pm
Math Complex 1 on SMC Campus
Pearl St. between 16th and 17th Street

and

Wednesdays 7-8:30pm
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Week 1 - 8/26, 8/27 WATER + Introduction
Week 2 - 9/2, 9/3 ENERGY
Week 3 - 9/9, 9/10 WASTE


Introduction
Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan
Santa Monica Ecological Footprint description
Santa Monica Ecological Footprint graphic

Green Community Groups
Sustainable Business Council
Net Impact Los Angeles
Green Business Networking
LA Green Drinks

WATER

SMURRF Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility

Ocean Pollution
Algalita Marine Research Foundation
www.algalita.org

Tankless Water Heaters

Takagi USA - top-of-the-line tankless water heater company that has models that can heat up to 5 gal per Tankless Water Heaters min.

GreenHomeGuide - great rundown of what to look for when buying a tankless water heater.

Native/Invasive Plants

Garden Garden
Santa Monica's Environmental Programs Division demonstration garden comparison

Theodore Payne Foundation promotes the understanding and preservation of California native
flora

Plant Right a voluntary, proactive program for the horticultural community to prevent invasive plant introductions through horticulture. PlantRight was designed by the steering committee of California Horticultural Invasives Prevention (Cal-HIP) partnership to communicate the need to transition away from invasive plants in the gardening and landscaping trade.

Weed Watch
Los Angeles Regional Invasive Ornamental Plant Guide
This Guide is produced and distributed by the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council for the primary purpose of educating landscape professionals and the general-public regarding the cultivation, selection, use and management of invasive plants in our local landscape.

California Invasive Plant Council
Across California, invasive plants damage wildlands. Invasive plants displace native plants and wildlife, increase wildfire and flood danger, consume valuable water, degrade recreational opportunities, and destroy productive range and timber lands. Cal-IPC works with land managers, researchers, concerned citizens, and policy makers to protect the state from invasive plants.

Waterless Car Wash Products
EcoTouch
Freedom
Lucky Earth
NoWET

ENERGY

Lighting

How Fluorescent Lights Work (same principle as CFLs)
CFLs Responsible for Less Mercury than Incandescent Light Bulbs Ironically, CFLs present an opportunity to prevent mercury from entering our air, where it most affects our health. The highest source of mercury in our air comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, the most common fuel used in the U.S. to produce electricity. A CFL uses 75% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer. A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time.

Entire EPA Fact Sheet on CFLs and Mercury

CFL Calculator

How LEDs Light Emitting Diodes Work

www.EternaLEDs.com
Local LED retailer

Global Warming

An Inconvenient Truth

HeatisOnline.org
Excellent web resource for tracking the real information about Global Warming. Written by Ross Gelbspan, author of the two ground breaking books on Global Warming we mentioned, The Heat is On and Boiling Point.

Smoke, Mirrors and Hot Air
The Union of Concerned Scientists article on the connection between the "Global Warming skeptics", their funding by Exxon Mobile, and the skeptics history of performing the same disception for the Tobacco industry.

Misinformation regarding Global Warming provided by Exxon


Energy Efficiency

Community Energy Partnership
free Home Energy Efficiency Tune-Up
worth up to $200

Smart Strip

Kill a Watt
Kill a Watt review


Renewable Energy

How to sign up for LADWP Green Power

SolarSantaMonica.com
The City of Santa Monica's excellent new resource for those looking to add Solar Power.


Solar Power (PhotoVoltaic) PV for the home
www.newresourcebank.com
assists renewable energy loans

www.heliopower.com
PV with no upfront costs and higher KiloWatt cost

www.sunrunhome.com
PV with small upfront investment and lower KiloWatt cost

www.solarcity.com
PV company which in addition to selling the PAnels now also sells the service the Panels provide, called a Solar Lease program-

With the SolarLease, you pay as you go, instead of all at once. Monthly lease payments combined with the lower electric bill is usually lower than what you are currently paying the utility company. So you can save money every month!

Not only that, but this savings can grow over time as utility rates continue to increase. That's because utility rates have historically increased over 5% every year. With a SolarLease, you can lock in lower electricity rates for the term of your lease.



















Carbon Offsets

Carbon Neutral Digest
www.carbonneutraldigest.com
website tracking latest news regarding carbon offsetting

Carbon Offset price comparisons
link to the ever growing and changing list of organizations to offset your CO2 based on price

Carbon Offset Recommendations from Tufts University

Carbon Offset Consumer Handout from Tufts University

Below are few suggestions help you select an offsetter:
Atmosfair
Carbonfund.org
Climate Friendly
My Climate
Native Energy

Controversy over Additionality
LA Times hands it to Native Energy
from Carbon Neutral Digest