Recycle by City, May 1

DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOES IN YOUR BLUE BIN?

According to LA's Zero Waste Report, 30% of what we put in the blue bin (by weight) is stuff that shouldn't be there! And as a nation, we toss over $7 billion worth of recyclable materials away each year.

Better recycling saves natural resources, saves landfill space and provides much needed revenue to our cities. The City of LA made $3.8 M from the sale of recyclables in the 2013-14 fiscal year!

Stop by the Green Tent this Sunday and boost your Blue Bin IQ. Play a hands on recycling sorting game using real everyday items, with different levels of difficulty for kids and parents alike. You'll likely have some of your recycling myths shattered. Learn some recycling tips from a pro and where/how to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste. Get your recycling questions answered. 

Guest Tracy Bugh is on a mission is to increase awareness about proper recycling. To this end, her company, Recycle by City, built a digital recycling platform with simple, in-depth info on local recycling programs. The site also has a myth busting quiz and a page full of recycling tips and tricks - which is local to the bone. And they provide the marketing to get people interested in recycling. 

Master Gardeners, April 24

The days are growing longer and warmer. Join the Los Angeles County Master Gardeners at the Green Tent and get ready to plant your garden. Free seeds and free plants will start you off — Sunday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Green Tent.

Here’s what they’re bringing:

Heirloom Tatsoi Asian Greens — round flat rosettes, rich green teardrop shaped and at maturity can grow to 1 foot in diameter!  

Astia Container Zucchini — French bush variety bred for container growing.

French Gold Pole Filet Beans — Tender green Garden Green Beans  Grows like a bush, so no need to stake or trellis.

Heirloom Pimento Peppers from Seed Savers Exchange — yummy, sweet, red apple shaped peppers.

Stupice Heirloom Tomatoes — A tomato from Czechia, (the new name for Czechoslovakia). Early Variety, globe shaped fruit, deep red, can weigh 3-4 ox, tangy tomato flavor. 

Sweet Gold yellow cherry tomatoes


Garden Candy cherry tomatoes

Italian Gigante Parsley — large flat leaf.
   
Heirloom Cutting mix lettuce — let ‘em grow, cut em back, watch ‘em grow again. OR separate them at the roots for a complete lettuce garden.

Sea of Red lettuce — Lovely to look at, even lovelier to eat.

Please remember to save water, the drought’s not over, and there’s a La Nina predicted which means warmer, dryer weather ahead. Visit bewaterwise.com for inspiration.

And please also bring your empty plastic six packs so the MGs can grow more seedlings for you at next month’s booth.

Happy gardening!

Walgrove Green Team, April 17

Come and join the Walgrove Green Team at the Green Tent THIS Sunday, April 17, to learn about how the  Edible Garden Program at Walgrove Elementary School is creating healthy children while it turns them into farmers and gourmet chefs. On hand will be Master Gardner Daniela Roveda and Green Committee Co-Chair Jeanne Kuntz, and hopefully YOU!

In the garden classes at Walgrove students grow and cook organic vegetables right from their own gardens.  They also learn elementary level botany and horticulture. 

Which plants like hot weather and which ones like cold weather?

Why does it makes sense for us to eat food that is in season where we live?  

What are the 5 basics stages in the life cycle of a plant?

What is the best way to avoid getting stung by a bee?  (HINT: Don't act like a bear!)

Learn the answers to these questions and more as you play the Mystery Box Game.  Then take the "Veggie Pledge".

Volunteering in the garden brings bountiful rewards to those who venture out! Come and enrich your life and see what's "growing on" right in your neighborhood

Eco Car Expo, April 10

Are you EV curious? Have you wanted an electric vehicle, but been too swamped to do the research? Come to our expanded Green Tent on April 10, from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. and ask EV & plug-in hybrid drivers all your burning questions. 

We’ll have the following plug-in vehicles and their real live drivers: BMW i3, Chevy Volt, Fiat EV, Ford C-Max Energi, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, Toyota Rav4 EV and Zero S Electric motorcycle.

NEW! You'll also be able to see the Toyota Mirai, one of the first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to be sold commercially.

 “Car-free living” representatives on hand offering alternative transportation options including Santa Monica’s bike share program, an electric scooter, a bamboo bicycle, demonstrations of several car-free ridesharing apps, and a hover board.

Join us for the fun right in the middle of the Mar Vista Farmers' Market, at the Grand View / Pacific intersection. Look for the Green Tent, the MVCC tent and a bunch of really happy EV drivers and their vehicles.