July 29, 2018 - Greywater

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 29 - REPURPOSE YOUR LAUNDRY WATER

What is greywater? It's the "waste" water from your washing machine reused to water your fruit trees or perennial plants instead of being sent to the reclamation plant and then out to the ocean. 

With a greywater system, every time you do a load of laundry your plants get a good drink and you save money as well.

As everyone knows, California has experienced an extreme drought for many years and it will most likely continue. Water is probably the most important resource for every living species on our planet. Learn how to double the usage of your water!

Green Tent guest Art Lee holds workshops that cover all the information you need to install a grey water system at your house. He's bringing a mini greywater demo system so visitors can see how it works and will answer your questions. He'll also have a signup sheet for those interested in attending a future workshop.

A bicycle built for solar power!  And yeah, it works.

Art can also explain how to install your own personal solar panel for small projects or emergency power for your cell phone, laptop, or ham radio.

Art is also a solar energy expert!  When it comes to versatility and sustainability, he has all the info you need to painlessly shrink your carbon footprint.  Come by the Green Tent this Sunday and benefit from his free advice.

July 22, 2018 Master Gardeners

On Sunday, July 22 from 9 am to 1 p.m., we’re pleased to welcome our Green Tent regulars, the UC/CE LA County Master Gardeners .  As usual they’ve planted up some veggies and herbs for you to bring home to your garden. And, as always, they’re free, AND you can also take free packets of seeds!

This month you can choose from:

Teddy Bear sunflowers!  Just like their name, they are fluffy (and maybe even cuddly!!)

Sweet Bell Peppers:  your perfect summer accompaniment to salads, grilled veggies, and a perfect veggie for roasting or stuffing.

Heirloom Vietnamese cilantro: it's mild and delicate with an extra citrus twist. The plants resemble regular cilantro but the foliage is topped with fine cut, frilly leaves.

A couple of winter squashes: Delicata and Early Butternut (don’t worry, they grow in summer, they just have hard shells)  and Patty Pan squash, a cute little summer scalloped squash that kids love and works well on skewers.

Long Island Mammoth Dill:  A distinctive taste, try this feathery herb on fish and the classic, potato salad. Save the seeds so you can pickle your cucumbers!

Large leaf container basil (Italian Cameo)  Make lovely Caprese with these, a tomato and some burrata or mozzarella, or just toss it into your dishes for that great basil flavor

Bush beans (no staking needed) and pole beans (trellis these) — yellow and green long beans you can eat right off the vine.

And Icebox Watermelon Rainbow Sherbet — these lovely little seedlings produce three varieties of early maturing watermelons, with yellow, orange or pink flesh and weigh in at 4 to 7 pounds with thin, green striped rinds and dense, crisp flesh.

As our heat continues, be sure to water your garden but please be aware of best drought practices.  Visit Be Water Wise for some tips.

For some more great ideas and information about growing great veggies, check out the Master Gardner's website.

And PLEASE remember to bring all those excess six packs from your spring plantings, so the MGs have something to put NEXT month’s seedlings into for you!

July 29, 2018 - Grey Water from Laundry Waste

This Sunday, July 29 - Repurpose your laundry water

What is greywater? It's the "waste" water from your washing machine reused to water your fruit trees or perennial plants instead of being sent to the reclamation plant and then out to the ocean. 

With a greywater system, every time you do a load of laundry your plants get a good drink and you save money as well.

As everyone knows, California has experienced an extreme drought for many years and it will most likely continue. Water is probably the most important resource for every living species on our planet. Learn how to double the usage of your water!

Green Tent guest Art Lee holds workshops that cover all the information you need to install a grey water system at your house. He's bringing a mini greywater demo system so visitors can see how it works and will answer your questions. He'll also have a signup sheet for those interested in attending a future workshop.

A bicycle built for solar power!  And yeah, it works.

Art can also explain how to install your own personal solar panel for small projects or emergency power for your cell phone, laptop, or ham radio.

Art is also a solar energy expert!  When it comes to versatility and sustainability, he has all the info you need to painlessly shrink your carbon footprint.  Come by the Green Tent this Sunday and benefit from his free advice.

July 15, 2018 - SLOLA

This Sunday, Jul y 15, representing the Seed Library of Los Angeles, David King, Founding Chair, will be at the Green Tent with information regarding seed saving and upcoming SLOLA events!

On July 21, SLOLA will have their monthly meeting at 2:30PM at The Learning Garden. David and Azita will demonstrate different seed saving techniques on a variety of the winter seeds they harvested over the last few months.

JUST LABEL IT!

SLOLA has been on the front lines of preserving heirloom seeds and making sure they remain available to all of us as we move toward a somewhat ambiguous future.  We are still fighting infiltration of GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) into our most trusted grocery stores. Whether you are for or against the production of GMOs, you have a right to know if a fruit, vegetable or grain has been genetically modified so you can make informed food choices.

Trash Talk - July 8, 2018

GREEN, BLACK OR BLUE BIN - WHERE DOES IT GO?

Are you a recycling expert? Stop by the Green Tent this Sunday, July 8, to test your knowledge with a sorting game, learn about the recycling process and commit to reducing waste. Get your recycling questions answered. Hear from a recycling pro and learn what to do with your Household Hazardous Waste.

In 2015, Californian’s produced 4.7 lbs of trash per person, per day and diverted 63% of waste from landfills. But we can do better! The City of LA’s goal of zero waste is within reach as long as residents are expert recyclers! Recycling right saves natural resources, decreases pollution and saves landfill space.

Guest Rachel Adell is a local Mar Vista resident and self-proclaimed enthusiast of all things trash and recycling. Rachel’s goal is to share her love of waste and help the public understand their role in waste creation and reduction.

According to the Drawdown data, recycling paper is one of the top 100 solutions for reversing Global Warming.  Every time you take the time to sort and separate old mags and newspapers, you are helping to keep carbon where it belongs..in the ground!