How to make a Rain Barrel Overflow Rain Garden

Saturday, Jan 28, 2012
9 am – 3 pm
11375 Matteson Ave. LA 90066
FREE!

Come join local Transition groups and friends for this barn-raising-style garden work party!

Rain gardens provide no-cost irrigation to the homeowner while helping­ r­eplenish our local aquifer. You can learn on-the-job how to install a simple ­passive, hidden “reservoir” for rain water collection to transform a patch of residential dirt yard into a ­garden of edible CA native currants & gooseberries.

Landscape architect John Tikotsky will be on hand to lead the troops as well as give short teach-ins on how to calculate your roof’s water catching capacity and other basic water catchment strategies for people thinking about including rain harvesting in their garden plan.

Depending on number of ­volunteers, we will have fun while we:

1. Dig the pits & sculpt berms to create our reservoir,

2. Install subsurface pipes from the rainwater tanks,

3. Fill the reservoir with mulch,

4. Plant trellised Ribes: best edible CA native for this shady understory
region under parkway trees

Bring gardening gloves and sturdy shoes. Some tools will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. The day includes lunch and other ­refreshments, some music and lots of good cheer. Volunteers of every level of expertise are welcome!

Please RSVP: TransitionCulverCity@gmail.com

Co-hosted by Transition Culver City and Transition Mar Vista/Venice.

Photos from the exchange courtesy of Gillian Ferguson.

The Westside Produce Exchange is a group of people who share the abundance from their gardens and kitchens with each other monthly. The core purpose of the produce exchange is to reduce food waste and ensure that the bounty of our yards can provide sustenance for others.

Here’s what you do if you’d like to participate.  First – and above all else – SEND AN EMAIL to westsideproduce@gmail.com with:
what produce you’ll have to contribute this Saturday
whether you’d like to volunteer to bag or deliver
whether you will be picking up your bag or need delivery
include your address and phone number so I can figure out delivery schedules

To include you in this Saturday’s exchange, Naomi will need to hear back from you by this THURSDAY (December 8th) at NOON.
Once she knows who’s in, she’ll send out a final details email to all responding participants by Friday, including confirmations for those of you wishing to bag or deliver.

Participants will drop off their bags of produce at The Venice Learning Garden the morning of December 10th between 9 am – NOON.

The Learning Garden is located at Walgrove Ave & Venice Blvd. Enter from Walgrove through the chain link gate, between Venice and Zanja.

Bagging volunteers will be needed to count everything and redistribute it at NOON, and delivery volunteers will be needed to deliver at 2:00. Each driver will only have 2 deliveries to make, all nearby, and I will try to pair drivers with drop-off close to their homes.

WHAT TO EXCHANGE:
1. Fresh organic produce: fruits, vegetables, or edible herbs. We will NOT be taking non-edible herbs such as burning sage, many people do not know what to do with non-edibles, and they can be confusing and problematic. This is about free TASTY produce!
2. Fresh beautiful vase-ready flowers (no weeds, fillers, or quick-wilters, please!)
3. Fresh baked goods, preserves, or other individual prepared food items. Not everyone has fresh produce all year round, and we are happy to receive the bounty of your kitchen as well. However, if you go this route, you MUST pre-package each item individually for easy and clean distribution. No sheet trays of brownies or sacks of cookies.

Each bag of produce dropped off should be labeled with the participant’s name, phone number, and address.

Contact westsideproduce@gmail.com to participate and/or to get on the mailing list for this fabulous monthly exchange! Also read an article about the exchange in the Whole Life Times blog here.

November 20, 2pm-5pm – Culver City Veteran’s Memorial Complex – Garden Room, 4117 Overland, Culver City 90230

The Sierra Club’s Angeles Chapter Foundation presents “The Green Home Focus” with information that will save you money and provides a healthier environment. Learn about Energy Upgrade California, Transition Culver City, and Living Green.

· Learn ways to provide “Health and Wealth” for your Home through “Energy Upgrade California in Los Angeles County” with up to $8000 in cash incentives.
· Meet some of the Contractors with the EUCLA program;
· Enter a chance to win a coupon worth $100’s of dollars off toward your Home Assessment Test!
· Meet local businesses, organizations and homeowners who are environmentally conscious
· Go on a “Tour” of environmental partners locations
· Networking and breakout sessions for more Q & A
· Prizes and more!
· Light Refreshments Served

Click on the flyer to enlarge.

Want to learn more about Bikerowave? Visit their website.

Our Alternative Transportation Parade gathered around 60 cyclists and walkers to explore and reflect on low or no-carbon solutions to getting around Culver City.

We:

decorated bikes

met Chelsea, the Honey Love bee, who is an advocate for urban beekeeping

rode & walked to the Culver City Metro Light Rail Station

made mini alt-cars out of recycled materials donated by reDiscover Center

… And then brainstormed about local, sustainable transportation together.

The discussion pointed to improvements needed for safe walking and biking to the Culver City Metro Light Rail Station:  good lighting along Washington; fewer vacant lots; a welcoming and landscaped approach to the station that includes plenty of bicycle parking.

SHOUT OUT! Gratitude to all the participants. You made this event a success! Thanks to wonderful Transition Culver City leader Michelle,  co-organizers Ginny & Meghan, team member Disa, & amazing community partners Culver City Bicycle Coalition (Darren, Jim, Brian), Sustainable Streets (Ron), reDiscover Center (Mary Beth), Bikerowave (Donald & Richard), Girl Scout Troop 5635, Honey Love (Chelsea), and, of course 350.org for initiating this global event. Thanks also to School Board member Karlo Silbiger, former mayor Gary Silbiger, and school board candidate Nancy Goldberg for joining our discussion. Last but not least thanks to Karim & Ginny for documenting the event.

350.org has initiated another global day of action for the climate:

Moving Planet will be a day to put our demands for climate action into motion—marching, biking, skating—calling for the world to go beyond fossil fuels.

See more about Moving Planet here.

Transition Culver City is hosting an Alternative Transportation Parade to celebrate and explore fossil-free transportation in Culver City, in partnership with several organizations including Sustainable Streets, reDiscover Center, and Culver City Bicycle Coalition.

Join Transition Culver City on Saturday September 24th, from 1-4pm!

1pm: We’ll meet at Town Plaza, by the Lion Fountain (9500 Culver Blvd), to get costumed, decorate bikes, shoes & hats, and make parade banners and signs.

2pm: Cyclists will explore the Downtown Connector, a newly installed bike route linking Downtown Culver City to the new Metro Light Rail station.

Walkers, runners, strollers & little red wagons will take Washington Blvd. toward Light Rail station.

3pm: At City Hall (9770 Culver Blvd.), we’ll gather to celebrate and create individualized plans and goals for lowering our carbon footprint! Children can create mini alternative vehicles from recyclables provided by reDiscover Center.

Helmets required! Wear fancy parade attire.  Materials for banner-making and bike, hat & shoe decorating will be provided.

Click on event flyer to download:

Check TCC’s video of last year’s 350.org action here!

Urgent – Need Your Help to Ban Styrofoam in the CA State Assembly, #plastic

Bike to the Eat Real Festival on Saturday & Sunday, July 16th & 17th at Helm’s Bakery.

Eat Real is a free two-day festival at Helms Bakery that celebrates eating, making and growing good, affordable food. L.A.’s best food trucks will converge with numerous food skill demonstrations, which include learning how to make butter, grow balcony food gardens, craft kimchi, raise backyard chickens, and concoct fresh gazpacho using a bike blender! Also on the menu is a panel on food writing, live music, butchery contest, and craft marketplace. Read more about the festival here.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition is teaming up Bikerowave to host a free bike valet service and lead DIY fix-it workshops and bike tuneups! We’ll also have a Bike Wheel of Fortune raffle. So ride your bike, spin for chance to win awesome prizes ranging from beer, swag, food, and great bike stuff, and beat the “Carmegeddon” heat.

The valet is along Venice Blvd. – between National and Helms. It will run from 10am-6pm on Saturday, 10am-5pm on Sunday.

For those coming from L.A. – biking to Eat Real couldn’t be any easier, especially with our guided bike tour! The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) will take the lead on guiding two-wheel rides to the event. Meet at the courtyard at the Wilshire and Western station of the Metro Purple Line at 10:30 a.m., and the ride begins promptly at 11 a.m. You’ll arrival at the event no later than noon, with plenty of time to enjoy the food fun. Ride happens at both days, same times.

Questions? ccbicylecoalition@gmail.com ~ 310-845-5831

Want to volunteer? Sign up here!

1,000,000 Strong Against Offshore Drilling just posted a series of Green Patriot Posters.

Here are some favorites:

If you’re wondering what 350 is – get thee to 350.org – and join Transition Culver City in planning our big Moving Planet event on September 24th! Join a coalition of local environmental & community groups in moving Culver City beyond fossil fuels:

transitionculvercity@gmail.com